2022-2023 Recipients
We invite you to get to know ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾’s 2022-2023 national fellowship recipients. Below you will find a brief profile of each awardee, organized by award type.
Austrian Government English Teaching Assistantship
As an Education-Psychology major and German minor at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Sinclaire has explored a passion for education. In her work as a camp counselor, summer instructor, babysitter, and learning assistant, she has honed teaching skills that she will now apply to her work as a US Teaching Assistant in Austria. Working in Graz, Sinclaire will teach English alongside a lead teacher and offer supplemental lessons on American culture. After her time in Austria, she hopes to work at the intersection of education and the arts, working to make culture more accessible to children. This work will build on Sinclaire's experience as a club leader for Masque & Gown and an Education Assistant for the BCMA.
Austrian Government English Teaching Assistantship
Lily graduated in 2022 with majors in Art History and German with a minor in Urban Studies and will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Austria this upcoming year. Her time at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ as a volunteer with Multilingual Mainers, an Outing Club officer, and summers with Washington Trails Association through McKeen grants affirmed her passion for working with youth while her role as editor for The Foundationalist attuned her to the nuances of the English language. She aims to not only foster curiosity and challenge her students in English classes but to be challenged herself in a German-speaking community whose complex mining history is juxtaposed against its alpine landscapes and farmland
Critical Language Scholarship
A recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship, Shihab will spend eight weeks in Kolkata, India, over the summer to intensively study Bangla. As a heritage speaker, he’s excited to improve his fluency while broadening his understanding of the subcontinent through the U.S. State Department-sponsored program. In the future, Shihab hopes to utilize his Bangla skills to serve the growing number of underrepresented Bangladeshi immigrants in the United States. In addition, he plans on continuing coursework at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ in economics, government, and Asian studies.
Critical Language Scholarship
A Russian major, and Government & Legal Studies Minor, this is Colby’s second time receiving a critical language scholarship for Russian language. On campus, Colby is a member of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾’s men’s rugby team as well as the school’s Eastern European club. Additionally, Colby helps mediate conflicts and leads conversation circles through ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾’s Program for Non-violence and Conflict Resolution. He will travel to Tbilisi, Georgia, to participate in two months of intensive Russian language study. Colby hopes to use the opportunity to further develop his proficiency and advance his career and academic goals.
Critical Language Scholarship
An Asian Studies major with Government & Legal Studies minor, Miki will continue her Chinese studies this summer in Taiwan for two months of intensive language study at National Cheng Kung University. At ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, she works as a fellow for the McKeen Center's Volunteer Corps program and as co-leader of Mixed Race Student Union. Drawing from her personal experiences and professional endeavors at Boston's Asian American Civic Association and the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Miki is eager to use her language skills to support her future work in ESL and immigrant community advocacy.
Fulbright ETA
Colin is a graduating German major from Independence, a small town of 800 people nestled in the Appalachian mountains of Southwest Virginia and will be traveling to Germany to serve as an English teaching assistant next year. With his fellowship, Colin hopes to help strengthen the bond between Germany and his home country, continue to expand his knowledge of German language and culture, and improve himself as a teacher, mentor, and role model for students. Beyond his Fulbright, Colin plans to teach German at the high school level before pursuing a graduate degree in history.
Fulbright ETA
A double major in English and history, Crouch believes in the connective and didactic power of storytelling. After studying Balkan history and serving as a teaching assistant for a Cold War class at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Crouch became eager to further explore Kosovo's history. Aspiring to earn her MFA in creative writing, she says the young country of Kosovo, especially its burgeoning literary and arts community, has piqued her interest. Beyond academics, Crouch served as head tour guide in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾'s Office of Admissions and helped lead several performing arts clubs on campus.
Fulbright ETA
After graduating from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ with a major in Government and Legal Studies and a minor in Economics, Rory will serve as an ETA in Botswana. While at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Rory served as a leader at the McKeen Center and in student government. Rory’s research at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ has focused on how people engage with politics—through elections, social movements, and other means. Rory is passionate about public service and hopes to continue pursuing this interest by attending law school upon return to the US.
Fulbright ETA
As a Hispanic Studies and Government major with an Economics minor, Ryan has developed a passion for considering political, economic, and cultural connections across international boundaries. After being able to explore this for a semester abroad in Madrid, Spain, Ryan will be returning to Madrid in the fall to teach English in a public high school. Additionally, he will help run the school's Model United Nations program to encourage international thinking and engagement among his students. Finally, as an outdoors enthusiast and BOC officer, Ryan hopes to start an Outing Club for students at his school.
Fulbright ETA
After graduating with majors in Psychology and Government and Legal Studies in 2022, Melissa worked as an Elementary English Language Fellow at the American Farm School in Thessaloniki, Greece. While at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Melissa was an active member of the McKeen Center, leading Pre-Orientation trips and an Alternative Spring Break trip as well as a three-year employee of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Upward Bound. Melissa, originally from Western Maryland, is excited to build upon her experience utilizing music, poetry, and natural landscapes to foster English language learning as an ETA in Thailand as well as to continue to advocate for rural and LGBTQ+ equity.
Fulbright ETA
Annika looks forward to promoting language education and cultural exchange during her time as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Germany. An English and German double major, Annika has also been involved in community engagement work during her time at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. She is excited to apply her experiences as a pre-orientation trip leader and McKeen Center project assistant to her new role supporting students in Germany. Outside of the classroom, Annika hopes to volunteer at a nonprofit that addresses food insecurity.
Fulbright ETA
A Government Studies and Education major from a primarily Vietnamese refugee community, Margot Adalyn is passionate about educational equity and education in underserved communities, demonstrated by her work in the McKeen Center, the Baldwin Center for Learning and Teaching, and in Bath's Midcoast Youth Center. As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Vietnam, she is excited to support Vietnamese students in studying English and American culture. Informed by her experiences in Vietnam, Margot Adalyn will attend Brown University's Master of Arts in Teaching Program to further education and schooling in the United States. She hopes to later attend law school to study educational law.
Fulbright ETA
After graduating ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ with a Sociology major and Hispanic Studies minor, Alexandria will serve as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, Spain. Drawing on her experiences as a volunteer at Portland Adult Education and a Learning Assistant for Spanish, Alexandria aims to inspire confidence in her students and share her love for language and cultural learning. At ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Alexandria co-led the Swing Dance club, enjoyed giving campus tours, and frequently attended the Brunswick Farmers’ Market. As an ETA in Spain, she is eager to teach, learn, participate, and listen while building friendships over shared interests of cooking and dancing.
Fulbright ETA
Luke is a German and Government double major with a minor in Economics. He is looking forward to bettering his German while teaching abroad next year. At ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Luke was involved with the campus radio and residential life.
Fulbright ETA
Colby is majoring in Russian with a minor in Government and Legal Studies. He is embarking on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Kyrgyzstan. At ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Colby was part of the men’s rugby team, Eastern European club, and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾’s program for non-violence and conflict resolution. As an ETA Colby will also be coaching and playing with Kyrgyzstan’s national rugby team. With hands-on local experience, Colby will build new connections and continue his work from his previous summer in Kyrgyzstan.
Fulbright ETA
Graduating from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ with a coordinate major in Environmental Studies and Government and Legal Studies with a minor in Biology, Leila is excited to be journeying to Thailand next year. Throughout her time at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Leila has immersed herself in the community through being a member of Residential Life staff, captaining the XC/TF teams, and engaging in climate activism. As an aspiring teacher, her work for Upward Bound at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ and on Kent Island have ignited a passion for working with students and communicating about climate change. She is particularly interested in Thailand’s conservation efforts and hopes to inspire students to explore and protect the places that surround them.
Fulbright ETA
Graduating with a double major in biology and anthropology, Shane is passionate about human ecology, biodiversity, and cultural studies. Shane is thrilled to spend the next year as a Fulbright ETA at a university in Brazil. At ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Shane served as a Learning Assistant for the anthropology department, managed the Craft Center's pottery studio, tutored FGLI students in Portland, and pursued two summer research fellowships. Shane hopes to engage with the local community through an interdisciplinary art project highlighting environmental inequities within Brazilian society. Upon finishing Fulbright, Shane plans on attending graduate school for public health or environmental studies.
Fulbright S/R
A Biochemistry major and Italian Studies minor at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, Lucas studied antibiotic-resistant pathogens under Professor Danielle Dube as he developed in parallel his interests in Chemical Biology and all things Italian. He is thrilled to apply these interests in tandem at the University of Naples Federico II under the guidance of Alba Silipo, where he will continue to study opportunistic pathogens and search for new treatments. He hopes to build upon this immersive experience in a future research career. Lucas is especially excited to develop lasting connections with the surrounding community and to sample as much pizza as he can.
Fulbright S/R
Computer Science, Italian double major and Chemistry minor, Thando Khumalo was selected as a Fulbright scholar to Italy for the 2023–2024 academic year. Her project, “An Investigation of Selenium-based Compounds that Inhibit SARS-CoV-2,” will utilize computational research to discover new selenium compounds that can be used to treat COVID-19. Khumalo will partner a researcher at Brookhaven National Laboratory and a research team of faculty and students at the University of Padova. As a singer-songwriter and runner, Khumalo hopes to engage with the city's music and running communities.
Fulbright S/R
Kellie Navarro is a graduating senior who is majoring in biology and minoring in education. Post-graduation, she will be pursuing a Fulbright Study-Research Fellowship in Australia working at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. She hopes to become a researcher focusing on the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. Kellie aspires to help inform environmental policy and increase access to the field of marine science/conservation for underrepresented students. In the future, she aims to become a researcher and educator at a non-profit or governmental organization where she can work at the intersection of research, outreach, and policy work.
Fulbright S/R
Graduating with a Biology major and Oceanography minor, Bridget received a Fulbright to continue her education with an MSc in Marine Biology from Bangor University. In Wales, Bridget plans to forge connections between researchers and local fisheries to protect essential seagrass meadows, building on the interest in science communication and seagrass ecosystems that she developed through summer research at Schiller Coastal Studies Center, an NSF REU at UC Davis, and her honors project. On campus, Bridget founded and led House of Hearts, an asexual and aromantic alliance group. Upon her return, Bridget plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Marine Ecology.
Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Studying Religion and Government and Legal Studies, Lia explores why religion, politics, and violence so often entangle one another. On campus, Lia is a President of Hillel, a Bear PALS ESOL Mentoring Campus Lead, and Co-Leader of Ursus Verses and the Improvabilities. Inspired by interviews with correctional chaplains for her Honors, Lia aims to build a legal career advocating for the civil rights of minority religious groups. At Cambridge, she will pursue an MPhil in the Faculty of Divinity on the Religion and Conflict pathway. Lia is honored to have the opportunity to learn among her fellow Gates Cambridge scholars.
Goldwater
Everett is a Biology major with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, as well as a Japanese minor. His research focuses on interactions between seagrass and bivalve species. This coming summer, he will conduct a field research project with co-mentors Dr. Katie DuBois from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ and Dr. Brian Beal from the University of Maine. He has a specific interest in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems, and plans to pursue a graduate degree and research career following this passion.
Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme
Bethany graduated from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ in 2020 with a major in Asian Studies and a minor in Psychology. Since graduating, Bethany has been working as a Scholar Coach with the Schuler Scholar Program in Chicago, providing mentoring and academic support to high-achieving, underrepresented high school students. Having studied abroad in Japan during her Junior year, Bethany is excited to return as an Assistant Language Teacher. Through JET, she hopes to gain more experience in a classroom and advance her language skills, while exploring and making connections in her community.
Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program ALT Position
Jack studied English, Education, and Japanese at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. He also served as a leader of The Foundationalist Literary Magazine and as a tutor and mentor in local Brunswick and Freeport schools. Jack's work in literature culminated in an honors project on James Joyce’s "Ulysses." Jack also took Japanese class each semester, and he was an active member of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Japanese community at language tables and events. The department eventually awarded him the Japanese Language Prize. As an assistant English language teacher in Japan, Jack looks forward to using his love of language and literature to teach Japanese students English. He hopes to continue teaching in the future.
National Science Foundation - Graduate Research Fellowship
Chris graduated from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ in 2017 with a major in Hispanic Studies and a minor in Religion. After working as an English teacher in Japan through the JET program, he is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Science (Psychology) at the University of California, Berkeley. With the mentorship of Drs. Qing Zhou and Lucía Magis-Weinberg, Chris will investigate the influence of digital media use on the social-emotional development of Latin American and U.S. immigrant youth of low- and middle-income backgrounds.
National Science Foundation - Graduate Research Fellowship
Theodora K. Hurley is a doctoral student in Sociology at the University of Chicago. Her scholarship concerns health, reproduction, queer studies, and the politics of knowledge. One stream of her research uses statistics and interviews to understand bisexual Americans’ poor health outcomes. Another stream considers contestations of knowledge and authority in alternative health practices. She maintains additional interests in reproduction and queer theory. While a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ sociology student, she studied the role of embodiment in fertility decision-making and rural queer youths’ health, substance use, and exposure to violence.
National Science Foundation - Graduate Research Fellowship
Molly graduated from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ in 2021 with majors in Biology and English. She developed an interest in epigenetics while investigating the 3D organization of the fruit fly genome as a student researcher in the Bateman Lab. After graduating, Molly worked as a research associate at the Broad Institute, where she used CRISPR gene editing technologies to study how gene expression is regulated in human cells and how changes in expression can contribute to disease. In the fall, she will begin a Ph.D. in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Harvard University.
NOAA Hollings
Roger is majoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and minoring in History. He grew up in New Mexico where he fostered an appreciation for wildlife, and despite his desert surroundings, became enraptured by the sea. To pursue his interests in marine science, Roger will be working as a coral health and disease research intern at Mote Marine Laboratory in the Florida Keys this summer. He will also be participating in the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ Coastal Studies Semester as a junior before starting a NOAA-sponsored marine internship in the summer of 2024. In the future, Roger plans to attend graduate school to study coral reef ecology and biology.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Harrison's interest in Computational Neuroscience began during his research with Professor Hadley Horch, and led him to add a Math minor to his studies in Neuroscience. After graduating from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, he worked as a research technologist at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging in the Napadow Lab, where he used fMRI and physiological signals to study chronic pain conditions and non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation. In 2021, Harrison started his PhD at Boston University and joined the Lewis Lab to continue his research in human neuroimaging, with a particular focus on sleep and advanced multi-modal imaging acquisition and analysis.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Juliana graduated from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ in 2021 with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Biology. While completing her honors project, Juliana developed an interest in the effects of human behavior on infectious disease transmission which led her to join Dr. Shweta Bansal’s group at Georgetown University where she has been characterizing variation in public health behaviors, such as mask-wearing and vaccination, across time and space. Juliana will continue this work at the intersection of math and biology to understand how behavior drives and is affected by infectious disease dynamics as she pursues her PhD in Biology at Georgetown.
St. Andrews Society Scholarship
Generations of my family have developed strong relationships with their surroundings— resulting in a lexicon of stories that have been passed on to me. This has inspired me to understand how climatic changes affect the livelihoods of families like my own. I believe that when one’s connection to the environment is ingrained, environmental conservation becomes innate. I will pursue these themes through a Master’s degree in Prose Writing at St. Andrews which provides the space to write in multiple mediums: journalism, fiction, and long-form nonfiction. I hope to investigate environmental change and synthesize this information into writing focused on intersections between people and the planet
Watson
Clara's upbringing in the MD agricultural reserve drives her to explore connections between ecological and human communities. This passion shaped her studies at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ in biology and math, her research in marine ecology, and her work as a fiber artist. She will embark on a Watson fellowship to study how fiber (wool, cotton, etc.) farmers and artists are adapting to the destabilizing impacts of climate change. She will collaborate with farmers, artists, and scientists to learn how anything from diminished pasture health to modernized economic demands impacts their fiber network. Clara plans to earn a Ph.D. and work a community ecologist in close collaboration with coastal communities.
Watson
Graduating as a Biology Major with a concentration in Molecular and Cellular processes, Arturo will embark on his Watson year where hewill focus on how masculinity is reproduced and enforced on all levels of society. He will work alongside educational innovators in Sweden, designing teams in toy factories Germany, drag queens in India and much more. He hopes that this work will help him in the future as an aspiring pediatrician.