Social studies grad Burnett awarded Madison Fellowship

Amy Burnett of Powell, a University of Wyoming May 2006 graduate, has been named a 2006 James Madison Fellow. She will receive up to $24,000 from the national organization to pursue a master's degree emphasizing American constitutional government.

A University Honors Program graduate, Burnett earned a double major in secondary education, social studies emphasis, and American studies. She will return to UW in the fall to begin her graduate course work in American studies.

Amy’s project compared American and Danish secondary education systems. She conducted her research while a student at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. Carol Bryant, associate professor of secondary education, and Eric Sandeen, professor of American studies, supervised her project.

Named in honor of the fourth president of the United States and acknowledged "Father of the Constitution and Bill of Rights," James Madison Fellowships are intended to recognize promising and distinguished teachers and strengthen their knowledge of American constitutional government. This year, the 50th year of the annual fellowship competition, only 50 Madison Fellows were selected from a pool including the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the nation's island and trust territories.

To satisfy Madison Fellowship requirements, the student's master's course must include a concentration of courses on the history and principles of the U.S. Constitution. After completing their advanced degrees, recipients will teach American history or social studies in a secondary school for at least one year for each year of fellowship support.

"I have always known that I would go on to get a higher degree," Burnett says. "The Madison will definitely help me out financially, but it gives me so many more opportunities aside from that aspect."

The fellows must earn 12 semester credits of constitutional study during their master's study; six of these will be completed at Georgetown University at the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation Summer Institute on the Constitution. Burnett will attend the institute in July 2007.

"Through this program, I will learn from the best and brightest professors at Georgetown and build a support system with the Madison Foundation and other educators. This is yet another way for me to become a successful and knowledgeable teacher," Burnett says.

Throughout her undergraduate career, Burnett was active on the UW campus, participating in Iron Skull, UW's junior honorary, and Mortar Board, a national senior honorary. In 2004 she ventured abroad to study in Denmark and in 2005, extended her global experiences by enrolling in the Bahrom International Program in South Korea. She credits attentive advisers, expert professors and meaningful classes for the opportunities she has earned     "Without the preparation and support so many at UW gave me, I would not have been a competitive candidate for national awards and programs such as the Madison Fellowship," Burnett says.