The Truman Scholarship is awarded to college juniors with exceptional leadership potential and commitment to a career in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education, or elsewhere in public service.  Scholars are awarded up to $30,000 to pursue graduate studies, receive pre-professional/graduate advising from the Foundation and are invited to participate in internships and other programs.  Schools may nominate up to four students each year for the Truman Scholarship.  The campus deadline nomination falls on or around the first of November each year, but interested students are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Vin Moscardelli, Director of ONSF, as early as spring of their sophomore years.

Wanjiku (Wawa) Gatheru (CAHNR ’20), from Pomfret, CT, is a junior majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Global Studies. Prior to arriving at college, Wawa spent a year in Thailand as a KL-YES Scholar of the U.S. State Department, an experience that solidified her commitment to culturally competent conservation. Through internships with the City of Hartford’s Office of Sustainability, CHISPA CT, and the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network, Wawa has worked to uplift the voices of those most adversely impacted by environmental inequities. Passionate about the way food can solve the most pressing ecological problems, she been involved in childhood obesity prevention research as a Bridging the Gap Fellow in Dr. Amy Mobley’s Community Nutrition lab and has led nutritional education lessons to pre-school students in the Greater Hartford area as a coordinator of the Husky Nutrition Program. A UCSC Doris Duke Conservation Scholar and Newman Civic Fellow, Wawa is motivated to connect grassroots movements to institutions of power, as a lead organizer in CT’s first Youth Climate Lobby Day, UN Global Health Fellow, delegate at the 2017 UN Climate Change Discussions, co-founder of the President’s Council on Race and Diversity, and crucial leader in the successful implementation of an environmental literacy general education requirement. On campus, she promotes the collective wellbeing of students as the Vice President of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), co-chairs the University-wide Metanoia: Youth for Change, mentors students as a teacher’s assistant in the African American Cultural Center, serves as Peer Research Ambassador at the Office of Undergraduate Research, hosts pop up food pantries as co-founder of UCAFE, and promotes campus sustainability as an intern at the Office of Environmental Policy. Wawa ultimately plans to pursue a joint JD/MEM, with the goal of empowering disenfranchised communities of color in the environmental decision-making process. Wawa was nominated for the Truman Scholarship.

Derek Pan (CLAS ‘20), from Cupertino, CA, is an Honors pre-medical student majoring in Molecular Cell Biology and minoring in Psychological Sciences. He has been involved in a colorectal cancer research at UConn Health as a Health Research Program Scholar and is currently conducting research in Prof. Joanne Conover’s Neurobiology lab. Heavily involved in UConn Undergraduate Student Government (USG), Derek serves as the Chairperson of the Student Services Committee, a task force of students that advocates for the quality of student life regarding health, safety, dining, and transportation. Passionate about dismantling mental health stigma, Derek has founded the Mental Health & Wellness Sub-Committee, served as Education & Development Coordinator for Active Minds, coordinated free Mental Health First Aid Certification Courses and Suicide Prevention Trainings, spearheaded campus-wide mental health awareness campaigns, and lobbied Connecticut state legislators to increase mental health literacy at Connecticut post-secondary institutions. Aside from his passion for mental health, Derek is also deeply interested in the field of global health – having coordinated annual medical service trips to Haiti in partnership with the US-Haitian based non-profit Angel Wings International for the past 4 years and founded the service organization Huskies for Haiti. As a proud Eagle Scout who strives to uphold the highest values of service and leadership, Derek aspires to become a physician and public servant in the public health field, with a focus on mental health advocacy both at home and abroad.  Derek was nominated for the Truman Scholarship.

Himaja Nagireddy (CLAS ’20), from Acton, MA, is an junior undergraduate pre-med student at the University of Connecticut pursuing a BA in Sociology (Honors) and a BS in Physiology and Neurobiology with a double minor in Molecular and Cell Biology and Chemistry as a STEM Scholar. Her goal is to one day become an aerospace flight surgeon. She is a Student Life Award recipient of the 2018 Spirer/Dueker Student Humanitarian Achievement Award, a 2019 Leadership Legacy Fellow, and a member of the inaugural (2019-20) class of BOLD Women’s Leadership Network Scholars at UConn. She also serves on the executive boards of TEDxUConn and Peer Allies Through Honors (PATH), a mentoring group the pairs incoming Honors students upperclass Honors students at UConn.  Himaja is an elected representative of the National Council for the United Nations Association of the USA, a civil organization founded by Eleanor Roosevelt, where she works with over 200 chapters to coordinate efforts to support the UN. Last year, she was a UNA-USA representative for the 62nd Commission of the Status of Women (CSW62), and this year she is in charge of planning over 4 parallel events for the CSW63. Himaja is currently a UConn-Eversource Research Fellow where she is conducting research to evaluate the benefits of NGSS-aligned energy conservation education for middle school students living in areas of high eviction rates in CT. She actively volunteers for three non-profit organizations during the semester (Barefoot College, Unite for Sight, and Paper Airplanes) and enjoys volunteering as the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston during her school breaks. In her free time, Himaja likes to hike, bike, and re-read her favorite books (Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter!).  Himaja was nominated for the Truman Scholarship.

Susan Naseri (CLAS ’20), from Queens, NY, is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Human Rights. In addition to being a student in the Special Program in Law and the Honors Program, Susan is President of the Middle Eastern Student Association, a member of the 2018 Leadership Legacy cohort, and a recipient of the Cohen Student Leadership Scholarship. As a Bennett Research Assistant and recipient of the SHARE grant, she documented cases of violence against women and girls across the world for Dr. David Richards, and this research was then cited in his book, Exploring The Consequences Of The Normative Gap In Legal Protections Addressing Violence Against Women. Additionally, Susan served as the Research and Evaluation Intern at the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund in Spring 2018. As a Holster scholar, Susan conducted qualitative interviews with the administrative heads of four NGOs across CT, to determine if their policies and programs offered to Middle Eastern refugees were focused more on acculturation or assimilation. With a love for learning and travel, Susan was named a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholar and Fund for Education Abroad Scholar which allowed her to study in France and travel through Europe during the Summer of 2018. In the Fall 2018 semester, she served as the Human Rights Intern at UConn Law’s Asylum and Human Rights Clinic, where she documented country conditions research to corroborate the claims of their clients who were seeking asylum in the United States. Building on this passion to help asylum seekers and refugees, Susan is conducting research through literature reviews and qualitative interviews regarding the lived experiences of Middle Eastern refugee youth in Chicago, San Diego, and Dallas through her IDEA grant. As a University Scholar, she will be continuing similar research with NGOs and refugees in Amman, Jordan. In addition to research, Susan works as a tutor at the Writing Center, as a Student Programming Assistant for the Honors Department and previously, as a Resident Assistant on campus. In the future, she aims to create her own non-governmental organization dedicated to providing legal aid and helping refugees integrate into society.  Susan was nominated for the Truman Scholarship.

To learn more about these and other nationally-competitive scholarship and fellowship opportunities, visit the Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships and click “Talk to an Advisor.”

UConn’s 2018-19 Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship Nominees. From left, Elizabeth Charash (CLAS ’18), Akshayaa Chittibabu (CLAS ’19), Odia Kane (CLAS ’19), and Jessica Weaver (CLAS ’19). 

The Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships is pleased to introduce UConn’s 2018-19 nominees for the Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships.  Congratulations (and good luck!) to these outstanding young leaders.

Elizabeth Charash (CLAS ’18) is a history major nominated for the Rhodes Scholarship. She is an avid reader, consumer of political satire and tea connoisseur. She is from Newtown, CT, where she is involved with gun violence prevention advocacy following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary her junior year. She has studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa where she worked with community members in an area with high levels of gun violence. Her time in Cape Town in combination with her high school activism have shaped the research she is currently conducting on the differences in urban and suburban gun violence prevention policy and activism. Elizabeth has interned in the offices of Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty and Senator Chris Murphy, as well as the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. She is also founder and president of UConn Against Gun Violence, where she seeks to inform her community about the complexities of gun violence.  Winner of the 2016 Newman Civic Fellowship and a 2017 Finalist for the Marshall, Mitchell and Truman Scholarships, Elizabeth is also the recipient of an IDEA grant to continue her ongoing research on the “Faces of the Gun Violence Prevention Movement in Connecticut” with Sociology Professor Mary Bernstein.  She is currently pursuing a MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queens University Belfast, with later plans to pursue a joint JD and PhD continuing her work to inform and take action to mitigate gun violence.

Akshayaa Chittibabu (CLAS ’19), from Shrewsbury, MA, is a senior studying biological sciences and sociology at the University of Connecticut as a STEM Scholar.  A 2018 Truman Scholar, Akshayaa is nominated for the Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships.  She has worked on implementing better health education for rural women in South India as a Holster Scholar, assessed barriers in American healthcare as a 2017 Newman Civic Fellow, and studied Korean in Gwangju, South Korea through the U.S. Department of State. Currently, Akshayaa serves as the Vice Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and Senator for Multiculturalism and Diversity in UConn’s Undergraduate Student Government.  She is an editorial assistant at the peer-reviewed journal Social Science & Medicine and is conducting her thesis research with Prof. Audrey Chapman at UConn School of Medicine’s Department of Community Medicine and Healthcare. On campus, she leads Gita studies for undergraduate Hindus at the UConn Hindu Students Council, and volunteers as a community health educator through the Collegiate Health Service Corps. Her investment in global health has led her to chairing Connecticut’s first student-run global health conference, serving on medical development trips to Panama and Ecuador, and advocating for global malaria and polio programs as a UN Foundation Global Health Fellow. In the future, she aims to build and promote innovative health policies, and pursue a fulfilling career in public service as a physician.

Odia Kane (CLAS ’19) is a senior Honors student from New Haven, Connecticut with origins from Guinea, West Africa. She studies Cognitive Science, Political Science, and Public Health, and through these disciplines, aspires to be a politician.  During her time at UConn, she was a Rowe Scholar, a New England Scholar, and served two terms on the Executive Boards of Sisters Inspiring Sisters and the African Students’ Association. When she is not in class or clubs, she works as a third-year tutor at the University Writing Center.  Over the summers, she has interned at the non-profit New Haven Promise, participated in the Summer Health Professions Education Program, and worked as a research intern at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Odia plans to dedicate her life’s work to uplifting and protecting vulnerable populations.  She is nominated for the Marshall Scholarship.

Jessica Weaver (CLAS ’19)  is a senior Honors student from Newington, Connecticut studying Political Science, Human Rights, and Business. A Babbidge Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa inductee, Jessica is nominated for the Marshall and Rhodes scholarships. Jessica is dedicated to creating avenues for women to gain more representation in both the economy and political sphere. She has interned for Congressman John Larson as part of the UConn Honors Congressional Internship as well as at the Connecticut State Treasurer’s Office where she worked on UN Principle of Responsible Investment reports and helped create financial literacy initiatives for the State. Her internships inspired her to create policy change regarding financial literacy and led her to create a petition to institute financial literacy courses in all public higher education institutions and secondary schools in Connecticut. She currently serves as President of Partners in Health Engage, where she has lobbied members of Congress to increase global health funding with a particular focus on maternal and child health. Jessica served as an Alan R. Bennett Research Assistant in the political science department, and is currently researching how female representation impacts the legislative success of women’s issues legislation in state legislatures for her honors thesis. In the future, she plans to pursue a JD/PhD and work to empower female representation in organizations like the UN Women.

To learn more about these and other nationally-competitive scholarship and fellowship opportunities, visit the Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships and click “Talk to an Advisor.”

A Dozen UConn Students, Alums Win NSF Graduate Fellowships

Six members of the UConn Class of 2018, two current graduate students, and four alumni have won National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.  Read more . . . .

Meet UConn’s nominees for the Udall Scholarship.

Kayleigh Granville (CAHNR ’19) is an Honors Student and University Scholar from Newtown, CT, majoring in environmental science. She plans to pursue a Master’s degree in environmental science with a focus on aquatic biogeochemistry. Kayleigh has been working in the lab of Dr. Ashley Helton since her freshman year, when she received a Holster Scholar grant to conduct research on the effects of road salts on ephemeral wetland food webs. During her sophomore year, she received a Michael Lefor Grant from the Connecticut Association of Wetland Scientists to conduct research on denitrification rates and nitrous oxide emissions from salt marshes. She presented her research at the Connecticut Conference on Natural Resources and at the Connecticut Association of Wetland Scientists annual meeting. As a junior, Kayleigh was named a University Scholar and received a SURF Grant to expand on her previous research on denitrification. In addition to her commitment to environmental research, Kayleigh is passionate about environmental education and has developed and taught programs for children from ages three to twelve at Webb Mountain Discovery Zone, an outdoor learning center in Monroe, CT. She is the president of UConn Wildlife Society, works at the Office of the Registrar, and enjoys running, hiking, and writing in her spare time.

Sophie MacDonald (ENGR ’20) is a sophomore Honors student and Nutmeg Scholar majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in philosophy and math. She plans to pursue an M.S. in Sustainable Engineering, and she aspires to be a practicing engineer in the renewable energy sector. Freshman year, she conducted research under Dr. Leslie Shor in her engineered microhabitats laboratory, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. This semester, she is conducting research more directly associated with her career goals under Dr. Alexander Agrios, whose research focuses on the latest technology in solar power. At the end of her freshman year, Sophie was hired as an intern at the UConn Office of Environmental Policy, where she continues to work on various initiatives to promote sustainability on campus. She is also the co-lead for the Ethiopia Project, as well as the events and planning lead for the University’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders. In this role, Sophie works to help the environment as well as the community of people who depend on its protection. When the dust settles every so often, Sophie loves to do anything and everything outdoors, from hiking to ice climbing to birding.

Weston Henry (CLAS ’19, CAHNR ’19) is a STEM scholar and honors student pursuing a dual degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and landscape architecture. Originally from Mansfield, Connecticut, he has been working in the lab of Dr. David Wagner since high school, with a focus on butterflies, moths, and caterpillars. In summer 2017, he received a SURF grant and was able to live in a cabin on stilts over the Housatonic River, studying various aspects of the conservation of the state-endangered and globally vulnerable Northern Metalmark butterfly. Other research experience includes studies of bird predation in differentially sized forest fragments, monitoring of gastropod populations in Puerto Rico, plant physiology research in South Africa, and general lab work. This past November, he also attended the United Nations climate change conference in Bonn, Germany.  Within the landscape architecture sphere, Weston serves as secretary of UConn’s chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and will be interning with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. planning and design consultants in San Diego, California this coming summer. During his career, he hopes to address the gap between ecological science and design of built spaces, in order to create landscapes that address environmental issues including but not limited to climate change, habitat destruction and resulting biodiversity loss. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, traveling, and being in nature.

The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment.  In 2019, the Udall Foundation anticipates awarding 50 scholarships of up to $7,000 each.  The Udall scholarship honors the legacies of Morris Udall and Stewart Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on Native American self-governance, health care, and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources.  UConn may nominate up to four candidates for the Udall Scholarship.  Internal applications for nomination are generally due in early January.  The following three students were UConn’s 2019 nominees for the Udall Scholarship.

Wanjiku (Wawa) Gatheru (CAHNR ’20), from Pomfret, CT, is a junior majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Global Studies. Prior to arriving at college, Wawa spent a year in Thailand as a KL-YES Scholar of the U.S. State Department, an experience that solidified her commitment to culturally competent conservation. Through internships with the City of Hartford’s Office of Sustainability, CHISPA CT, and the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network, Wawa has worked to uplift the voices of those most adversely impacted by environmental inequities. Passionate about the way food can solve the most pressing ecological problems, she been involved in childhood obesity prevention research as a Bridging the Gap Fellow in Dr. Amy Mobley’s Community Nutrition lab and has led nutritional education lessons to pre-school students in the Greater Hartford area as a coordinator of the Husky Nutrition Program. A UCSC Doris Duke Conservation Scholar and Newman Civic Fellow, Wawa is motivated to connect grassroots movements to institutions of power, as a lead organizer in CT’s first Youth Climate Lobby Day, UN Global Health Fellow, delegate at the 2017 UN Climate Change Discussions, co-founder of the President’s Council on Race and Diversity, and crucial leader in the successful implementation of an environmental literacy general education requirement. On campus, she promotes the collective wellbeing of students as the Vice President of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), co-chairs the University-wide Metanoia: Youth for Change, mentors students as a teacher’s assistant in the African American Cultural Center, serves as Peer Research Ambassador at the Office of Undergraduate Research, hosts pop up food pantries as co-founder of UCAFE, and promotes campus sustainability as an intern at the Office of Environmental Policy. Wawa ultimately plans to pursue a joint JD/MEM, with the goal of empowering disenfranchised communities of color in the environmental decision-making process. Wawa was also nominated for the Truman Scholarship.

Himaja Nagireddy (CLAS ’20), from Acton, MA, is an junior undergraduate pre-med student at the University of Connecticut pursuing a BA in Sociology (Honors) and a BS in Physiology and Neurobiology with a double minor in Molecular and Cell Biology and Chemistry as a STEM Scholar. Her goal is to one day become an aerospace flight surgeon. She is a Student Life Award recipient of the 2018 Spirer/Dueker Student Humanitarian Achievement Award, a 2019 Leadership Legacy Fellow, and a member of the inaugural (2019-20) class of BOLD Women’s Leadership Network Scholars at UConn. She also serves on the executive boards of TEDxUConn and Peer Allies Through Honors (PATH), a mentoring group the pairs incoming Honors students upperclass Honors students at UConn.  Himaja is an elected representative of the National Council for the United Nations Association of the USA, a civil organization founded by Eleanor Roosevelt, where she works with over 200 chapters to coordinate efforts to support the UN. Last year, she was a UNA-USA representative for the 62nd Commission of the Status of Women (CSW62), and this year she is in charge of planning over 4 parallel events for the CSW63. Himaja is currently a UConn-Eversource Research Fellow where she is conducting research to evaluate the benefits of NGSS-aligned energy conservation education for middle school students living in areas of high eviction rates in CT. She actively volunteers for three non-profit organizations during the semester (Barefoot College, Unite for Sight, and Paper Airplanes) and enjoys volunteering as the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston during her school breaks. In her free time, Himaja likes to hike, bike, and re-read her favorite books (Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter!).  Himaja was also nominated for the Truman Scholarship.

To learn more about these and other nationally-competitive scholarship and fellowship opportunities, visit the Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships and click “Talk to an Advisor.”

ONS&F is pleased to announce that we have 10 Semi-Finalists in the 2018-19 Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition. These applicants were selected by the National Screening Committees to be forwarded to the Fulbright Commissions in-country for final review and selection. We anticipate hearing Finalist decisions beginning in mid-March thru May.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program Semi-Finalists are:

Hannah Bissonnette (CLAS ’18) for an English Teaching Assistant grant to Bulgaria.

Rebecca Hill (CLAS, ’18) for the Fulbright UK Partnership Award to University of Birmingham.

Mahathi Kumar (CLAS, ’18) for an English Teaching Assistant grant to Mexico.

Madeline Nicholson (CLAS, ’17) for an English Teaching Assistant grant to Mexico.

Marc Reyes (PhD candidate, History) for Fulbright Research grant to India.

Nikita Roy (CLAS, ’18) for a Fulbright grant to Western Sydney University, Award in the Arts, Environment & Public Health.

Kaleigh Rusgrove Berry (MFA candidate) for a Fulbright grant to Western Sydney University, Award in the Arts, Environment & Public Health.

Nicholas Russo (CLAS, ’18) a for a Fulbright Research grant to Sweden.

Rebecca VanderLeest (PhD candidate, Geological Sciences) for a Fulbright Research grant to Chile.

Charity Whitehead (CLAS, 2016) for an English Teaching Assistant grant to South Africa.