Brad R. Fulton
2015 Staff Recipient
Brad Fulton is a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology and the recipient of the 2015 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award from Duke University. This award seeks to perpetuate the excellence of character and humanitarian service of Algernon Sydney Sullivan by recognizing and honoring such qualities in others.
His nominator writes…
Fulton combines analytic ability and intellectual hunger with an interpersonal style that is both confident and humble; he is no Prima donna, he truly embraces a vocation of service.
As a graduate student, Brad’s contributed to the overall academic landscape through his development of the iTunes U Portal for the Sociology Department. He’s taught several research-focused classes including an Introduction to Quantitative Analysis, Statistics for the Social Sciences, and has served as the team leader and instructor for Research Models for Undergraduate Research Assistants. Duke faculty members, administrators, and students can certainly attest to his strong work ethic and abilities as an educator and leader in the university community. In 2014, he received the Sociology Department’s Graduate Student Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. Additionally, Brad’s academic work has led him to produce peer reviewed articles as well as develop, execute, and successfully acquire research grants around the themes of community organizing and religion.
In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Brad is active at the local level as well. Throughout his tenure as a Ph.D. student, Brad has regularly participated in the Walltown Neighborhood Association meetings and events, and collaborated on a number of important community initiatives with Durham Congregations, Associations, and Neighborhoods (Durham CAN). For the past two years, Brad has been providing Pro-bono service to the Project TURN program which is a partnership between the School for Conversion, Duke Divinity School, and North Carolina prisons. Through this unique prison-based education program, Duke students have the opportunity to study behind bars alongside students who are incarcerated. Brad’s service to Project Turn has led to the development and implementation of a survey that enables the organization to track how the program is impacting both Duke students and the incarcerated students. His nominator adds “The stereotype of a researcher who knows his data but cannot talk to people persists, despite its many exceptions… But, Brad is a glowing exception, making it easy for a community-based organization like ours to introduce him to our partners and trust that he can relate to them without needing to hold his hand. In this way, Brad provides an excellent model of “knowledge in the service of society”.
Brad is married and has three young children. Prior to graduate school, he served 12 years as a campus minister to university students. Brad leads a life of purpose and integrity; humbly serving the greater good. For his many contributions to the Duke-Durham community and continued impact beyond, Duke University is proud to name Brad Fulton the staff recipient of the 2015 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.