2026 Fellowship Recipients

Alan Brennick will graduate in May 2027 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering with a Cellular and Molecular emphasis. He will undertake intensive Swahili language studies in Kenya this summer. As a previous Project Global Officer (Project GO) recipient, he completed intensive Kiswahili language training and coursework in Human-Environment Interactions through James Madison University’s East Africa Field School last summer. Alan is an Air Force ROTC cadet and will commission as a military officer upon graduation. He plans to attend medical school and become a military physician.

Skye Capili Dizon will graduate in May 2027 with a Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence and Cyber Operations and minors in Law and Technology and Arabic. She will study Russian in Latvia this summer after studying Arabic in Morocco as a Project Global Officer Scholar. Last summer, she completed Air Force ROTC Field Training, interned in Congress in Washington, D.C., and was selected as a Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellow in Government Service. Skye will commission into the U.S. Space Force and hopes to serve as a Space Operations or Intelligence officer. She plans to pursue graduate studies and use critical languages to strengthen international cooperation and national security.

Naya Dukkipati will graduate May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence and Cyber Operations and a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy with a concentration in Data Analytics.  She currently serves as the Cyber Privacy Lead at Shift SC and as a Research Fellow at the Ahmanson Lab. As a Strauss Scholar, Naya founded Project SafeWeb, an education initiative run through Shift SC that teaches youth how to navigate the internet safely and combat cyber trafficking and digital exploitation. Naya plans to pursue a career in technology policy focused on trust and safety, then attend law school to specialize in cyber law.

Naya was nominated as the University’s CSPC Presidential Fellow in August 2025.

Chloé-Eloïse Mallet is an American-Ivorian filmmaker raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. She will graduate in May 2026 with a degree in Film and Television Production and a minor in Dance. Her work has been featured by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and screened at festivals including the American Black Film Festival. Interested in stories at the intersection of identity, migration, and belonging, she is the recipient of a 2026–2027 Franco-American Commission Scholars grant to research and produce a documentary about queer African asylum seekers living in Paris. Following her grant year, she plans to pursue a career as a writer-director in film and television.

Valerie Aronhalt will graduate in May 2026 with a Master of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. Valerie received an English Teaching Assistantship to Spain, where she will teach secondary students and support programming on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and human rights through the Global Classrooms program. At USC, Valerie served as the Vice President of the USC Foreign Service Society, where she raised $10k for international humanitarian crises and planned the first Foreign Service Career Week. After Fulbright, Valerie plans to pursue a career in foreign policy and international development.

Elsie Bencke will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and a minor in Business Finance. Elsie received an English Teaching Assistantship to Spain, where she will teach in a secondary classroom and support programming on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and human rights. After Fulbright, Elsie plans to pursue a career in global sustainability policy and law.

Lynne Cherchia graduated in December 2025 with a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. She received an Open Study/Research Award to Germany to conduct recreation ecology research that uses multiscale mathematical modeling to predict how public lands management strategies and visitor use behavior impact forest health. After Fulbright, Lynne plans to pursue a career in academic research, applying quantitative and behavioral methods to recreation science, public lands management policy, and advocacy.

Cardin Chung will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance alongside minors in Web Development and Jazz Studies. Cardin won an Open Study/Research Award in the Creative Performing Arts to Germany, where he will research the experiential effects of integrating wearable technology within dance to generate live music and visuals. After Fulbright, Cardin intends on freelancing as a multimedia dance artist who creates interactive works that invoke intimacy and physicality.

Orion Dennin graduated in December 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy, with a concentration in Data Analytics. Orion won an English Teaching Assistantship to Türkiye, where he will be developing the English education program at a regional university, volunteering with local refugee communities, and serving as a cultural ambassador. Following graduation, Orion plans to work in international development with a focus on corporate social responsibility and eventually pursue a career as a human rights lawyer for international labor rights.

Hudson Fey will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Law, History, and Culture and a minor in Real Estate Finance. Hudson received an English Teaching Assistantship to North Macedonia. During the grant period, he plans to collaborate with global intergovernmental institutions while deepening his engagement with Macedonian students through teaching and cultural exchange. After Fulbright, Hudson plans to pursue a JD-MBA and a career at the intersection of international and financial law.

Malaika Jamal graduated in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science. She currently conducts otolaryngology and patient literacy research at the USC Keck School of Medicine while participating in community service initiatives focused on healthcare access and education. Malaika received an English Teaching Assistantship to Spain. Following Fulbright, she plans to pursue a Doctor of Medicine degree and a career centered on equitable, patient-centered care.

Nicholas Kim will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Geroscience. He received the Open Study/Research Award to Germany, where he will conduct research at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences. His work will focus on identifying preclinical biological signatures of Parkinson’s disease using ultra-high-resolution quantitative MRI. Following his grant, Nicholas plans to attend medical school.

Kira O’Gorman will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (Global Business) and a minor in Applied Analytics. Kira was awarded an English Teaching Assistantship to the Slovak Republic, where she will be teaching secondary school students while gaining insight into how history, identity, and education shape young people’s perspectives in Central Europe. After Fulbright, Kira plans to return to the U.S. to pursue a career at the intersection of foreign policy, technology, and education.

Ella Rae Peterchak will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Global Geodesign and a minor in Natural Science. Ella won an English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan. While in Taiwan, she plans to share her excitement for learning through activities like volleyball. She also hopes to immerse herself in the local culture and gain insight into Taiwan’s health and educational environments, understanding how these factors influence children’s learning, growth, and well-being. After Fulbright, Ella plans to pursue a career in medicine, with the goal of becoming a pediatrician who focuses on improving access to care for underserved children.

Liam Rafaty will graduate in May 2026 with a Master of Public Health. Liam received an Open Study/Research Award to Brazil, where he will examine the role of public health in authoritarian regimes. At the University of São Paulo, he aims to explore the political use of the 1980 poliomyelitis vaccination campaign during Brazil’s military dictatorship. He hopes to invite conversations about public health, the history of medicine, and the intersection of health and politics.

Welela Solomon will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Welela received an Open Study/Research Award to Uganda where she will conduct a qualitative study at Makerere University, examining barriers pregnant women in Makerere Kivulu face in accessing quality antenatal care. Her research explores women’s understanding of antenatal care, clinical interactions, and labor experiences across public and private facilities. She aims to produce actionable insights for Uganda’s Ministry of Health and NGO partnerships, and apply them in a medical career addressing maternal mortality disparities among marginalized women in the United States future.

Lia Soorenian will graduate May 2029 with a PhD in Population, Health, and Place from the Spatial Science Institute. Lia won an Open Study/Research Award to Armenia, where they plan to research urban planning policy and design solutions to improving air quality and reducing heat-related illnesses in Yerevan. After Fulbright, Lia intends to complete their dissertation and later pursue a career in academia.

Mark Stone will graduate summa cum laude in May 2026 with a perfect 4.0 GPA, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Finance) and a minor in Music Industry. Mark, a sixth-generation Trojan, won a Open Study/Research Award to the United Kingdom where he will receive a master’s degree in Finance at University College London, focusing on the intersection of finance and the music industry, including music catalog acquisitions. After Fulbright, Mark plans to work in finance.

Ada Liv Weinstein graduated in December 2024 with a Bachelor of Art in Art. Ada won an Open Study/Research Award in the Creative Performing Arts to Serbia where she will conduct research on tapestry weaving techniques in order to deepen her art practice and preserve the knowledge of creation of Pirot čilims. After Fulbright she plans to continue to make art, as well as be an educator and steward for textile arts.

Angela Wu will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. She received an English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan, where she is excited to support English language learning and engage with local communities. At USC, Angela served as a Program Assistant with Joint Educational Project (JEP) and was involved in organizations including Phi Alpha Delta, Phi Delta Epsilon, and Underscore A Cappella. After Fulbright, Angela plans to pursue a law degree and a career at the intersection of international law, diplomacy, and public health.

Ayati Mishra is a second-year pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with a minor in AI Applications. As an undergraduate researcher in the Irimia Lab at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, she applies computational genomics and deep learning to study the genetic mechanisms underlying regional brain aging. She is second author on the first genome-wide association study of voxelwise local brain age in over 40,000 UK Biobank participants, published in GeroScience, and is currently leading a follow-up study examining the genetic architecture of hippocampal subfield-specific aging with direct implications for Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond research, Ayati serves as Secretary of the USC Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program (KDSAP), coordinating community outreach events offering no-cost kidney health screenings to at-risk populations in Los Angeles, and volunteers as a Spanish medical interpreter for underserved clinics across the city. After graduation, she hopes to pursue an MD, PhD, or both as she continues to investigate the computational and genetic underpinnings of brain aging.

Amy Smerdel is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Global Business with a minor in French from the University of Southern California. Driven by a commitment to energy security, Amy aspires to scale innovative, reliable power systems that strengthen community resilience and reduce vulnerability to crises. Her global perspective began at age 15, when she independently moved to France. As a Boren Scholar in Senegal, Amy worked at the United Nations to expand solar energy adoption across farms in the Sahel. She later led disaster response and conflict-preparedness wargames across more than 60 countries. Amy’s work has ranged from testing deterrence strategy with NATO ambassadors to building continent-wide disaster response plans with 29 African Air Forces.

Giancarlo Ceja is an environmental policymaker whose work and passion lie in environmental justice, previously serving at institutions like the White House and the Energy and Commerce Committee. During his career in public service, he has implemented initiatives from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Biden-Harris’ Justice40. As a Schwarzman Scholar and onward, Giancarlo strives to bridge the equity gaps in environmental policy and protect the marginalized communities most susceptible to the climate crisis. He graduated from USC in 2024 with B.A. degrees in Environmental Studies and International Relations.

Nathan Derhake will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He likes to think about both mathematics and theoretical computer science. Nathan’s research in multicalibration combines AI and fairness, which he presented at a conference in Milan, while his research in knot theory led to an invitation to present in Washington, D.C. He was awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) for proposing to apply ideas from knot theory to quantum-secure cryptography. Nathan will pursue a Ph.D. in Geometry and Topology at the Georgia Institute of Technology in hopes of becoming a math professor.

Kenta Lin will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering. During his time at USC, he conducted research in Professor Jayakanth Ravichandran’s lab, where he assisted in the growth and characterization of semiconductor materials. He also received training in the John O’Brien Nanofabrication Facility and worked with Professor Rehan Kapadia and Professor Massoud Pedram to fabricate superconductor circuits. Through the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Kenta also fabricated silicon interposers for the heterogeneous integration of millimeter-wave circuits at Cornell University. He will continue his studies at Cornell University, pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Nicholas Lototsky will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in Mathematics. His research at USC has focused on modeling and optimizing engine-out maneuver trajectories in general aviation aircraft. More broadly, his research interests span aircraft design and multidisciplinary design optimization. He cofounded and served as Director of Performance Analysis of the Human-Powered Flight Research Team at USC, working toward the design of a record-breaking endurance aircraft. Supported by the NSF GRFP, he will pursue his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan focusing on algorithm development for uncertainty quantification.

Siddharth Srikanth will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, and a minor in Finance. Co-advised by Stefanos Nikolaidis and Daniel Seita, he has worked on generating synthetic human-like behaviors assessing and improving the safety and robustness of robotic foundation models. He has also worked closely with John Krumm on identifying traffic slowdowns in the LA highway system. Outside of research, he was president of QuantSC, the quantitative finance club at USC, and enjoys playing basketball and hanging out with friends. This fall, he will pursue a PhD in Computer Science at Columbia University, with a focus on multimodal robot learning for foundation models toward real-world robustness.

Cooper Brown will graduate summa cum laude in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Area Studies. Inspired by a passion for storytelling and intercultural communication, he has taught screenwriting through the Prison Education Project, received the Teach for America Ignite Fellowship, and worked on streaming operations for the 2024 Paris Olympics with NBC Universal. Most recently, he supported NEON’s international film sales at Cannes. Cooper was awarded a Princeton in Asia Fellowship and will teach English at Can Tho University in Vietnam in 2026–2027 while researching Vietnamese moviegoing and theatrical distribution.

Diego Andrades is a JD candidate at Yale Law School focused on constitutional law, election law, and democratic governance. He graduated magna cum laude in May 2023, where he earned degrees in Political Science and Philosophy, Politics, and Law. While at USC, he served as Chief of Staff of the Undergraduate Student Government and was awarded the Order of the Laurel and Palm, the university’s highest student honor recognizing leadership and service. Most recently, Diego served on the Los Angeles Charter Reform Commission, where he chaired the Committee on Government Structure and helped advance major reforms to the city’s governance and election systems. Previously, he served in the Biden-Harris Administration as Special Assistant to the CEO of AmeriCorps and worked in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on legislative and policy matters. His work centers on election administration, voting rights, and democratic reform.

Walker Blackwell plans to focus on increasing inmates’ access to education in order to reduce recidivism rates in the U.S. Walker is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Faith Buggs plans to leverage corporate philanthropy and cross-sectoral partnerships to establish and advance a global standard for human rights. Faith is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business of Cinematic Arts and a minor in Advertising.