Fischlowitz Travel Award Winner to Explore Food Sovereignty Issues Across the U.S.

Tommy O'Donnell ’20, a resident of Plymouth, England, and this year's recipient of the Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship, will to travel this summer to Arizona, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and New York to explore how U.S. communities are creating and defining their own food and agriculture systems.

“I believe that altering the way we produce food is one of the most pressing issues our society faces today,” O’Donnell says. “I am really looking forward to learning how different communities across America are taking control of their food production systems and preserving a vital part of their culture in the process.”  

The Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship provides an opportunity for Grinnell College international students to pursue casual yet purposeful independent travel in the United States, while critically and creatively focusing on deep exploration of a chosen theme.

One award of $5,000 is available each year, made possible through the generous support of Teresa and Merle Fischlowitz. In creating the award, the couple aimed to provide meaningful travel opportunities for international students who might otherwise be unable to encounter American life and culture outside of Grinnell, Iowa.

“I have been here for three years and have heard so many good things about different parts of the United States, so I am extremely grateful that this fellowship will allow me to visit them,” O’Donnell says. “The most important aspect of this fellowship is the ability I will have to use my travels to broaden my perspective of the country and learn more about the unique communities and cultures I’ll be visiting.” 

In the fall semester O’Donnell will make a presentation to the campus community detailing his travel experiences and research findings.

Learn more about the Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship, as well see a list of past award recipients and their study and travel experiences.