Roger Sneed receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award

In the wee hours of Feb. 23,  Roger Sneed read an email and was shocked. The message told him he’d received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to teach in the Czech Republic. He was so excited he had trouble going back to sleep. Days later when he learned his teaching placement would be at Prague’s Charles University, he was over the moon.

“My excitement level went to 10,” he said, adding that there were only 10 U.S. Fulbright teaching spots available in all of Czechia.

In 2022, Sneed, the outgoing faculty chair and a professor of religion, and Michael Svec, professor of education, led a cohort of Furman students to the Czech Republic for a three-week May Experience (MayX). Sneed is thrilled to return.

“There are so many things I loved about Prague when I was there, and I can’t wait to experience it again,” he said. Noting Prague’s rich history, Sneed is particularly fond of an area known as “new town” that dates to 1348. “I also love the city’s walkability and slower pace of life compared to the U.S.”

For the 2024-2025 academic year, Sneed will teach African American religious and philosophical thought, sexuality and Christian theology and a course on religion and science fiction/fantasy at the Hussite Theological Faculty, one of three theological faculties of Charles University in the “City of a Hundred Spires.”

“I’m looking forward to sharing my scholarly work in Central Europe,” Sneed said. “I understand Czech students are quite interested in American religious thought. I’m also excited to be living and teaching in a completely different context.”

Sneed has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Tulsa, a master’s of divinity from Emory University and a doctorate from Vanderbilt University.