Kalamazoo College student Olivia Cannizzaro ’26 has been selected as one of just 30 undergraduates nationwide for the inaugural Lafayette Fellowship, a highly competitive program funded by the French government that drew thousands of applicants from across the U.S. 

The fellowship, named for the Marquis de Lafayette, commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence and France’s role in it. It provides a fully funded first year toward a master’s degree in France, covering tuition, travel and visa costs, along with an intensive leadership curriculum. For Cannizzaro, a chemistry major and Heyl Scholar, the recognition feels surprising and affirming. 

“I was shocked, actually,” she said. “I opened the letter and I didn’t know how to react.” 

Cannizzaro had also applied for Fulbright fellowships, yet the clarity she felt while applying to this one hinted that it might be the strongest match. She submitted her application last December at the Paris airport, hurrying to finish it before departing for winter break travel. 

“It all kind of clicked that this fellowship was perfect for me,” she said. “It was more aligned with what I wanted to do.” 

A Global Perspective on Health Care 

Cannizzaro traces that sense of alignment to her study abroad experience in France, where she completed an Integrative Cultural Research Project (ICRP) at a free health care clinic serving refugees and migrants. There, she began comparing the French and American health systems while observing physicians who volunteered their time outside of hospital hours to provide basic care. 

The experience left a lasting impression and reshaped her sense of purpose. 

“The doctors were so gentle,” she said. “It was inspiring to see the patient care and bedside manner these doctors had for patients in complicated situations.” 

Her work abroad deepened her interest in health care equity and set her on a path toward a career in the field. Upon returning to Kalamazoo, she became involved in the Health Professions Society, eventually serving as secretary, and volunteered extensively with Meals on Wheels. She delivered food to Kalamazoo residents along routes serving up to 30 households, even in the harsh Michigan winter. 

Mentorship and Scientific Discovery 

Although her study abroad experience helped define her interests, Cannizzaro’s work in the chemistry department—including her lab work under Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry—provided the foundation to pursue them. 

She met Williams in Organic Chemistry II, a course she described as the most challenging she had taken until she enrolled in his advanced synthesis course. 

“He taught me perseverance,” Cannizzaro said. “Learning to fail and try again really set me up for success.” 

That perseverance carried over into summer research in Williams’ lab, where Cannizzaro worked to synthesize a novel compound with potential applications in diabetes and insulin resistance research. Through the experience, she found herself drawn not only to the chemistry itself but to its implications for human health. 

“Working in Dr. D’s lab here involved a little bit of natural product synthesis, but I really liked the biology—the health care part of what this drug I was making could be doing,” she said. 

Williams has supported her throughout her academic journey, writing recommendation letters for every program she pursued. 

“At the Heyl banquet this year, we had Guiding Light Awards, and I feel that phrase really encompasses what Dr. D has been to me,” Cannizzaro said. “His door is usually open. He always says, ‘Hey,’ and he’s always got some sort of wisdom for me.” 

Continuing the Journey in France 

This fall, Cannizzaro will attend Université Paris Cité, a fellowship partner institution closely connected to Paris’ hospital network, where she will pursue a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together students from biological and engineering backgrounds to address global health challenges. 

“The goal is an interdisciplinary approach, and at K, we get a liberal arts education, so we’re exposed to all different types of classes,” she said. “This program aligns well with K in that way.” 

Courses will be taught in English, though Cannizzaro is fluent in French through her heritage and her time studying abroad. As a French citizen through her mother, she also has the option to remain in France after the fellowship, a possibility the program encourages.