The Schultz Fellowship: Honoring Legacy, Shaping the Future

At Norwich University, the past is never distant. It shapes the present, it informs the future, and it guides the education of those entrusted to fulfill the motto “I Will Try.” This year, two undergraduate students, each pursuing ambitious research projects that tie the lessons of the past to the challenges of today, have been named Schultz Fellows.

Jayden LaVecchia ’27 of Post Falls, Idaho, is majoring in studies in war and peace with minors in Chinese, information warfare, and intelligence and crime analysis. Active in the Corps of Cadets, the Cyber Leader Development Program, Norwich University Applied Research Institutes (NUARI), FCA, and the Democratic Resilience Center at Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg, Germany, Jayden is preparing for his career in the U.S. Army. His fellowship project focused on historical information operations and establishes a new cognitive vulnerability framework and heuristic narrative security program for cognitive security.

Richard Conlon ’27 of San Francisco, California, is pursuing dual degrees in physics and studies in war and peace, with a minor in philosophy. A member of the Corps of Cadets, Regimental Drill Team, and Norwich EMS, Richard is currently pursuing a commission through the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program. His research turned to the 16th and 17th centuries, examining the complex relationship between occupying forces and civilian populations during the English Civil War and the Dutch Revolt. He hopes to establish a continuity between early modern civil-military relations and current civil affairs operations. 

Samriddhi Manandhar ’26, of Kathmandu, Nepal, is majoring in criminology and psychology with a minor in forensic psychology and a concentration in criminal forensics. Active across campus life, she serves as a writing coach at the Center for Writing and participates in Student Government, orientation leadership, The Chameleon, and the Art Club, where she is president. Her academic curiosity extends into multiple research apprenticeships, including projects on serial and mass murder and on stress and coping in young military adults. Through the Schultz Fellowship, her current research examines the psychological stress, resilience, and coping strategies used by shadow soldiers, drawing from interviews, case studies, and literature reviews to better understand the demands placed on these operators.  

A Fellowship Rooted in Legacy

The Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellowship was established in 2017 to honor a man whose life embodied devotion to learning, service, and family. Created by his wife of 50 years, Myrna L. Schultz, together with their children, Dick’s classmates, and his friends, the fellowship carries forward the values that shaped his life.

Each year, through a competitive process led by the Norwich Peace & War Center, an undergraduate is selected to receive the award. The fellowship provides $3,500 to support research, travel, or projects that highlight the relevance of history to contemporary challenges, with guidance from faculty mentors.

A Living Tradition of Inquiry

The fellowship has always been more than financial support. It is a charge to look back with discernment, to question with rigor, and to create knowledge that strengthens the ability to navigate uncertain futures. By placing students at the center, it affirms a timeless truth — when the past is examined with care, it becomes a tool of resilience, perspective, and leadership.

For Norwich, the Schultz Fellowship has become a living tradition, grounding undergraduates in history while equipping them to shape the world that lies ahead. For the Schultz family, it is a tribute to Dick’s life and values. And for the students who carry its name, it is an opportunity to serve as both scholars and citizens, applying knowledge to the challenges of their generation.