The 2024 Anne E. Borghesani Memorial Prize was awarded to five Tufts students this year, who presented their final projects at a dinner ceremony on Nov. 7. The prize, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, is given annually to select undergraduates who propose a project concerning an international issue. It allows recipients to pursue research projects, intern, volunteer or plan a course of study in accordance with their project.
Award recipient Anneke Chan, who is a fifth-year combined-degree student at SMFA, used the funds to conduct research in Mexico City and Oaxaca, where she studied the nation’s history of printmaking. Chan focused specifically on revolutionary and post-revolutionary printmaking practices and their relation to the Asian diaspora in Mexico. She learned about the development of Mexico’s national identity through art, including the past use of anti-Chinese propaganda.
“The project reinforced to me why the research is important. It feels like something that’s very obvious in some ways, but still below the surface, or not regarded as a traditional way of history pedagogy, [or] the way we’re taught history,” Chan said.
Chan commented on her broadened perspective as a result of the project.
“It’s weird to realize your perception of the world is so small,” Chan said. “But it’s the best skill to have or experience.”
For Chan, who is of Chinese and Mexican heritage, the trip also had personal significance. “I think on a personal level, it was a really important trip for me to make. And being really young and so fortunate to see parts of the world I wouldn’t be able to see or interact with … without the help of a grant was really amazing,” she said.
Nia Goodall, award recipient and current senior, took a different route. Goodall conducted research in Switzerland through the School of International Training, where she completed an independent project for a global health and policy class.
“I chose [to do] mine on the pharmaceutical industry — specifically, directed consumer advertising in the U.S.,” Goodall said. “I did this mostly by walking into the pharmacy there and realizing that they really don’t have all the options we have here.” She later specified that direct consumer advertising is only legal in the U.S. and Canada.
Goodall expressed her interest in the use of pharmaceuticalization and medicalization, explaining the terminology. “Pharmaceuticalization is basically where more medicine, more drugs, are being prescribed for medical problems or just problems in general,” she said.
Goodall also investigated direct consumer advertising in relation to the sales of formula milk for infants.
“I also looked at the infant formula industry because that’s also being medicalized,” Goodall said. “It’s very expensive and [medicalization is] not necessary.”
Overall, Goodall said she found her research project engaging and informative. In addition to learning about direct consumer advertising, she learned how to interview people. As for her advice to interested students, Nia said her only advice was to try.
Jessika Yates, the department coordinator for the international relations program, provided insight on the application and selection process.
“We open the application in the beginning of the spring semester, which takes place the second week of January, and then it’s open for about a month and closes around Valentine’s Day,” Yates said.
The application, an online Qualtrics form, consists of 10 to 15 questions. Some questions inquire about more general matters such as class year and major, while others delve into specifics of the student’s project proposal.
“[The questions ask] what your project proposal is, how that’s going to shape your experience at Tufts and how that helps the Tufts community, as well as things like what is your budget and what are you looking for [in terms of] the prize to pay,” Yates said.
Students propose projects completely from scratch. There are no specific guidelines about the specific area of study they should pursue, as long as it has an international aspect.
In terms of guidance from faculty, Yates recommended that students seek out advisors for recommendation letters. She added that it is beneficial to have a faculty member who is both interested and knowledgeable in the student’s intended area of study.
Submitted project proposals are then evaluated by an awards committee, made up of 12 to 15 people, including faculty members under the Tufts Award Committee. The Borghesani family, and their close family and friends, are also involved in selecting award winners.
“We kind of look at who’s got a project that’s really fleshed out,” Yates said. “We really are looking for something with bones and structure behind it.”
The application is open to second-semester sophomores and juniors across all departments and majors. Yates emphasized that anyone who is interested should pursue the opportunity.
“Anyone is welcome to apply, and we welcome applications from all majors,” Yates said.
