GTU Doctoral Student Carmen Lansdowne Selected to Receive Second Prestigious FTE Fellowship

Carmen Lansdowne, a GTU doctoral student in Interdisciplinary Studies, has been selected to receive a 2011 Fund for Theological Education (FTE) North American Doctoral Fellowship, a competitive national award with a stipend of between $5,000 and $10,000. Lansdowne, whose research interests include urging the prophetic witness of churches to address the continuing injustices facing native peoples in the Americas, was also a North American Doctoral Fellow in 2010.

FTE North American Doctoral Fellowships foster diversity in the academy by accelerating the successful completion of Ph.D. degrees among African-American, Asian-American, American Indian and Hispanic students, providing them with financial support and professional development opportunities. Lansdowne is a member of the Heiltsuk Nation from the central coast of British Columbia and is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada.

About one-third of North American theological schools report they do not have a person of color on their faculties. “To effectively prepare their students for leadership, theological school faculties must reflect the diversity of the communities those students will serve,” said Matthew Wesley Williams, FTE Director of Doctoral Fellowships. Since 1998, more than 70 percent of FTE Doctoral Fellow alumni now teach at theological schools or universities.

Lansdowne currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at Starr King School for the Ministry. She also serves on the Central and Executive Committees of the World Council of Churches (Switzerland) as well as on the Executive, General Council of the United Church of Canada.

Read a recent Currents article about Carmen...