Underwood International College (UIC) Professor Krys Lee has been awarded a 2014-2015 Rome Prize fellowship by the American Academy in Rome. Best known for her story collection Drifting House, Professor Lee, who began teaching at UIC in September, plans to leave for Rome at the end of August, where she will spend the year working on her third novel.
Each year, the Rome Prize is awarded to about thirty emerging artists and scholars who represent the highest standard of excellence in their field and who are in the early or middle stages of their career. Recipients of a Rome Prize fellowship are generally invited to Rome for eleven months, where they are provided with a stipend, room and board, and a work space. While in Rome, fellows immerse themselves in the American Academy community, enjoying the opportunity to enhance their own artistic or scholarly pursuits alongside their colleagues. Previous Rome Prize fellows include surrealist painter Salvador Dali, composer Igor Stravinsky, and award-winning writers Junot Diaz and Sherman Alexie.