Five students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were selected as recipients of the 2026 Anne L. and S. Epes Robinson Honors Fellowship, which provides funding for students who propose a program of study focused on some aspect of the history and culture of Europe and the Mediterranean from 5th century B.C.E. to 1920.
The Robinson Honors Fellowship was established in 2015 by a gift from UNC-Chapel Hill alumni Anne L. Robinson and S. Epes Robinson. Its purpose is to recognize and support undergraduate students at Carolina who possess extraordinary capability and independent pursuit of their education. The program provides up to $7,000 in funding for expenses for domestic or international learning experiences that explore art, literature, music, history, politics, economics, philosophy or religion Western Europe and the Mediterranean; an amount that was increased this year. The fellowship is open to all Carolina students who meet the eligibility criteria.
To be chosen as a Robinson Honors Fellow, an applicant must give convincing evidence of exceptional ability and promise through the application, recommendations, and personal interview. The proposed fellowship experience should be one that will allow the recipients to study the humanities and the ideas that have molded Western society and form the foundation of Western culture.
Jacob Evans (’27) is from Cary, North Carolina, and is majoring in history with a PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) minor and is particularly interested in studying early modern British history. With the support of the Robinson Honors Fellowship, Jacob will travel to the Scotland, England, and Rome to research the Jacobite Rebellions of 1715, 1719, and 1745, and their enduring cultural memory. In all these locations, he plans to explore the human geography of Jacobitism.
Margaret Mead (’27), from Wilmington, North Carolina, is double majoring in history and economics. This summer, Margaret will study medieval walrus ivory trade routes, retracing the arctic material’s journey from the icy fjords of Greenland to the altars of English cathedrals to Vikings castle halls. She plans to travel to Denmark, England, and Greenland to visit ivory relics in archaeological sites and museums and use Greenlandic ivory as a material witness to the broader medieval network of culture, commerce, and climatic conditions during the late Middle Ages.
Chandhana Sathishkumar (’28) is from Chennai, India, and is majoring in applied sciences and minoring in studio art. She is inspired by using chemistry and materials as a catalyst for inquiry in adjacent fields like history, art, and the development of industrial technology. For her Robinson Honors fellowship Chandhana will travel to Greece, Egypt, and England to study the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek artifact and create an experimental protocol using chemistry as a medium to confirm its historical date.
Sophia Simmons (’29) is from New York City and is studying English with a creative writing concentration. She is passionate about uncovering overlooked histories and connecting past and present. After seven years in London and many visits to Portobello Market, she developed a love for collecting historical objects, including an 1800s mourning locket from Victorian‑era specialist Rebecca Sweetings. Her curiosity about the locket’s original owner sparked her research into Victorian mourning jewelry. This summer, she will visit several cities across the United Kingdom to further explore Victorian Mourning Jewelry.
Anna Tynch (‘27) is from Kitty, Hawk North Carolina and is majoring in global studies and data science. A military child, she grew up across Europe and East/Southeast Asia, shaping her global perspective and passion for diplomacy and international relations. With the Robinson Honors Fellowship, Anna will travel to France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom to retrace the Wright Brothers’ journey through Europe following their first powered flight in 1903, an event that took place in her own hometown. Through this project, she will examine the rapid rise of aviation technology, Western trust in flight, and the Outer Banks’ geopolitical significance from 1903 to the eve of World War I.
View the past Robinson Fellows’ projects here.
Read more about the Robinson Honors Fellowship here.
Honors Carolina contact: Gina Difino, (919) 962-9680, Gina_Difino@unc.edu
Communications and Public Affairs: (919) 445-8555, mediarelations@unc.edu
