Correction — In the March 6 version of this story, statements by Olakunle Ologunro were wrongly attributed to Ziyuan Tang. We regret the error.

Colgate University is widely recognized for being a small, highly selective private liberal arts school with a strong focus on its undergraduate program. Through small class sizes, students can form strong connections with peers and professors alike while having opportunities open to them that would have been typically reserved for graduate students. While Colgate does offer one graduate program, it is very small, with graduating class sizes of around 15 students — compared to approximately 850 undergraduate students — per year. However, Colgate provides a unique way to bridge the gap between undergraduates and post-graduates while supporting the academic career of both groups through fellowship programs, one being the Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship.

The Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship was established in 2000 and has continuously appointed candidates for the past 26 years. The fellowship recognizes one extraordinary new writer each year, offering a space at Colgate to finish a writing piece, typically their first book, as well as teach a writing workshop for one academic year. This fellowship was first initiated under Dean Jane Pinchin, who later became the first female president of Colgate.

Professor of English Peter Balakian has been involved with the growth of the Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship since its origin and spoke more about its history.

“In the late 90s, there was a move to expand Colgate’s national, intellectual and academic reach. Dean and Provost Jane Pinchin was instrumental in initiating the idea of having institutes and post-doctoral fellowships,” Balakian said.

At the time when the fellowship was first being created, Balakian was the director of Creative Writing and had seen the fellowship grow and strengthen through the past 26 years at Colgate. 

In 2008, the fellowship was expanded and is now granted to two newly graduated MFA or PhD creative writing students. The Olive B. O’Connor Fellows for the current academic year are Olakunle Ologunro and Ziyuan Tang, recognized for their incredible work in writing.

Ologunro shared his journey of applying for the fellowship.

“[This fellowship] is a highly coveted position, and a number of authors I love and respect were past recipients of the fellowship,” Ologunro said. “One of them is Chinelo Okparanta. I was in her workshop class. She encouraged me to apply, and I did. I still remember how stunned I was when I was informed that I’d been awarded the fiction fellowship for the 2025-2026 academic year. I think I screamed. It was unbelievable.”

This position is highly competitive, especially given the limited number of spots. Each year, the genres for the fellowship are rotated, transitioning between fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. 

Chair of the Department of English and Creative Writing Professor Jennifer Brice commented on the long history of this fellowship.

“We’re incredibly proud of our O’Connor Creative Writing Fellowship program,” Brice said.

Since the program’s inception in 2000, 44 writers have held this prestigious honor.

While this fellowship offers the unique opportunity for emerging writers to have a supported space to continue the grueling yet rewarding craft of writing, it also simultaneously benefits the academic program for Colgate undergraduate students as well.

Balakian spoke more about the relationship of the fellowship benefiting both the fellows and the undergraduate student community.

“The fellowship is focused on giving young writers a nurturing space to finish their first book, and the majority of O’Connor fellows have gone on to publish a first book shortly after leaving Colgate,” Balakian said. “I think the fellowship has contributed to their successes, and we take pride in that. Furthermore, each fellow teaches a creative writing workshop each semester, and so our students get to benefit from having dynamic, young writers teach them. There’s something wonderful about the energy the fellows bring to all of us in our department and at Colgate.”

The expansive Colgate network is emphasized by the formation of such tight bonds between the undergraduate class and the connections with postdoctoral students through these prestigious fellowship programs. By forming a bridge between the undergraduate and postgraduate students, it creates a community of growth and strength as we are able to learn from one another.

Ologunro shared how he saw this fellowship impacting the course of her career.

“While in the fellowship, my collection in progress was long-listed for the Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award, and my short story, ‘Home Training’ was published in the New England Review,” Ologunro said. “I am also at work on a novel. A lot of the writers who received the O’Connor fellowship in the past have gone on to build thriving careers. I can only hope some of that magic happens for me too.”