2022 Astronaut Scholarship
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation was established in 1984 as the Mercury Seven Foundation by the six surviving members of America’s original Mercury Seven astronauts. This year ASF has awarded 60 scholarships to students from 44 different universities across the nation. Astronaut Scholarships are awarded to students in their junior and senior year of college studying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics with the intent to pursue research or advance their field upon completion of their final degree. Astronaut Scholars are among the best and brightest minds in STEM who show initiative, creativity, and excellence in their chosen field.
Kaylee Tseng is a rising senior studying Chemical Engineering with an emphasis in Biochemistry. She conducts research in the Kate White Lab at USC and serves as an editor for the Viterbi Conversations in Ethics magazine. Her research focuses on the dynamic changes of pancreatic beta-cell structures during insulin secretion. Kaylee’s goals are to continue research and obtain her M.S. in Chemical Engineering through Viterbi’s Progressive Degree Program.
2022 Boren Scholarship
Boren Scholarships provide funding for rigorous language study in exchange for a commitment to work in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.
Katherine Curry won the Boren Scholarship to Senegal to study French and Wolof for the 2022-2023 grant year. Katherine is a senior earning a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Master of Arts in Public Diplomacy.
Robert Scalia won the Boren Scholarship to Senegal to study French and Wolof for the 2022-2023 grant year. Robert is a senior graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a minor in Intermedia Arts.
Claire Schreder won the Boren Scholarship to Tanzania to study Swahili. Claire is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and minors in Human Rights and Spanish.
Viet Tran won the Boren Scholarship to Singapore to study Mandarin for the summer of 2023. Viet is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with minors in East Asian Languages and Cultures and Human Security and Geospatial Intelligence.
2022 Critical Language Scholarship Recipients
The Critical Language Scholarship is a competitive program for 8-10 weeks of intensive language study in one of fifteen critical need languages.
- Eujean Doo, Undergraduate Student – Korean
- Thomas Martynowicz, Undergraduate Student – Portuguese
- Christina McBride, Undergraduate Student – Chinese
- Sean Silvia, Undergraduate Student – Turkish
2022 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs.
Zakaria Ali graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Bachelor of Science in Public Policy. Zakaria was awarded an English Teaching Assistant Award to Spain. While in Spain, Zakaria would like to volunteer with organizations that will allow him to work with the local LGBTQ+ populations and immigrants and refugees. After Fulbright, Zakaria plans to pursue a career as an attorney focusing on human rights advocacy, and more specifically children’s rights.
Blake Amann will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Central European Studies. Blake was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Uzbekistan. While in Uzbekistan, Blake plans to utilize his Russian language skills and sports to connect with the local population. After Fulbright, Blake plans to pursue a master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian studies, specializing in human rights and development in Central Asia.
Holden Anderson graduated in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied and Computational Mathematics and minors in Musical Studies and Economics. Holden was awarded an English Teaching Assistant Award to Spain. While in Spain, Holden plans to volunteer with STEM education organizations, facilitate board game events at a local community center, and utilize his skills as a saxophonist to participate in the music scene. After Fulbright, Holden plans to pursue a master’s degree in mathematics education and teach mathematics at the middle or high school level.
Olivia Benoit graduated in June 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and a minor in Business. Olivia won the Fulbright-University of Turku Graduate Award in Finland. Olivia will complete her Master’s Degree Programme in Future Studies, which specializes in strategic foresight and creating a sustainable future. She will study the intersection of economic and ecological solutions to waste in production, distribution, and consumption.
Lan Duong will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Spanish and a minor in Computer Programming. Lan won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Argentina. While in Argentina, Lan plans to engage with the community through volunteering for a community garden. After Fulbright, Lan plans to work in immigrant advocacy and eventually become an immigration lawyer focusing on refugee resettlement in Los Angeles.
Claudia Ellis graduated from USC in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in English (Creative Writing) and a minor in Communication Technology Practices and Platforms. Claudia will also graduate in May 2022 with a Master of Arts in Literary Editing and Publishing. Claudia won an English Teaching Assistant Award for elementary school to South Korea. While in South Korea, Claudia plans to create an after school art program for high school students. After Fulbright, Claudia wants to work as a guidance counselor in underserved communities in Los Angeles to increase opportunities for first-generation American students to attend university.
Joshua Garbuio will graduate in August 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied and Computational Mathematics and English (Creative Writing). Joshua was awarded an English Teaching Assistant Award to Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Joshua wants to show his Taiwanese students Kansas-style barbeque and Thanksgiving dinner. In addition, he wants to teach them about the diversity of the US, particularly with his Argentine-American background. After Fulbright, Joshua plans to join the US Navy and serve as a naval aviator, intelligence officer, or cryptographer.
William Groff graduated May 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinematic Arts Critical Studies and English (Creative Writing). William won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Mexico. While in Mexico, William plans to immerse himself in the local music scene by going to shows and, if possible, volunteering at a local radio station. After Fulbright, William plans to pursue a graduate degree in Journalism.
Jenny Ha will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and minors in Consumer Behavior and Justice, Voice and Advocacy. Jenny won an English Teaching Assistant Award for secondary school to South Korea. Jenny is passionate about education equity, mentorship, and college access. While in South Korea, Jenny plans to support North Korean refugee students in applying for college. After Fulbright, Jenny plans to pursue a Master of Arts in Global Communication and a PhD in Sociology of Education.
Rebecca Homan graduated May 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies. Rebecca won a Fulbright/IE University Award for International MBA in Spain. Rebecca would like to pursue this degree to learn fundamental business skills that will allow her to work with existing businesses to integrate humanistic values and ethics into their core. After earning her International MBA, her goal is to consult with a variety of organizations to help them design and implement socially responsible business practices.
Emily Jin graduated May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (Global Business) and minors in Chinese for the Professions and Environmental Studies. Emily won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Emily plans to incorporate aspects of social emotional learning and environmentalism and sustainability into Taiwanese classrooms. After Fulbright, Emily plans to become an education consultant to help create systemic change in US education.
Justin Kawaguchi graduated from USC in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Global Health and a minor in Public Relations. Justin will also graduate May 2022 with a Master of Health Administration. Justin won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Justin plans to create Lunch and Learn programs to engage in meaningful dialogue over combined Western and Taiwanese meals. After Fulbright, Justin plans to develop local public health programs, eventually becoming a leader in global health policy and working on an international scale with organizations like WHO.
Austin Kellogg will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Cellular/Molecular Engineering). Austin won an open study/research award to Germany. They will be conducting research on the effects of using micropatterning to organize tissue structure on lung-on-a-chip systems. While in Germany, Austin plans to attend biomedical engineering conferences, attend the Queer Film Festival in Munich, and participate in a queer choir. After Fulbright, Austin plans to conduct research and pursue a PhD.
Chandler Lawn graduated May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Industry and a minor in Spanish. Chandler won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Spain. While in Spain, she plans to offer free songwriting classes. After Fulbright, Chandler plans to attend law school and earn her JD, focusing on intellectual property law and global arts policy.
Samantha Lee will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing for Screen and Television and a Bachelor of Arts in History. Samantha won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Vietnam. After Fulbright, Samantha plans to integrate her experiences and the stories of the people she meets into screenplays and storytelling.
Ellen Minkin will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Global Health and a minor in Resistance to Genocide. Ellen won an open study/research award to the Netherlands, where she will be researching the effectiveness of primary school sexual education. While in the Netherlands, Ellen plans to volunteer with in sexual violence prevention and attend weekly shabbats. After Fulbright, Ellen plans to pursue a career in medicine and public health, focusing on sexual and reproductive health and human rights.
Tommy Nguyen will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and minors in International Relations, Philosophy, and Religion. Tommy won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Vietnam. While in Vietnam, Tommy plans to form a photography club and use photography as a medium for storytelling. After Fulbright, Tommy plans to attend graduate school in law and/or teaching.
Frances Nowlen will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a minor in Songwriting. Frances won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Spain. While in Spain, Frances plans to create an after-school club for learning and playing music, with an emphasis on singing. After Fulbright, Frances plans to work in healthcare as an audiology specialist and continue teaching language acquisition with the hard-of-hearing community.
Natalia Parraz is graduating May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and NGOs and Social Change. Natalia won a Binational Internship Program Award to Mexico. While in Mexico, Natalia plans to join student organizations and volunteer at non-profits or NGOs that focus on supporting children and young women facing inequality. After Fulbright, Natalia plans to return to the US and advance her studies with a law degree. With her degree, she wants to continue to advocate for social change, improve foreign relations, and stand against injustices in her community.
Jackson Rasmussen will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and minors in Cinematic Arts and Sports Media Industries. Jackson won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Jackson plans to enroll in Mandarin and Taiwanese language classes and to introduce international films on his ed-tech platform Screen360.tv. After Fulbright, Jackson plans to apply to a joint JD/MBA program as well as publish books about food business and the restaurant industry.
Mia Speier will graduate May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a minor in Law and Public Policy. She will also graduate with a Master of Arts in Public Diplomacy. Mia won an English Teaching Assistant Award to Poland. While in Poland, Mia plans to work with Ukrainian refugees. After Fulbright, Mia plans to work in an Eastern European Newsroom and eventually enter public service in the US in the State Department’s Bureau of European/Eurasian Affairs to work on media freedom and information integrity issues.
Kristin Wong will graduate in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts and Practice. Kristin won an English Teaching Assistant Award for secondary school to South Korea. While in Korea, Kristin plans to create an after-school program to watch and discuss film and television shows, incorporating mental health and cross-cultural dialogue. After Fulbright, Kristin will be a high school English teacher in New York through Teach for America. She also plans to pursue her Master’s in Teaching through the Relay Graduate School of Education.
2022 Gilman Scholar Recipients
The Gilman Scholarship offers awards for U.S. undergraduates to study or intern abroad. The program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.
Cycle 1 – October 2021 Deadline
- Lillian Leonard – Italy
- Amina Niasse – Italy
- Anahi Terrazas – France
Cycle 2 – March 2022 Deadline
- Andrea Arcia – Italy
- Kiran Bourget – France
- Elizabeth Cruz – Italy
- Michelle Gong – South Korea
- Helen Guo – Australia
- Jose Gutierrez Jr. – Greece
- Angelynn Huang – United Kingdom
- Aaron Kirk – Botswana
- Elizabeth Mensah – Italy
- Tamunobuomie Oruene – Belgium
2022 Goldwater Scholarship
The Goldwater Scholarship provides support to undergraduate students majoring in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics who intend to pursue research careers in these fields.
Ammar Dharani is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a minor in History. Ammar’s research aims to track the structural and connectivity changes following traumatic brain injury and study how these alterations may lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Ammar is most interested in mapping the biological basis of complex behaviors and how they may be altered in neuropsychological disorders. At this time Ammar is unsure whether he wants to practice medicine, conduct neuroscience research or do both. He is now looking into the physician-scientist (MD-PhD) track, as it would allow him to both solve problems through lab work and use that research to treat patients.
2022 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based Master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions.
Awardees
- Brandon Chew – Life Sciences – Cell Biology
- Farhan Chowdhury – Chemistry – Chemical Synthesis
- Sydney Feldman – Physics and Astronomy – Particle Physics
- Aaron Ghrist – Physics and Astronomy – Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
- Cameron Levine – Geosciences – Agricultural Remote Sensing
- Chelsea Mariano – Engineering – Biomedical Engineering
- Leena Mathur – Comp/IS/Eng – Artificial Intelligence
- Junior Pena – Physics and Astronomy – Particle Physics
- Stephen Jon Du Quiton – Chemistry – Chemical Theory, Models, and Computational Methods
- Benjamin Shapero – Life Sciences – Structural Biology
- David Wen – Life Sciences – Developmental Biology
- Anna Wright – Geosciences – Hydrology
- Christine Yu – Chemistry – Chemical Catalysis
2022 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Oscar De los Santos (’15) is an alumnus of USC. Oscar studied political science and was named a Truman Scholar. After graduating, Oscar worked as the head of public policy for the Association of Arizona Food Banks and led a grassroots campaign in the Arizona Legislature to defend the civil rights of low-income voters and people with felony records. He went on to receive a master’s in public policy from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
After returning from abroad, Oscar received a master’s degree in Christian social ethics from Union Theological Seminary. During his time at Union, Oscar immersed himself in debates about human rights, duties, and dignity with leading scholars.
Oscar now serves as senior campaign director at MoveOn, America’s largest progressive grassroots advocacy organization, where he leads MoveOn’s 12 million members in campaigns to preserve and strengthen democracy. After Oscar completes his JD at Yale Law School in 2025, he plans to return to Arizona to use his legal education to defend the voting rights of poor and vulnerable Arizonans.
2022 CSPC Presidential Fellows Program
One USC student is selected annually by the University for the CSPC Presidential Fellows Program, a year-long program to complete research relating to the study of the U.S. Presidency and Congress. Fellows also participate in three-day leadership conferences in Washington, D.C. during the Fall and Spring semesters.
Tommy Nguyen ’22 is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in International Relations. Tommy was nominated as the University’s CSPC Presidential Fellow in August 2020.
2022-2024 Voyager Scholarship
Naomi Tanaka will graduate Summer 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.