CONWAY, Arkansas—The Hendrix-Murphy Foundation awarded $150,574 in grants in the spring semester for 18 student cocurricular projects and two faculty-led study-travel projects in literature and language. Since 2010, the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation has spent more than $3.1 million on study-travel in the U.S. and abroad; $1.3 million on visiting writers, theatre directors, and literary scholars; and $1.9 million on campus literature & language projects.
“The quality and range of these Hendrix-Murphy projects proves, once again, that if a student is interested in the study of literature and language, there’s no better place to be than Hendrix College,” said Dr. Tyrone Jaeger, Hendrix-Murphy Foundation interim director and professor of English-creative writing.
The Odyssey Program is Hendrix College’s signature engaged-learning program where students complete at least three experiential projects in areas such as global awareness, service to the world, and professional and leadership development.
“Being the Murphy travel agent by wrangling travel logistics for Murphy Scholars and recipients of Hendrix-Murphy co-curricular funding is a big undertaking,” said Sarah Engeler-Young, Hendrix-Murphy Foundation assistant director. “Demystifying travel for students and helping them to see themselves as competent travelers is especially rewarding!”
The following student and faculty-led projects were approved for funding:
EF Languages Abroad French Intensive Course in Nice
Amber Alsup ’26, an environmental studies major from Cabot, and Lucas Junkermann ’26 a business/economics double major from Siloam Springs, will build on their Hendrix-based studies of French language and culture by enrolling over the summer in the EF Languages Abroad School in Nice, France, for four weeks of intensive instruction with the goal of becoming more fluent French readers, speakers, and thinkers. The project is supervised by Dr. Cathy Jellenik, professor of French.
Atlantis Medical Shadowing in Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Amalia Anton ’27, a Spanish major and Murphy Scholar from Ridgefield, Washington, will spend three weeks over the summer gaining professional experience by shadowing doctors in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, through the Atlantis Medical Shadowing Program, while also increasing her proficiency in Portuguese. The project is supervised by Dr. Zachary Brander, assistant professor of Spanish and Murphy Fellow in Spanish, and carries credit for Hendrix’s Odyssey Program.
Chang Gung University Pre-Med Enhancement Program
Rebekah Caffey ’27, a biochemistry-molecular biology major and Murphy Scholar from Little Rock, will participate in the six-week Pre-Med Enhancement Summer Program at Chang Gung University in Taiwan, integrating medical coursework, clinical shadowing, research, and Traditional Chinese Medicine plus increasing her Chinese language skills, expansion of her vocabulary, and a deeper understanding of Chinese medical terminology and the linguistic nuances of Traditional Chinese Medicine in preparation for her future career in medicine with a global perspective. The project is supervised by Dr. Wenjia Liu, associate professor of Chinese, and carries credit for Hendrix’s Odyssey Program.
Elementary Ukrainian Language and Grammar
Chloe Chandler ’27, a psychology/French double major from Little Rock, is a first-generation Ukrainian American and will spend the summer learning how to read, write, and speak Ukrainian by taking an online, interactive course through the University of Kansas with the goal of being able to better connect with her family and culture. Project supervisor is Séverine Cottrant-Estell, instructor of French.
Experiencing Literature alongside the Incarcerated in Washington, D.C.
Marleigh Hayes ’25, a politics major and Murphy Scholar from Fayetteville, spent four days in Washington, D.C., over spring break, participating in Free Minds’ book clubs with incarcerated members, reading poetry from people on the inside, and observing daily operations and community support. Working with Free Minds gave Marleigh more insight into the rehabilitative practices of how literature rehabilitates and creates community for incarcerated people and will also help to prepare her for a career in criminal justice reform. The project was supervised by Dr. Delphia Shanks, associate professor of politics.
Language and Culture in Mexico City
David Kamanga ’27, a physics major and Murphy Scholar from Little Rock, will engage in a two-week Spanish immersion experience of developing a better understanding of Mexican culture while also increasing his fluency in Spanish with 18 hours each week of intensive Spanish lessons with guided cultural tours. Project supervisor is Dr. Rod Miller, professor of art.
Creative Writing and Photography in the Himalayas
Raahi Kapoor ’27, a biology/art double major and Murphy Scholar from Rogers, will spend 10 days in Dalhousie, India to converse with and photograph locals and in turn write about them to produce a humanitarian photo essay, a compilation of affirmations and a creative narrative essay. Additionally, Kapoor, a Hindi speaker, will increase his Hindi language proficiency through cultural immersion. Project supervisors are Dr. Colleen Mayo ’11, assistant professor of English-creative writing and Murphy Fellow in English, and Maxine Payne, Willis H. Holmes Distinguished Professor of Art. This project carries credit for Hendrix’s Odyssey Program and was jointly funded with the Odyssey Program.
Language and National Art in Mexico City
Harry Lance ’26, a physics major and Murphy Scholar from Conway, will spend 18 days in Mexico City to study at the Lengua y Cultura Mexico City Language Center and analyze mural artwork specifically by José Clemente Orozco. With its balance of educational and historical activities, this project will increase Harry’s Spanish language skills while extending what he learned about post-colonial identity in his Murphy tutorial with Dr. Lilian Contreras-Silva, associate professor of Spanish and project supervisor, “Hybrid Identity in Hispanic-America.”
American Sign Language Immersion and Education
While learning American Sign Language (ASL), Georgia Liu ’27, a biochemistry-molecular biology major and Murphy Scholar from Little Rock, will attend the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she will attend workshops conducted by Deaf educators, advocates, and members of the community as well as immersive community-based events. Georgia hopes to become proficient in ASL, and she is also pursuing that goal via a Murphy-funded ASL I online course at Gallaudet University. Project supervisor is Dr. Julie Gunderson ’06, associate professor of physics.
Prague Summer Program for Writers
Alaina May ’26, an English-film major and Murphy Scholar from Rogers, will attend the Prague Summer Program for Writers, a writing residency workshop that takes place over the course of a three-week stay in the Czech Republic in which participants take part in writing workshops and public readings from the work produced, literary-based walking tours, and opportunities to explore the city of Prague. Project supervisor is Dr. Colleen Mayo ’11, assistant professor of English-creative writing and Murphy Fellow in English.
Spanish Immersion in Costa Rica
Katie McClure ’26, a biology/philosophy double major from Fayetteville, will further her Spanish proficiency this summer on her third trip to Costa Rica where she will live with native Spanish speakers and attend Spanish classes. This experience will further her progress towards the goal of one day being a conservation biologist in Costa Rica. Project supervisor is Cori French, instructor of Spanish.
French Language and Writing in Montreux, Switzerland
Charlotte Miller ’26, an economics major and Murphy Scholar from Conway, will continue her French education at the Alpadia Language School in Montreux, Switzerland while also living with a host family to further improve her French language skills. She will use her time outside of class as a writing retreat, building on her Murphy tutorial on creative nonfiction to intertwine English and French in a travel narrative. Project supervisor is Dr. Colleen Mayo ’11, assistant professor of English-creative writing and Murphy Fellow in English.
Irish Literary Studies in Galway, Ireland
Madeline Mundkowsky ’26, an English-creative writing major and Murphy Scholar from Midland, Texas will attend an Irish Studies course focusing on literature and creative writing through the International Summer School at the University of Galway and in turn create a portfolio of creative work such as poems, fiction, and memoir pieces, as well as literary analysis essays on the depiction of Irishness in Irish and American media. Project supervisor is Dr. Colleen Mayo ’11, assistant professor of English-creative writing and Murphy Fellow in English.
Greek Immersion: Modern Language and Orthodox Liturgy
Alaina Palmer ’26, a classics major and Murphy Scholar from Shreveport, Louisiana, will travel to Athens, Greece in June to take a three-week modern Greek immersion course at the Athens Centre, where she will study the juxtaposition between modern and ancient Greek that she has learned in courses at Hendrix. She will also visit Greek Orthodox churches and monasteries to investigate the interplay between modern and ancient Greek found in Greek Orthodox liturgies. Project supervisor is Dr. Rebecca Resinski, professor of classics.
Intensive Language Study and Immersion in Taipei, Taiwan
Vincenzo Redditt ’25, a classics major and Murphy Scholar from Conway, attended a week-long intensive language course at the LTL Language School in Taipei where he engaged with the cultural programs available, sought out other students pursuing careers in teaching English, and lived with a Taiwanese household. This week of linguistic and cultural immersion, along with independent TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training, helped him to prepare to navigate English teaching opportunities in the Mandarin-speaking world post-graduation. Project supervisor was Dr. Wenjia Liu, associate professor of Chinese, and carries credit for Hendrix’s Odyssey Program.
Summer Study Abroad in Nagoya, Japan
Eden Robbins ’26, a Spanish/study of the mind double major and Murphy Scholar from Russellville, will attend Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan to take intensive Japanese language classes for academic credit in June and July. This experience will build upon the three independent, online Japanese courses she has already completed by providing a structured classroom experience and full immersion, including a homestay with a Japanese family. Project supervisor is Sarah Engeler-Young ’91, Hendrix-Murphy Foundation assistant director.
Learning Modern Standard Arabic as a Levantine Arab
Levantine Arabic-speaker Demah Yousef ’26, a chemistry major and Murphy Scholar from Little Rock, will learn Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) online this summer through the Qalam Wa Lawh Center in Morocco to better understand formal Arabic which will increase her range of understanding of Arabic texts, and refine her ability to interpret research and medicine for Arabic communities once she is a physician.
Playwriting Intensive at St. Mary's University in London
Eleven students along with Lavinia Roberts, assistant professor of theatre arts & dance and Murphy Fellow in theatre, and Antonio Horne, Department of Theatre Arts & Dance chair and associate professor, will travel to St. Mary’s University in London in June.
Students will participate in workshops designed to help them craft a 10-minute play, attend staged readings performed by master’s candidates at St. Mary's, attend plays at a variety of London theatres, and engage with theatre faculty at St. Mary’s as well as working playwrights such as BAFTA-Nominated Kenny Emson and George Devine Award Winner Alexandra Wood. By the end of the playwrighting intensive, students will have completed a 10-minute play. The project carries credit for Hendrix’s Odyssey Program.
2025 Jane Austen Society of North America Annual General Meeting (JASNA AGM)
Four students and Dr. Carol L. West, Harold and Lucy Cabe Distinguished Professor of English, will attend the 2025 Jane Austen Society of North America Annual General Meeting in Baltimore. This year's theme is "Austen at 250" (celebrating the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth), featuring plenary session speakers who are internationally renowned Austen scholars, breakout sessions on diverse Austen-related topics, special sessions (including a fashion show, musical performances, a pop-up museum, and object talks), workshops (featuring dance, singing, and creative writing), and a Regency ball. Through exposure to cutting-edge scholarship on Austen and hands-on engagement with Regency culture, this conference trip will enable a fuller appreciation of Austen's legacy, genius, and enduring relevance.
About the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation
The Hendrix-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language were founded in 1978 by a gift from Charles H. Murphy, Jr., former CEO of Murphy Oil Corporation, in memory of his mother Bertie Wilson Murphy. Their mission is to enhance and enrich the study of literature and language at Hendrix College. For more information, visit hendrixmurphy.org.
About Hendrix College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges and celebrated among the country’s leading liberal arts colleges for academic quality, engaged learning opportunities and career preparation, vibrant campus life, and value. The Hendrix College Warriors compete in 21 NCAA Division III sports. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. Learn more at hendrix.edu.