Lauren Seckington and Marcia Williams to spend one
year traveling to multiple countries for in-depth study
CONWAY,
Arkansas (March 27, 2024)—Hendrix College students Lauren Seckington of
Bentonville, who double-majored in religious studies and interdisciplinary
studies: media and communications, and Marcia Williams, an environmental
studies major from Pine Bluff, have been named to the 2024 class of Thomas
J. Watson Fellows. They will depart the United States by
August 1 to spend a year traveling the world to explore their deepest
interests.
Seckington’s project, “Seeking Peace
Through Interfaith Dialogue in Pluralist Societies,” includes travel to Singapore,
Japan, Ireland, Australia, and South Africa to learn how perceptions of harmony
differ across cultures, and how globalization can promote or threaten peaceful
plurality. She will collaborate with interfaith workers, religious leaders, and
members of pluralist communities to deepen her understandings of peace and
harmony, preparing for a future of interfaith advocacy.
“My love for interfaith advocacy was
propelled by my time in the Hendrix Religious Studies Department and the
Odyssey Program funding that allowed me to attend the Parliament of the World’s
Religions,” Seckington said. “This fellowship represents the intersection of so
many passions of mine, and I’m so grateful for the support of the Hendrix
community.”
Williams’s project, “Cultivating
Connections: Community Gardens as Ecotherapy,” will take her to Rwanda, Sweden,
Germany, Japan, and Mexico to explore the therapeutic qualities of communal
gardens and their social, psychological, and economic benefits for marginalized
communities.
“Nature, for me, has always been a
source of hope, and it has helped me to learn about grief, love, and community,”
Williams said. “Being able to experience the benefits that gardening and nature
have on others around the world is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“Marcia’s connection with nature and gardening goes
back to childhood, and she has sought out soil and sunshine ever since.
Luckily, it’s easy to find gardening outlets in the ‘Natural’ state of Arkansas,”
said Britt Anne Murphy, Hendrix’s liaison to the Watson Fellowship. “And Marcia
really sought out communities for herself through her environmental
connections, not just at Hendrix, but also locally, statewide, and internationally.
Marcia’s inserted herself in every environmental space on campus she could
find, and in that process has realized how much nature has presented itself in
her life as a healing force. Bell Urban Farm – one of her three workplaces –
has offered her a window into how small-scale gardening can enrich local
communities. But her time in Costa Rica really cemented her desire to explore
how gardens can connect people and promote well-being.”
Of Seckington, Murphy said, “I have witnessed how
much Lauren has grown as a person in working with her over the last year. Her
project has changed to what compelled Lauren to seek out both of her majors in
Religious Studies and Communications – interfaith dialogue. Lauren’s
experiences on campus and in the classroom inform her approach to her Watson.
Her experiences abroad and at the Parliament of the World’s Religions have
confirmed her resolve that understanding and promoting diversity can help
people of faith live harmoniously and help faith traditions thrive. Her work in
communications has given her the experience and nuance to work with diverse
populations, from children to older populations.”
Seckington and Williams are among eight
Hendrix students to become Watson Fellows in the past six years. The four
candidates Hendrix nominated this year continued their predecessors’ tradition
of collaborating during the application process.
“This year’s candidates from Hendrix—Lauren,
Marcia, Bergen Franklin, and Sophie O’Reilly—supported one another through
every draft and interview prep session,” Murphy said. “They all are to be commended
for working together as they each built excellent proposals that reflected the
optimism and hope of this generation.”
“We are grateful to have Hendrix as
one of just 41 partner colleges and universities working with the Watson
Fellowship Program,” she added. “The Watson Foundation’s investment in Hendrix
students creates not just global citizens, but future leaders for Arkansas and
the nation.”
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 www.hendrix.edu.
“… Through engagement that links the classroom with
the world, and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and sustainable
living, the Hendrix community inspires students to lead lives of
accomplishment, integrity, service, and joy.”
—Hendrix College Statement of Purpose