E. Asher Behmer ’26, winner of the Mason Student Opportunity Fellowship, undertook a project in the summer of 2025 to define Reed College and the Canyon. He researched what he called the Historical Reed, the Imaginary Reed, and the Lived Reed, through archived documents, creative works, and interviews, respectively. Practicing research in his classes at Reed, such as in the English Junior Seminar, prepared him for a larger, independent research project that culminated in the publication of a monograph. As an aspiring writer, Asher valued the reading and writing that were intrinsic to his work, both skills that will help him keep honing his craft.
The Mason Student Opportunity Fellowship was created with the goal of supporting student projects in any discipline related to the Reed canyon, including projects in the visual and performing arts. Read more about other Reed-sponsored grants and opportunities through the Center for Life Beyond Reed.