Leah Yonemoto-Weston ��24 Named NYC Urban Fellow</h1> <article> <h1>Leah Yonemoto-Weston ��24 Named NYC Urban Fellow</h1> <p>kviancou — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:56:42 +0000</p> <span>Leah Yonemoto-Weston ��24 Named NYC Urban Fellow</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-14T14:56:42-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 14:56">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 14:56</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Leah Yonemoto-Weston ��24, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies">comparative American studies </a>major while at 91ֱ��, has been selected for the NYC Urban Fellows Program, a highly selective, nine-month public service fellowship that places recent graduates in full-time roles within New York City government agencies. She answered these questions about her fellowship:</p><p><strong>Describe what you will be doing as an NYC Urban Fellow.</strong><br>I��ll work in a New York government agency, helping develop and implement public programs and policies that address urban challenges. I��ll also participate in a series of seminars designed to deepen my understanding of how cities function. Through this combination of hands-on work and structured learning, I hope to gain insight into how local government operates and how policy decisions impact communities on the ground.</p><p><strong>What made you want to apply?</strong><br>I was drawn to this fellowship because it offers a unique opportunity to work directly within the policy systems that shape communities. Over the past several years, I��ve worked in client-facing roles focused on housing justice and eviction prevention, where I��ve seen firsthand how policy decisions impact individuals and families. That experience motivated me to apply those on-the-ground insights to broader, systems-level change. I hope to deepen my understanding of city-level policymaking while building the skills needed to contribute to more equitable and effective communities.</p><p><strong>How does this align with your career goals?</strong><br>It aligns closely with my goal of working on urban issues at the local level, particularly in housing justice and community development. I��m interested in bridging direct service and policy to advance more equitable systems, and I believe the NYC Urban Fellows Program will help me build the skills and knowledge to do so. It will also serve as strong preparation for future graduate study in urban planning, social work, and/or public policy.</p><p><strong>How does this fellowship build on your previous studies and activities at 91ֱ��?</strong><br>It builds on my comparative American studies work at 91ֱ��, where I explored how community, policy, and social justice intersect. Courses such as Latinx Oral Histories, where I interviewed Latinx veterans in partnership with the Lorain Historical Society, as well as Asian American History, and Medical Anthropology taught me to analyze identity, power, and community in nuanced ways, skills I will bring to the Urban Fellows Program.</p><p>The fellowship will also allow me to build on the teamwork and justice-oriented skills I developed through 91ֱ��s extracurriculars. In OSCA��s Third World Co-op, I learned how to organize a community and build support networks. My work on the Resource Conservation Team taught me how to collaborate creatively and engage with local stakeholders, and my work at the Sexual Information Center emphasized public health, mutual aid, and managing complex budgets.</p><p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� shape or influence you as an academic, thinker, and person?</strong><br>My classes were really interdisciplinary, and I learned how to approach questions from multiple angles rather than staying in one lane. 91ֱ��s culture of collaboration also stayed with me. Through group projects, research partnerships, and extracurriculars, there was a real expectation that you would contribute to something larger than yourself. That environment helped build my academic instincts and fostered a genuine sense of responsibility to engage thoughtfully with communities and consider the broader impact of my work.</p><p><strong>What��s the best advice you received while you were at 91ֱ��?</strong><br>Wendy Kozol, my former advisor and CAST faculty member, told me during my first year that the most important thing in both school and the working world is finding your own reason to return to the work, even when it gets hard. You have to find motivation from within, rather than from outside pressure. In any meaningful work, you need to know what keeps you grounded, engaged, aligned with your values, and excited!</p><hr><p><a href="/fellowships" target="_blank"><em>Connect with Fellowships & Awards</em></a><em> to learn more about opportunities for 91ֱ�� students.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Boulder, Colorado, native will work on urban policy issues during a nine-month fellowship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-14T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4065">Comparative American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies" hreflang="und">Comparative American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Leah Yonemoto-Weston</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Where Land Meets Art: Maya Miller ��26 Awarded a 2026 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:35:12 +0000</p> <span>Where Land Meets Art: Maya Miller ��26 Awarded a 2026 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T16:35:12-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 16:35">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 16:35</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Maya Miller ��26 has been awarded a 2026 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, a one-year grant that supports purposeful, independent exploration outside the United States. </strong></p><p>A double major in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/gsfs">gender, sexuality, and feminist studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing">creative writing</a>, with minors in studio art and comparative American studies, Miller will travel to New Zealand, Australia, Costa Rica, Iceland, Japan, China, and the United Kingdom. </p><p>Along the way, Miller will work with farmers, ceramicists, and artists whose practices engage both land and material, as part of a project that explores ��the intersection of agriculture and art, and how clay, soil, and ceramics preserve cultural traditions.�� </p><p>Miller answered these questions about the Watson project:</p><p><strong>Can you describe what your Watson work will entail?</strong></p><div class="image_resized align-left media-embed-resized" style="width:314px;"> </div> <p>My Watson starts with an admittedly broad question: How can art-making reflect, repair, and reimagine our relationship with the natural world? Clay, soil, and earth are inextricably linked. For millennia, humans have harvested, cured, and shaped earth into vessels essential to daily life. While ceramic and agricultural technologies share origins, they have grown into more disparate practices in the United States.</p><p>During my Watson year, I want to explore how the intersections of ceramic and land-based work might offer frameworks, rituals, and methodologies for regenerating our ecological and social soils. I��ll spend time with farmers, ceramicists, and artists working at these intersections, learning from their practices, ecologies, and communities.</p><p><strong>In what ways does what you��ll be doing build on your existing work��and in what ways does it open new pathways for you?</strong><br><br>I��ve been working on farms on and off since graduating from high school. It��s actually what first brought me to the Midwest��to a farm in rural Illinois. Farming opened up a new sensorial language for me, one rooted in relationships with the nonhuman and the material, and one that challenged my preexisting ideas of personhood and agency.</p><p>I love the care work of tending to plants and animals. It can be meditative and is similar to clay work��both invite collaboration with materials that are agentive and demanding of care.</p><p>This past summer, I worked as a farmer at an artist residency in the Adirondacks. I spent much of my day digging in the soil, running after sheep, carrying water to the chickens, or repairing pig fencing. In the evenings, I was in the clay studio, writing, or just talking, laughing, and cooking with the artists in residence. </p><p>I started to ruminate on the parallels that typically get drawn: Pottery makes dishes, farming makes food; potters and farmers alike work with their hands. And true, there is also something deeper.</p><p>My honors thesis in GSFS explores clay as a material with epistemological agency. In its way of being, clay can act as a kind of ontological mirror and a creative methodological tool for queer and disability theory. It shows how slowness, decomposition, and bodily negotiation can be generative conditions, foregrounding interdependence and undoing myths of autonomy and control. </p><p>This work is rooted in my own experience and thus somewhat autoethnographic. The Watson year will allow me to expand my thinking outward��to learn from other people, practices, and cultural relationships to land and material.</p><p>There is a pathway at the intersection of land and ceramics that I��ve only just begun to glimpse. We are all of this earth, whether our connections feel deep or tenuous. I��m interested in living into that idea and seeing where it leads.</p><p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� shape or influence you to pursue this fellowship? </strong><br><br>The Watson was suggested to me while I was trying to narrow the focus of my honors research. Rather than dismissing my too-big set of questions, I was encouraged to consider the fellowship as a way to explore them. </p><p>More broadly, I��ve been lucky to study with professors who encouraged me to think creatively and across disciplines. In a GSFS class with Thao Nguyen, I was encouraged to pursue a project on disability studies and ceramics practice, even when I couldn��t find existing scholarship at that intersection. That work became the seed of my honors thesis. </p><p>My thesis advisor, <a href="/kj-cerankowski">KJ Cerankowski</a>, has encouraged me to push against [conventional] academic writing and explore connections that might not seem obvious at first. I love the GSFS department and how it encourages and teaches us to think in expansive and experimental ways.</p><p>I��ve also taken <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art">studio art</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing">creative writing</a> classes with amazing professors such as Amanda Hodes, Sam Cohen, Katherine Berta, and Abby Sherrill. They have encouraged me to see art as a space of inquiry��of searching, becoming, and imagining. </p><p>I also spent three winter terms working with 91ֱ�� alumnus Theo Helmstadter in his pottery studio in Santa Fe. A lifelong potter who harvests his own clays, Theo has been an incredible mentor. I��m grateful for the broader 91ֱ�� community and these kinds of connections.</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:533px;"> </div> <p><strong>How does pursuing the Watson align with your career goals and trajectory?</strong><br><br>I am interested in many things��perhaps too many. I want to work in the arts, work with my hands, write, and create. A year spent exploring both art and land with artists and makers is a great gift. I also imagine some version of my future self tending to a flock of sheep, so I do intend to spend time in the hills with sheep along the way.</p><p>More abstractly, this fellowship comes at a liminal moment between student life and whatever comes next. The Watson gives me the chance to stay in that in-between a little longer��to live inside the question of trajectory, rather than trying to resolve it too quickly. </p><p>It��s a privilege, and I hope it helps me find ways of living with the kind of curiosity, care, and attention that the world, like clay, continually asks of us. </p><hr><p><a href="/fellowships" target="_blank"><em>Connect with Fellowships & Awards</em></a><em> to learn more about opportunities for 91ֱ�� students.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Miller will travel to five countries to explore how ceramics and agriculture can repair our connection to the land.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4148">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4269">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25361">Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25326">Creative Writing</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" hreflang="und">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/gsfs" hreflang="und">Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Maya Miller</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Advancing AI Accessibility and Policy</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:36:24 +0000</p> <span>Advancing AI Accessibility and Policy</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-23T13:36:24-04:00" title="Monday, March 23, 2026 - 13:36">Mon, 03/23/2026 - 13:36</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Center for Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA) has given Tanisha Shende ��26 the tools to grow not only as a computer science researcher but also as a caring and civic-minded researcher.</p><p>Shende entered 91ֱ�� as a <a href="/undergraduate-research/programs/strong">STRONG Scholar</a>. Run by the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR), the STRONG Scholars Program provides first-year students with specialized mentoring and resources to help them adapt to and thrive in their STEM journey. As her first research endeavor, Shende spent her first-year winter term in a computational astrophysics lab with Professor Jillian Scudder.</p><p>Soon after, Shende earned a research role with XR Access, a Cornell Tech initiative that aims to make virtual reality programs more accessible for people with disabilities. There, she found a deeper sense of purpose in the human impact of her work.</p><p>Shende continued her journey as a computer science researcher during her second year, where she clarified her interest in making technologies such as AI more accessible across sectors. One of her projects was designing a generative AI program to make visual art more accessible to blind and low vision (BLV) users, which led her to publish a paper and present at the 2024 AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence.</p><p>At 91ֱ��, where she��s majoring in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/computer-science">computer science</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/mathematics">mathematics</a>, Shende is active in the undergraduate research community. She joined BRANCHES as a community leader, helping to create inclusive programming and support networks for STEM students. She later became a research ambassador for OUR, guiding students as they entered the undergraduate research space.</p><p>Shende also utilized resources from the <a href="/career">Career Exploration and Development (CED) office</a> to expand her understanding of technology from policy and economic viewpoints. She worked with the U.S. State Department��s Diplomacy Lab and served as a student delegate to the Athens Democracy Forum, examining AI and other technologies from the perspective of governance and public policy.</p><p>In addition, Shende volunteers at the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio, where she supports adult learners navigating barriers such as childcare and technology access. ��I am building a provider�Cservice database and prototyping a web platform and Large Language Model-based assistant that guides learners toward appropriate programs and enables smoother, more accountable handoffs.��</p><p>Shende was selected as a Goldwater Scholar and spent last summer at the MIT Summer Research Program in the Media Lab. ��Altogether, my CELA experiences have grounded my academic journey in purpose, equity, and community. They shaped the researcher I am now and the one I hope to become as I move into graduate study and work at the intersection of technology, policy, and society.��</p><p>Shende is a nominee for the CELA Award, recognizing outstanding engagement and achievement in connecting academic pursuits with experiential learning.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Computer science and math major Tanisha Shende ��26 combines high-level AI research with global policy to create equitable technology.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-23T12:00:00Z">Mon, 03/23/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">By Kate Martin ��26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4153">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4150">Mathematics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/computer-science" hreflang="und">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/mathematics" hreflang="und">Mathematics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ��97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Formulating a Future: Finding a Calling in Pharmaceutical Science</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:19:00 +0000</p> <span>Formulating a Future: Finding a Calling in Pharmaceutical Science</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-23T13:19:00-04:00" title="Monday, March 23, 2026 - 13:19">Mon, 03/23/2026 - 13:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The <a href="/center-engaged-liberal-arts">Center for Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA)</a> helped Alex Xie ��26 build a strong background in undergraduate chemistry research and clarify her post-graduate plans.</p><p>As a second-year student, Xie secured her first research experience at 91ֱ�� working with Professor Anthony Allen in his chemistry lab during winter term. ��That experience gave me a good sense of what it was like to work in a lab, and I enjoyed building off of the organic chemistry I had learned in class,�� she says.</p><p>After gaining initial research experience, Xie applied to the 91ֱ�� Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (OSURF) program, which provides stipends for students conducting summer research on campus. The OSURF program is now known as the <a href="/oberlin-summer-research-institute-fellowship">91ֱ�� Summer Research Institute Fellowship</a>. As an OSURF fellow, Xie dedicated additional time to research in a lab mentored by Professor Will Parsons. That summer, she honed and diversified her skills in the laboratory and beyond. ��I learned many new research techniques through this project, but I also improved my skills in other areas such as reading scientific literature and preparing presentations.��</p><p>Xie��s success in the OSURF program motivated her to apply for the Goldwater Scholarship after receiving a nomination from 91ֱ��. In applying, she reflected more deeply on her goals and found that guidance from the <a href="/fellowships">Fellowships Office</a> strengthened her materials. ��I had come into 91ֱ�� wanting to pursue a PhD, but it had been more of a distant goal,�� she says. ��Applying for the Goldwater Scholarship helped cement that goal into something more definitive and made me think about my future career plans after graduate school.��</p><p>Xie later applied to and was accepted into the Research Experience for Undergraduates program at Emory University. ��At Emory, I was mentored by a graduate student and conducted chemical biology research,�� she says. ��Experiencing research at an R1 institution and seeing what a graduate student��s life is like further solidified my desire to go to graduate school.��</p><p>Each of these undergraduate experiences, facilitated by CELA and its offices and programs, has helped Xie develop a clear vision for her future. After graduating from 91ֱ��, she plans to pursue a PhD in chemistry and become a pharmaceutical research scientist.</p><p>Xie is a nominee for the CELA Award, recognizing outstanding engagement and achievement in connecting academic pursuits with experiential learning.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Through lab research, fellowships, and national scholarships, Alex Xie ��26 is preparing for a PhD and a future in science.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-23T12:00:00Z">Mon, 03/23/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">By Kate Martin ��26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4265">Biochemistry</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ��97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Bridging Art, Environment, and Public Service Through CELA</h1> <p>kviancou — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:34:39 +0000</p> <span>Bridging Art, Environment, and Public Service Through CELA</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-11T16:34:39-04:00" title="Wednesday, March 11, 2026 - 16:34">Wed, 03/11/2026 - 16:34</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Nathaniel Liu ��26 understands why 91ֱ��s motto, ��Learning & Labor,�� has stuck around so long: it��s because the <a href="/center-engaged-liberal-arts">Center for Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA)</a> connects students�� academic interests with real-world experiences, allowing the two to inform one another as students navigate college and life beyond 91ֱ��.</p><p>Throughout his time at 91ֱ��, Liu has participated in winter term micro-internships, which allow students to gain internship experience and winter term project credit through 91ֱ��-affiliated activities on and off campus. 91ֱ��s <a href="/career">Career Exploration and Development</a> office, within the CELA space, sponsors the program.</p><p>First, Liu apprenticed with an 91ֱ�� alumnus at his sculpture studio in New York City. There, he applied his classroom-based photography and videography skills in a professional, day-to-day context. ��I realized that while I enjoyed the work, the lifestyle of a professional artist was not for me. It was a valuable lesson: learning what you don��t want to do is as important as learning what you do.��</p><p>With new career aspirations, Liu pursued another winter term micro-internship, writing articles about climate change for the National Park Service. Although the position was cut short due to political tensions in the U.S., he retained his passion for environmental communication. ��I learned that unpredictability is often the price of environmental public service, yet it only solidified my commitment to the field.��</p><p>Next, with guidance and support from CELA��s <a href="/fellowships">Fellowships and Awards</a> office, Liu applied for several prestigious fellowships and ultimately earned the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship for Environmental Studies.</p><p>Overall, CELA has honed Liu��s practical skills and clarified his future plans. ��CELA has done more than just provide work experience; it has helped me identify and fill the gaps in my skill set, ensuring my education remains aligned with my professional goals.��</p><p>After graduating, Liu��a triple major in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" target="_blank">environmental studies</a>, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies" target="_blank">East Asian studies</a>, and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics" target="_blank">politics</a>��plans to pursue a fellowship in Asia. He looks forward to further refining his interests and goals, with the hope of returning to Maine for a long-term career in environmental public service.</p><p>Liu is a nominee for the CELA Award, recognizing outstanding engagement and achievement in connecting academic pursuits with experiential learning.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Through an arts apprenticeship, climate communication, and a Udall Scholarship, Nathaniel Liu ��26 connects experiential learning with a career in environmental public service.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-11T12:00:00Z">Wed, 03/11/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">By Kate Martin ��26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4074">East Asian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4154">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4095">Environmental Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics" hreflang="und">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies" hreflang="und">East Asian Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ��97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Chudi Martin Jr. ��24 Earns Prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship</h1> <p>azaleski — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:42:49 +0000</p> <span>Chudi Martin Jr. ��24 Earns Prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-19T10:42:49-05:00" title="Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 10:42">Thu, 02/19/2026 - 10:42</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Chudi Martin Jr. ��24 was teaching in his second-grade classroom at a Detroit public school when he saw the email notification.</p><p>The subject line read: ��Gates Cambridge Offer.�� He opened it.</p><p>��I read, ��We are pleased�� and I��m like, no, there��s no way this is happening right now,�� he said.</p><p>Martin learned he was one of 26 people awarded the highly competitive <a href="https://www.gatescambridge.org/about/news/2026-us-scholars-announced/">Gates Cambridge Scholarship</a>��an honor reserved for the most academically brilliant social leaders in the U.S. The scholarship funds full postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge and recognizes exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to improving the lives of others.</p><p>Martin texted his work group chat and asked if someone could take over his class for a few minutes. Then he stepped out and called his mom from the bathroom.</p><p>��She was driving. I showed her the email. She��s crying. I��m trying not to cry. She��s like, ��I have to pull over.�� She just stopped to absorb it. I couldn��t believe I actually got it.��</p><p>Martin is only the third 91ֱ�� graduate to earn the honor, following Daniel Walden ��12 and <a href="/news/stephen-lezak-15-awarded-gates-cambridge-scholarship">Stephen Lezak ��15</a>. At 91ֱ��, he double-majored in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies">Africana studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies">environmental studies</a>, with a minor in <a href="/musical-pathways/african-american-music-minor">African American music</a>, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. </p><p>A Chicago native and Posse Scholar, he conducted mentored undergraduate research through the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellowship. His project, ��<a href="/undergraduate-research/student-projects/466166">The Standing History of Afro-Diasporic Traditions in Trinidad & Tobago</a>,�� combined textual, musicological, and ethnographic analysis of Afro-Trinidadian cultural traditions.</p><p>Outside the classroom, Martin immersed himself in Afro-diasporic performance traditions, playing steelpan with 91ֱ�� Steel and serving as a teaching assistant for the Djembe Orchestra, while also leading Steel Pan and Capoeira Angola ExCo courses.</p><p>He hadn��t played an instrument before college, but found himself drawn to the vibrant and diverse music scene on campus. ��91ֱ�� gave me the ability to dive deeper into the practice of these Afro-diasporic art forms that I didn��t necessarily have access to beforehand,�� he says, adding that he continues to play music.</p><p>Those combined experiences, he said, sharpened both his academic focus and his sense of leadership��foundations he will build on at Cambridge, where he will pursue a Master of Philosophy in social anthropology, continuing his research on the evolution of Afro-diasporic traditions and the power of music, movement, and dance in Trinidad and Tobago��s history.</p><p>��As a pannist of Trinidadian descent, I aim to bridge gaps between practitioners, scholars, and intellectuals outside of the academy and explore Caribbean narratives through a more nuanced perspective,�� he says of his <a href="/undergraduate-research/student-projects/466166">research interests</a>.</p><p>For Martin, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship represents more than an academic milestone. He credits his family, faculty mentors, and the networks he built through Posse and Mellon Mays with helping him prepare��including months of interview practice and many pages of handwritten notes. ��I really called on my support network for this opportunity,�� he says. ��Even if I didn��t get it, I wanted to walk out knowing I did my best.��</p><p>The award also carries significance beyond his own journey. ��This is a moment for us to really take and be proud of,�� he says, reflecting on the power of representation and what the scholarship means for Black students pursuing international academic opportunities. ��For my Black boys, my Black girls��anything is possible. You have to put in the time and the work.��</p><p>Professor of Africana Studies <a href="/charles-peterson">Charles Peterson</a>, who was one of Martin��s mentors at 91ֱ��, likewise expresses his admiration for Martin��s ��commitment to community.�� </p><p>��Chudi��s accomplishments are always tied to the benefit of others, and I am sure his experience at Cambridge will be no different,�� he says. ��It has been an honor and pleasure to work with him and I have no doubt about the great things he will achieve going forward.��</p><p>Long term, Martin hopes to earn a doctorate and return to the classroom as a professor, and said his ultimate goal would be to teach in 91ֱ��s Africana studies department��creating more space in academia for Afrocentric scholarship and Caribbean narratives that have historically been underrepresented. </p><p>��This is not a Chudi-wins-the-Gates-Cambridge-Scholarship moment,�� he said. ��This is the support and the community that brought me here.</p><p>"Being a teacher, you learn something from your students all the time. Kids have such a ��You can do it�� attitude. You might feel like you're struggling, but there's always one kid who's like, ��You're the best teacher ever!��</p><p>One of his students��the best reader in my classroom,�� Martin says��is on the autism spectrum. ��Never lose your love for reading. You��re going to go far in life,�� he tells him. It��s the kind of encouragement Martin recognizes from his own journey and hopes to pass forward.</p><hr><p><em>Elizabeth Weinstein ��02 is a freelance writer and editor based in Columbus, Ohio.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The 91ֱ�� alum will continue his research on Afro-diasporic traditions in music, movement, and dance at St. John's College in Cambridge.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-19T12:00:00Z">Thu, 02/19/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Elizabeth Weinstein '02</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" hreflang="und">Environmental Studies and Science</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Martin is the third 91ֱ�� graduate to earn the honor, following Daniel Walden ��12 and Stephen Lezak ��15. </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Chudi Martin Jr. '24</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Named a Top Producer of Fulbright Students for 2025-26</h1> <p>azaleski — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:04:02 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Named a Top Producer of Fulbright Students for 2025-26</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-02T17:04:02-05:00" title="Monday, February 2, 2026 - 17:04">Mon, 02/02/2026 - 17:04</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For the 17th consecutive year, the Fulbright Program has named 91ֱ�� a Top Producer of Fulbright students. </p><p>Sixteen 91ֱ�� students and alums were selected for Fulbright awards for the 2025-26 academic year. These awardees encompass the popular English Teaching Assistant (ETA) program and Fulbrights geared toward study and research, including in the creative arts.</p><p>91ֱ�� is a perennial leader among undergraduate institutions in Fulbright honorees; it remains third on the all-time list, with more than 300 Fulbright recipients. The college also had 39 semifinalists overall in the 2025-26 application cycle.</p><p>��It is a point of pride for me and everyone on campus that 91ֱ�� is a top producer of Fulbright winners year after year,�� says 91ֱ�� President Carmen Twillie Ambar. ��Our people are deeply invested in supporting the academic passions of our students. When our Fulbrighters travel the world sharing 91ֱ��s excellence, it is a reflection of this work.��</p><p>In recognition of the complex nature of Fulbright applications, 91ֱ�� offers students tailored, comprehensive assistance with their materials. This includes multiple information sessions and one-on-one meetings; access to faculty and staff experts trained to read Fulbright applications; five dedicated peer tutors; and the ability to submit essay drafts for unlimited revisions. Students also receive individualized essay support via regular all-day writing sessions and staff in 91ֱ��s Writing Center.</p><p>��91ֱ��s continued success with Fulbright applications reflects the academic strengths, passions, and ambitions of our students,�� says director of fellowships and awards Danielle Abdon. ��But this success also demonstrates the college��s unwavering administrative support for fellowships and experiential co-curricular opportunities through the Center for Engaged Liberal Arts. This includes the Office of Undergraduate Research, which enables students interested in conducting faculty-mentored research, and Study Away, which provides international experiences. As a result, 91ֱ�� students develop the skills and expertise needed to be successful Fulbright candidates.��</p><p>The <a href="https://fulbrightprogram.org/">Fulbright Program</a> is the federal government's flagship international academic exchange program. Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad, advancing knowledge, science, and industry through international exchange and collaboration. Fulbrighters achieve distinction and are recognized as leaders in government, business, science, technology, research, education, and the arts. </p><p>Here are the 91ֱ�� students and alums who won Fulbrights for the 2025-26 academic year:</p><p><a href="/news/julia-cronin-25-earns-fulbright-studyresearch-award"><strong>Julia Cronin ��25</strong></a> earned a Fulbright study/research award to Denmark, giving the chemistry and environmental studies major an opportunity to conduct research on ice cores and take graduate-level classes.</p><hr><p><strong>Ela Dubash ��25</strong> received an English Teaching Assistantship to Armenia.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/ella-erdahl-25-receives-shansi-fellowship-indonesia"><strong>Ella Erdahl ��25</strong></a> earned multiple honors, including an English Teaching Assistantship to Colombia, and is currently on a Shansi Fellowship in Indonesia.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/hayden-hill-24-earns-fulbright-bulgaria"><strong>Hayden Hill ��24</strong></a>, a history major with minors in Africana studies and comparative American studies, received an English Teaching Assistantship to Bulgaria.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/fulbright-fellowship-takes-amelia-huntsman-25-kazakhstan"><strong>Amelia Huntsman ��25</strong></a>, a Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian studies major, earned an English Teaching Assistantship to Kazakhstan.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/nikki-keating-25-earns-fulbright-teach-english"><strong>Nikki Keating ��25</strong></a> received an English Teaching Assistantship to Kenya, where she is helping students develop writing skills and teaching them about journalism.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/emma-kim-25-accepts-fulbright-volunteer-kazakhstan"><strong>Emma Kim ��25</strong></a>, who double majored in history and Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian studies, earned an English Teaching Assistantship to Kazakhstan.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/yuji-kono-25-awarded-shansi-fellowship"><strong>Yuji Kono ��25</strong></a> received multiple honors, including an English Teaching Assistantship to Armenia, and is currently a Shansi Fellow in China.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/paris-mercurio-23-earns-fulbright-romania"><strong>Paris Mercurio ��23</strong></a>, a Shansi Fellow who previously received a Fulbright to the Czech Republic, earned an English Teaching Assistantship to Romania. </p><hr><p><a href="/news/amelia-merithew-25-earns-fulbright-cameroon"><strong>Amelia Merithew ��25</strong></a>, a double major in anthropology and biology, received an English Teaching Assistantship to Cameroon.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/alana-metcalf-22-earns-fulbright-taiwan-0"><strong>Alana Metcalf ��22</strong></a>, a psychology major with a minor in East Asian studies, earned an English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/walter-moak-25-earns-fulbright-germany-0"><strong>Walter Moak ��25</strong></a>, a musical studies major and record-setting dual athlete, earned an English Teaching Assistantship to Germany.</p><hr><p><strong>Lila Agigian Sanchez ��25</strong> received an English Teaching Assistantship to Mexico.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/walter-thomas-patterson-25-earns-fulbright-ecuador"><strong>Walter Thomas-Patterson ��25</strong></a>, a double major in Latin American studies and musical studies, earned an English Teaching Assistantship to Ecuador.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/audrey-weber-24-earns-fulbright-teach-english-ecuador"><strong>Audrey Weber ��24</strong></a>, who triple majored in anthropology, Hispanic studies, and Latin American studies, earned an English Teaching Assistantship to Ecuador.</p><hr><p><a href="/news/ani-zakarian-25-wins-fulbright-english-teaching-assistantship"><strong>Ani Zakarian ��25</strong></a>, a politics major who also served as the president of 91ֱ�� Student Cooperative Association, earned a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Armenia. </p><h2>About Fulbright</h2><p>Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government. Participating governments and partner institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program. Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world and have included 44 heads of state or government, 63 Nobel Laureates, 93 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 83 MacArthur Fellows. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit <a href="https://www.fulbrightprogram.org/">fulbrightprogram.org</a>.</p><hr><p><em>To learn more about fellowship opportunities at 91ֱ��, visit our Center for Engaged Liberal Arts </em><a href="/fellowships"><em>Fellowships and Awards</em></a><em> page or make an appointment with Danielle Abdon. Please sign up for any available time or send an email to fellowships@oberlin.edu.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Alums and recent graduates are spending the year teaching and studying across multiple continents</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-03T12:00:00Z">Tue, 02/03/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Julia Cronin ��25 has earned a Fulbright study/research award to Denmark, giving her the opportunity to spend the 2025-26 academic year conducting research on ice cores.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Abe Frato</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Leo Hidy ��23 Earns 2026 Marshall Scholarship</h1> <p>azaleski — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 16:22:30 +0000</p> <span>Leo Hidy ��23 Earns 2026 Marshall Scholarship</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-12-08T11:22:30-05:00" title="Monday, December 8, 2025 - 11:22">Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Leo Hidy ��23, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies">comparative American studies</a> major who also studied <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/business">business</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics">economics</a> while at 91ֱ��, has received a 2026 Marshall Scholarship. </p><p>The prestigious award funds two years of graduate study in the UK, providing Hidy with the opportunity to research how immigrants shape neighborhood economies and how government policy can better sustain these vital spaces. ��I'm deeply honored and humbled to receive the Marshall Scholarship,�� he says. ��It's an opportunity I couldn't have imagined when I first set foot on campus.��</p><p>Hidy will first earn a Master of Science in City Design and Social Science at the London School of Economics, followed by a Master of Public Administration at the University College London's Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment. </p><p>��This two-year sequence lets me first understand how immigrant communities create their own economic and urban spaces, before applying those insights to reimagining supportive policy frameworks,�� he says. ��London's historic legacy of immigrant entrepreneurship and evolving approaches to high street revitalization offer an ideal setting for this work. I'm eager to bring these perspectives back to public service in the U.S. and to policy that empowers immigrants as the essential architects of vibrant cities.�� </p><p>The Marshall Scholarship builds on Hidy��s post-graduation work as a <a href="/news/leo-hidy-23-receives-selective-public-policy-fellowship">New York City Urban Fellow</a> and an <a href="https://www.shansi.org/">91ֱ�� Shansi Fellow</a> in Japan. During the award application process, the San Francisco native also received crucial guidance from the <a href="/fellowships">Fellowships and Awards</a> office, faculty support from Professor of Comparative American Studies <a href="/gina-perez">Gina P��rez</a> and Professor of Sociology <a href="/greggor-mattson">Greggor Mattson</a>, and encouragement from Obies everywhere.</p><p>��I couldn't have done this without 91ֱ��'s community,�� he says. ��The Marshall application and interview process was intense, and I'm so grateful I had support at every step.��</p><p>��What moved me most, though, was my 91ֱ�� friends,�� Hidy adds. ��When I was preparing for the Marshall interviews, Obies from all over the world��people who had graduated, moved to different countries, started their own careers, even some I'd never met��made time to call me, help me practice, and offer much-needed encouragement. It really does take a village, and I'm so beyond grateful for mine.��</p><p><strong>What does it mean to you to receive the Marshall Scholarship��and how will this help you move forward with your proposed career plans?</strong><br>It gives me the chance to study with scholars who are guided by the same questions as I am and who are reimagining urban policy from the ground up. </p><p>I��m currently working as a policy advisor for the City of New York. The Marshall Scholarship will allow me to return to municipal government with an eye toward transforming how cities support immigrant entrepreneurs and neighborhood economies. </p><p>Tangibly, the Marshall Scholarship means I can pursue the question that has driven my work at 91ֱ�� and beyond. Whether it be through my courses or extracurricular activities, I kept coming back to the same question: <em>How do institutions��dormitories, schools, towns, cities, and states��decide which identities belong and which do not? </em></p><p>In typical Obie fashion, the next question burning in the back of my mind is always, <em>What can we do about it?</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The 91ֱ�� alum will embark on two years of funded graduate study in London, researching how immigrants shape neighborhood economies and how government policy can better sustain these vital spaces.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-12-09T12:00:00Z">Tue, 12/09/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25311">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=187731">Business</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25341">Economics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies" hreflang="und">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/business" hreflang="und">Business</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics" hreflang="und">Economics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">��The Marshall application and interview process was intense, and I'm so grateful I had support at every step. I couldn't have done this without 91ֱ��'s community,�� says Leo Hidy ��23.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Leo Hidy ��23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-46376" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-size-large data-add-quotes> <p>I couldn't have done this without 91ֱ��'s community. The Marshall application and interview process was intense, and I'm so grateful I had support at every step.</p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Leo Hidy '23 </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-46377" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p><strong>In what ways did 91ֱ�� prepare you for this honor?</strong><br>91ֱ��'s motto of ��Learning & Labor�� taught me to ask better questions and then act on the answers. Academically, my American studies coursework pushed me to examine whose voices are centered in institutions and whose are marginalized. </p><p>In one of my favorite classes, Latinx Oral History, we met with Puerto Rican Vietnam War veterans in Lorain. We learned to listen deeply and interrogate our own assumptions about war, militarization, and patriotism. These skills shaped how I approach public service today.<br><br>The ��labor�� side was just as formative. As co-chair of the Student Finance Committee, allocating $2.4 million in student funding forced me to make consequential decisions about which groups would be resourced. </p><p>Additionally, working as a consent educator, Barefoot Dialogue facilitator, and an RA all taught me how to build community and translate academic insights into institutional change. These roles provided me with the leadership skills, humility, and curiosity essential for the work I want to accomplish as a Marshall Scholar. </p><p><strong>Anything else you want to add?</strong><br>I couldn't have done this without the support of 91ֱ��'s community. The Marshall application and interview process was intense, and I'm so grateful I had support at every step. </p><p>The Fellowships Office guided me through the complexities of the application, helping me articulate ideas through many (and I mean many) drafts. My professors, especially Gina P��rez and Greggor Mattson, not only wrote incredible letters of recommendation but pushed me to clarify the driving questions behind my work.</p><p>Additionally, the 91ֱ�� Shansi Fellowship gave me the ambassadorial skills that became central to my Marshall proposal, and the Shansi community continues to shape how I think about cross-cultural exchange and learning.</p><hr><p><a href="/fellowships"><em>Connect with Fellowships & Awards</em></a><em> to learn more about the fellowships and awards opportunities and support available to 91ֱ�� students and alumni.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Walter Moak ��25 Earns Fulbright to Germany</h1> <p>mreed — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:37:41 +0000</p> <span>Walter Moak ��25 Earns Fulbright to Germany</span> <span><span>mreed</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-11-21T09:37:41-05:00" title="Friday, November 21, 2025 - 09:37">Fri, 11/21/2025 - 09:37</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Throughout his four years at 91ֱ��, the Charlottesville, Virginia, native competed on both the cross country and track and field teams, making four appearances across two different NCAA National Championships. </p><p>Moak is the <a href=" https://goyeo.com/sports/mens-track-and-field" data-entity-type="external">91ֱ�� track and field</a> record holder for the 1000-meter, 1 Mile, and distance medley relay races, and appears 10 times on the sport��s top-10 times list. Before closing out his career, he also helped lead the <a href="https://goyeo.com/sports/mens-cross-country" data-entity-type="external">cross country team</a> to a pair of North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championships in 2022��the first time the men��s team won the crown in 66 years��and 2024.</p><p>In addition to his athletic achievements, Moak performed in 91ֱ��s Arts & Sciences Chamber Collective and the Musical Union. With the latter, he performed at Carnegie Hall in January 2023. </p><p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� shape or influence you to pursue the Fulbright?</strong></p><p>During my time at 91ֱ��, I took a number of excellent classes in the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/german">German department</a>. Although I arrived on campus with no knowledge of German, I signed up for German 101 with <a href="/steven-huff">Professor of German Steve Huff</a> during my first semester. I loved the class and continued to study the language, progressing through grammar classes into literature courses over the next few years.</p><p>In those upper-level courses, I read books and stories that were both surprisingly dynamic, both somber and comic, moving yet sharp. Contrary to the language��s caricatures in American media, I found that German could achieve a breadth of expression: spare and terse at one moment, but free and fluid at the next. </p><p>Surprisingly, I also found that German complemented my other coursework quite well. As a musical studies major, I could read Wagner��s essays in their original text and understand the lyrics of Schubert��s song cycles. Additionally, I used my German in an art history course on Albrecht D��rer and in several linguistics classes. </p><p>Although I enjoyed studying German, I had few opportunities to speak it. Since I chose not to study abroad at 91ֱ��, I started looking for ways to go to Germany after graduation. When I decided to apply for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA), the German department supported me at every stage: Professor Huff wrote a recommendation on my behalf, and <a href="/jessica-resvick">Assistant Professor of German Jessica Resvick</a> reviewed and helped edit my application essays. </p><p>I also have to credit 91ֱ��s track and field team for creating a culture that encouraged me to apply. The team is full of ambitious people who apply for competitive fellowships and often win them. During my time on the team, <a href="/news/survivor-mentality">Emma Hart</a> ��23 won a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and <a href="/news/hayden-hill-24-earns-fulbright-bulgaria" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6b4d0a23-614a-4d83-a9a9-5ac4b1ecb98b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Hayden Hill ��24 Earns Fulbright to Bulgaria">Hayden Hill</a> ��24 won another Fulbright, and two of my teammates applied in the same cycle as I did. With such company, I wasn��t intimidated by the Fulbright��s competitive process or prestigious reputation.</p><p><strong>How does pursuing the Fulbright align with your post-college life and career goals? </strong></p><p>I��m unsure of what career I intend to pursue, and Fulbright gives me another year to figure things out. However, the program��s focus on education and linguistics could lead to jobs in those fields. </p><p>Additionally, I��m considering getting a master��s degree in either urban planning or landscape architecture. Spending time in Germany will expose me to how physical places are planned and formed outside the U.S.</p><p><strong>What��s the best advice you��ve received from your 91ֱ�� faculty mentor?</strong></p><p>��The worst they can say is no��and you��re in the same position you started in.�� C Ben Wach, head track & field coach.</p><hr><p><em>If you��re a rising or graduating senior interested in Fulbright, connect with </em><a href="/node/4526"><em>Fellowships & Awards</em></a><em> to learn more about pursuing research or an arts project, obtaining a graduate degree, or teaching English in a foreign country of your choice following graduation.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The record-setting 91ֱ�� athlete and musical studies major plans to teach English.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-11-21T12:00:00Z">Fri, 11/21/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Walter Moak ��25, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies">musical studies major</a> and record-setting 91ֱ�� dual athlete, has earned a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to Germany for the 2025-2026 academic year. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After 91ֱ��</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Abe Frato ��25</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Alana Metcalf ��22 Earns Fulbright to Taiwan</h1> <p>mreed — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 21:01:11 +0000</p> <span>Alana Metcalf ��22 Earns Fulbright to Taiwan</span> <span><span>mreed</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-22T17:01:11-04:00" title="Monday, September 22, 2025 - 17:01">Mon, 09/22/2025 - 17:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>��I��m especially excited about the opportunity to strengthen my Chinese language skills, with the long-term goal of eventually being able to conduct therapy in Chinese,�� she says. ��Ultimately, I see the Fulbright as a meaningful step toward becoming a more compassionate and globally minded mental health professional.��<br><br>Prior to earning the Fulbright, Metcalf spent two years working at a Yale School of Medicine research lab called play2PREVENT, which ��focuses on using digital interventions to prevent opioid misuse and promote mental health education among adolescents,�� she explains. ��This experience deepened my interest in mental health and solidified my desire to work directly with individuals in a therapeutic setting, particularly young people.�� </p><p>In fact, Metcalf says she plans to earn a master��s degree in clinical social work or counseling, and possibly earn a PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology. ��My long-term goal is to provide therapy at an outpatient mental health clinic where I can provide accessible, affordable therapy to individuals struggling with their mental health, especially those from underserved communities.��</p><p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� influence you to pursue the Fulbright?</strong><br>Taking Chinese classes at 91ֱ�� was the biggest influence on my decision to pursue a Fulbright. The supportive and engaging teaching style of my Chinese professors, combined with their encouragement to participate in cultural events like the Lunar New Year celebration, deepened my appreciation for the language and helped me build meaningful relationships with my classmates and the faculty. </p><p>Weekly Chinese table meetings gave me the chance to challenge myself by using Mandarin in real-life settings and underscored the importance of cultural exchange. These experiences and the rigorous curriculum that is taught helped me see how language is deeply intertwined with history, identity, food, and everyday life. They ultimately solidified my desire not just to study Chinese in the classroom, but to fully engage with the culture, community, and people.</p><p>Pursuing a Fulbright feels like a natural extension of the intercultural values I developed at 91ֱ��. It represents a continuation of the language and cultural journey I began on campus��one rooted in mutual understanding, curiosity, and respect.<br><br><strong>How does pursuing the Fulbright align with your career goals?</strong><br>Pursuing a Fulbright will allow me to make a meaningful impact while immersing myself in a new culture and community. Although teaching abroad isn't directly tied to my future career as a therapist, it will equip me with essential, transferable skills��such as effective communication, cultural sensitivity, adaptability, and empathy��that are foundational to therapeutic work. </p><p>Building cross-cultural relationships and navigating unfamiliar environments will also challenge me to broaden my perspective and deepen my understanding of how people experience the world. These insights will strengthen my ability to connect with diverse clients and approach mental health from a more inclusive, culturally informed lens. It will also give me experience working directly with people and being able to serve the community. </p><p><strong>What are you looking forward to the most with the Fulbright? </strong><br>I��m looking forward to getting to know the people of Yilan and immersing myself in Taiwanese culture. One aspect I��m particularly excited about is the food: Taiwan is known for its incredibly delicious and affordable cuisine. I can��t wait to try local specialties like Yilan��s spring onion pancakes (��ͱ�) and the iconic Taiwanese beef noodle soup (ţ��I). As someone who genuinely loves exploring cultures through food, I see this as a fun and meaningful way to connect with the community.</p><p><strong>What��s the best advice you��ve received from your 91ֱ�� faculty mentor?</strong><br>My mentor was Professor of Psychology and Environmental Studies <a href="/cindy-frantz">Cindy Frantz</a>. She has been, and continues to be, an incredible source of guidance and support. </p><p>One of the most meaningful pieces of advice she gave me was that it's okay to feel lost and not have everything figured out. She encouraged me to stay open-minded and explore opportunities��even those that don��t seem directly aligned with my professional goals��as each experience, no matter how small, can shape your path in unforeseen ways. Sometimes the path you never intended on taking is the one that might shape you the most. </p><p>Cindy also reminded me that growth isn��t always linear, and that everyone moves through life at their own pace. That perspective has stayed with me and continues to ground me, especially during times of uncertainty.</p><p>I never initially saw a Fulbright as part of my career path, but now I believe it will be one of the most rewarding and transformative experiences of my life. </p><hr><p><em>If you��re a rising or graduating senior interested in Fulbright, connect with </em><a href="/node/4526"><em>Fellowships & Awards</em></a><em> to learn more about pursuing research or an arts project, obtaining a graduate degree, or teaching English in a foreign country of your choice following graduation.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The fellowship will help the psychology major achieve her goals of becoming a globally minded mental health professional.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-11-18T12:00:00Z">Tue, 11/18/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p id="docs-internal-guid-d5814eef-7fff-b9e3-1edc-9156a073282f">Alana Metcalf ��22 has earned a <a href="/node/467299">Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship</a> (ETA) to Yilan, Taiwan, for the 2025-2026 academic year. A <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology">psychology</a> major with a minor in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies">East Asian Studies</a>, she will help teach English to elementary school students along with a local language instructor.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After 91ֱ��</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25286">Psychology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology" hreflang="und">Psychology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Alana Metcalf</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> </main></body></html>