We are excited to announce our Spring PhDs:

Dr. Pranav Prakash has successfully defended his dissertation, "Reimagining Sufi Poetics in South Asia: The Literary Works of Ḥasan Sijzī Dihlavī.” Pranav's dissertation was supervised by Prof. Frederick M. Smith and Prof. Philip A. Lutgendorf, and his committee members are Professors Carl. W. Ernst (UNC-Chapel Hill), Paul R. Greenough (UI Professor Emeritus, History), Morten Schlütter, and Paul Dilley.  Congratulations Dr. Prakash!

On April 28, 2020, Dr. Iva Patel has successfully defended her dissertation, "Taming the Mind: Cognitive Practices of Devotion in the Gujarati Works of Nishkulanand Swami, 1803-1848." Dr. Patel's dissertation committee members are: Dr. Frederick M. Smith (Religious Studies and Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures), Dr. Phillip Lutgendorf (UI Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures), Dr. Kristy Nabhan-Warren (Religious Studies and History), Jenna Supp-Montgomerie (Religious Studies and Communication Studies), Aron Aji (UI, Literary Translation).

Dr. Patel has also successfully defended her thesis for an MFA in Literary Translation titled, "Translating Religion: The Battle Allegory Nishkulanand Swami's Manganjan". Her MFA thesis was directed by her mentor Aron Aji and additionally guided by committee members Dr. Frederick Smith and Dr. Paul Dilley (Religious Studies and Classics)

This fall Dr. Patel begins a tenure track position in the Religion Department, Augsburg University, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Congratulations Dr. Patel, on both your doctorate AND your new position!

Dr. Jan Rippentrop Schnell successfully defended her PhD Thesis titled, "Better Living through Anger: Religious Women Negotiating Virtuous Anger through Community Organizing".  Jan's advisor is Dr. Diana Cates, and committee members include: Hyaeweol Choi, Jenna Supp-Montgomerie, Christopher-Rasheem McMillan, and Kristy Nabhan-Warrren.  Congratulations Dr. Rippentrop Schnell!