2017-2018
Boren Scholarship
Maya James | Israel
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government and Political Science and a minor in Religion, Ethics, and World Affairs (COL ’20)
Zachary Gallin | Jordan
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in Science, Technology, and International Affairs (SFS ’20)
Michael Mullaney | Taiwan
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government, minors in Spanish and Chinese (COL ’20)
Maria Strunjas | Bosnia and Herzegovina
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in Culture and Politics with a focus on Indentity Politics and the Economy (SFS ’20)
Carnegie Junior Fellows
Garrett Hinck | James C. Gaither Junior Fellow
Bio: Garrett Hinck has conducted research on human rights norms and regulation of cyber-surveillance software tools for his senior thesis. Ultimately, Garrett aspires to become a lawyer in the federal government working on international affairs and technology policy. Currently, he is spending a year at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he is a research assistant working on cyber and nuclear policy.
Degrees: B.S.F.S. in Science, Technology, and International Affairs, minor in French (SFS ’18)
Critical Language Scholarship
Henry Appel | Urdu
Bio: Henry Appel’s research and professional expertise includes the Pakistan-U.S. relationship, Indo-Pakistani relations, nuclear nonproliferation, and counterterrorism. Prior to beginning at Georgetown, Henry worked in Federal consulting in the homeland security sphere.
Degrees: M.S.F.S. candidate in the Security Studies Program (SFS), B.A. in Government from Claremont McKenna College (2015)
Hannah Byrne | Urdu
Bio: Hannah’s initial academic focus was the Taliban insurgency, and she worked at the Institute for the Study of War as a research analyst on the Afghanistan team. Later, she began to develop a strong interest in narcoterrorism. Following this passion, she traveled to Colombia summer 2017 with the help of a research grant to study the recent peace process between the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government. After completing her studies at SSP, Hannah plans on using a critical language scholarship to learn Urdu in northern India, an essential asset to further her regional interest in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Degrees: M.S.F.S. in Security Studies (SFS ’18), B.A. in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University
Christine McNeill | Turkish
Bio: Christine studied Turkish in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she immersed herself in the local culture and lived with a host family.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in U.S. – Middle East Comparative Studies (SFS ’20)
Niall Gillen | Russian
Bio: During the summer of 2018, Niall studied Russian in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he gained important immersion skills.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S in International Political Economy (SFS ’21)
Ashley Lane | Persian
Bio: On campus, Ashley works for the Center for Social Justice, is an Alternative Breaks Program trip leader, and is a mentor and serves on the board of Strive for College. During the summer of 2018, Ashley studied Persian in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in Sciene, Technology, and International Affairs, minor in Persian (SFS ’20)
Maxwell Scurlock | Persian
Bio: During Maxwell’s undergraduate studies, he completed multiple internships and worked with Syrian and Iraqi refugees. He has travelled extensively in Jordan and has studied Arabic in Tetouan, Morocco and at the American University of Beirut. At Georgetown, Maxwell focuses on Lebanese and Syrian politics. He has also studied Persian and is interested in Iranian relations with the Arab world.
Degrees: Pursuing an M.A. of Arab Studies (SFS ’19), B.A. in International Studies with minors in History, Middle East Studies, and Arabic from Ohio State University (2017)
Jason Bartlett | Korean
Bio: While at Georgetown, Jason intends to strengthen his professional network while applying his language training in Korean and Spanish. Having worked with both immigrant and refugee populations in the U.S. and abroad, his main goal is to enter the foreign service and aid North Korean refugees in their resettlement process in the United States and in South Korea.
Degrees: Pursuing an M.A. in Asian Studies (SFS ’19)
Kevin Yuan | Japanese
Bio: Kevin studied in Hikone, Japan during the summer of 2018, where he bosltered his Japanese language skills and cultural knowledge.
Degrees: B.A. in Economics and Japanese, minor in Mathematics (COL ’18)
John Pleasants | Indonesian
Bio: During the summer of 2018, John studied in Malang, Indonesia, where he improved his Indonesian language skills and gained invaluable knowledge pertaining to his graduate studies.
Degrees: Pursuing an M.A. in Asian Studies, with a concentration in Politics and Security (SFS ’19), M.A. in National Security Studies from Webster University, B.S. in Military Studies from the University of Memphis
Ashianna Jetha | Chinese
Bio: Ashianna spent the summer of 2018 studying Chinese langauge and culture through CLS.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Economics, minors in Computer Science and Chinese (COL ’20)
Sarah Mack | Chinese
Bio: Sarah did not accept the CLS, as she decided to accept a Fulbright Scholarship instead. Read more about Sarah in the Fulbright Section of this page.
Degrees: B.S.F.S in Regional and Comparative Studies with a concentration in International Security, Gender, and Human Rights in Northeast Asia, minor in Chinese (SFS ’18)
Jan Menafee | Chinese
Bio: Jan did not accept the Critical Language Scholarship. Instead, Jan worked with the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation through their internship program GU Impacts. Jan interned in Atlanta, Georgia with the Center for Civic Innovation, where he designed curriculum.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in Science, Technology, and International Affairs (SFS ’20)
Katherine Schmidt | Azerbaijani
Bio: Katherine studied Azerbaijani, both langauge and culture, during the summer of 2018. Katherine’s time spent learning Azerbaijani helped her gain useful language learning skills and contributed to her academic and career goals.
Degrees: B.S.F.S. in Science, Technology, and International Affairs with a concentration in Security Studies (SFS ’18)
Ramon Pericas | Arabic
Bio: During the summer of 2018, Ramon studied Arabic language and culture, which helped him gain necessary knowledge pertaining to his studies.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in Regional and Comparative Studies (SFS ’19)
Ines Oulamine | Arabic
Bio: Ines spent her summer learning Arabic and immersing herself in Arab culture, which added a new level of depth to her studies at Georgetown.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in Regional and Comparative Studies (SFS ’20)
Camille Bismonte | Indonesian
Bio: Camille studied Indonesian language and culture with CLS during the summer of 2018.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Economics (COL ’20)
Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Ayan Mandal (COL’18) | University of Cambridge
Bio: At Cambridge, Ayan Mandal will be applying his growing expertise in network neuroscience analysis to uncover brain networks corresponding to states of cognition in patients with brain tumors. Ayan and others in his field hypothesize that when important pieces of cognitive networks are resected to remove the tumor, predictable surgically induced cognitive deficits will result. This work could inform neurosurgical planning before tumor resection in the future. Ultimately, Ayan hope to become a physician-scientist dedicated to translating key advances in research into the clinic.
Degrees: Pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge, B.S. in Neurobiology and Biological Physics (COL ’18)
Gilman International Scholarship
Bailey Bradford | Copenhagen
Bio: Bailey is studying abroad in Copenhagen for the Spring 2018 semester, with a focus in urban studies, and living with a Danish host family. Bailey is passionate about graphic design, photography, politics, and social justice, and is looking to pursue a career in public policy or urban planning.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Sociology and Government (COL ’19)
Khalida Saalim | Ghana
Bio: Khalida takes a special interest in healthcare disparities, specifically in sexual and reproductive health. She hopes to work toward reducing the gap in quality and access to health services in the DMV for minority populations through her passion for health research. Khalida is a member of GU Medical Brigades and has traveled twice to Honduras to assist in medical rounds as well as act as a Spanish translator between patients and physicians. She is also an organizing member of One Tent Health, which provides free HIV screening to those residing in low-income areas of D.C. She has also worked with the Georgetown D.C. Schools Project, teaching English to immigrant youth. After graduation, she hopes to further her education by pursuing a PhD in public health. Her ultimate goal is to become a social health researcher and play an important role in developing healthcare policy.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S. in Global Health, minor in Sociology (NHS ’19)
Gabrial Brault | Ecuador
Degrees: SFS ’21
Johnsenia Brooks | France
Degrees: COL ’20
Ana Covo | China
Degrees: COL ’19
Sophia Griffith | Copenhagen and Stockholm
Bio: Sophia is a pre-med student who studied abroad with the help of the Gilman Scholarship. The DIS Summer Session worked perfectly with Sophia’s schedule, and on top of that, it allowed her the flexibility to experience both Copenhagen and Stockholm. Another factor she loved about DIS was how aligned the courses are with her specific interests; as an aspiring healthcare professional, Sophia is passionately interested in the health of women and LGBTQ+ individuals, so being able to take classes on sexuality and gender in Scandinavia, where the policies on those issues are more progressive, was a really unique opportunity for her.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S. in Biology, minor in English (COL ’19)
Stacie Hartman | Ecuador
Bio: At Georgetown, Stacie is involved in IRC and Model UN, as well as being a member of the Georgetown University Women in Leadership club, the marketing director of the Georgetown Review, a member of the school spirit club on campus, and the Secretary of Higher Education Advocacy for Georgetown Student Association’s Federal and DC Relations Committee.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S in International Politics, minor in Spanish (SFS ’21)
Ridwan Meah | Germany
Bio: Ridwan is the Account Mangament Chair for the Georgetown Marketing Association. Previously, Ridwan interned for the Uniteds States Trade Representative in the African Affairs Divison. He is interested in the intersection of business, technology, and international policy.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S in Science, Technology, and International Affairs with a concentration in Business, Growth, and Development (SFS ’20)
William Nguyen | South Korea
Degrees: SFS ’20
Munir Pavez
Degrees: SFS ’20
Hiba Said
Degrees: COL ’20
May Teng | China
Bio: In her spare time, May is an active member of the D.C. Schools Project, where she teaches English to immigrant children. She also serves as a storyteller for the Georgetown Stories project, a multimedia, first-person documentary series chronicling student life at Georgetown. At the Berkley Center, May is a student fellow in the 2017-2018 Doyle Undergraduate Fellows program.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government and English (COL ’20)
Caleb Yip
Bio: On campus, Caleb is involved with Georgetown’s Model UN team, is on the secretariat for NAIMUN, and writes for The Caravel.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S.F.S. in International Politics with a concentration in International Security, minor in French (SFS ’21)
Goldwater Scholarship
Patrick Mulcahey | Goldwater Receipent
Bio: Patrick began researching alongside Dr. Jong-in Hahm of the Department of Chemistry in his first semester; by his sophomore year, he started his own research project investigating the properties of zinc oxide nanomaterials.
As part of his work in the Hahm lab, Patrick assisted in biotechnology research that led to publications in ACS Nano and Nanoscale, and which could inform biomedical engineers and other medical professionals in the design of biocompatible devices and implants.
Patrick is fascinated by the nano-bio interface — where the engineered technologies we make in our laboratories meet the intricacies of living systems. He has conducted research into sea lamprey neural regeneration at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine. This summer, he interned at the Singh Center for Nanotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Patrick hopes to pursue a combination M.D./Ph.D. program after he graduates next year. He anticipates that his chosen specialty of nanomaterials in biotechnology will lead him to work in some of medicine’s most exciting and unexplored frontiers.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry (COL ’19)
Jane Donnelly | Goldwater Honorable Mention
Bio: Jane has conducted research in Dr. Timothy Warren’s lab on the conversion of nitrite to nitric oxide in biologically important copper-center enzymes. Jane plans to pursue a combination M.D./Ph.D. program. She hopes to continue studying bioinorganic chemistry, particularly its application to neurodegenerative illness.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry, minor in French (COL ’19)
Matthew Park | Goldwater Honorable Mention
Bio: Matthew is currently researching cancer immunology in Dr. Anton Wellstein’s laboratory at the Lombardi Comprehensive Care Center. He has also investigated applications of plant hormones to pancreatic cancer treatment alongside the Department of Human Science’s Dr. Ronit Yarden.
After graduation, Matthew will attend the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he received early admission in 2017. He hopes to develop a better understanding of the relationship between genetic abnormalities and cancer and to continue researching immunotherapeutic cancer treatments.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.S. in Biological Physics, minors in Biology and Science, Technology, and International Affairs (COL ’19)
Marshall Scholarship
Ben Johnson | University of Edinburgh and King’s College of London
Bio: Ben, 23, of Seattle, will take leave from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to pursue two different master’s degrees – one in human cognitive neuropsychology from the University of Edinburgh and another in space physiology and health from King’s College of London.
Ben wants to pursue a career as an aerospace medicine physician. The space flight physiology and health program at King’s College combined with statistical neuropsychological research training from the University of Edinburgh would equip him to return to the U.S. to further his medical studies and make him qualified to engage with aerospace research centers.
While at Georgetown, Ben worked as an emergency medical technician and crew chief for the GERMS and directed campus-wide mental health advocacy as undersecretary of mental health for GUSA.
Degrees: B.S. in Human Science (NHS ’17)
Rebecca Kuang | University of Cambridge
Bio: Rebecca, 21, of Irving, Texas, will pursue a master’s of philosophy in Chinese studies at the University of Cambridge.
She hopes to meld her academic work with her writing pursuits, which includes a book of historical fiction about the atrocities that took place in China during World War II. HarperCollins published The Poppy War in spring 2018.
As a native of Guangzhou, China, Rebecca wants to transmit the complexities and lived experiences of China to people who otherwise might never have cared.
Degrees: B.S.F.S. in International History (SFS ’18)
Annee Lyons | University of Oxford
Bio: Annee, 22, who grew up on a farm in Mount Airy, Maryland, will pursue a master’s of philosophy in Greek and Roman history at the University of Oxford.
She has delved into marginalized populations, including women, throughout her undergraduate research at Georgetown.
Annee is a member of the Georgetown Scholarship Program (GSP) and has served as a coordinator for Preparing to Excel Program, a pre-orientation program for low-income and first generation students at Georgetown.
Last fall, Annee is working with Bernard Cook, director of film and media studies, on his documentary about the descendants of the 272 enslaved men, women and children sold by the Maryland Province of Jesuits in 1838 to benefit Georgetown.
Degrees: B.A. in Classics (COL ’18)
Pickering Fellowship
Stephanie Arzate | Johns Hopkins University’s Schools of Advanced International Studies
Bio: Stephanie plans to use the Pickering Fellowship to attend Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, where she was accepted into the International Development Program.
She currently works as the director of advocacy and strategic communications at Women LEAD Nepal, an organization devoted to women’s leadership and professional development based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
A first-generation college student, Stephanie was born in Chicago to immigrant parents.
Degrees: B.S.F.S. in Culture and Politics (SFS ’15)
Anastasia (Gabby) Burnett | Georgetown University
Bio: Anastasia, a child protective services investigator in Charlottesville, Virginia, plans to return to Georgetown in the fall to use her fellowship toward a Master of Science in Foreign Service with a focus on global politics and security.
The daughter of a disabled Gulf War veteran, Anastasia has worked with Stop Soldier Suicide and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Degrees: B.A. in History (COL ’15)
Anna Jozwik | The George Washington University
Bio: Anna received her Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown last spring. She plans to use her fellowship to obtain another master’s degree – this time in Middle East studies with a focus on U.S. foreign policy at The George Washington University.
Anna, who was born in Poland and grew up near Chicago, says she became interested in international affairs while studying political science and languages as an undergraduate at Northwestern University.
Before she began her graduate studies, she went back to Poland using a Fulbright Fellowship to study the country’s democratic transitions as an intern with the Polish Constitutional Tribunal.
Anna has studied in the United Arab Emirates as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar and interned with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in Syria. She later extended her time in Syria to work as a local magazine editor and English language teacher and translator before the outbreak of civil war.
She moved to Lebanon at the end of 2012 to work as a protection officer with the International Rescue Committee’s women’s protection and empowerment program.
Anna’s long-term career goal is to become an ambassador.
Degrees: M.S.F.S. ’17
Yassitoungou Tamdji | Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Bio: Yassitoungou, a project manager for leadership and professional development at a nonprofit management consulting firm in New York, plans to use her Pickering Fellowship to attend Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
She studied abroad during her junior year at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she volunteered with a debate league for South African township youth.
Yassitoungou returned to South Africa after graduation through the Princeton in Africa Fellowship, which allowed her to work with a Johannesburg nonprofit that helps academically talented, low-income students gain access to high quality public and private high schools.
Yassitoungou hopes to recruit and encourage others from underrepresented backgrounds to join the Foreign Service.
Degrees: B.S.F.S. in International Politics and African Studies (SFS ’11)
Rangel Fellowship
Bio: Marta says she was inspired to pursue a career in the Foreign Service after a diplomat from the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City granted her a visa to reunite with her parents after 11 years.
A first-generation student, Marta came to the United States 15 years ago from Guatemala without her parents and the visa allowed her to reunite with her family in the United States.
While at Georgetown, Marta assisted applicants as part of the financial aid peer counseling group, coached fellow students as a mentor in the Georgetown Scholarship Program and welcomed new students to campus as a coordinator for the Preparing to Excel Program.
After graduating, she taught English as a second language in Miami and mentored unaccompanied children and refugees for three years. She now works as an employment case manager for the Providence Housing Authority in Rhode Island.
Degrees: B.A. in Sociology and Government (COL ’14)
Bio: Kala says her interest in other cultures began when her family started hosting foreign exchange students.
While at Georgetown, she interned for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) (G’94) and worked in the Executive Office of the President of the United States during the Obama administration.
Kala hopes to use the Rangel Fellowship in Japan as a Foreign Service officer after graduate school.
She traveled abroad her junior year to study at Waseda University in Tokyo, thanks in part to the Boren and Gilman scholarships she received in 2015.
As Kala gains experience and rank, she hopes to be recognized for her commitment to U.S. national security and be appointed as the first female African American U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
Degrees: B.A. in Japanese and Government (COL ’18)
Bio: Sofia spent a month during the summer teaching English in China and another month managing media requests for the mayor’s office in St-Omer, France.
This past fall, she interned in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs in the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy at the State Department.
Sofia had always known she wanted to go into the Foreign Service, as early as high school. The U.S. government, along with the State Department, helped her dad, a political refugee from Cuba, restart his life here in the 1960s. On her mom’s side, her grandfather was a police officer, so public service was always on her mind.
She credits the Georgetown community for helping her learn how to make the most of opportunities in her desired field.
Sofia, who is pursuing a certificate in Arab Studies at Georgetown, hopes to work as a Foreign Service officer in the Middle East.
At the age of 17 Sofia went to Jordan for one month, and she has been interested in the region ever since. Every time she takes a class on some aspect of Middle Eastern culture or politics or history, she is reminded of how much more she can still learn.
Degrees: B.S.F.S. in International Politics (SFS ’18)
Rhodes Scholarship
Deirdre Collins | University of Oxford
Bio: Deirdre, a native of St. George’s, Bermuda, will use the scholarship to pursue a M.Phil in environmental change and management at the University of Oxford, beginning next fall.
Deirdre served as a research assistant in the Johnson Biosignatures Lab led by Sarah Stewart Johnson, a Rhodes scholar herself and assistant professor of planetary science with the biology department and the Science, Technology and International Affairs program.
Deirdre helped Johnson extract DNA in soil samples from regions of Western Australia thought to be similar to Mars. Such research may one day help solve the question of whether there was ever life on that planet.
She served in multiple editorial positions at the student newspaper, The Hoya, where she sought to develop and maintain effective writing skills.
Deidre held leadership positions at GlobeMed, a network of students partnering with grassroots organizations to carry out public health projects. She also volunteered with Georgetown’s After School Kids Program.
During the summer of 2016, Deidre was an intern with the Juneau Icefield Research Program operated by the Foundation for Glacier and Environmental Research.
She conducted original research on alpine ecology as an intern and went on present her analysis on the topic to the American Geophysical Union – the world’s largest Earth and space science conference.
Her initial interest in environmental issues came from growing up in Bermuda, a 21-square-mile island that is particularly vulnerable to the effects of increased storm surge, sea level rise, and the rising ocean and air temperatures that accompany climate change.
Her field work experience helped drive home the immediacy of the climate change threat – the icefield she worked on, for example, is at risk of melting entirely within 150 years.
She currently serves as in investment analyst for the New York Green Bank, a $1 billion state-sponsored fund that invests in clean energy.
Degrees: B.S. in Biology, minor in French (COL ’17)
Schwarzman Scholarship
Zezhou Cai | Tsinghua University
Bio: Zezhou, 23, of Nanjing, China, was selected from a pool of more than 4,000 applicants who will pursue a one-year master’s degree program at Tsinghua University in Beijing beginning in the 2019 fall semester.
Zezhou will live in Beijing for a year of cultural immersion and study to develop a better understanding of the country.
Zezhou is studying at Georgetown on a Fulbright Scholarship. She hopes to alleviate poverty and promote prosperity, particularly in her home country of China. She spent her childhood in the rural part of Jiangsu Province and considers herself lucky to have attended universities in big cities in China and the United States.
She says she watched many of her cousins who remained in the province end up dropping out of high school, despite their obvious intelligence. The experience prompted Zezhou to look further into the economic impact that development and policies had on rural areas similar to her hometown.
While studying for her bachelor’s degree at Tsinghua University, she initiated six fieldwork research projects on employment, village culture, community service provision and education across five Chinese provinces.
Zezhou says she came to Georgetown to refine her understanding of why some policies are effective and others are not. Last fall, she conducted research under the direction of Georgetown professor Sheila Foster, who holds joint appointments in the McCourt School and Georgetown Law.
Degrees: MPP ’18 from the McCourt School of Public Policy, Bachelor’s Degree from Tsinghua University
Truman Scholarship
Bio: Amanda did not take a traditional path to the Hilltop.
Raised in a low-income household in Mobile, Ala. — mostly by her mother, who worked odd jobs to pay the bills — Amanda didn’t have a formal education past the fifth grade.
Amanda was home-schooled, really self-taught she says. Eventually earned her General Equivalency Degree, then enrolled at Coastal Alabama Community College in the two-year paralegal studies program. After graduating summa cum laude and setting her sights on four-year schools, she chose Georgetown for its Washington D.C. location, service-oriented mission, and — perhaps most importantly — the Georgetown Scholarship Program.
Amanda is a proud member of the Georgetown Scholarship Program. Some of the best friends she has made at Georgetown are GSPers.
With the support of GSP, Amanda dove headfirst into her coursework, focusing on classes on government and history. She specifically credits Prof. Michael Kazin’s U.S. history seminars and Prof. Barbara Feinman Todd’s introduction to journalism class as helping her develop academically.
Meanwhile, Amanda’s newfound proximity to public service opportunities — a major factor in her decision to apply — began to pay dividends. She interned at the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights, the office of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Having experienced poverty growing up, Amanda knew she wanted to attend an elite law school, go into public interest law, and advocate for poor and marginalized communities. When she discovered the Truman Scholarship information on Georgetown’s Office of Fellowships website, she knew it could help her achieve her goals.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government (COL ’19)
Bio: Shakera, a Richmond, Va. native, also chose Georgetown largely due to the resources the university commits to helping students from all backgrounds thrive, like GSP and the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access.
Like many first-year students, Shakera took some time to adjust to college life.
Shakera didn’t quite feel like she belonged, experiencing imposter syndrome upon first arriving.
But before long, involvement in campus clubs — particularly GU Women of Color (GUWOC) — helped her feel more invested in her new home.
Grounded by her new community, Vaughan flourished on the Hilltop. She joined the Gospel Choir and the Baker Scholars, one of Georgetown’s most prestigious undergraduate programs. She became vice president of GUWOC and helped organize the BRAVE Summit, which celebrates Black women and bring their voices to the forefront of conversations.
Shakera took full advantage of the academic opportunities afforded her, enrolling in courses that helped her explore fascinating new ideas.
For Shakera — who had already received competitive fellowship offers — the Truman Scholarship represented a life-changing opportunity.
Shakera hopes to apply to Master’s programs in public administration for the fall of 2019. Wherever she ends up, she knows she’ll keep her roots in mind.
Shakera is doing all of this for her community back home. Ultimately, it is the city of Richmond that drives her towards her goals.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government (COL ’19)
Finalist:
Melissa Morgan
Bio: On campus, Melissa is involved in numerous clubs and activities. She is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Sorority, the only professional foreign service sorority in the United States. Melissa is an editoral assistant for the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. For two years, Melissa was a Logistics Volunteer for the OWN IT Summit, a series of life-changing summits for young women, created entirely by young women.
During the summer of 2018, Melissa was a Gender Equity Policy Intern in the Office of the First Lady of New York City. Previously, Melissa has interned for Senator Dianne Feinstein on Capital Hill and has interned for the Democratic National Convention as a Press Intern.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government and Women and Gender Studies (COL ’19)
UK Fulbright Summer Institutes
Michael Blank
Bio: On campus, Michael is a tour guide for Blue and Gray, a member of the Georgetown Scholarship Program (GSP), and serves as an advocate for students within the Student Advocacy Office (SAO). Michael has interned for various government officials, such as Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Mayor de Blasio of New York City.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government and Philosophy (COL ’20)
David Gomez
Degrees: SFS ’21
Trevor O’Connor | University of Bristol
Bio: Trevor completed a four-week program at the University of Bristol which explored the intersection of arts, activism, and social justice. On campus, Trevor is involved Georgetown University College Democrats, Georgetown University College Academic Council, Georgetown University American Civil Liberties Union, and Student Leadership Alliance.
Trevor has interned for the U.S. Department of Justice in the Federal Cooperation and Compliance Section, Civil Rights Divison. His interests revolve around civil rights policy and research and he hopes to go to law school after graduating.
Degrees: Pursuing a B.A. in Government with minors in African American Studies and Sociology (COL ’20)
Yenching Scholarship
Kangkyu (David) Lee
Bio: Kangkyu (David) was a Program Assistant for the Education program at Sasakawa USA and the Senior Editor of the Georgetown Journal of Asian Affairs. Earlier in his career, David worked as a research assistant at the East-West Center where he wrote and published for the Asia Matters for America initiative and the Asia-Pacific Bulletin.
Degrees: M.A. in Asian Studies, Certificate in Diplomatic Studies (SFS ’17)