Letter from the Director

Posted on: June 22, 2026; Updated on: June 22, 2026
By Jennifer Bess

Dear friends,

Welcome to the inaugural edition of FANmail (Fellowships Alumni Network).

For more than 30 years, our office has supported USC students in pursuing national fellowships. You have been part of that journey, and this community now encompasses more than 1,500 USC alumni!

Whether you received your award in the ‘90s or just a couple of years ago, we are proud and honored to have supported you in the process. This annual newsletter is meant to be a chance to reconnect, celebrate, support, and thank you.

We know that as powerful as applying for and receiving a fellowship can be, it’s what comes after that is the most important. So many of you have gone on to amazing careers, new adventures, and have made a true impact on the world. We look forward to featuring some of your stories in future editions.

Fellowship Ambassadors during the Fellowships Fair. — Fellowship Ambassadors during the fall Fellowships Fair.

To begin building up this community, we invite you to explore some of the recent features the university has done on fellowship winners, as well as some highlights from this years’ applicants.

We know that Carolina alumni are some of the most engaged and generous people out there. We welcome opportunities to connect you with current students pursuing fellowships. Our desire is to continue to strengthen this alumni network that has supported so many students over the past 30+ years.

One of the greatest privileges of our work is hearing from students about how the fellowship process changed them, not only through the opportunities it created, but through the confidence, self-knowledge, and sense of purpose they gained along the way. Those outcomes are possible because of a community that extends far beyond a single application or award year. Thank you for being part of that community, and we look forward to staying connected with you in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Bess
Director of National Fellowships

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Letter from the Director

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