The Samo Alajbegović summer fellowship supports University of Michigan undergraduates in the LSA Honors Program pursuing research and internship opportunities in one of the following fields: marine biology, biology, ecology, anthropology, archaeology, and the humanities. The summer fellowship honors the legacy of Samo, a native of Slovenia, who spent his life studying his beloved Adriatic Sea. Eligible countries are Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The summer fellowship allows students to immerse themselves in the physical and cultural beauty of the region, thus broadening their understanding of both the natural world and the human experience. The Alajbegović family chose to establish this fellowship at the University of Michigan to create a connection between their two homes, Ann Arbor and Slovenia.
University of Michigan – Samo Alajbegovic Fellowship
Feedback from the former Honors student on the fellowship experience:
“I was given the chance to intern at the Marine Biology Station in Piran, Slovenia, thanks to the Samo Alajbegović Fellowship, named in Samo’s memory. I applied because I wanted to observe biology and ecology from a new perspective. Working in the same facility as Samo gave me perspective on how lucky I was to have been given the chance to come to this internship. When I first arrived, I was a bit overwhelmed with the unfamiliarity of my surroundings. But meeting Samo’s family and seeing their kindness in person helped me find a way to view this trip as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was my duty to honor his spirit and push myself to discover both Europe and the field of biology.” – Hal, Intern at Marine Biology Station – Piran, Slovenia, Evolution, Ecology, & Biodiversity Major
“I love that I’m challenged to put my Italian to use. When you’re in a classroom there’s a disconnect between learning it in a controlled environment and speaking it. I’ve only been here for a little over a month and I really do feel like I can talk about the majority of the works in the collection.” – Grace, Intern at Peggy Guggenheim Collection – Venice, Italy, History of Art and International Studies Major
“Professionally, I gained first-hand experience of what it is like to work in an NGO. Personally, I experienced a part of the world that I would have never considered otherwise.” – Hunter, Intern at Post-Conflict Research Center – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, History and Sociology Major
“One of the biggest lessons I learned from this internship is to adapt…Adaptation definitely [comes] with great rewards… Words cannot describe how much I’ve grown in the last month.” – Tommy, English teacher at V. Bellini Music School – Tradate, Italy, Biomolecular Science Major