With his second senior thesis nearly complete and a myriad of research and leadership experience on his impressive resume, Conor Tucker’s latest quest for knowledge takes him to Oxford, England.
Tucker recently received the Paul J. Schupf ’58 Fellowship for two years of study at the University of Oxford, where he will read for a master’s in modern British and European history.
“My initial reaction to receiving the fellowship was one of relief,” said Tucker, a history major and philosophy minor. “I would never have been able to afford this opportunity if it wasn’t for the generosity of Paul Schupf and the support of the selection committee.”
The fellowship will cover all of his educational and travel costs, thanks to the support of trustee emeritus Schupf.
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Invitations to stand as candidates for the Schupf Fellowship are extended to Colgate graduating seniors or recent graduates within the past two years who participate in the university’s nomination process for the Rhodes, Marshall and/or Mitchell scholarships.
“Following in the tradition of previous fellows,” said Schupf, “Conor is exceptionally bright and knowledgeable about his discipline.”
Tucker’s interest in military diplomatic history was shaped by a personal connection to war. When Tucker was in high school, his father, a Marine commander, was wounded in Iraq, and the e-mail exchanges between the two fascinated Tucker.
As a Lampert Fellow with the Institute for Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Colgate, he went on to study the actions and implications of the 2004 US Marine offensives in Fallujah, Iraq.
Tucker also credits his semester in London with giving him an invaluable scholarly experience — conducting primary research in the British National Archives.
“This fellowship will allow me to build on the knowledge that I’ve gained through my Colgate experience,” Tucker said.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned from Colgate, it’s that if you put your mind to it — and if you put your heart into it — you can make it happen. Just go grab it.”