The Dr. Jonathan I. Kidd Senior Prize is sponsored by Dr. Jonathan I. Kidd a playwright, documentarian, television writer, and DAAS alumni. He is a writer and co-executive producer of the HBO Series Lovecraft Country.
Dr. Jonathan I. Kidd created this prize to honor his educational passion. Dr. Kidd was a Walter Rodney Essay Competition winner and an AAS/English major at UM before earning a dual Ph.D. in African American Studies and English from Yale University. He utilized his pedagogical foundations to embark upon a successful career as a television writer and producer. With this prize, Dr. Kidd wishes to recognize LSA students who complete a significant senior project and to honor students enrolled in DAAS courses who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, a record of academic excellence, and a commitment to giving back to the African diaspora.
The Dr. Jonathan I. Kidd Senior Prize will be awarded to one senior (Major or Minor) in DAAS, who researched and developed a project, capstone, or thesis that involves a serious engagement with a significant intellectual, social, political, or practical problem related to the African Diaspora and the educational mission of DAAS. The project should demonstrate what the student has learned from their DAAS courses and engaged modes of learning in which the student exercised their own agency to solve problems, enhance civic assets, or otherwise catalyze meaningful change within a community.
Projects may include senior thesis, essays, documentaries, podcasts, digital repositories, archives, oral history projects, public-facing work, and community engagement & service projects.
Prize Amount: $1,000
Submission Date: April 8, 2024
Requirements
Applicants are invited to submit a project in any medium. Non-written projects or portfolios should be accompanied by a 3-page statement describing the project and how it meets the prize criteria.
Please send the following three items to [daasinfo@umich.edu]. Each item should be a separate email attachment with the Coversheet and written material in Adobe PDF format:
1. Coversheet, including:
- Your name
- Email address
- Student status (DAAS Major or Minor)
- Capstone, Project, or Thesis TitleCourse for which you produced the project or essay, including semester and year (if applicable)
2. Your Capstone, Project, or Thesis
3. Current Unofficial Transcript
Prizes will be presented at the DAAS Graduation Ceremony on May 3rd, 2024 at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
For further information, please email daasinfo@umich.edu.
