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Auburn University has appointed Benjamin Fagan, associate professor of English, to be the Honors College’s assistant director for National Prestigious Scholarships.

In the role, Fagan will support undergraduate and graduate students from across campus, educating them about national scholarship programs, such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Goldwater and Fulbright programs, and supporting students as they apply for these highly competitive opportunities.

fagan is in a suit outside in a beautiful garden speaking with an older gentlemen in a tan suit

Ben Fagan at a reception in Vienna, Austria, speaking with Lonnie Johnson, the former executive director of the Austrian Fulbright Commission.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Fagan joining the Honors College’s directorate and work with him to implement his exciting vision for National Prestigious Scholarships at Auburn,” said Honors College Director Laura Stevens. “Dr. Fagan brings to this position deep experience in applying for and winning fellowships, which he combines with a strong commitment to creating more opportunities for students across the university."

“National Prestigious Scholarships honor outstanding achievement and recognize the extraordinary efforts of students from colleges and universities across the country,” added Chase Bringardner, associate provost for Academic Affairs. “Dr. Fagan promises to connect Auburn’s dedicated and high-achieving students with these opportunities, providing the critical mentorship and guidance required for success in these scholarship programs.”

Ben is standing next to a sign in Barcelona in a blue jacket coat with a fulbright shoulder bag

Ben Fagan at the Autonomous University Barcelona where he guest lectured.

Fagan has been on the faculty of the Department of English since 2015. In 2018, he was tenured with promotion to associate professor. A respected scholar in 19th-century American and African American literature, he has authored, edited or co-edited four books (one in press) and several articles, with his most recent book due out next year from the University of Pennsylvania Press.

Fagan has been awarded many fellowships in his career from foundations and institutes, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Beinecke Library at Yale University, the Library Company of Philadelphia, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the German Historical Institute and the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies. He is an elected lifetime member of the American Antiquarian Society and, in 2016, he was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at the University of Graz, Austria.

“I am thrilled to serve the Honors College and all Auburn students as the assistant director for National Prestigious Scholarships,” Fagan said. “Auburn is filled with exceptional students, and I look forward to working with them as they pursue a wide variety of awards and scholarships.”

Fagan holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Iowa and earned a doctorate in English from the University of Virginia.