Kennedy Lighty is a first-year PhD student in political science at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she specializes in race and ethnic politics, Black politics, and public policy. She is a proud graduate of the illustrious North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in May 2024. As a passionate scholar-activist, Kennedy brings a strong advocacy and grassroots organizing background to her academic pursuits. She is committed to producing research that uplifts the voices of marginalized communities and informs policy solutions rooted in equity and justice.
The APSA Diversity Fellowship Program, formerly the Minority Fellowship Program, was established in 1969 as a fellowship competition to diversify the political science profession. The DFP provides support to students applying to, or in the early stages of, a PhD program in political science. APSA has once again awarded a new cycle to provide support for students currently in their first or second year as of Spring 2025. Please join us in congratulating the 2025-2026 class of fellows.
- Learn more about DFP at https://apsanet.org/dfp
- Meet the 2025-2026 class of DFP Fellows