06/24/2026
Congratulations to Lily Davis (COL '26) who has been selected as a Princeton in Africa fellow for the 2026–2027 fellowship cycle! Davis, who is from Washington, D.C., will serve with the International Rescue Committee in Nairobi, Kenya, where she will support the organization’s grants and communications teams to help ensure that critical services reach Kenya’s approximately 800,000 refugees.
Princeton in Africa is a yearlong fellowship program that matches recent college graduates with organizations working across the African continent. Fellows contribute to projects addressing a range of social, economic, and humanitarian challenges while gaining professional experience in international development, public service, and nonprofit leadership.
At Penn, Davis studied political science with minors in anthropology and psychology. Her academic and extracurricular work focused on migration, displacement, and international policy. As a student fellow with Perry World House, she co-led a policy consultancy examining European Union asylum law.
Davis also worked with the Penn Cultural Heritage Center for two years, conducting research and supporting grant activities related to the center’s portfolios in Ukraine and Georgia. Through this work, she engaged with issues at the intersection of cultural heritage, conflict, and international development.
Beyond her academic and research activities, Davis served on the executive board of Penn for Refugee Empowerment and was president of the Penn Outdoors Club. Her campus involvement reflected a commitment to both refugee advocacy and student leadership.
Following her Princeton in Africa fellowship, Davis hopes to pursue a Fulbright award in Georgia before enrolling in graduate study in peace and conflict studies and/or global health. She aims to build a career in crisis management and refugee resettlement, supporting communities affected by displacement and humanitarian emergencies.
