Thomas Simonson (’17) recently received a $5,000 fellowship from Phi Kappa Phi; it was given through a competitive award process.
Simonson, who transferred to UNC Charlotte, earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in diverse literatures and cultural studies. His research interests include multicultural literature, poetry, postmodernism, Shakespeare and literary theory. He completed the Charlotte Research Scholars and English Honors programs as an undergraduate.
He expressed his appreciation to the English Department for offering such opportunities and to faculty members Lara Vetter, Malin Pereira and Juan Meneses for their mentorship.
He plans to pursue graduate studies in English at Wake Forest University, starting this fall.
Matthew Simmons, a 2005 graduate of the University, also received a $500 “Love of Learning” award from Phi Kappa Phi. Currently, Simmons is working on a doctoral dissertation in history at the University of Florida.
Phil Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society. More than 1.5 million members have joined the society’s ranks since it was founded in 1897 at the University of Maine.