The ASPA established the program in 1969 to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in political science doctoral programs.
“The APSA MFP is the gold-standard for emerging scholars,” said political science Associate Professor Michael K. Fauntroy, Ph.D. “Gabrielle Gray is among the very best students in our department and is a great fit. Her winning this fellowship is the start of a continuous effort to promote Howard doctoral students for these very important opportunities.”
Gray, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, studies American government and Black politics. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in educational policy from Marquette University, where she also was a Ronald E. McNair scholar. Gray has served as the Howard University Graduate Political Science Association president and as a graduate research assistant for the Ronald W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center at Howard University.
“It is a great honor to be a recipient of the APSA Minority Fellowship,” Gray said. “I look forward to the support and opportunities that come along with the award. As the fellowship was created to increase and support minorities within the discipline, it is a great honor to continue the legacy of excellence, scholarship and representation within political science and in academia.”
Gray plans to use the fellowship to focus on research related to race and politics, urban education, social justice and activism, and public opinion, with an emphasis on the evolution of racism within public institutions.
After graduation, Gray will pursue a career in academia, while also continuing her involvement in community outreach and social activism.
Established in 1969, the ASPA Minority Fellowship Program has designated more than 500 fellows, both funded and unfunded, and contributed to the completion of political science doctoral programs for more than 100 individuals. Fall fellows are college or university seniors, graduates or master’s degree students who plan to apply to a doctoral political science program. Spring fellows are first-year and second-year political science doctoral students. This year, the spring cycle fellows will receive a one-time award ranging from $500 to $1,000 to support their study expenses.
