HMU FELLOWSHIP IN IDEAS
The HMU Fellowship in Ideas is a writing and discussion project in the humanities designed for a recent university graduate from any field who has an interest in the humanities, interdisciplinary dialogue, and intellectual and professional enrichment. The Fellowship offers emerging scholars exposure to the history of ideas in Western civilization, networking opportunities amongst an array of academicians, lifelong learners, readers, and thinkers from a broad range of disciplines, and credited authorship in two university publications.
The role of the fellows
Over the course of nine months, the HMU Fellow in Ideas will:
- Participate in virtual Socratic discussions with university faculty and other Fellows.
- Contribute two entries to the Harrison Middleton University Blog.
- Publish a book review in HMU: Dialogues, Harrison Middleton University’s biannual newsletter.
Benefits
The successful applicant to the HMU Fellowship in Ideas will enjoy the following benefits:
- A $500 stipend (to be paid by check or PayPal).
- The opportunity to participate in virtual Socratic discussions with university faculty and Fellows.
- Online publication in the HMU Blog and HMU: Dialogues.
- At the conclusion of the Fellowship term, a complimentary set of three Great Books Foundation publications.
Application Requirements
The successful applicant must:
- Have received a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree (in any field).
- Have an interest in the humanities and the great ideas of Western civilization.
- Demonstrate outstanding reading, writing, and communication abilities.
- Commit to writing two blog entries for the HMU Blog and one book review for HMU: Dialogues.
Application Process
Please provide the following:
- A completed application form.
- A biographical statement of no more than 500 words that addresses your background as a student, your interest in the humanities, and your interest in the HMU Fellowship in Ideas.
- An appropriately cited expository essay of no more than 1500 words plus a works cited page, applying your interest to a great idea in the humanities related to one of these concentrations: imaginative literature, natural science, philosophy and religion, and social science. While we encourage the use of technology and tools to enhance your writing, we ask that you exercise academic integrity and creativity in your work. Your submissions should reflect your own original thoughts, analysis, and insights.
Natalie Sum Yue Chung
Natalie Sum Yue Chung is a climate researcher and entrepreneur currently pursuing a PhD in Climate Change Policy at Princeton University, named one of the most impactful sustainability leaders in the Asia Pacific by The Japan Times and Eco-Business. She was selected as the sole Hong Kong representative at the Dr Sylvia Earle Antarctic Climate Expedition to champion ocean-climate solutions, subsequently named the inaugural Museum of Climate Change Scholar. Natalie serves as the Deputy Convenor for Youth and Capacity Building at the Hong Kong SAR Government Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development, member at the Green Tech Fund Assessment Committee and the Country and Marine Parks Board. Driven by her passion for providing transformative nature-based experiences, Natalie co-founded V’air Sustainability Education, a pioneering climate education startup with presence at UN conferences including UNFCCC COP29, COP30 and IGF.
Imade Iyamu
Imade Iyamu is the founder of Arusha Wealth, a financial planning and wealth management firm serving rising immigrants in the United States. She previously worked at Goldman Sachs and has taught at Yale University. Imade is the creator of We Made It in America, a media project examining immigrant stories and the uniqueness of the American spirit. She is a lawyer, a Certified Financial Planner, and holds an MBA from Columbia University, where she received the Robert & Jacqueline Willens Award for superior skills in the area of Tax theory and practice. Her focus in the Fellowship is on exploring the American Dream as a question of both economic and political freedom and how it is evolving today. Her awards and recognitions include the NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center’s Milestone Circles, YouTube and Involve Global Top 100 Women Role Models, and the Clinton Global Initiative Fellowship.
Barbara Drobot
Barbara Drobot is an artist and art educator whose work explores drawing as a form of inquiry, attention, and visual thinking. Her practice sits at the intersection of art, pedagogy, and philosophical reflection, with a focus on observation, process, and creativity as a mode of understanding rather than performance. She has presented her work at international academic conferences and writes on art education, visual literacy, and freedom in creative practice. Her current interests include the sketchbook as an educational and social tool that fosters dialogue, empathy, and shared inquiry.
Cherish Vundisa
Cherish Vundisa is a South African development studies researcher and communications practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of public narratives, climate information integrity, and civic trust. His experience spans higher education, broadcasting, and strategic writing, combining research, content development, and stakeholder engagement. He is interested in how ideas about truth, responsibility, and the common good shape collective decision making, and how ethical communication can strengthen institutions. As a 2026 Harrison Middleton University Fellow in Ideas, he will develop writing that connects classic questions to present day challenges in public life.
Chinyere Okoh
Chinyere is a pharmacist, health researcher, and aspiring poet and creative nonfiction writer passionate about exploring the human condition through the lenses of literature, philosophy, and healthcare. Her work seeks to draw from lived experiences to use narratives and reflections as tools for exploring identity, resilience, healing, survival, pain, and grief. She writes by examining self-awareness, purpose, and transformation, and combining philosophical inquiry with storytelling.