Wanjiku Gatheru ’20 (CAHNR) is one of just 62 students nationwide to receive the award, which is presented to undergraduate students who have devoted themselves to public service. (Sean Flynn/UConn Photo)

Berk Alpay (ENG ‘21, CLAS ‘21) from Storrs, CT, is a STEM Scholar majoring in computer science and mathematics, and minoring in statistics. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. and a research career in computer science after graduation. Berk has been interested in artificial intelligence and neural networks since high school, and found an opportunity to apply them in Dr. Emmanouil Anagnostou’s Outage Prediction Model group in the Eversource Energy Center at the beginning of his first year at UConn. His focus has been in developing machine learning techniques to accurately predict power outages in Connecticut caused by storms that are growing in severity under climate change. His first major project was to develop a two-step logistic regression classifier and random forest regressor model that predicts whether an outage is to occur and, if so, to predict how many. Named a Holster Scholar in 2018, as his summer research project Berk formulated a novel modeling framework for forecasting outages from thunderstorms, whose dynamic character has proved a particular challenge for existing models. He has since developed a long short-term memory neural network that takes advantage of this new framework as well as recent advances in NOAA’s weather feature forecasting to predict outages at an hourly, rather than stormwide, temporal resolution. He is now working to finalize the model for publication. Moving forward, he is eager to explore applications of genetic algorithms to his research in meteorological impact forecasting and beyond. Berk received the Dominick A. Pagano Endowed Scholarship in Computer Science & Engineering in 2018. Outside of his research, Berk is an avid reader, amateur guitarist, and science contributor to UConn’s Daily Campus.

Ariane Garrett (ENGR,’20, CLAS, ’21) is an honors student and STEM Scholar from Pleasant Valley, NY. She is pursuing a dual degree in Biomedical Engineering and Spanish, with plans to achieve a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering after graduation. She has been working in the Hoshino Laboratory since the spring of her freshman year on implantable medical devices, specifically a novel cerebral spinal fluid shunt capable of measuring flow in vivo. She has focused on the development of an implantable optical read out system and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flow sensor capable of measuring the required flow rates for cerebral spinal fluid. The summer after her freshman year she was named a Holster Scholar and received an IDEA grant for her research. Her work on the implantable optical read out system was patented in Spring 2018, and the following summer she received a SURF award to support her research. Currently, Ariane is leading the device testing and working towards fully integrating the device parts into an implantable capsule. Outside of the lab, Ariane is passionate about expanding access to technology and has worked towards this goal as Vice President of Engineers Without Borders. She is also a Peer Research Ambassador and a tutor in the Engineering Tutoring Center. When she is not busy with school or work, she enjoys hiking, baking, and spending time with friends.

Saurabh Kumar (CLAS ’20) from North Andover, MA, is a STEM Scholar majoring in Physiology & Neurobiology and minoring in Statistics. He is planning on pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. degree in Neurobiology to investigate effective therapies for patients with central nervous system damage following injury and lesioning. His research career began the summer of 2015 in the Cao Lab at the University Of New England College Of Osteopathic Medicine where he investigated glial cell inflammatory responses to chronic morphine use in a rodent AIDS infection model. This work was published in the Journal of Neuroimmunology. In the Conover Lab at UConn, Saurabh has conducted research characterizing the normal development of the brain’s lateral ventricles and the associated ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) stem cell niche, which was recently published in the journal: Development. Using this normal control model, Saurabh is currently charactering development of the stem cell niche in fetal-onset hydrocephalus using archival tissue samples and MRI scans in addition to an induced-mutation hydrocephalic mouse model for his University Scholar project which was supported by a SURF grant in 2018. Outside of the laboratory, Saurabh is an avid clarinetist serving as a 1^st/Principal Clarinet player in both the UConn Symphonic Band and UConn Chamber Ensemble Club. He is also the Co-President of the UConn KDSAP chapter – a student-run organization that organizes and provides free kidney health screenings to medically under-served populations. Saurabh further enjoys STEM education for children, serving as a mathematics tutor for K-12 students in virtual online classroom and in-person settings.

Sam Markelon (ENGR ‘20) from Burlington, CT, is a STEM Scholar pursing a B.S. in computer science and a mathematics minor. He plans on earning his Ph.D. in computer science focusing in cryptography and information security after graduating from UConn. Sam began his time at UConn as a physics major. In his freshman and sophomore year he was heavily involved in nuclear research. During the summer of 2017 he was in Newport News, VA at Jefferson National Laboratory working on simulation software. The following summer he was at L’Institut de physique nucléaire d’Orsay in France working on data analytic tools for accelerator experiments. Since then he has transitioned to being fully invested in computer science. In the Fall of 2017 he began working with Dr. Walter Krawec in the Computer Science and Engineering Department doing novel research involving the analysis of quantum key distribution protocols with evolutionary algorithms. Sam coauthored a paper with Dr. Krawec for the 2018 ACM GECCO conference, and together they are working on a new paper. In the fall of 2018 Sam received an IDEA grant to work on analysis of post-quantum cryptosystems specifically the lattice-based NTRUEncrypt.  He recently wrote an implementation of said cryptosystem in Python that is available on GitHub. Sam’s general research interests are post-quantum cryptography, blockchain protocols, and cryptographic primitives. Aside from research Sam served as an undergraduate teaching assistant the past semester for CSE 2050: Data Structures and Object-Oriented Design. He is also heavily involved with the ACM student chapter, leading the cryptography subgroup. In addition to academic hobbies Sam enjoys athletics, playing intramural sports year round.

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.”

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.

Truman Scholarship nominees (l to r) Lucas Bladen, Akshayaa Chittibabu, Kathrine Grant, and Mary Szarkowicz.  (UConn Photo/various)

Meet UConn’s 2017-18 Truman Scholarship Nominees.

Lucas Bladen (CLAS ’19), of Mansfield, CT, is an Honors student pursuing a degree in political science and human rights. A lifelong resident of eastern Connecticut, he enjoys reading, debating, and trail running. Lucas has applied his guiding principles of grassroots community engagement and long-term vision to both his local activism and his study of national and international politics. He received a fall 2015 Bennett Research Assistantship and a spring 2016 SHARE Grant to examine the place of refugees within the Westphalian nation-state. He then conducted field research in Paris, France and Florence, Italy through a summer 2016 IDEA Grant; the project, entitled “Stigmatized: A Study of Refugee and Economic Migrant Integration in French Politics and Culture,” was presented at the spring 2017 meeting of the New England Political Science Association. His examination of national identity and global governance, coupled with a semester studying at the Sorbonne, led him to engage more critically with the politics of his own country. He has since interned for the Connecticut Democratic Party, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and served as an organizing fellow for the re-election campaign of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, in addition to assisting his local Democratic Town Committee. As Secretary-General of UConn Model United Nations, he works to get high school students interested international relations and debate; this same love for political discourse motivated him to become a staff writer for the UConn Political Review.

Akshayaa K. Chittibabu (CLAS ’19), from Shrewsbury, MA, is a junior studying biological sciences and sociology at the University of Connecticut as a STEM Scholar. She was nominated for the Truman Scholarship.  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.

Kathrine Grant (CLAS, EDUC ’19), from Groton, CT, is a double major in English and Secondary English Education with a minor in public policy. She was nominated for the Truman Scholarship.  She is the Political Director of UConn Future Educators (UFE) and the Vice President of the Teacher Education Student Association (TESA). She is also a member of the 2018 Leadership Legacy cohort and the Honors Program. Kathrine has worked on several research projects during her undergraduate career, receiving funding for a Holster First Year Project, a Summer Undergraduate Research Project (SURF), and a group IDEA Grant. Each of these projects has allowed her to pursue her passions in education: she’s studied public perceptions of school choice options and quality and is currently working to create a peer-to-peer tutoring and translation program for Emergent Bilingual high school students. Additionally, she has participated in alternative breaks to Washington, D.C.; Birmingham, Alabama; and Detroit, Michigan. In the future, Kathrine plans to teach Secondary English in a public, high-needs district and to become involved with national educational politics and administration after pursuing dual degree program for a law degree and a doctoral degree in Educational Theory and Policy.

Mary Szarkowicz (CLAS, BUSN ’19), from Watertown, CT, is an Honors student pursuing dual degrees in political science and accounting. An avid Crossfitter, she has interned in the office of Senator Richard Blumenthal and in the Department of Justice. A Student Administrative Assistant at the Office of the Registrar, Mary is also involved in UConn Model UN as the 2018 Conference Director and as a member of the 2018 Leadership Legacy cohort. In summer 2016, she was awarded a Holster Scholar grant to pursue research on the impact of professionalism of the state legislature on the lobbyist-legislator relationship. As a recipient of a 2017 IDEA Grant, she is using her funds to pursue a project on the legal framework of female genital mutilation in the United States. She also received an Alan R. Bennett Research Assistantship in fall 2015.  Mary was nominated for the Truman Scholarship.

Meet UConn’s 2017-18 nominees for the Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell Scholarships.

Megan Handau (CLAS ’18) is a senior Honors student and Babbidge Scholar from New Fairfield Connecticut, majoring in political science and women’s, gender, and sexualities studies. She was nominated for the Mitchell Scholarship.  In her time at UConn, Megan has interned with Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty in her Washington, D.C. and district offices, the Office of the Public Defender in Hartford, and the Right2Know Campaign in Cape Town, South Africa. During the spring of her senior year, she served as campaign manager for Amanda Webster, a progressive Democrat running for the Connecticut State House of Representatives. Megan’s passion for intersectional feminism and government drives her research for her senior Honors thesis, entitled “I’m Not Supposed to Be Here: A Race-Gendering of the Public Identity of the First Lady.” Dedicated to effective leadership and student political involvement, Megan has served president of UConn College Democrats, president of UConn Ready For Hillary, president of Alpha Epsilon Phi, and vice president of Student Coalition for Social Justice. Megan has also been the recipient of the Fannie Dixon Welch Scholarship, awarded for active citizenship and promise of leadership in government, the 100 Years of Women Scholarship, awarded for advancing the role of women in society, and the Augusta Gerberich Scholarship. Megan’s commitment to public service and amplifying the agency of others resulted in her being offered the chance to serve with the Peace Corps after graduation as a Community Development Volunteer in Moldova. Her future plans include law school.

Rebecca Kaufman (CLAS ’18), from Mansfield, CT, is an Honors student double majoring in political science and human rights, and minoring in public policy.  She aspires to pursue a career in sustainable development and work on issues around the right to water.  She was nominated for the Marshall Scholarship.  An avid runner, Rebecca has worked as Program Design Fellow for Net Impact in Oakland, CA, interned for U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, worked with local leaders in rural Guatemala through the Social Entrepreneurship Corps, and studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa where she interned at the Economic Justice Network. As a spring 2016 IDEA Grant recipient, Rebecca used her funding to analyze the policy outcomes and increased female empowerment promulgated by women in local government in the Asia-Pacific region. She is now finishing her senior thesis, working to construct a more intersectional and comprehensive indicator for women’s empowerment. In spring 2017, she was awarded the Augusta H. Gerberich Scholarship, which is given annually to a junior or senior majoring in political science whose special field of interest is international relations.  She is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a New England Scholar, a Human Rights Institute Oxford Fellow, and received an Alan R. Bennett Research Assistantship in fall 2014.  In the spring of 2016, Rebecca and three other students co-founded the Student Coalition for Social Justice, which conducts sustained, intersectional social justice campaigns in order to incite positive social change on the UConn campus and beyond. Rebecca will be serving as a Water Sanitation and Hygiene Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama from July 2018 to October 2020.

Elizabeth Charash (CLAS ’18) is a history major who was nominated for the Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell Scholarships. 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.  Upon graduation, she will be 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.