Dixon Fellows Program

Mashal Saif

Islam and the West

Islam and the West have often been presented as binary opposites in conflict with one another. In contrast to such depictions, this program provides students with a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between the two. We focus on history and architecture and reflect on what buildings such as the Alhambra and the Hagia Sophia teach us about the relationship between Islam and the West. The program also focuses on examining and thinking critically about Western media's depictions of Islam and Muslims. The larger aim of the program is to use our subject matter to think more broadly about the power of discourse, images and representation.

Andrew Pyle

Exploring Cultures of the World Through their Food

From rice and beans to dumplings, every culture has foods that are foundational to understanding life within that culture. Our Dixon Fellows study cultures of the world through shared culinary experiences – Fellows will gather in our home and learn about cultures together while eating a meal traditional to that culture. We meet once per month. Ahead of each meeting, I will provide a prompt and students will use that to find out something about the culture we are studying. Fellows will come to the meeting with something to share with the group, and we will learn together while we eat.

MinJae Woo

Unlocking Clinical Insight in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

This group introduces students to the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in clinical settings, with a focus on extracting meaningful insights from unstructured medical text such as doctor’s notes. Students will learn how to use state-of-the-art AI tools to complement structured clinical data to empower more holistic understanding of patient care and clinical decision-making. To support this work, each student will have access to high-performance computing resources provided through the generous support of CCIT.

Alec Pappas

Personal Finance and Financial Planning

Students will learn 1) creating long-term financial goals, checkpoints, and budgeting strategies to achieve those goals, 2) basic tax and retirement concepts (e.g., tax brackets, different retirement funds), 3) different types of investments and the risks associated with them, 4) the emotional side of money (money dials, partners, spending habits, fears), 5) behavioral finance and common mistakes or cautionary tales, and 6) an Ask Me Anything (AMA) about personal finance or investing.

Ethan Kung

Probing human nature and reflections on worldviews through film and literature

What specifically about “Romeo and Juliet” captures us? If you really think about it, it isn’t completely obvious why a story where everyone dies should resonate so much with the human heart. There seem to be specific “themes” permeating tales that have been wildly successful. What elements about these tales capture us and why? What do they reveal about human nature and subsequently about the nature of the reality that we live in? How can the materialistic worldview, or a spiritual worldview, interpret the things that humans find meaningful?

In this group we will explore these questions through examining films and literature. Meetings will consist of discussions or film viewing, depending on the week. We may also have occasional get-togethers for fun activities off-campus. The hope is that, in addition to gaining a better understanding of human nature and new perspectives, participants will also make long-lasting friendships to support each other in their journeys through life.

Ally Driver

Beyond Good Intentions: Critical Perspectives on Public Health Engagement in a Global Context

This book club-style group will read Judith Lasker's Hoping to Help: The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering, which critically explores international aid, voluntourism, and the ethics of global health work. We may also read ethnographies of other public health intervention/volunteering work. We will use Lasker's book to explore the promises, pitfalls, and practices of global public health work through volunteering, medical missions, and study abroad. We will use books, articles, speakers, and documentaries to learn about upcoming study abroad opportunities for Clemson students, as well as study how to make the biggest impact in global public health. This group will hopefully push students to think critically about volunteering/studying abroad and encourage self-awareness and thoughtful engagement with the complexity of the aid world.

Lori Pindar

Brand Illiteracy in a Branded World

This group unpacks the concept of branding illiteracy—the widespread misunderstanding or underestimation of branding's role in culture, media, politics, and personal identity. In an era where nearly everything is branded, from social causes to politicians to personal identities, this group challenges students to examine what happens when people don’t understand branding. Students will critically assess the power dynamics at play, uncover the risks of being brand-illiterate, and develop the tools to recognize, question, and shape brand narratives in responsible and culturally competent ways.

David Foltz

Dixon Book Club

The Dixon Book Club is a reading group that has been in operation for several years. This group studies both fiction and nonfiction texts of shared interest, practicing critical analysis through both open and guided discussion with an aim toward application in meaningful personal and interpersonal development.

John DesJardins

Hands-On Design and Entrepreneurship

Do you have an idea, invention, or product that you have always wanted to make, develop, or market? In this two-semester program, we will explore and experience the invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship process. We will meet weekly or bi-weekly to learn, experience, and enjoy each other’s ideas and progress. We will develop and refine your idea, we will make it, and we will pitch it at local competitions for real cash. Not ready for the stage, no worries, we will also help others in the program do the same and contribute to the innovation and entrepreneurial network on campus and in the community.

Archana Venkatesh

Sherlock Holmes in the Evolution of the Modern World

Since the first Sherlock Holmes story was published in 1887, the great detective has been interpreted, re-interpreted, transformed, resurrected (no pun intended) on paper, stage, screen, and small screen in various guises. Whether he is rushing along London’s alleyways in the 2000s (Benedict Cumberbatch), limping along hospital corridors (House, M.D.), fighting Nazis in the Second World War (Basil Rathbone), or walking on four legs (Sherlock Hound); Holmes has had a global and enduring appeal for well over a century.

In this group, we will discuss the evolution of the Holmes character through the ages, and explore how different depictions of the Holmes characters (yes, Watson is important too) reflect the time and space in which they were created. We’ll talk about the British Empire, World War II, and even the present moment in the US/UK. Get ready to read a couple of stories from the late Victorian era, watch some black and white TV show episodes, and run through tech-savvy London!