Hoz will spend ten months in Germany, interning and living with a host family as he studies German language and policy.

“I really liked the flexibility of the work aspect. It’s a fully funded experience,” Hoz said, “but once you’re there, you can kind of do whatever you want; you can find a job or internship in whichever field suits you best.”

He mentioned that the independence of the fellowship was a major aspect that appealed to him.

“I like that they don’t find stuff for you,” Hoz said. “You have to actually go to Germany and find your own thing. I think that’s a great responsibility to have.”

Intending to pursue law school after his time abroad, Hoz aims to study Germany’s immigration and refugee policies as he interns for either the government or a nonprofit devoted to refugee advocacy or immigration law.

“I’d love to do some work in those support areas,” he said. “I think my English will help a lot with that, because my German writing skills aren’t totally there yet, but they always need people with really strong English communication skills to do translations.”

Germany’s refugee advocacy system is a model other countries can learn from, Hoz says, and he hopes experience with settling refugees and handling their legal claims will be insightful for him, especially as a future lawyer.

“Having a comparative perspective on the law and understanding how a very complex legal system — that isn’t the U.S. system — works, is going to be really helpful before going into law school,” he said.

Hoz also has some family in Switzerland, so he’s excited to improve his German language skills.

“It would be great to reach a level of fluency so that later on in my life,” he said, “I could go and live there, spend several years in the area, and maybe even be close to family.”

Most of all, Hoz is looking forward to the year of professional experience the CBYX program will give him before he returns to an academic environment.

“That’s part of what I wanted, taking this break between undergrad and law school,” he said. “I want to mature a bit more and understand what working adult life is really like. And I think being able to do that in another country for a year is really cool.”

Students interested in applying for CBYX in the future should contact Carleton’s Office of Student Fellowships for support and assistance.

The Carleton College Voice aims to tell “the Carleton story of now,” and 2024’s three issues did exactly that, connecting alumni with news on campus, the issues the College and its faculty wrestle with, and the work its graduates are doing to make an impact in their communities. Some were synched with trending news — the advent of artificial intelligence and the academic considerations around it at Carleton, one alum’s successful effort to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in Minnesota, the challenge faced by alumni journalists working at outlets like NPR and Politico in covering a contentious election in times of historic public distrust of the media — while others updated readers on the lives of classmates: a retired bank executive reflecting on the all-Black student dance group she founded 50 years ago, the president of a tribal college speaking on the challenges and successes at his new school, a popular Hmong memoirist looking into TRIO, the program for low-income and first-generation students that helped her thrive at Carleton two decades ago. These issues aim to capture Carleton’s animating spirit and the values so many of its graduates share even years after leaving Northfield.

The CASE judges described the Voice as “one of our favorites”:

The design was excellent and the graphic elements stood out. We felt these pieces “really broke away from the public relations machine” and told stories that were bold, fun, and in some cases truly brave, and even sometimes risky — but oh so important. The writing was sharp, excellent, and often laugh-out-loud funny. A good read rendered beautifully.

Mustering tens of thousands of previously overlooked arrest and prison records, John K. Bardes demonstrates that, contrary to common opinion, enslaved and free people were jailed at astronomical rates in parts of the South. With powerful and evocative prose, Bardes boldly reinterprets relations between slavery and prison development in American history. Racialized policing and mass incarceration are among the gravest moral crises of our age, but they are not new: slavery, the prison, and race are deeply interwoven into the history of American governance.

---

The Kemper and Leila Williams Prize, named for the founders of the Historic New Orleans Collection, is offered annually by HNOC and the LHA. Since its inception in 1974, the prize has recognized excellence in research and writing on Louisiana history. Recipients receive a cash award of $1,500 and a plaque, and are announced at the LHA’s annual meeting each year. The organization held its 67th annual meeting March 13–15, 2025 in Baton Rouge.

Read the full announcement.

CUT (D-I men’s division)

• Declan Miller ’26: Player of the Year, All-American First Team
• Nate De Morgan ’28: Rookie of the Year, All-American Second Team
• Ryan duSaire ’27: First Runner-Up for Defensive Player of the Year
• Dillon Lanier ’20, Timothy Schoch ’19, Noah Hanson ’22, Joe White ’20, and Sol Yanuck ’18: Coaches of the Year

Syzygy (D-I women’s division)

• Chagall Gelfand ’27: Offensive Player of the Year, First Runner-Up for Player of the Year, All-American First Team
• Eliza Barton ’28: Rookie of the Year
• Naomi Fina ’26: All-American Second Team
• Courtney Kiesow, Logan Weiss ’12, and Lou Burruss ’94: Co-Runners-Up for Coaches of the Year

CHOP (D-III men’s division)

• Nathan Wang ’26: First Runner-Up for Breakout Player of the Year, All-American First Team
• Dash Brenner ’28: Co-Runner-Up for Rookie of the Year
• Matt Forster ’93, Michael Massad ’14, and Russ Smith ’18: First Runners-Up for Coaches of the Year

Eclipse (D-III women’s division)

• Frankie Saraniti ’25: All-American Second Team

Congratulations, Carleton Ultimate players and coaches!

Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.

The James Beard Foundation Media Awards took place in Chicago on Saturday, June 14 and honored the nation’s top food authors, broadcast producers, hosts, journalists, podcasters, and social media content creators. The Journalism Awards specifically recognize works in English and cover food- or drink-related content which were published or self-published in 2024 in any medium.

Read the full list of this year’s awardees.

“During their grants, Fulbrighters meet, work, live with, and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences,” according to the Fulbright website. “The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think.”

The Fulbright is the largest exchange program in the country and selects approximately 2,000 students annually to spend one academic year in a country of their choice. The participants are chosen for their academic record, personal qualifications, language preparation, eagerness to promote active engagement with a host community, and the feasibility of their project.

Students interested in applying in the future should contact Carleton’s Office of Student Fellowships for support and assistance.

Meet this year’s Fulbright grant recipients:

Jens Bartel ’25

• Biology
• Fulbright: Research in Austria

“I’ll be in Innsbruck, Austria, working in the Soil Microbiology and Climate Change group at the University of Innsbruck, focusing on projects surrounding land use change. I’ve had previous experience working in microbial research as well as land management here at Carleton in the Arb, and this project combines both interests! I have loved my previous experiences in Austria, including visiting while studying abroad and designing an independent fellowship last year to Vienna, and I am so excited for a chance to live there and experience the place and culture for a longer period of time.

In addition to furthering my interest in human and environmental interactions, I am most looking forward to learning what makes Innsbruck so special for everyone living there by exploring its university culture, surrounding mountains, and group trips like attending an annual ball in Vienna!”

Sadie DiCarlo ’25

• Geology (minor in history)
• Fulbright: Research in Iceland

“Next year, I will be studying the geomorphology and geochemistry of rootless cones in Iceland as terrestrial analogs of Martian paleoenvironments. Rootless cones are volcanic formations that result from lava and water or ice interactions and resemble similar structures seen in Martian satellite imagery. While rootless cones on Mars remain unconfirmed, their existence could indicate where and when there was near-surface water on Mars.

For my comps, I studied the geochemistry of meteorites as analogs for astro material sample-return. Through this, I became fascinated with planetary science and the use of terrestrial analogs to study our solar system. I’m super excited to spend time outside hiking and exploring Iceland, and geeking out about some cool rocks!”

Akash Ganguly ’25

• Mathematics
• Fulbright: Rényi Institute of Mathematics Award in Hungary

“This September, I’ll be in Budapest studying algebraic curves, which are shapes cut out by certain kinds of polynomial equations. Their study involves a number of really interesting techniques and I’m excited to learn more about them. I really enjoyed the city when I studied abroad there my junior year, so I’m excited to head back and enjoy the city again.”

Malachy Guzman ’25

• Mathematics
• Fulbright: Research in Spain

“I’ll be traveling to Spain to do research in biology, joining Professor Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona. I’m really excited about the opportunity to contribute to a collaboration between Professor Garcia-Ojalvo’s group and other groups in Spain and Germany, where I will be employing both experimental biology techniques and mathematical and computational tools to investigate how single cells learn from their environment by adapting their gene regulatory networks.

I first met Professor Garcia-Ojalvo through my work with physics professor Arjendu Pattanayak here at Carleton. Working together on a different project between Carleton and the UPF motivated me to apply, and I am thrilled that the Fulbright will allow me to engage with this fascinating new research. I cannot thank Arjendu enough for introducing me to this research community. Just as much as I look forward to throwing myself into the vibrant research community of Barcelona, I am incredibly excited to experience life in Catalonia. I’m deeply grateful to have this opportunity to serve as a cultural ambassador between the U.S. and Spain, and I can’t wait to get started!”

Olivia Ho ’25

• American studies and English
• Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Bulgaria

“I’m happy to say that I’ll be spending the next year as an English teaching assistant in Bulgaria! I’ll be in a small town called Pravets, which is about 50 minutes outside Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. Since I’ll be living and working in a rural area, I’m very eager to get outdoors and explore the natural landscape. Pravets is in a valley surrounded by the Balkan Mountains, and I’ve heard it has some amazing hiking! As I’ll be the only teacher in the classroom for a majority of my time, I’m eager to incorporate my own interests in creative writing and art that I’ve fostered at Carleton into my lesson plans.

As an American studies major, I was interested in going to Bulgaria because I wanted to immerse myself in a country that has had limited cultural and social interaction with America. Bulgaria’s history as a communist nation affiliated with the Soviet Union is particularly interesting to me given the historical tensions between the United States and the USSR. Along these lines, I hope to engage my students, ranging from ages 14 to 18, in conversations about their understanding of national history. In all, I’m immensely grateful for this opportunity to explore Bulgarian culture and become a member of the Pravets community!”

Ellis Kondrashov ’25

• Sociology and anthropology (minor in Russian)
• Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Kyrgyzstan

“I’ll be flying out to Kyrgyzstan in September, where I’ll be an English teaching assistant. I’m excited to be back in Central Asia. I’m particularly excited to be just a few hours away from Kazakhstan, where I studied abroad two years ago and conducted my comps research last summer. I’ll get to see some of the amazing people I’ve met before, who have been some of the kindest and most generous people I know. It’s an absolute privilege to be able to go back, but this time I’ll be going to teach instead of study or conduct research.

Even though I’ll have a job this time around, I’ll still be learning every day. I’m hoping to learn about Kyrgyz dance and music (and learn Kyrgyz, too), and maybe get better at horseback riding somewhere along the way. This is one of those rare opportunities to live somewhere where I’m a true stranger and guest. I’ll be working around 20 hours a week, but for the rest of my time, I hope I can integrate myself into different communities and networks of people I can learn from and become real friends with.”

Caroline Loescher ’25

• Biology (minor in educational studies)
• Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Spain 

“I am thrilled to be spending the next year as an English teaching assistant in the La Rioja region of Spain. Through my educational studies minor, I have worked in a Prairie Creek Community School classroom, a highlight of my time at Carleton. I had the honor of running an environmental science after-school program for students at Greenvale Park Community School, creating lesson plans that combined having fun outdoors and STEM subjects.

I am excited to immerse myself in the Spanish culture and language by learning from educators and students. The La Rioja region has lots to explore outdoors, and I am looking forward to hiking and traveling when outside of the classroom. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and teach in Spain.”

Ruby Mead ’24

• English (minor in creative writing)
• Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Indonesia

“This September, I’ll be traveling to Indonesia, where I will work as an English teaching assistant at a vocational secondary school. While abroad, I plan to draw upon my past work as a writing consultant at Carleton as well as my time tutoring K–12 students, nannying, and teaching youth dance classes. My previous studies abroad in India, Australia, and the United Kingdom have additionally provided me with the necessary toolkit to design compelling lesson plans and community engagement projects.

I am most excited to immerse myself within a largely unfamiliar culture and language and to connect with those working toward reciprocal international exchange. In a more personal vein, I am eager to explore Indonesia’s diverse landscape and wildlife as well as their history of literary and oral artistry. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and to those who have supported me through this process; I can’t wait to get started!”

Melina Sasaki-Uemura ’25

• Major: Mathematics (minor in East Asian studies and music performance)
• Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan 

“I will be doing an English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan this coming fall! I am very excited and honored to be able to spend a year in Taiwan teaching elementary school children. I spent my sophomore and junior year summers learning Chinese in Taipei, and my interest in going to graduate school for East Asian studies motivated me to apply for a Fulbright.

I am very excited to be returning to Taiwan, and this opportunity will allow me to explore the island and culture in more depth than before. I am most looking forward to eating all the good food at the night markets!”

Henry Stier ’25

• Cognitive science and music 
• Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Germany

“I’ll be teaching English in Germany next year, starting this August! I’ve been placed in the seemingly Midwestern-y state of Niedersachsen, although I haven’t been placed in a town or school yet. I’m really excited to find out what type of school I’ll be in and who I’ll get to work with. I started taking German at Carleton just to fulfill the language requirement, but it grew into a study abroad in my sophomore fall, which led to a love of the people I met and a strong desire to return.

I was lucky enough to hear German professor Kiley Kost talk about her experience on a German Fulbright, and she had so many positive things to say about it and how it cemented her relationship with the people and culture she was around. I’m most looking forward to developing those relationships with local people through food and music, improving my language skills, and getting to explore the surroundings and go hiking in a new area. There’s so much to look forward to with this opportunity, and I’m excited to represent Midwest America abroad!”

Kate Ulrich ’25 

• Chemistry (minor in Spanish)
• Fulbright: English Teaching Assistantship in Spain

“This fall, I will be working in the IE University (Universidad Instituto de Empresa) writing center in Madrid and Segovia, Spain. I am very excited for this opportunity to continue working as a writing consultant, as I have had a wonderful experience in this role throughout my past three years at Carleton.

As part of my Spanish minor, I spent this past fall in Madrid on Carleton’s off-campus studies program. I had a fantastic time and I am looking forward to diving back into Spanish culture, especially Madrid’s rich food and museum scenes. I’m grateful to all who have supported me throughout my time at Carleton and through the application process. I am lucky to have spent my last four years in such a supportive, enriching community and am looking forward to building new connections next year!”

Katie O’Leary ’25 was selected for an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany, but instead accepted the U.S. Teaching Assistantship in Austria.

Mitch Porter ’25 was selected for the English Teaching Assistantship in Portugal, but instead accepted the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship.

Aaron Zivsak ’25 was selected for an English Teaching Assistantship in the Czech Republic, but instead accepted the Pierce Fellowship through the American College of Greece. 

Katie O’Leary ’25

O’Leary will be working as an English teaching assistant at two secondary schools in Eisenstadt, Burgenland, near the Austrian border with Slovakia and Hungary. 

She is familiar with living and working abroad, as she studied in Berlin the fall of her sophomore year and conducted independent research for her German comps in Berlin last summer. An externship at a high school in St. Paul also prepared her to work with secondary school students and English learners. 

“I’m excited to explore a new place in the German-speaking world,” O’Leary said. “I’m looking forward to living in Austria — I love walkable cities and public transportation. Most of my experiences abroad and teaching experiences have been short-term, so I’m very excited to experience a full year of living abroad and making connections with my students.” 

“I’m definitely interested in teaching and continuing with my study of German,” she added, “so this program will be a great learning opportunity moving forward.” 

Sammie Ulicny ’25

Ulicny will be an English teaching assistant at two small secondary schools in Fürstenfeld, Styria in Austria. Her work will involve teaching lessons that speak to American cultural use of the English language, contributing to cultural exchange about the places people come from.

Ulicny is excited to live in Austria and get to know the tight-knit community of the smaller village where she’ll be teaching. She’s also excited to learn the particular dialect of the region, which differs from the standard German she was taught. 

“My time in Vienna for Carleton off-campus studies was particularly helpful in learning about Austrian political and cultural history,” Ulicny said. “German programs can sometimes be Germany-centric; at Carleton, I’ve been very pleased to learn in and about many different German-speaking countries, including Austria and Switzerland.”

“I hope to work in international diplomacy and believe vibrant cultural exchange on people-to-people levels is critical,” Ulicny added. “I’m so excited to fuse my love of language education with cultural education and exchange.”

Micah Day-O’Connell ’25

Day-O’Connell will be teaching English at two high schools in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

He lived in Germany for a year in high school and is excited to sharpen his language skills while in Austria. 

“I’m thinking about teaching in the future, and I thought Fulbright Austria was a great way for me to go abroad, get my German skills back up, and get some experience in the classroom,” said Day-O’Connell. 

“If I end up working or studying in Europe at any time in the future, I think this program will be really valuable for giving me a network and acclimating me to living abroad,” he added. 

Day-O’Connell is excited about the upcoming opportunities both in and out of the classroom. 

“I’m really excited to hike and travel around the area, and I’m super lucky to be so close to Vienna,” he said. “In the classroom, I’m excited to get to know my students, what makes them curious, and how they see the world!” 

O’Leary, Ulicny, and Day-O’Connell thank Carleton’s German department for their support through the application process, including Juliane Schicker, associate professor of German and department chair; Seth Peabody, assistant professor of German; Kiley Kost, lecturer in German; and Chloe Vaughn, visiting assistant professor of German.

“Our students are incredible human beings and well-deserving of these awards,” said Schicker. “Their subject knowledge, language, and intercultural and communicative skills are outstanding.”

Many students who apply for or are awarded the USTA also draw on applications for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, handled by the Office of Student Fellowships. Students interested in similar opportunities should contact the office for support and assistance.

Supported by the Mellon Foundation and The Eugene M. Lang Foundation, the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) program aims to foster and support committed scholars dedicated to incorporating civic engagement into the curriculum while empowering students to use their academic knowledge to tackle real-world problems through deliberative dialogue.

Read on the Carleton Grants Office page.

Learn more from The Minnesota Star Tribune in their piece, “5 Minnesotans nominated for James Beard media awards.”

Vogel applied for this grant when he noticed a lack of concrete support for students exploring religious leadership positions professionally, despite Carleton “having a really great history of producing clergy and other religious professionals.” 

“It seemed like there was a really big need,” said Vogel. “It felt important to find ways of supporting students both financially and through networking and [community-building] experiences.”

The current structures in place for future religious leaders at Carleton were “lacking intentionality,” Vogel added, which is needed to equip students to “enter discernment” and “explore what religious leadership looks like” as well as “engage more deeply with people in their religious traditions and practices.”

Through the NetVUE grant, Carleton students of varying levels of certainty can find community and support. Vogel hopes to assist students “who know they’re at least interested in the possibility of entering religious leadership professionally, asking questions about what this looks like long-term, and give them the resources to explore that.” 

By opening up this grant to all kinds of students, Vogel aims to offer the unique opportunity of experience without an extensive, often life-long commitment. 

This support will come in a variety of modes, from “working alongside a local community that’s of their tradition or practice” to attending conferences to “spiritual discernment experiences.” Going beyond the experience offered through the CA position, where religious events are exclusively held on campus and mostly student-led or led by one of Carleton’s associate chaplains, the grant allows students to engage with religion outside of the Carleton bubble while being financed by the Office of the Chaplain.

“We had a really strong application that was grounded in past success — that we know how to do this and do it well — while also showing a clear need and ability to go beyond what we’ve done,” Vogel said. 

This work is a mixture of engaging students in their own traditions while also facilitating a “cohort model” where recipients of the grant funding will meet bi-monthly to learn from one another across traditions. 

“Engaging with other people’s journeys creates an important aspect of outward-facing experience,” said Vogel. 

With this funding, a cohort of eight rising juniors and seniors spanning a variety of faith traditions will be equipped with the resources they need to explore futures in religious leadership. Many of the students involved in the Religious Leadership Fellows Program are current CAs, but are seeking something more. Working independently and together, these students will have the freedom to explore career paths in a way never before possible at Carleton.

CUT dominated their bracket to become the D-I Men’s College Champions for the first time since 2017 (fifth title in program history), with a 15–12 win over Colorado. Syzygy fought their way to an impressive silver medal in the D-I women’s division, following their close match against the UBC Thunderbirds. Eclipse landed 11th in a competitive D-III women’s field, and CHOP not only tied for third place in the D-III men’s division, they won the Team Spirit Award (a first for the program)!

Carleton was the only school to have teams in all four categories at the 2025 USA Ultimate National College Championships, which were held in Burlington, Washington. Eclipse and CHOP competed on May 17–19, and Syzygy and CUT competed on May 23–26.

Make sure to follow CUT, Syzygy, CHOP, and Eclipse on Instagram to stay up-to-date on all things D-I and D-III Ultimate at Carleton.

“The Weitz Fellowship is an exceptional entry-level experience that provides a rotational-type opportunity for Carleton graduates,” Associate Director of the Career Center Chad Ellsworth explained. “Through the one-year fellowship, fellows develop expertise in a variety of functional areas and operational roles in nonprofit organizations, while also contributing in meaningful ways to address critical social issues in the communities of Omaha and Lincoln. All of this takes place within a cohort experience and a supportive alumni network that includes former Weitz Fellows who have made Nebraska their home.” 

Without further ado, meet the soon-to-be graduates selected for the 2025–26 Weitz Fellowships:

Julia Dunn ’25

Dunn is a political science and international relations major with an Africana studies minor from Portmore, Jamaica. She will be spending her fellowship year with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nebraska, an organization that has worked for more than 50 years to protect the constitutional and individual rights of everyone through their work in courts, communities, and legislatures. With a nationwide network of offices and millions of members and supporters, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties fights. Dunn will be working within a variety of different spheres, including reproductive justice, racial and Indigenous justice, and immigrant rights. Specifically, she may conduct policy research, assist with the preparations for internal and external meetings, and aid with fundraising efforts.

“I’m excited to get more firsthand experience in community organizing, working to safeguard the civil liberties and human rights of Nebraskans. I also look forward to developing additional skills in nonprofit fundraising and communications, and learning more about the behind-the-scenes operations of advocacy organizations.”

Markus Gunadi ’25

Gunadi is a double major in cinema and media studies (CAMS) and computer science from Palo Alto, California. He will be spending his fellowship year with Film Streams, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to enhancing the cultural environment of Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa through the presentation and creative discussion of film as an art form. The organization oversees two distinct cinemas: the Ruth Sokolof Theater and the historic Dundee Theater. Gunadi will apply his interest in cinema as an “educational and community-building tool” through event planning, administrative work, educational programming, and even working the popcorn machine! Additionally, he will be organizing his own film series and conducting research on important topics related to the Omaha community. 

“By the end of my Weitz Fellowship, I hope to have a better understanding of how art nonprofits are run and watch a lot of new films!”

Grace Bassekle ’25

Bassekle is a sociology and anthropology major. She will spend her fellowship year with I Be Black Girl (IBBG), a reproductive justice organization that “leads with boldness, innovation, and inspiration, actively creating a radical change-making culture that centers Black women, femmes, and girls.” Inspired by the work of bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and other Black feminists and womanists, IBBG provides transformational change at the intersections of gender and race. The term “I Be,” framed by author bell hooks in her book Be Boy Buzz, inspired IBBG’s founder to fill spaces with what it means to exist as a Black woman, femme, or girl — where they are free to define and own that narrative. During this time, Bassekle will be exposed to how policy is used to drive radical change in the reproductive justice sphere, and how economic inequality and a flawed medical system perpetuate injustice.

Maya Keeney ’25

Keeney is a studio art major with an art history minor from Kansas City, Missouri. She will be spending her fellowship year with the Joslyn Art Museum, which houses a collection of over 12,000 objects spanning over 5,000 years of human creation from the world’s diverse cultures. The Museum was a gift to the people of Omaha from Sarah Joslyn in memory of her husband, George, and has welcomed millions of visitors from around the world since its opening in 1931, with general admission free to all. The campus comprises three distinct, yet connected, buildings surrounded by sculpture gardens. Looking to gain real-world experience within the world of museum curation, Keeney will be working in the Learning and Engagement Department, with opportunities to explore other departments. Within her role, she will be focusing on community projects and exploring new methods for the museum to serve as a community resource.

“While I know I would like to work in the field of museums, I am still unsure how my skill set best contributes to this system. I would love to gain a better insight into all aspects of museum work and use this knowledge as a foundation for my future endeavors.”

Dani Reynoso ’25

Reynoso is an American studies major from Chicago, Illinois. She will be spending her fellowship year with the Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest. This advocacy organization focuses on healthcare access, economic justice, child welfare, immigrants, and communities through their civic engagement work and efforts within Nebraska’s legal and policy sectors. Reynoso will engage in relationship-building at all levels, event planning, and coordination, and will participate in creating active legislation alongside a staff of attorneys, policy specialists, and community organizers. She looks forward to “creating meaningful change” as she focuses on projects within the economic justice and healthcare access areas. 

“I have a few hopes for this next year. Most of all, I hope this experience helps guide my future pursuits; more specifically, if I want to continue nonprofit work or if I’ll move into public policy work. I’m excited to deepen my understanding of how advocacy at the community level can take shape on a much larger, political scale. Finally, I’m excited to move to a new city — I’ve never even stepped foot in Nebraska, so that’s scary but so exciting!”

Ashley Rosenberg ’25

Rosenberg is a religion major with a Spanish minor from Chicago, Illinois. She will be spending her fellowship year with the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table, an organization that works with other nonprofits across the state to encourage nonpartisan civic participation, fighting for a multiracial, representative democracy that serves all communities. They do this by providing direct core support, technical tools, and collaborative spaces to member nonprofits to support year-round civic engagement. Rosenberg will have the opportunity to work within all branches of the organization, but is “particularly excited to engage in public policy work, as well as support grassroots organizing efforts across Nebraska.”

“I hope to learn how to make an impact in the nonprofit sphere through movement-building work and grassroots organizing, as well as by engaging with institutional structures. Especially right now, given the current political climate, organizing and forming community networks to help each other is so essential. I believe that I will take away skills that will help me be able to do so effectively, as well as the skills needed to pursue a career in nonprofit work focused on systemic change.”

Will Hassell ’25

Hassell is an English major with minors in educational studies and English creative writing. He will spend his fellowship year with The Rose Theater. For over 75 years, the Omaha Theater Company has served generations of children and families in the Omaha area. Today, adults who once passed through the doors of The Rose as children now bring their own families to share in the experience, creating an ongoing tradition for many. Guided by the mission to enrich the lives of all through live theater and education, The Rose will be a place where Hassell will help children and families in the Omaha area engage with and find joy in theater.

Mia Strubel Iram ’25

Strubel Iram is a political science and international relations major with minors in European studies and Middle East studies from Skokie, Illinois. She will be spending her fellowship year with the Women’s Fund of Omaha, a nonprofit organization focused on research, grants, and advocacy around issues facing women and girls in their communities. The Women’s Fund provides grant funding to service providers, advocates for policy change, and influences dynamic change within the community. Iram is “thankful for the opportunity to learn about Omaha and the political environment” as she contributes to a variety of projects, including research, policy development, communications, and donor and volunteer relations. Research areas include economic conditions, domestic violence, and challenges facing girls.

“As a Weitz Fellow, I hope to gain important professional development skills, specifically within the realm of promoting gender issues. I am grateful for the opportunity to work at the Women’s Fund, where I will be able to gain important skills in advocacy and research and learn more about the community and gender needs in Nebraska.”

To learn more about the Weitz Fellows program, the cohort experience, and the mission and work of this year’s organizations, visit the Career Center website.

In her opening address, President Alison Byerly spoke of Carleton students with immense pride in the face of grave times for higher education.

“What these students share is what makes Carleton special: intellectual curiosity, energetic engagement, and commitment to the hard work of learning at a time when support for higher education, for academic research, and for the kind of diverse and vibrant community we build at Carleton are in jeopardy,” she said. “It is especially valuable to have the opportunity to honor students who have excelled in a wide variety of fields, who have undertaken research or creative projects, and who have made our community stronger through their leadership and service. You represent the true promise of higher education, and the reason it’s worthy of support.”

In his salutatory address, College Chaplain Schuyler Vogel ’07 also celebrated Carls’ actions in the face of challenges.

“Despite all of this, we gather today in joy and hope,” he said. “We cheer on our classmates, whose achievements give hope to the world — what a gift you are. We cheer on the endeavor that we are all committed to at Carleton: celebrating the truth of learning and freedom and curiosity and wisdom and justice that this place represents. The world needs that now more than ever.”

In a further celebration of Carleton talent, this year’s Honors Convo featured two musical performances by senior students — the Carleton String Quartet (Kyle Machalec ’25, violin; Kara Achilles ’25, violin; Finley Sebert ’25, viola; and Rachel Gregg ’25, cello) performed a Shostakovich movement, and Carleton’s concerto competition winner Prompt Eua-anant ’25 performed a Chopin étude. 

Carleton students were the recipients of more than 80 prizes, fellowships, honor society inductions, and awards in 2025. Due to the scale of achievement, this piece will only highlight some awards; the full list of honorees is available on the Honors Convo website. 

This year, three Carleton seniors were awarded Thomas J. Watson Fellowships to engage in a year of independent study abroad. Mitch Porter ’25, Jonah Docter-Loeb ’25, and Victoria Semmelhack ’25 will spend their fellowships, respectively, investigating ecological memory in places of environmental loss, delving into the complexities of beaver–human dynamics, and engaging in maternal healthcare policy and Indigenous childbirth knowledge. 

Narjis Nusaibah ’26 received this year’s Projects for Peace grant, awarded to students who have designed their own grassroots projects for peace around the globe. Nusaibah’s project is dedicated to facilitating breast cancer screenings and awareness programs in Bangladesh.

Anna Ursin ’25 was awarded the Rotary Foundation Global Grant Fellowship to pursue a Master’s of Philosophy in the Population Health Sciences program at the University of Cambridge, continuing her pursuit of public health studies and medicine. 

Due to ongoing circumstances in international affairs and higher education, this year’s Fulbright awards are still waiting for final confirmation; however, Carleton proudly celebrated all 25 Fulbright semi-finalists at Honors Convo. This year’s semi-finalists are: Amelia Asfaw ’25, Jens Bartel ’25, Max Borden ’25, Aurora Davis ’25, Sadie DiCarlo ’25, Loren Friedman ’25, Akash Ganguly ’25, Markus Gunadi ’25, Malachy Guzman ’25, Kaori Hirano ’25, Olivia Ho ’25, Ellis Kondrashov ’25, Oliver Licht ’25, Caroline Loescher ’25, Katie O’Leary ’25, Mitch Porter ’25, Ashley Rosenberg ’25, Melina Sasaki-Uemura ’25, Victoria Semmelhack ’25, Charlie Solomon ’25, Henry Stier ’25, Sammie Ulicny ’25, Kate Ulrich ’25, Anna Ursin ’25, and Aaron Zivsak ’25. This year’s Fulbright Canada-MITACS Globalink internships — prestigious opportunities for students to participate in research at Canadian universities — were awarded to Aroma Chanda ’27 and Arielle Szycher ’26. 

Carleton also celebrated the induction of 46 members into the Mortar Board national honor society, and 87 to the Phi Beta Kappa national honorary scholastic fraternity.

Carleton Student Association (CSA) President Vivian Agugo ’26 celebrated the accomplishments of Carleton students past and present in her remarks on the nature of Carleton students. After highlighting Carleton’s 2010 world record for “the largest group spoon” (check out the time lapse from Nate Ryan ’10), she centered the hard work, ingenuity, and tenacity of Carleton students. 

“You are not just students,” she said, “you are artists, researchers, organizers, dreamers, and doers. You’ve pushed boundaries, redefined excellence, and yes, survived ten weeks that move faster than time itself!”

With 506 total volunteers over the decades, Carleton currently has seven alumni serving in six countries around the world: Cambodia, Kenya, Kosovo, Morocco, Namibia, and Paraguay.

Over the last six decades, more than 240,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 144 countries around the world. Through service, the Peace Corps equips its alumni with adaptive leadership, intercultural competence, and problem-solving skills that are highly valued by employers across federal, state, and local governments; nonprofits; and the private sector.

“Colleges and universities from across the nation are providing us their talented alumni to serve in countries around the globe,” said Peace Corps CEO Allison Greene. “These top-ranked schools understand the transformative power of public service and human connection. The Peace Corps builds invaluable intercultural communication skills, a broadened worldview, and adaptive leadership qualities needed in the American workforce today.” 

Peace Corps volunteers serve in six programmatic sectors: education, health, environment, agriculture, youth development, and community economic development. These service opportunities allow them to apply their unique skills — and learn new ones — while supporting community-led development around the world. Additionally, the Peace Corps offers unique career advantages, providing volunteers with global perspectives and skills highly valued in an interconnected society.

The Peace Corps invites U.S. Americans from all backgrounds who embody the spirit of service and a commitment to cross-cultural understanding to apply for Peace Corps service. The next application deadline is July 1, 2025. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online and take the first step toward a transformative experience contributing to world peace and friendship. Visit peacecorps.gov/bold to learn more about Peace Corps volunteer service and how to connect with communities in over 60 countries to help build a better world.

About the Peace Corps

The Peace Corps sends passionate and talented American volunteers abroad to collaborate with community members on projects that advance both American and local priorities. Volunteers build relationships, model democratic values, and make a lasting impact in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development. The Peace Corps equips volunteers with valuable leadership, management, and language skills that make them assets to the U.S. workforce and strengthen America’s economic competitiveness at home and abroad. Since 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in 144 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov.

Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.

Check out the latest NYT Best Sellers.

Read the full announcement.

Faculty Curricular Planning Committee Grants

• Sarah Anthony (French and Francophone studies) and Vera Coleman (Spanish): to support the development of a training program for language TAs in French and Spanish, with the goal of improving student learning and promoting inclusion in French and Spanish language courses.
• Lin Deng and Shaohua Guo (Asian languages and literatures): to develop online placement testing and update language learning tools for beginning and intermediate Chinese language courses.
• Steven Drew (chemistry): to develop a laboratory course on the chemistry of renewable energy.
• Jade Hoyer ’07 and Conor McGrann (art and art history) and Rachel Horness (chemistry): to support the project, “The Chemistry of Lithography: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Printmaking Art.”
• Jake Morton (classics) and Caroline Turnage-Butterbaugh (mathematics and statistics): to design the interdisciplinary course, Mathematics and the Ancient Mediterranean World.
• Anna Rafferty (computer science): to support collaborative work with computer science faculty on reenvisioning peer instruction in introductory computer science.
• Kaz Skubi ’11 and Chris Calderone (chemistry): to support collaborative work on designing a greener organic chemistry teaching lab.
• Christina Farhart (political science and international relations) and Ethan Struby (economics): to support the development of a new interdisciplinary course on political and economic beliefs.

Ethical Inquiry Grants

• Chielo Eze (Africana studies): to design a new syllabus as part of ongoing revision of the Africana studies program curriculum.
• Chumie Juni (religion): to develop the new course, Religion and Food.

Created in 2020, the Paglia Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellowship is made possible by Carleton alum Cathy James Paglia ’74 and her husband, Louis Paglia.

Introducing the Class of 2025 Paglia Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellows:

Aiden Lesneski ’25

Lesneski, a chemistry major with a biochemistry minor who has also served as a grader and teaching assistant at Carleton, will join the E. James Petersson group at the University of Pennsylvania. Under Petersson’s mentorship, Lesneski will study neurodegenerative processes associated with several diseases and potential enzyme-based therapeutic interventions. Lesneski’s previous summer experience at the University of Utah School of Medicine, along with his Carleton coursework, excited his interest in research and developed his confidence; two years at the University of Pennsylvania as a Paglia Fellow will prepare him well for entry into a top PhD program in chemistry.

“As a Paglia Fellow in the Petersson Lab at Penn, I’ll be in a collaborative research environment that will provide me with invaluable opportunities for networking and mentorship from scientists across disciplines — from chemistry and biophysics to radiology and surgery. I’ll gain hands-on experience in bioorganic and chemical biology techniques I’ve learned about in the classroom, but most importantly, I’ll participate in research that aims to directly improve the lives of humans.”

Audrey Parrott ’25

Parrott, a chemistry major who has also served as a tutor and the health officer for Carleton’s D-I Syzygy Ultimate team, will join the Filippo Mancia group at Columbia University. Under Mancia’s mentorship, Parrott will study the role of membrane proteins in drug resistance, with particular reference to antimalarials. Parrott’s previous research at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, and work with chemistry professor Deborah Gross at Carleton, have prepared her to enter Mancia’s dynamic group, where she will gain deeper exposure to the entire research process. Two years at Columbia University as a Paglia Fellow will enable Parrott to understand which subfield of biochemistry interests her and gain admission to a top PhD program.

“I am super excited to learn and apply more biochemical lab techniques to real-world problems. I am also eager to take advantage of all of the opportunities the Columbia and New York City scientific communities have to offer, such as seminars and conferences.”

Elias Tannira ’25

Tannira, a double major in physics and mathematics, will join the Luis M.A. Bettencourt group at the University of Chicago. Bettencourt’s specialization in ecology and evolution makes his group the ideal place for Tannira to explore his interest in applying techniques from his two majors to biological and social phenomena. At Carleton, Tannira has engaged in research with physics professors Marty Baylor and Arjendu Pattanayak, alongside his role as a teaching assistant in mathematics. A three-week research experience in Bettencourt’s group during Winter Break 2024 introduced Tannira to the variety of topics available to him for more extensive engagement as a Paglia Fellow. Two years at the University of Chicago will help him clarify his disciplinary direction and gain admission to a top PhD program in his field of choice. 

“Due to the theoretical nature of my research, I will spend a lot of time learning theories in biophysics and theoretical ecology that synthesize and build on the courses I took during my time at Carleton. I’m excited to conduct the necessary readings to build up this knowledge and put it to use by working on unanswered questions. I am also looking forward to attending seminars and lectures on current research and working amongst dedicated and passionate investigators.”

The James-Paglia family has a long history of supporting Carleton initiatives, including construction of Carleton’s integrated science facility, Evelyn M. Anderson Hall. Cathy, Louis, and the Robert and Ardis James Foundation established a $20 million matching fund to make the project possible.

Enz was inspired by the program’s unique opportunity to receive extensive classroom instruction in Swahili while being immersed in Tanzanian culture. 

“I’m excited to live with a host family, interact with language partners, and develop meaningful relationships during my time in Arusha,” Enz said.

For Enz, language is a powerful way of experiencing new cultures. 

“I’ve always been curious about the world and interested in talking to and learning from the people around me,” she said. “Language study expands my ability to connect with people from various countries and broadens my perspectives on the world.” 

Enz traveled to Tanzania last spring when she studied abroad with Associate Professor of History Thabiti Willis on the Carleton off-campus studies (OCS) program History, Culture, and Commerce: Africa and Arabia. Enz stayed with a host family in Zanzibar for five weeks, which pushed her to learn more Swahili. 

“My host mom didn’t speak English, so my roommates and I researched vocabulary and grammar in order to speak with her at meals,” Enz said. “Through our basic understanding of Swahili, we bonded with her over our attempts to communicate and laughed at our grammatical mistakes. This was one of the most rewarding aspects of my OCS program and planted the seed for me to begin studying Swahili in a more formal setting.” 

Enz plans to return to East Africa after graduating from Carleton to continue her language study, with the goal of eventually working for an immigration law center.

“Knowledge of Arabic and Swahili will be critical to communicate directly with immigrants and refugees in their native language and better understand their experiences,” she said.

Students interested in applying for future CLS programs may consult with the Office of Student Fellowships.

Mitch Porter ’25

Porter will travel to places experiencing ecological loss to investigate environmental memory and the response of communities to ecological change. Each of his planned destinations face a unique environmental challenge, from flooding in the coastal neighborhoods of Jakarta, to deforestation in the rainforests of Borneo, to the rewilding of brown bears in central Italy and deglaciation in Greenland. 

An environmental studies and Latin American studies double major, Porter was inspired to apply for the fellowship when he heard Associate Professor of Anthropology Constanza Ocampo-Raeder, who was also a recipient of the fellowship, describe it as a formative experience. Porter has researched medicinal plant species in Mexico with Ocampo-Raeder. He also studied abroad in Argentina, an experience that developed into his senior comps project on the creation of marine protected areas in the region. 

“I really wanted to keep asking the questions that I’ve been asking,” said Porter. “What is climate change and what is environmental change, but also how do people respond and what does it actually mean for them? What does it mean to live in a world that’s constantly changing?”

Porter is excited to spend a year in “some of the most vulnerable but also most beautiful places on Earth,” and experience places where he doesn’t speak the language.

“It’s an insane privilege to get to do in the first place,” he said. “One of my biggest realizations at Carleton has been that most of the knowledge about big issues is already out there. I hope to learn from other people who are living these sorts of experiences and think about these things on a daily basis.”

Jonah Docter-Loeb ’25

Docter-Loeb will also use the fellowship to explore environmental issues, but through the lens of a creature he’s become familiar with during his time at Carleton: beavers.

Docter-Loeb will explore people’s relationships with beavers in Norway, Britain, Canada, Chile, and Argentina. He’ll explore topics such as how people work with beavers, work against beavers, and how beavers connect with conservation goals and landscape change.

“Each of these countries has unique social, historical, economic, and ecological landscapes that shape how beavers are managed and what role they play in conservation,” he said. That ranges from places where beavers are abundant, to places where they are being reintroduced after extirpation, to places where invasive beavers are reshaping landscapes unused to them.

“In every case, beavers find a way to lodge themselves into the center of complex environmental conversations,” Docter-Loeb said. The fellowship will allow him to chew on the global impacts of beavers (pun intended).

“Beavers are unique in how they challenge people’s visions for landscapes,” Docter-Loeb explained. “They’re a catalyst for these larger conversations about what we want our relationships to landscapes to look like in this increasingly changing world.” 

Docter-Loeb became passionate about beavers during his sophomore year after getting to know local trapper Mike Smith, who was hired by Carleton to kill beavers in Lyman Lakes (it’s illegal to relocate live beavers in the state of Minnesota, so trapping has become one of the only available options).

“His kindness and openness to sharing his craft inspired me to dive deeper into this issue and keep an open mind to people who commune with the natural world in ways unfamiliar to an urbanite like myself,” Docter-Loeb said. 

Docter-Loeb has since conducted an independent study on beaver management and environmental ethics; initiated and organized Beaver Fest, a now-annual Carleton tradition celebrating and educating about beavers on campus; and traveled to Washington state to speak with people involved in beaver restoration.

During his Watson Fellowship, Docter-Loeb plans to wrestle with the big questions that beavers pose about humans’ relationships to the land and each other. He’s also excited to watch beavers and build relationships with the people and landscapes he encounters.

Victoria Semmelhack ’25

Semmelhack will travel to Ghana, India, Australia, and Norway to explore childbirth knowledge and maternal healthcare policy. 

“My content is structured around two main themes,” she said. “The first is looking at how Indigenous childbirth knowledge and the more westernized hospital-based system interact. All four countries have a long history of colonization and I’m really intrigued by how that manifests itself in their actual birth practices.” 

“Another component is the rural aspect of it,” she added. “A lot of these populations are located in really rural locations, and these countries have a difficult time getting adequate maternal healthcare to them. I’m looking at how these countries provide that and the challenges in these rural areas.”

Semmelhack has had a long-running interest in birth. 

“It’s this fascinating intersection of a variety of different aspects of society,” she said. As a double major in history and sociology and anthropology, she challenged herself to end every term with a final project related to birth. 

“I was able to study the topic of birth across a variety of time periods, cultures, and societies,” she said. “The Watson Fellowship just felt like a really natural extension of that personal challenge of mine; and a really fun one at that, because I love traveling and seeing new things.”

While researching birth experiences in southern Appalachia for her senior comps project, Semmelhack discovered the value of talking with people about the topic and immersing herself in the field.

“The experience made me really excited for the Watson, where the whole year is just talking to people and meeting people,” she said. “There’s no better way to learn about this topic.”

Semmelhack said her ultimate goal is to affect maternal healthcare policy in the United States, and she plans to pursue a PhD in public health or sociology.

“This is an experience that will definitely show me whether or not this is the path that I should pursue, and I don’t think it will show me otherwise,” she said. “I’m excited to bolster my excitement for pursuing higher education and policy work.”

Learn more about the Watson Fellowship and how to apply on Carleton’s Student Fellowships website.

The 10 fellows in this second-ever leadership cohort were selected from 14 of ACM’s partner colleges for their demonstrated leadership capabilities, commitment to diversity and inclusive equity, and the potential for a transformative impact at their institution. Each fellow will lead a set of responsibilities as outlined by their college’s senior leadership, in addition to participating in leadership development workshops and convenings with their cohort.

At Carleton, Brückmann’s ultimate goals for her leadership projects include strengthening the humanities, expanding collaborative work among interdisciplinary programs that study various facets of intersectionality, and supporting Carleton’s Community Plan for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. 

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial aspects of knowledge production and of social discourse; it will thus be one of my central goals to enhance the visibility of these interdisciplinary programs and their expertise,” Brückmann said. “Closely connected is a second project that aims at further improving the retention and recruitment of historically underrepresented faculty and fostering a sense of community.”

She will work directly with Carleton faculty — “especially faculty who contribute so importantly to our interdisciplinary programs that study racialization, ethnicity, and intersectionality,” Brückmann said — along with the Office of the Provost, including associate provost Yansi Pérez; the Division of Inclusion, Equity, and Community; and various campus affinity groups at Carleton.

Brückmann is most looking forward to working with colleagues across multiple departments, programs, and divisions, as well as conversations with other leadership fellows and opportunities to directly engage with important topics.

“Especially during a time in which ‘DEI’ has become remarkably controversial,” Brückmann said, “I am delighted to take more responsibility for topics that are not only of importance to me but to academia — and society writ large — more broadly.”

As an ACM Academic Leadership Fellow, Brückmann will enter into dialogue with other emerging leaders not only at ACM and its member schools, but also the Associated Colleges of the South and the New York Six. She is excited about the work that the ACM fellowship will allow her to do. 

“I am honored to be part of this fellowship, and I am very appreciative to have the time, space, and support to really delve into these projects,” Brückmann said.

Read the full announcement.

Learn more about the 2024 Teachers of the Year.

Jonathan Capehart ’89 received the Beacon of Courage Award during the Human Rights Campaign’s inaugural Guardians of Truth journalism award ceremony. He was honored for his “long-standing commitment to covering politics through a lens of visibility, equity, and truth.”

Throughout my career, I’ve striven to show up as my full, authentic self in every aspect of life — in newsrooms, in front of the camera, and beyond. I have always used the platforms my work gives me to shed light on the stories and the people in my communities and beyond that perhaps don’t always make national headlines or make any headlines at all. I am proud of the work I have done and the work I will continue to do in this space and I will always cover those in power without fear or favor.

— Jonathan Capehart ’89

Learn more about Capehart and other awardees from The Advocate.