ASC Director, Kelly Askew, announces the establishment of the Lester P. Monts Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Research on Africa. Competition details will be released later this summer. Faculty are asked to encourage students to submit papers for consideration. The award comes with a $1000 prize. The prize is but a small means of thanking the outgoing Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Lester Monts, for all he has done to promote scholarship on Africa and institutional engagement with African universities. The University of Michigan's support for African initiatives is truly exemplary and due in large respect to his efforts.