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.

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.

“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.

“My Spanish major opened up the world to me, from Morelia, Mexico in 1992 with HH [Humberto Huergo, professor of Spanish] to the Peace Corps in Guinea-Bissau, and then to a Spanish linguistics program in Illinois,” Mancini said. “It has connected me with people from all over — The Basque Country! Colombia! Cuba! Uruguay! — and there’s always something new to learn and a different way to think. Everywhere I go there are good people. What a treasure.”

“My Spanish major has exposed me to literature and films that have expanded my world many times over and introduced me to people who are resisting oppressive systems in an incredible variety of ways,” Snowbeck said. “Spanish has endowed me with a political imagination and challenged me to envision a better world in the tradition of a myriad of scholars and people who have done so before me.”

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.

“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.

2025 marks Russ’s 50th year at Carleton. Originally arriving on campus under a Funds for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) Grant, Russ knew early on that he’d found something special. 

“I didn’t think I would ever leave really. Right when I started, I thought this is going to be what I want to do for as long as I continue working,” Russ recalled, right thumb tracing circles against his other fingers, as if turning over a fond memory. “Yeah, I said this is ideal. This is an ideal position for me.”

Before coming to Carleton, Russ worked for the United Farm Workers’ Union during the Grape Boycott in Montreal, Canada, and served as a Peace Corps math teacher in Moshi, Tanzania. Prior to that, he was a math major with a physics minor at St. Olaf. He started college thinking he’d become a ceramics engineer, but as he kept taking math classes, Russ got hooked on logic. 

Explaining why he chose math over physics, Russ said, “I backed into it because I was curious to know where the formulas in physics came from and how we derived those formulas.”

This pursuit of deep understanding is also what Russ hopes to instill in students. 

“The reward I get, you know, is when somebody realizes how to do that problem,” he said. “That person walks away smiling, saying, ‘Oh, now I can do another problem just like that.’” 

This, he emphasized, is what he loves about tutoring: “It’s the feeling that you’ve helped somebody. Every time you work with someone, it’s a different experience.”

Scattered around the lab are puzzles and curious objects that Russ has collected from garage sales over the years. He laughed when asked about them, saying he likes to challenge students. Russ loves his job not just because it lets him do math, but also because it lets him share math with others. In his patient voice, he reflected: “It’s more about the person. Yeah. It’s all about the person.”

Russ is not only the soul of the Math Skills Center; he’s also a legend in the physical education, athletics, and recreation (PEAR) department. Since 1989, besides teaching bright-eyed students how to integrate, he’s also been instructing aerobics. 

“I cannot keep up with him,” is what 20-year-olds have been telling each other for decades after an evening of doing step aerobics with Russ. His aerobics classes have even been used in official College marketing materials — just check out a series of four promo videos he did when Carleton adopted the OneCard 14 years ago! Going Places with the OneCard, Get Your OneCard, Control Your Schillers, and Russ Returns: Dining Dollars vs. Schillers were obviously smash hits on YouTube.

When asked if he sees a connection between this sport and math, Russ just laughed and shook his head. 

“With math, I’m getting intellectual stimulation, and then during my aerobics class, I’m getting physical activity,” he said. 

If Russ likes math for its logic, he likes aerobics for its synchrony. 

“It’s like dancing!” Russ exclaimed. “I’m getting the best of both worlds here, you know.”

Fifty years is a long time, but whenever Russ talks about math or tutoring, his blue eyes still light up, sharp with enthusiasm. 

“I love what I do,” he said. “You know, it gives me fulfillment. It gives me satisfaction.” 

Smiling as always, Russ says there are three things he thinks every Carl should know: “Learn math. Come to the Math Skills Center. Everyone can do it.”

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.

Carleton is the only college in the country sending four teams to the competition; the College also garnered that rare distinction in 2024 and 2021.

See the full list of this year’s qualifiers from USA Ultimate, and follow CUT, Syzygy, CHOP, and Eclipse on Instagram to stay up-to-date on all things D-I and D-III Ultimate at Carleton.

Read or listen to the full story.

Caldwell was enthusiastic to gain the unique perspective of a judge. 

“I thought it was just the most incredible opportunity to be able to work with a judge,” she said. “I had already experienced the law from the other side of the podium after an externship with an attorney, but understanding the thought process behind each decision — and not just the three or four cases the attorney was working on, but hundreds of cases — seemed fascinating.”

Daily life

Manning’s specific focus on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) intrigued Colindrez, as he’s interested in judicial hearings aimed at healing the deep wound caused by colonizers against Native Americans. Despite this specific focus, though, the day always held something new for each intern. 

The daily tasks “fluctuated a lot,” said Sinha. Manning kept his interns on their toes with hearings, guests, lunch meetings, and question-and-answer sessions at the end of the day. 

“Some days we were observing expungements, or custody hearings, and other days we attended jury trials, or housing court,” said Caldwell. “There was something that surprised me every day.” 

Caldwell appreciated the surprises as moments to learn and grow. The interns were not confined to Manning’s courtroom, instead exploring all that Hennepin Courthouse had to offer.

“We observed a murder trial that lasted for one or two weeks, seeing how the juries were playing a role,” said Colindrez. “Then we got a really good view of how legal documents are made and how they are very concise.” By shadowing a judge, the interns were able to gain an insider’s perspective. 

It was not all work, though! The group also bonded during and after work hours.

“Having a larger group of interns my age to collaborate with was really fun,” Caldwell said. “We went to trivia, politely argued about cases, and got lunch once in a while… There’s a lot of discussion that happened in our little shared office.”

“It’s a really good community, with very respectful, very fun people,” Colindrez added. “It felt very inclusive.” He reflected that the inclusivity ranged beyond just race and gender, also including perspectives, life backgrounds, and majors, which he found very helpful when developing opinions after a difficult case.

Lessons learned

“Learning how to accept ambiguity and incompleteness has been useful,” said Caldwell. “Sometimes cases are going to have gaps, or checklists aren’t going to fit cases the way they’re meant to. It’s frustrating! It was hard for me to move past the concept of ‘reasonable doubt’ in unanimous juries, or to reason through a conclusion when I still had conflicting opinions on how it ‘should’ end. Manning really pushes us to reach a conclusion despite these issues, because that’s what he has to do. It’s something that bothers me endlessly and something I greatly appreciate learning.” 

“It’s really rewarding and exciting to see the smiles on the kids’ faces, knowing that they are going to be in a better place,” Colindrez added. “They’ll be able to heal. For me, what gets me excited is also the attorneys. You just see these people advocate for the kids. It’s very nice to see that there are people that are actually willing to do that, because it’s not an easy job.”

Internship host

Manning has consistently hosted interns over the years in an effort to “pay it forward” to other Carls, acknowledging that he has been the “beneficiary of a lot of good experiences and generous mentors” in his life and hopes to fill that role for others now. 

“Just as I was helped by mentors, I want to do that work, too,” said Manning — and his interns had only nice things to say about him, emphasizing his willingness to make time after a long day to answer questions and provide advice.

“Judge Manning is just an incredible internship supervisor,” said Caldwell. “I was really impressed by how invested he was in making sure we were able to get the most out of our internship.”

Who should apply next year?

“People who like to be pushed on their perspectives would be a good fit for this internship,” Caldwell said, “and anyone who cares deeply about other people who have been systematically marginalized by our legal system. You don’t need to be pre-law or a mock trial participant, just someone who’s willing to listen and learn.” 

This was a value often expressed by Manning as well, as he encouraged his interns to consider ways besides becoming a lawyer that they could achieve their goals and help their community.

Welcomed by Carleton’s newly re-chartered chapter of the national Alexander Hamilton Society (AHS), Prikk brought good humor and expert knowledge to address the intricacies of U.S.–Europe foreign policy, while offering a unique Estonian perspective on these issues. Prikk wove his talk through historical and contemporary issues that pertain to Estonia and Europe as a whole, addressing the importance of NATO, the war in Ukraine, and the impacts of Soviet and Nazi occupation on the country.

Prikk dedicated a significant portion of his time to answering student questions, which in classic Carleton style could have lasted more than an hour beyond the end of his talk. He eloquently answered students’ inquiries on a range of topics, from security spending to Estonia’s humanitarian efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa. Prikk only departed from campus when a large blizzard began developing, bringing a truly Minnesotan conclusion to his lecture.

For most present, Prikk’s talk provided one thought-provoking afternoon; for AHS members, however, the event had been long in the works. I had the pleasure of speaking with Jimmy Huang ’28, the club’s vice president, to discuss the AHS, the event, and more.

While Carleton’s chapter of the AHS was originally founded in 2019, it was disbanded in 2022 after a few years of eventful work. In Huang’s opinion, the AHS serves a crucial role in Carleton’s community.

“There isn’t as much foreign policy-oriented discussion at Carleton in the more casual sense,” he said. “You’ll be able to talk in classes with your professors, but it’s a much different space; people don’t always get the time, or feel comfortable sharing. We wanted to open up a forum for that at Carleton. We are hosting round tables and providing speaker events to contextualize [this] conversation we are having.”

Furthermore, the national organizations’ nonprofit and nonpartisan orientations differentiate the society from many of Carleton’s other local organizations, as the national body of the AHS provides funds to participating chapters, which help support hosting events like Prikk’s talk. Huang indicated that the event was multi-dimensional, though, with planning and support from Carleton’s political science department, the German and Russian department, and President Alison Byerly herself. 

As the event proved a smashing success, the AHS continues to look toward their goals as the chapter regains steam. Huang’s hope is that more students will participate in AHS round tables and talks. 

“U.S. policy is a global player, and I think it will continue to be, so being informed and able to create your own opinions based on the information that’s available is, I think, critical,” he said. “We’re opening up that opportunity to Carleton students.” 

To find out more about Carleton’s chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society, check out their Instagram!

By means of this brief, the Presidents’ Alliance supports the AAUP’s motion for a preliminary injunction to safeguard academic freedom and halt large-scale arrests, detentions, and deportations of students and faculty engaged in constitutionally–protected activities. The brief was drafted by Selendy Gay PLLC.

The amicus brief underscores how recent efforts targeting international students and other noncitizen campus members have created a climate of fear and uncertainty on U.S. campuses, chilling the free exchange of ideas and isolating international students and scholars. Left unchecked, this environment will deter international students  from choosing U.S. colleges and universities, undermining the interests of both the nation and its academic communities. The brief further argues that U.S. students will lose out on global perspectives and enriched learning experiences, while institutions themselves will suffer declining enrollment, the loss of talented students and scholars, and diminished academic collaboration and discovery. On a broader scale, the policy is positioned to harm the U.S. economy, stifle innovation, and intensify “brain drain” as top talent looks elsewhere for educational and research opportunities—ultimately jeopardizing the global competitiveness and leadership of American higher education.

Read the full announcement and amicus brief from the Presidents’ Alliance.

“Public service is very important to Max. He does not just get involved himself, he builds pathways for others to deepen their knowledge and leadership, too,” said Sinda Nichols ’05, CCCE director. “His work in the CCCE is clearly more than just a campus job to him, and I have no doubt that his sincere and humble commitment to democracy will continue.”

A recent survey from CIRCLE found that 48 percent of under-35 youth who did not vote in 2024 heard little or nothing at all about how to vote, compared to the 15 percent of under-35 youth who cast their ballots. By integrating nonpartisan voter registration and education into campus life, colleges and universities can have a measurable impact in encouraging students to become active and engaged citizens.

“Whether they hosted nonpartisan voter registration drives or early voting celebrations, the students honored today made sure their peers did not sleep in on Election Day,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, executive director of ALL IN. “With 100,000 local elections happening across the country in 2025, ALL IN students continue to ensure that everyone on their campuses has the information they need to cast their ballot. The 232 Student Voting Honor Roll honorees lead by example, making nonpartisan voter participation a lifelong habit for themselves and their peers.” 

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student civic engagement. With the support of the ALL IN staff, campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, voter participation, and ongoing engagement in democracy on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge engages more than 1,000 institutions enrolling over 10 million students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join the challenge on the ALL IN website.

About ALL IN

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student civic engagement. Through an intentionally designed program that provides structure, support, and recognition, ALL IN works to improve civic learning, voter participation, and ongoing engagement in democracy at more than 1,000 campuses nationwide. ALL IN believes higher education should play a role in developing an active and informed citizenry by educating students, motivating them to engage in American democracy, and instilling the value of lifelong participation. ALL IN is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn more on the ALL IN website.

About Civic Nation

Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders, and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, We The Action, and When We All Vote. Learn more on the Civic Nation website.

“It transformed my view of health and medicine,” she said. “In exploring the belief systems, institutions, and stakeholders of healthcare, I gained an appreciation for the social and community factors that shape disease prevalence, treatment, and outcomes. At my first taste of population health, I was captivated.”

This spring, Ursin will graduate with an interdisciplinary special major in Public Health Studies, the first in Carleton’s history and the result of a year of applications and petitioning. When she talked to Marynel Ryan Van Zee, director of student fellowships and lecturer in history, about next steps, they came to the same conclusion: Ursin should apply for the Rotary Foundation Global Grant Fellowship to fund a year of further education abroad before returning to the U.S. for medical school. 

The Rotary Foundation Global Grant Fellowship gives recipients the freedom to choose what and where they want to study, as long as they align with one of the Rotary Foundation’s areas of focus: Promoting peace; Fighting disease; Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; saving mothers and children; Supporting education; Growing local economies; and Protecting the environment.

In her search for programs that would fit the fellowship, Ursin discovered that multiple schools in the UK offered one-year intensive master’s programs tailored to recent undergrads. The University of Cambridge, with its Population Health Sciences program, soon emerged as her top choice, offering a “rigorous academic environment with world-class faculty and unparalleled resources.”

Ursin was awarded the Rotary Foundation Global Grant Fellowship to study at Cambridge, where she will earn a Master’s of Philosophy (MPhil) in Population Health Sciences with a concentration in Global Health, which she says is a natural progression of her studies at Carleton.

“Carleton’s liberal arts curriculum was the catalyst for my passion for public health,” Ursin said. “I explored diverse disciplines, particularly sociology and anthropology, which revealed the interconnectedness of health, society, and culture — an insight I would never have gleaned from STEM coursework alone.”

The College’s trimester system has also been essential, Ursin says, as the six-week winter break allowed her to travel to Ethiopia to study the intersection of cooking practices and chronic lung disease; she even returned to Addis Ababa the following year as a Larson Fellow to research paternalism in the treatment of women’s pelvic pain care for her senior COMPs project. Most recently, she participated in a Carleton-sponsored externship in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, contributing to public health development in the Indigenous Kichwa community. 

“Carleton’s rich alumni network also opened doors to valuable and relevant research opportunities,” Ursin said. “Currently, I’m analyzing interviews on attitudes toward cancer treatment in Uganda in collaboration with an alum at Harvard Medical School.”

The Carleton alumni network also introduced Ursin to Partners in Global Surgery, a Mayo Clinic coalition that runs otolaryngology surgical training programs in sub-Saharan Africa. As part of the group, Ursin contributes to research on the sustainability of global surgery partnerships in low-income countries.

“The supportive Carleton community has been instrumental in my growth,” Ursin said. “I am deeply grateful for the experiences that challenged me to think critically across disciplines, embrace academic rigor, and ultimately create a specialized major to pursue my passions with depth and purpose.”

The University of Cambridge’s interdisciplinary focus on translational research will be a great fit for Ursin after her experience at Carleton. Her master’s program will prepare her to craft research proposals, evaluate population-level risks, and mobilize research for creative interventions — all invaluable skills as she prepares for a career in global surgery.

“I envision a career that combines clinical practice and surgical innovation at an academic medical center. Semiannually, I hope to travel to underserved regions to lead short-term training programs for local healthcare providers,” Ursin said. “In parallel, I aim to oversee longitudinal outcomes research to evaluate the long-term impact and sustainability of these surgical partnerships.”

Before she pursues those ultimate goals, however, Ursin is very much looking forward to her time at Cambridge, where she’s eager to immerse herself in such a cerebral environment.

“Pursuing a degree abroad promises a transformative experience, pushing me beyond my comfort zone and fostering personal growth,” Ursin said. “Coming to Carleton from a rural, homogeneous town, I was inspired by the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of my peers. I believe I will replicate — and even expand on — that experience at Cambridge, a truly global community that attracts students from around the world.”

While Ursin is sad to say goodbye to Carleton’s beloved traditions when she graduates, she is equally excited to embrace new ones at Cambridge, where she has been placed at Trinity College – the most prestigious of the university’s 31 colleges.

“Come October, I will be punting along the River Cam in wooden boats, participating in secret societies, and attending Formal Halls, the weekly black-tie dinners held in each college’s grand dining hall,” Ursin said. “I hope to take full advantage of Europe’s accessible train and flight networks to explore new countries with new comrades during weekends and academic breaks.”

Ursin is also interested in connecting with the Rotary Club of Cambridge during her time abroad, and staying involved with the organization beyond her education. 

“As a global health student, my passions align with Rotary’s mission to improve health equity and foster sustainable development,” Ursin said. “It is meaningful to me that my education is supported by an organization committed to creating a healthier, more equitable world. I am honored to join Rotary’s global network.”

Throughout her application process, Ursin worked closely with Gary Campbell and Chris Weber from the Rotary Club of Northfield, who provided “invaluable feedback” and guided her through each step.

“I am also indebted to Marynel [Ryan Van Zee], who tirelessly supported me through seven different fellowship applications this past fall,” Ursin said. “I’m also profoundly grateful to those who advised me throughout this process, including Pamela Feldman-Savelsberg, Annette Nierobisz, Deborah Gross, Erica Zweifel, and Baird Jarman, whose unwavering support and thoughtful letters made this journey possible.”

Ursin has three pieces of advice for current Carls applying for fellowships. First, and perhaps most importantly, she says, connect with Marynel Ryan Van Zee.

“She is an incredible resource and excels at helping students find the fellowship or program that aligns with their goals,” Ursin said. “Her guidance truly makes all the difference.”

Second, she says, be authentic.

“Follow your curiosity and apply for fellowships that genuinely excite you,” Ursin said. “In your applications, craft a cohesive and bona fide narrative that ties together your past experiences, current passions, and future aspirations. As Carleton students, we are fortunate to explore our intellectual interests freely — the fellowship office encourages you to lean into that same spirit.”

Finally, Ursin says, embrace the process. 

“Applying for fellowships is not solely about the end goal,” Ursin said. “It is an opportunity to reflect, refine your goals, and navigate uncertainty. Trust in your experiences, and remember that meaningful growth often comes from stepping beyond the familiar.”

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

Before Martha-Elizabeth Baylor went to Kenyon College in Ohio, she was planning to study paleontology. When she got there, though, that major wasn’t an option. “I identify as first generation, and I didn’t know anything about college,” she says. During high school, she had done an internship at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center—not, she says, because she was interested in the program but because “my mom was like, ‘It’s a paid summer opportunity, you are going to do this.’” When Baylor had to pick a new major, she turned to physics.

After she graduated in 1998, Baylor spent a few years teaching middle and high school physics and working at NASA Goddard. She then went on to earn a physics PhD in 2007 from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Now a physics professor at Carleton College in Minnesota, Baylor teaches and does research on optical signal processing and photopolymers. Over the past few years, she has developed what she calls the Practicing Professionalism Framework, through which she weaves skills and confidence-building into her courses to benefit students in their working lives. One aim is to change students’ perceptions so that they see physics as a cooperative, communal space where people have multiple interests. The approach, she says, can be adapted to different curricula and teaching styles.

Read the full piece.

The rankings were covered by the blog Radio Survivor, which also included a link to a blog story from 2015 about a KRLX tour one of the website’s writers went on.

Gomez-Palmer spent last summer studying Egyptian Vultures in Tarifa, Spain as part of an internship with the nonprofit Fundación Migres and Boise State University’s Raptor Research Center. In addition to conducting field work such as seabird counts, songbird banding, and raptor trapping, Gomez-Palmer researched the behavioral ecology of Egyptian Vultures, an endangered species that suffer high mortality from the many wind turbines along the Strait of Gibraltar in southern Spain. 

“Scientists have put up feeding sites further inland to try to lure them away from the turbines to reduce mortality,” explained Gomez-Palmer. “They have cameras set up at the two feeding sites and they asked me if I would be interested in analyzing the camera footage. And I was like, ‘Absolutely!’” 

This led to a mixture of field work and statistical analysis of more than 50,000 trail camera photos as Gomez-Palmer studied the behaviors of the vultures at the feeding sites and their interactions with other species that visit. 

“I created a giant spreadsheet of detailed observations, it was probably over a thousand rows,” she said.

Although Gomez-Palmer hadn’t heard of Egyptian Vultures before the project, her interest in birds was not new. She founded Carleton Birders, Carleton’s only birding club, in the spring of her freshman year. She now leads bird walks, hosts ornithologists on campus, and helps engage students in anything and everything bird-related. 

Her love of birds drove her search for an internship the summer after her sophomore year. 

“I googled ‘Spain bird internship’ because I have family in Spain and I love birds, and this was the first thing that popped up,” she said. Although the deadline to apply was two days after she found the position, she managed to pull together letters of recommendation and submit an application just in time. 

Gomez-Palmer had done some research with anole lizards in Professor of Biology Matt Rand’s lab, monitored snakes in the Anderson basement, and took Behavioral Ecology with Senior Lecturer in Biology Annie Bosacker, which she said “got her hooked.” But she had never researched birds before. She was also interested in experiencing how research abroad differed from the U.S. 

“There were many stark contrasts,” she said. “Even the common names of all the animals are completely different.” 

She also noticed differences in the style of her mentors. 

“The way they share information is more like a story instead of a lecture,” she said. “They are deeply passionate about their work and really great mentors.”

After returning from Spain, Gomez-Palmer presented her findings at a conference held by the Raptor Research Foundation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her work provided insight into interactions between Egyptian Vultures and Griffon Vultures, a larger and more hierarchically dominant species, and the timing of Egyptian Vulture visits to feeding sites. This could help inform efforts to maximize conservation using the feeding sites. 

Gomez-Palmer said it was daunting to present her work exclusively to people with PhDs in ornithology and ecology. However, this allowed her to engage in conversations at a more advanced level and meet people established in the field, such as the past president of the Raptor Research Foundation. 

“The way fellow researchers at the conference spoke with me, it was like we were immediate friends,” she said. “Everyone in the raptor and ornithology world is just so friendly. They were all in field pants and hiking boots and it was very homey.”

Gomez-Palmer recommends that anyone interested in similar research opportunities makes sure that they’re comfortable with difficult and tedious field work. 

“You need to be comfortable waking up at five in the morning sometimes to be in the muck,” she said. “And sometimes you have to be really patient. A lot of people underestimate how hard that can be.” 

But even rather hard or gruesome moments — like tying a cow to a truck, taking it up a mountain, and feeding it to vultures — can be unexpectedly inspiring. Gomez-Palmer talked about that experience with a sort of awe. 

“They ripped open a hole in the cow and their long necks were going inside, eating the stomach and all the organs,” she said. “I wasn’t really that grossed out, I just thought it was incredible. It was such an honor to be able to see that kind of behavior.” 

Gomez-Palmer said she would love to return to the feeding sites to continue her research, and she’s already thinking ahead to doing her senior comps on Egyptian Vultures.  

“As I was analyzing the footage and running it through statistical software, there were some things that I showed to the ornithologist and the scientists there, and they were like, ‘we have never seen that before,’” she said. “It just felt so cool to be able to contribute to that.”

Volunteering has always been a part of Sadie’s life. She has volunteered since 2011, planting and distributing trees with the Nashville Tree Foundation, has been a volunteer driver for Room in the Inn, worked the Nashville Shakespeare festival, helped run the Martin Arts Center at the Frist Museum, and volunteered to educate youth at Blakemore United Methodist Church. As a volunteer, she has personally planted 350 trees, spearheaded her own project with NTF to plant a fruit orchard at the Knowles Assisted Living Home, given rides to unhoused neighbors, worked shifts after school to teach children and adults painting, carving, sketching, and photography. She has even earned the title of ‘Star Greeter’ at her congregation’s service, donning a personalized badge and listing her in the services’ programs.

Learn more about the awards.

Last summer, students from various colleges and universities — including Carleton, The College of William and Mary, and Minnesota North College – Vermilion — embarked on a research trip led by Chloé Fandel, assistant professor of geology at Carleton. The project, a small-scale pilot study, focused on collecting data from springs in the Driftless Region of southeastern Minnesota. The primary goal: to understand the factors that contribute to better water quality and healthier springs in this unique area.

The Driftless Region, which spans parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois, is renowned for its unusual hydrology and topography. Unlike other parts of the Midwest, the eastern “true” Driftless was untouched by glaciers during the last Ice Age, and while the “Driftless-style” western zone possesses some glacial remnants from over half a million years ago, it also escaped the most recent glaciations unscathed. Across the region, this led to the formation of karst topography, including numerous springs. These groundwater-fed springs are crucial water quality indicators, as many residents rely on groundwater from wells for their water supply and are increasingly concerned about its quality. 

“Our Minnesota project in 2024 is a test run for something much bigger,” said Fandel. “In 2025, we will survey springs across the entire four-state Driftless Region.”

The project initially began last winter with a small team of three students and has since expanded to include a diverse group. The involvement of students is a cornerstone of this research. All the students participating were rising sophomores, many of whom were getting their first taste of hands-on research. Students bring fresh perspectives to projects, Fandel says, often asking questions that lead research in new and unexpected directions.

“One of our big goals is to give younger students an introduction to research early on to build their confidence and skills,” said Fandel.

Beyond the technical aspects, the students engaged with local communities, working with state agencies and private landowners. This interaction provides valuable learning experiences for both the students and the landowners.

“There’s a lot of informal oral history shared,” Fandel said. “Students learn how to talk to strangers, find common ground, and persist in their research efforts.”

The team’s summer mission was to visit as many springs as possible within a three-week window, ensuring consistent data collection under the same environmental conditions. At each spring, the students gathered GPS coordinates, took photos, measured water flow and quality, documented the surrounding flora and fauna, and assessed the level of human impact. Water samples were also collected for further analysis.

This research environment fosters a tight-knit community. The team lived together in rustic accommodations, such as state park cabins and barns, sharing meals and spending long days in the field. 

“We spend all day, every day together, and everyone gets a little silly, but it’s great,” said Fandel. “You really get to know people when you spend that much time together.”

The decision to focus on the Driftless Region was intentional. Fandel sought to conduct locally based research within driving distance of Northfield, reducing the project’s carbon footprint and making the research more relevant to the local community. 

“I wanted to spend my research money on doing research, not buying plane tickets,” Fandel said. “This also opens up opportunities for students to participate in meaningful research close to home.”

One of the highlights of the project was visiting the largest spring in Minnesota.

“It was absolutely spectacular,” said Fandel. “There was just massive amounts of water — clear, cold, and beautiful — gushing out of a cave in the side of a cliff. We could go into the cave and see the fracture in the ground where the water came out.”

The project was not without its challenges, however. Fieldwork in remote areas can be unpredictable, but the team overcame these obstacles with resourcefulness and support from multiple people in the Carleton community. The geology department’s lending library, for example, provided students with essential gear. Campus vehicles facilitated transportation. Carleton’s print services team even created custom maps for Fandel and her students.

The success of this pilot project has paved the way for a more extensive study. Fandel received news this fall that her project is the recipient of a National Science Foundation grant, which will fund the full-scale Driftless Region survey planned for 2025.

The fusion of ancient history and modern practice took center stage last summer, thanks to an innovative research project spearheaded by Jake Morton, assistant professor of classics. Collaborating with two Student Research Partners (SRPs), Helen Banta ’25 and Ruby Becker ’25, Morton delved into the cultural significance of woad — a plant historically used to dye fabrics and skin. His research aims to offer fresh insights into ancient Druid culture as well as modern dyeing techniques.

The project stems from a single sentence written by Julius Caesar in The Gallic War, which describes Druids dyeing their skin blue with woad. Morton, with his deep interest in the ancient world, wanted to explore how understanding the ritualistic process of creating woad dye for skin might impact the reading of the passage.

“I care about woad as a classics professor,” said Morton. “Creating a material from woad that will persist on the skin is a process, and understanding that process will help scholars understand historical Druid practices.” 

Woad was also used as a fabric dye, until it was eventually supplanted by indigo. Part of Morton’s research is motivated by the desire to understand why indigo became the preferred dyeing agent.

“Woad was an important dye in the Middle Ages,” said Morton. “Then indigo came and woad died out. Why? Because it was better? ‘Better’ in what way?”

To carry out this research, Morton, Banta, and Becker worked closely with the local Get Bentz Farm and Badgerface Fiber. The farm allows students to experiment with growing and processing woad. Morton emphasized the importance of this local collaboration, noting that it connects Carleton with the rich agricultural and fiber arts traditions of the region.

“I’m really into getting Carls involved with the local Northfield community, and getting local farms and shepherds involved at Carleton,” Morton said. “We live in this amazing place of farms and shepherds; getting those people at Carleton and Carls involved with those people is really important for me.”

Together, Morton and his SRPs planned out experiments to conduct at the farm. Then, Banta and Becker enacted those plans at the farm, spending long hours with wool and woad.

“Helen and Ruby [did] incredible work,” Morton said. “They’re applying their academic training in real-world experiments, working with an active dye garden, and using wool freshly shorn from sheep to test their dyeing techniques. This hands-on experience is invaluable, whether they go on to pursue academic research or continue with fiber arts.”

The project has three main deliverables. Banta and Becker will produce an article for a modern dye and fiber arts journal, aimed at helping home dyers understand and engage with woad processing techniques. This piece will provide a practical guide, rooted in historical methods, that makes woad dyeing accessible to contemporary audiences.

They will also contribute to a detailed historical analysis of woad, exploring its significance from ancient times through the Middle Ages. This “potted history” will serve as both a scholarly resource and an educational tool for those interested in the plant’s historical uses.

Building upon those two deliverables, the group’s findings covering the implications their research has for the Caesar passage will be published in the EXARC Journal. With the support of the Carleton Humanities Center’s Trustee Humanities Endowed Student Research Fund, this project is not only advancing scholarly knowledge but also fostering a deeper appreciation for the historical roots of modern practices.

The Rice County Historical Society is “the repository for all historical records in the county and a museum that serves the local community,” said Burrows. Their summer internship provided a comprehensive introduction to museums, covering everything from collections management and preservation to exhibit creation and the ethical considerations involved in running a museum.

“Museums ideally reflect the communities they serve,” said Burrows. In Minnesota, each county is legally required to maintain a historical society or county museum, making the role of these institutions vital. The ethical dilemmas they face, including the repatriation of Indigenous artifacts under laws like NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act), have been eye-opening for Burrows. There are actually a few Carleton connections in this area — Melanie Wood O’Brien ’99 is the manager of the national program that oversees repatriation under NAGPRA, and the local Northfield History Center recently started its own repatriation effort with the Prairie Island Indian Community, which is one of Carleton’s community partners.

“Understanding the broader responsibility of representing all the people in Rice County, not just the majority, is crucial,” Burrows said. “There’s a lot to consider with abiding by legal requirements, and going a step further to actively include the narrative of immigrants in the community where others might be against that part of the county’s history.” 

Burrows chose this internship to explore how their history major could translate into a career after graduation. This internship, with its hands-on approach, provided a “crash course” in the realities of working at a small-scale museum with limited staff. The experience has both confirmed and refined Burrows’ career aspirations, making them eager to explore larger institutions, like the Smithsonian, in the future.

“I’m interested in public history because I enjoy engaging with people and making history accessible to everyone,” said Burrows. 

Burrows’ typical work day for the summer began around 9:30 a.m. with their capstone project. The project involved developing a social media strategy for the museum, aiming to expand its reach beyond its current audience on Facebook. Burrows was tasked with revitalizing the museum’s Instagram account and outlining a broader social media plan that included evaluating the feasibility of joining platforms like YouTube.

After an hour of independent work every day, Burrows collaborated with the museum’s curator on various tasks in the collections storage room. These tasks ranged from filing paper artifacts to evaluating new donations. The variety of work has given Burrows a closer look at the day-to-day operations of a museum, revealing more nuances and complications than they initially anticipated. They’ve also gained practical skills, such as writing concise and accessible labels for exhibits, contrasting the more academic writing style they’re accustomed to at Carleton.

“I didn’t realize how much there is to do — it’s a never-ending list of things,” said Burrows. “I’m impressed by the focus of my two supervisors to get things done, and how they are planning for the future yet staying present in the day-to-day activities. Watching them manage all these things has been fascinating.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of the internship for Burrows has been the sense of community among the researchers and volunteers at the historical society. The dedication of these volunteers, many of whom have lived in the area their entire lives and remember the events featured in the museum, has been inspiring. 

This internship has not only deepened Burrows’ understanding of local history but also challenged them to think about history on a more granular level. 

“As a history major, I’m used to focusing on broader history, but this has made me realize how much is contained within specific geographic regions,” said Burrows. 

Burrows credits their time at Carleton with helping them secure and succeed in this internship. A course called Historians for Hire introduced them to the historical society, and their professor — Susannah Ottaway ’89, Laird Bell Professor of History — played a key role in facilitating the connection. Additionally, funding from Carleton’s Career Center made this unpaid internship feasible, alleviating financial stress and allowing Burrows to fully engage in the experience.