Oberlin Shansi Restarts American College Fellowship

We are thrilled to introduce Donnie Harris ‘23, our newest Shansi Fellow to American College in Madurai, India! Donnie will be the first Fellow to American College in nearly fifteen years and will help us relaunch this historical partnership which began in 1951. 

Donnie (he/him) is a Politics major and English minor, from Annapolis, MD. At Oberlin, Donnie has worked as an Executive Functioning Tutor, Peer Advising Leader, and Peer Career Advisor, and a Circulation Assistant at Clarence Ward Art Library. He is also an alum of the Oberlin Research Group. Additionally, as a 2022 Cole Scholar, Donnie interned with the Political Department of Senator Maggie Hassan’s (D-NH) re-election campaign and came to enjoy the rigors of the campaign trail. Academically, Donnie has primarily studied the socio-political happenings of African, Middle Eastern, and East as well as South Asian states. As a Shansi Fellow at the American College in Madurai, Donnie looks forward to developing his language-learning skills, and working with the College’s students as they navigate higher education and adulthood. Following his Fellowship, Donnie hopes to pursue a career with the U.S. State Department and work as an agent of change abroad. Outside of his academics and career, Donnie is an artist whose primary mediums of choice include charcoal and graphite.

At American College, Donnie will work with Dr. Paul Jayakar, Dean for International Exchange and a former Shansi Visiting Scholar, to relaunch the Shansi International Centre, which will provide writing support for students and young faculty and host a range of global awareness programs. He will also collaborate with the Study Centre for Indian Literature in English and Translation (SCILET), provide teaching assistance for select classes, and engage with American College’s rural education initiatives in the Madurai district. 

The resumption of programming with American College comes after two years of rigorous discussions with American College’s faculty and administration. Our current Lady Doak Fellow, Phoebe von Conta ‘22, was also an instrumental partner in this process and will be welcoming Donnie this coming August.

Here’s to new beginnings with old friends in Madurai. Congratulations, Donnie!