Fellowships and Grants

The Gordon J. Davis ‘63 Social and Racial Justice Fellowships provide a flexible opportunity for students to define how to advance social and racial justice initiatives. Students may propose internships, research projects, coursework,  partnerships with community-based organizations, community service, and other opportunities, provided that the specific focus is on racial or other social justice issues, and expressions. Students may propose opportunities that are located in or beyond their home communities, or take advantage of local, regional, or national opportunities.

This fellowship honors Gordon J. Davis '63, who is a dedicated public servant and influential civic leader who has held important posts in New York City government, led initiatives to increase the hiring and promotion of Black and other underrepresented lawyers in major law firms, and served in leadership roles for several major arts organizations such as Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. While a student at Williams, Davis co-founded the Williams College Civil Rights Committee along with his advocacy to abolish fraternities on campus and his leadership of the Gargoyle Society. He is the son of W. Allison Davis ‘24 and the nephew of John A. Davis '33, the African American brothers for whom The Davis Center is named. At Harvard Law School, from which Gordon Davis graduated in 1967, he was a principal founder of the Harvard Black Law School Association. The Gordon J. Davis '63 Social and Racial Justice Fellowships are generously funded by classmates James B. Blume ’63 and Harry R. Hagey ’63.

To learn more about Gordon J Davis, we encourage you to read his incisive New York Times op-ed "What Woodrow Wilson Cost My Grandfather." You might also check out these Historymaker interviews with him, this Williams magazine profile of him, and this announcement of these fellowships on the Venable website, where he is a partner in the firm's New York Real Estate Group.

The Racial Justice Summer Opportunity Grants provide a flexible opportunity for students to define how to advance racial justice initiatives. Projects and opportunities may include internships, research projects, partnerships with community-based organizations, summer courses, art projects, community service, conference attendance, and other opportunities, provided that the specific focus is on issues of racial justice. Students may propose opportunities that are located in or beyond their home communities, or take advantage of local, regional, or national opportunities.

The Michael Dively '61 Summer Opportunity Grants provide students with an opportunity to engage with a broad range of issues related to gender, sexuality, and intersectionality. Opportunities may include internships, summer courses, art projects, community service endeavors, research, conference attendance, etc., which place a specific focus on LGBTQ+ experiences, issues, and expressions. While the Dively Committee accepts applications for projects that are shorter than the full summer, the selection committee prioritizes those grants that are a full 8 weeks.

These summer opportunity grants honor Michael A. Dively '61, who entered Williams as a freshman in the fall of 1957 from University School of Shaker Heights, Ohio. As a student, he was co-captain of the swimming team, vice-president of his fraternity, and a member of Gargoyle. His interest in politics continued long after he graduated. In 1968, after earning a law degree from the University of Michigan, he was elected to the first of three terms as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. In 1976, he became Director of the Michigan's Energy Administration. He served in many other appointed positions for the state and on several boards of community organizations. Upon leaving government, he turned to higher education, teaching political science at Albion College, American University, and Eckerd College. He holds a master’s degree from American University. In 1983, he established the Mukti Fund, a small foundation which initially focused its grant-making in the eastern Caribbean in the area of natural and cultural resource conservation. These grants are  generously funded by Michael A. Dively '61.