ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University senior Robert McDonie was awarded the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship. McDonie, of Waverly, Ohio, is one of 94 winners in the nation.
"Bobby McDonie is one of the most extraordinary and diligent students I have worked with, and the Mellon is a stunning testimony to his brilliance and his hard work," said Ann Brown, director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards. "In addition, there was an impressive cadre of faculty members who helped him all along the way, and without whom this award would not have been possible. This is a wonderful achievement for Bobby and for Ohio University as an institution."
McDonie is a College of Arts and Sciences student majoring in the Honors Tutorial English program. He interviewed March 1 in Ann Arbor, Mich., during the semi-final round; a panel in Washington, D.C., selected the 158 finalists. Since its establishment in 1982, approximately 800 students apply each year for the fellowship.
"The process was a learning experience, especially the work I did with my mentors. It was the first time to put on paper what you see as your future," McDonie said. "I owe the deepest amount of gratitude to the professors here at Ohio University."
He credits Marsha Dutton, Loreen Giese, Joe McLaughlin, Robert DeMott and Steve Hays, faculty in the department of English, and Ann Fidler, dean of the Honors Tutorial College, as those who have helped him to pursue his academic goals and supported him in applying for national awards.
Also a Rhodes State Finalist, McDonie hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in English with a specialization in critical theory.
The Mellon Fellowship is intended to help prepare students for teaching and research careers in humanistic disciplines. The fellowship provides a tuition waiver and $17,500 stipend for the first year of doctoral study.
McDonie is the son of David and Susan McDonie of Waverly, Ohio.
Ohio University's Office of Nationally Competitive Awards is dedicated to helping the university's students prepare and apply for various prestigious awards given to students around the world.
