Mark Okuda '24 Wins Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship
Second-year SUA student Mark Okuda was one of 16 leaders from US colleges and universities named a 2022 Frederick Douglass Global Fellow. Co-sponsored by the government of Ireland and the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), a nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization, the four-week leadership program for students of color focuses on peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and social justice.
“Considering the historical and ongoing impacts of racial discrimination—not just in the US, but around the world—it’s such an honor and privilege to learn from the legacy of Frederick Douglass, who risked his life to fight for the rights of Black people in America,” Okuda said.
Okuda was selected as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow “because of his academic excellence, communication skills, and commitment to social justice,” according to the CIEE. His role as a founding member of the nonprofit Artpeace and completion of the prestigious Humanitarian Affairs Asia Internship were cited as factors that influenced the panel’s selection.
CIEE launched the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship in 2017 to bolster access to study abroad for students from underrepresented groups. This year’s fellowship marks the 175th anniversary of Frederick Douglass’ meeting in Dublin with the Irish reformer Daniel O’Connell. During the four-week program, the fellows will live in Ireland and learn from the towering examples of Douglass and O’Connell while deepening their understanding of peace and conflict resolution.
Okuda is eager to learn about historical examples of violent conflicts that were mediated peacefully and believes that Ireland, with its history of protracted sectarian conflict, is the perfect place to engage in such study.
When asked if the fellowship had taken on greater urgency because of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Mark didn’t hesitate: “It absolutely has. It’s hard for me to comprehend, let alone figure out what I can do, but by participating in this fellowship program, I want to go from asking, ‘What can I do?’ to “This is what I will do.’”
