Fellowship Finalists and Awardees
University of Rochester students and alumni have received the following competitive national and international awards and fellowships from numerous organizations, governments, and foundations.
* Indicates an award that requires University endorsement.
The Amgen Scholars Program allows undergraduates from across the globe to participate in cutting-edge research opportunities at world-class institutions across the US, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Canada.
Note: This program was canceled for summer 2020 due to the global pandemic.
Chesna Apere ’23
Area of study: Molecular Genetics (BS)
Minor: Computational biology
Details: 2022 Scholar, UC–Berkeley
Julian Maceren ’20
Areas of study: Chemistry (BS) and Spanish (BA)
Details: 2019 Scholar, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Allen M. Chen ’19
Area of study: Neuroscience (BS)
Minor: Psychology
Details: 2018 Scholar, UC–San Francisco
Meredith P. Crenca ’19
Area of study: Health, behavior, and society (BS) and Spanish (BA)
Details: 2017 Scholar, NIH Bethesda, MD
Mollie Eva A. Hansen ’18
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minor: Chemical engineering
Details: 2017 Scholar, Columbia University
Amanda C. Hornick ’19
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Details: 2017 Scholar, Harvard University
Sue S. Zhang ’18
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Details: 2017 Scholar-Elect (declined)
Peggie J. Chien ’17
Area of study: Cell and developmental biology (BS)
Details: 2015 Scholar, University of Tokyo
Justin T. Delafontaine ’16
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Details: 2015 Scholar, Columbia University
Aaron J. Cravens ’14
Area of study: Applied math (BS)
Minor: Biomedical engineering
Details: 2013 Scholar, UC–San Francisco
Benjamin E. Goulet ’14
Area of study: Ecology and evolutionary biology (BS)
Minor: Studio arts
Details: 2013 Scholar, Columbia/Barnard
Theresa R. Kurtz ’12
Area of study: Neuroscience (BS) and math (BA)
Details: 2011 Scholar, University of Washington
Mark D. Levin ’12
Area of study: Chemistry (BS)
Minor: Math
Details: 2011 Scholar, UC–Berkeley
Rebecca Lu ’10
Area of study: Molecular genetics (BS)
Minor: Linguistics
Details: 2008 Scholar, UC–San Francisco
April E. Rose ’09
Area of study: Biochemistry (BS) and French (BA)
Details: 2008 Scholar, Columbia University
Krishna Upadhyaya ’10
Area of study: Cell and developmental biology (BS) and economics (BA)
Details: 2008 Scholar, Columbia University
See the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Award page for a list of recipients.
See the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
The Beinecke Scholarship Program supports highly motivated students in their pursuit of graduate education in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
Daniel J. Gorman Jr. ’14
Area of study: History (BA) and religion (BA)
Details: 2013 Scholar
Andrew J. Pope ’11
Area of study: African and African American studies (BA) and history (BA)
Details: 2010 Scholar
Emily G. Hickey ’05
Area of study: Political science (BA)
Minor: History
Details: 2004 Scholar
See the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
See the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program page for a list of recipients.
Chinese Government Scholarships are awarded by the Chinese Scholarship Council to international students and scholars to attend Chinese universities affiliated with the council.
Cherish Blackman ’18
Area of study: East Asian studies (BA) and Russian studies (BA)
Minors: Spanish and international relations
Details: 2019 Scholar
Jacqueline Tran ’18
Area of study: Anthropology (BA)
Minor: Women’s studies
Details: 2018 Scholar
The Churchill Scholarship provides funding to American students for a year of master’s study at the University of Cambridge, based at Churchill College, to promote Winston Churchill’s vision of US–UK scientific exchange to ensure future prosperity and security on both sides of the Atlantic.
Steven Torrisi ’16
Area of study: Physics (BS) and math (BA)
Details: 2016 Finalist
Randy Mehlenbacher ’10
Area of study: Chemistry (BS) and physics (BS)
Details: 2010 Finalist
Kristin M. Beck ’09
Area of study: Physics (BS) and Math (BA)
Minor: Music
Details: 2009 Scholar
Andrew N. Niles ’09
Area of study: Math (BA)
Minor: Economics
Details: 2008 Scholar
Kathryn E. Knowles ’08
Area of study: Chemistry (BS) and math (BA)
Details: 2008 Finalist
Robert F. Penna ’07
Area of study: Physics (BS) and math (BA)
Details: 2007 Scholar
Alexandra L. Larson ’03, ’04 (T5)
Area of study: Ecology and evolutionary biology (BS) and geological sciences (BA)
Details: 2004 Finalist
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) is a joint program of the German Bundestag and U.S. Congress which provides 75 American and 75 German young leaders the opportunity to spend up to a year in each other’s countries studying, interning, and living with host families.
Melissa Chang ’20
Area of study: Neuroscience (BS) and psychology (BA)
Details: 2020–21
See the Critical Language Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
See the DAAD-RISE Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
The Boren Scholarship Program, which is part of the National Security Education Program (NSEP), funds the intensive study of language and culture abroad for US undergraduate students in world regions critical to US interests.
Christian Wooddell ’17
Area of study: Anthropology (BA)
Details: 2015–16 Scholar, Tanzania
Juliet Wu ’12
Area of study: Brain and cognitive sciences (BS)
Minors: Chinese and clinical psychology
Details: 2009 Scholar, Taiwan
Judith A. Tulkoff ’10
Area of study: Political science (BA)
Details: 2008 Scholar, Indonesia
Aeisha Salem ’06
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minors: Arabic and math
Details: 2005 Scholar, Egypt
Nathaniel T. Williams ’07
Area of study: Math (BA) and Japanese (BA)
Details: Alternate, Japan
Jason B. Strudler ’06
Area of study: Russian (BA)
Details: 2004–05 Scholar, Russia
Nathaniel J. Lindsey ’10, ’11 (T5)
Area of study: Interdepartmental engineering (BS)
Details: 2015 Honorable Mention
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) graduate fellowship program is intended for students interested in pursuing science and technology innovations that can be applied to the DHS mission.
Patricia E. McHale ’06
Area of study: Mechanical engineering (BS)
Minor: Materials science
Details: 2006 Finalist
The Dorot Fellowship is a unique opportunity for young American Jews to spend 10 months in Israel, diving deep into complex realities of personal and collaborative leadership, social change, Israel, and Jewishness.
Jonathan Jochnowitz-Kahn ’09
Area of study: Political science (BA)
Details: 2007–08 Fellow
The Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship trains and inspires new leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States through placements with community-based organizations across the country as well as policy-focused organizations in Washington, DC.
Leah Schwartz ’17
Area of study: Anthropology (BA) and language, media, and communication (BA)
Minor: Business
Details: 2017–18 Finalist
Alysha S. Alani ’15, ’16 (T5)
Area of study: Anthropology (BA) and Spanish (BA)
Minors: Women’s studies and health, behavior, and society
Details: 2016–17 Fellow
Daniel J. Cohn ’12
Area of study: Health, behavior, and society (BA)
Details: 2012–13 Fellow
Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) provide scholarships for US undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
Andrew Lee ’19
Area of study: Chemistry (BA)
Minors: Biology and history
Details: Fall 2017, Hong Kong
Jin S. Kim ’19
Area of study: Political science (BA)
Minors: Business and East Asian studies
Details: Fall 2018, China
John A. Foote ’10
Area of study: Chemistry (BA)
Minor: Psychology
Details: Fall 2008, South Korea
Carly M. Mendoza ’09
Area of study: Political science (BA) and Japanese (BA)
Minor: Philosophy
Details: Fall 2008, Japan
Jason C. Powell ’10
Area of study: Japanese (BA)
Details: Fall 2008, Japan
Scott H. Herman ’09
Area of study: Linguistics (BA) and brain and cognitive sciences (BA)
Minors: Chinese and French
Details: Spring 2008, China
Yuki Chow ’07
Area of study: Brain and cognitive sciences (BA)
Minor: Japanese
Details: Fall 2006, Japan
Jennifer L. Harrington ’07
Area of study: Japanese (BA)
Minor: Psychology
Details: Spring 2006, Japan
Christy Jialin Lang ’07
Area of study: Economics (BA)
Minors: Japanese and studio arts
Details: Fall 2005, Japan
See the Fulbright U.S. Student Program page for a list of recipients.
The Fulbright UK Summer Institutes offer US undergraduate students with minimal travel experience outside of North American an opportunity to explore the culture, heritage, and history of the United Kingdom while experiencing higher education at a UK university.
Graeme C. McGuire ’18
Area of study: Computer science (BS) and linguistics (BA)
Minor: Russian
Details: 2016 Scholar, Wales
Gauri Patil ’19
Area of study: Computational biology (BS)
Details: 2016 Finalist
Leah Schwartz ’17
Area of study: Anthropology (BA)
Details: 2014 Scholar, Belfast
Seth L. Schober ’16
Area of study: Electrical and computer engineering (BS)
Minors: Spanish and economics
Details: 2013 Finalist
Daniel J. Gorman Jr. ’14
Area of study: History (BA) and religion (BA)
Details: 2012 Finalist
Adam Russak ’14
Area of study: Math (BS)
Minor: Classical civilizations
Details: 2012 Scholar, Durham
Jordan D. Shapiro ’14
Area of study: History (BA)
Details: 2011 Scholar, Wales
Selected from a pool of nominees from participating universities and colleges, James C. Gaither Junior Fellows work as research assistants to senior scholars at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Junwei Pan ’16
Area of study: Economics (BA) and math (BA)
Details: 2017–18 Finalist
Kuhu Parasrampuria ’13*
Area of study: Economics and business strategies (BA)
Minors: Classical civilization and philosophy
Details: 2014 Finalist
Katherine M. Garner ’11, ’12 (T5)*
Area of study: Chemistry (BA)
Minor: American sign language
Details: 2013–14 Fellow
*Awarded under the name Carnegie Junior Fellowship.
See the Gates Cambridge Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
See the Harry S. Truman Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
The Hertz Fellowship is awarded annually to the nation’s most promising graduate students in science and technology using a rigorous, merit-based process.
Hayden M. Carder ’18
Area of study: Chemistry (BS)
Details: 2017 Finalist
Madeline Laitz ’16
Area of study: Chemical engineering (BS)
Details: 2017 Finalist
Nathaniel J. Lindsey ’10, ’11 (T5)
Area of study: Interdepartmental engineering (BS)
Details: 2015 Finalist
Catherine E. Lambert ’13, ’14 (T5)
Area of study: Geological sciences (BS) and English (BA)
Details: 2014 Finalist
Scott A. Barenfeld ’12
Area of study: Physics and astronomy (BS)
Minor: Math
Details: 2012 Finalist
Alexander J. Federation ’11
Area of study: Chemistry (BS) and cell and developmental biology (BS)
Details: 2011 Finalist
Francis M. Ferraro ’11
Area of study: Computer science (BS) and math (BS)
Minor: Linguistics
Details: 2011 Finalist
Randy Mehlenbacher ’10
Area of study: Chemistry (BS) and physics (BS)
Details: 2010 Finalist
The Humanity in Action Fellowship explores issues of democracy, pluralism, human rights, and social justice, with each program tailored to its location.
Yaa Baker ’22
Area of study: Religion (BS)
Details: 2020 Alternate
Madalina Ciocanu ’17
Area of study: Anthropology (BA)
Details: 2015 Finalist
Lendsey L. Achudi ’14
Area of study: International relations (BA) and French (BA)
Details: 2014 Fellow, Warsaw
Jonathan R. Johnson ’14
Area of study: Anthropology (BA) and political science (BA)
Minor: Philosophy
Details: 2014 Fellow, Berlin
Mara L. Chinelli ’10
Area of study: Anthropology (BA)
Details: 2011 Fellow, Berlin
David T. Liebers ’09
Area of study: Ecology and evolutionary biology (BS) and history (BA)
Details: 2010 Fellow, Warsaw
Angad R. Singh ’09
Area of study: Political science (BA)
Details: 2008 Fellow, Berlin
Brett D. Stark ’07
Area of study: Political science (BA) and cultural identities (BA)
Minor: English
Details: 2006 Fellow, Berlin
Brian T. Tuohy ’07
Area of study: Religion (BA) and psychology (BA)
Details: 2006 Fellow, New York City
The IIPP Fellowship Program provided students from underrepresented minority groups with intentionally designed education and training experiences critical to entry and advancement in international affairs careers.
Mazin Melegy ’11
Area of study: History (BA)
Details: 2019 Fellow
Mariana P. Bojaca ’07
Area of study: Anthropology (BA) and international relations (BA)
Details: 2005 Fellow
Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in any field of study in the United Kingdom.
Kristin M. Beck ’09
Area of study: Physics (BS) and math (BA)
Minor: Music
Details: 2009 Finalist
Rachel J. Kincaid ’08E
Area of study: Applied music: trumpet (BM)
Details: 2008 Scholar
The NDSEG Fellowship is awarded to US citizens, US nationals, and US dual citizens who intend to pursue a doctoral degree aligned to the Department of Defense services Broad Agency Announcements in research and development at a US institution.
Ian Gabalski ’17
Area of study: Physics (BS) and applied mathematics (BS)
Details: 2019 Fellow
Alec Kirkley ’17
Area of study: Physics (BS)
Details: 2019 Fellow
Francis M. Ferraro ’11
Area of study: Computer science (BS) and math (BS and BA)
Minor: Linguistics
Details: 2011 Scholar-Elect (declined)
Colleen A. Kellenberger ’09
Area of study: Chemistry (BS) and molecular genetics (BS)
Details: 2009 Fellow
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program is a highly individualized and accelerated doctoral training program for outstanding students committed to biomedical research careers.
Jyothi N. Purushotham ’13
Area of study: Molecular genetics (BS)
Minor: Anthropology
Details: 2017 Scholar, Oxford
Jakob M. Seidlitz ’13
Area of study: Brain and cognitive sciences (BS)
Details: 2015 Scholar, Cambridge
The NIH Academy Enrichment Program (NAEP) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers competitive funding to trainees at the postbaccalaureate level interested in learning about health disparities while performing world-class research at the National Institutes of Health.
Oluwatobi Abubakare ’18
Area of study: Language and brain development (BA)
Details: 2018 Fellow
See the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
The Hollings Scholarship Program provides successful undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance and a 10-week, full-time paid internship at a NOAA facility during the summer.
Sommer Meyer ’21
Area of study: Environmental science (BS)
Details: 2019 Scholar
Allison Laubach ’18
Area of study: Earth and environmental sciences (BS)
Minor: Chemistry
Details: 2016 Scholar
See the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program page for a list of recipients.
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans program honors the contributions of immigrants and children of immigrants to the United States by investing in the graduate education of 30 New Americans who are poised to make significant contributions to US society, culture, or their academic field.
Woong Y. Hwang ’11
Area of study: Neuroscience (BS)
Details: 2019 Fellow
Prabhjot Singh Dhadialla ’03
Area of study: Cell and developmental biology (BS) and history (BA)
Details: 2005 Fellow
Jonathan B. Prince ’04
Area of study: Brain and cognitive sciences (BA)
Minor: Music
Details: 2004 Fellow-Elect (declined)
Jian F. Wong ’03
Area of study: Chemical engineering (BS) and economics (BA)
Minor: Chinese
Details: 2003 Finalist
The Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program attracts outstanding individuals who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Susan Ojukwu ’17
Area of study: International relations (BA) and health, behavior, and society (BA)
Details: 2019 Fellow
Princeton in Asia fosters mutual appreciation and cross-cultural understanding between the United States and Asia through immersive work fellowships in host organizations and communities.
Annina Zheng-Hardy ’16
Area of study: International relations (BA)
Minor: Sustainability
Details: 2016 Fellow
Erin L. Crossett ’11
Area of study: International relations (BA)
Minor: Arabic
Details: 2011 Fellow
The Project Horseshoe Farm Community Health Fellowship is a leadership and public service opportunity for recent college graduates; fellows work closely with vulnerable adults and children to improve community health and strengthen the social fabric of communities.
Thomas Oddo ’23
Area of study: Political science
Details: 2022 Fellow
See the Projects for Peace Fellowship page for a list of recipients.
See the Public Policy and International Affairs Program page for a list of recipients.
See the Rhodes Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
The Rotary Foundation’s Ambassadorial Scholarships further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries.
Maya Dukmasova ’11, ’12 (T5)
Area of study: Religion (BA) and philosophy (BA)
Minor: French
Details: 2012–13 Scholar, England
Global Grant Scholarships fund graduate-level coursework or research in fields related to peacebuilding and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment; water, sanitation, and hygiene; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; community economic development; and the environment.
Garrett M. Rubin ’12E, ’13 (T5)
Area of study: Applied music: voice (BM)
Details: 2016–17 Scholar, United Kingdom
Angela R. Remus ’16
Area of study: International relations (BA) and Spanish (BA)
Minor: Latin American studies
Details: 2015–16 Alternate
Jordan D. Shapiro ’13
Area of study: History (BA) and international relations (BA)
Minor: Russian
Details: 2014–15 Scholar, Wales
The Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York has provided over 200 scholarships for graduate or advanced studies that promote cultural interchange and goodwill between Scotland and the United States since 1956.
Kai Kindred ’20
Area of study: Mechanical engineering (BS) and economics (BA)
Details: 2020 Alternate
Nathaniel J. Lindsey ’10, ’11 (T5)
Area of study: Altnerative energy and sustainable engineering (BS)
Minors: Environmental geology and optics
Details: 2011 Finalist
See the Schwarzman Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program, funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), is a combined educational and workforce development opportunity for STEM students.
Daniel Busaba ’21
Area of study: Computer science (BS)
Details: 2018 Semifinalist
Ian Gabalski ’17
Area of study: Physics (BS) and applied mathematics (BS)
Details: 2015 Scholar
TAPIF aims to strengthen English-language instruction in French schools by establishing a native speaker presence, while also providing American Francophiles with teaching experience and first-hand knowledge of French language and culture.
Maria Schapfel ’23
Area of study: Molecular genetics (BS)
Details: 2023-24 Fellow
Vanessa Wish ’23
Areas of study: Linguistics, ethnomusicology
Details: 2023-24 Fellow
Ryannon Starkey ’19
Area of study: Statistics (BA) and French (BA)
Details: 2019–20 Fellow
Perry DeMarche ’18
Area of study: Anthropology (BA)
Details: 2018–19 Fellow
Claire E. Crowther ’13
Area of study: Linguistics (BA)
Details: 2013 Winner
Cliff R. Haley ’04
Area of study: French (BA) and history (BA)
Details: 2004 Winner
Rebecca A. Hart ’04
Area of study: French (BA)
Minor: Psychology
Details: 2004 Winner
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program’s now defunct fellowship program was for undergraduate students.
Zachary Palomo ’13
Area of study: International relations (BA) and Russian (BA)
Details: 2012 Finalist
Funded by the US Department of State and administered by Howard University, the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program provides graduate fellowships to prepare outstanding young people for Foreign Service careers in the US Department of State.
Jin Kim ’19, ’20 (T5)
Area of study: Political science (BA)
Minor: East Asian studies
Details: 2020 Fellow
Shannon M. Miller ’07
Area of study: Anthropology (BA) and history (BA)
Details: 2007 Alternate
The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment.
Anna L. Parker ’16
Area of study: Ecology and evolutionary biology (BS)
Details: 2015 Honorable Mention
Joseph N. Griggs ’13
Area of study: Environmental science (BS)
Details: 2011 Honorable Mention
Emily R. Reiss ’08
Area of study: Environmental science (BS)
Minors: Biology and Spanish
Details: 2007 Honorable Mention
Audrey M. Stewart ’05, ’06 (T5)
Area of study: Environmental science (BS) and history (BA)
Details: 2004 Scholar
The United Negro College Fund and the Merck Company Foundation provide research scholarship awards as part of the UNCS-Merck Science Initiative to support the training and development of world-class African American biomedical research scientists.
Kofi A. Mensah ’04
Area of study: Microbiology (BS)
Minors: Spanish, and health and society
Details: 2003 Scholar
The Wallace-Carver Fellowship offers exceptional undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to collaborate with world-renowned scientists and policymakers through paid fellowships at leading US Department of Agriculture research centers and offices across the United States.
Sarmishtha V. Prathivadhi-Bhayankaram ’20, ’21 (T5)
Area of study: Computer science (BA)
Details: 2017–18 Fellow
Funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research, the USTA Program in Austria provides an opportunity for American college graduates to work as English teaching assistants at secondary schools across all nine Austrian provinces, gaining classroom experience while also serving as linguistic and cultural ambassadors of the United States.
Daria Lynch ’18, ’19 (T5)
Area of study: History (BA)
Details: 2019–20 Scholar
Julianne McAdams ’17
Area of study: English (BA)
Minors: Anthropology and Spanish
Details: 2017–18 Scholar
Kathryn F. Conheady ’15
Area of study: History (BA)
Minor: German
Details: 2015–16 Scholar
Matthew H. Adrian (graduate student)
Area of study: Performance and literature (MM)
Details: 2015–16
See the Voyager Scholarship page for a list of recipients.
The Whitaker International Program supported emerging leaders in US biomedical engineering or bioengineering overseas.
Jacob T. Gusman ’16
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minor: Psychology as a natural science
Details: 2016–17 Scholar, Sweden
Namita Sarraf ’15
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minor: Economics
Details: 2015–16 Scholar, Switzerland
Michael R. Silverstein ’15
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minor: Philosophy
Details: 2015–16 Scholar, Switzerland
Amanda Chen ’14
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minor: Chemical engineering
Details: 2014–15 Scholar, United Kingdom
Douglas A. Clift ’12
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Details: 2012–13 Scholar, Spain
Catherine M. Marando ’12
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minors: Chemical engineering and economics
Details: 2012–13 Scholar, United Kingdom
Kelli L. Summers ’11
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Minor: Studio arts
Details: 2012–13 Scholar, Austria
Hannah C. Watkins ’11
Area of study: Biomedical engineering (BS)
Details: 2011–12 Scholar
The Yenching Academy of Peking University aims to build bridges between China and the rest of the world through an interdisciplinary master’s program in China Studies.
Cherish Blackman ’18
Area of study: East Asian studies (BA) and Russian studies (BA)
Minors: Spanish and international relations
Details: 2017–18 Finalist