Stories

Eleven students and three alumni from the College of Arts and Sciences have been named semifinalists for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student program. Representing fourteen different departments in the College, these students and alumni, if they are selected as finalists, will be spreading across the globe to perform research, attend graduate school, or work in a foreign country.

Armand Aibara ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Santa Clara, California
Majors: Political Science; German
Involvement on campus: Political Science honors program; study abroad; Peer Educator Program

If selected, Armand will be teaching English to elementary, middle, or high schoolers in Germany.

Bryan Altamirano-Gopar ’21
Research Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Petaluma, California 
Majors: Anthropology; Economics
Minor: International Business
Involvement on campus: Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education Immersion to Arizona; Center for Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Immersion to Rwanda; LEAD Scholar; LEAD Peer Mentor; Research Analyst Intern for the Anthropology department; Drahmann Center

If selected, Bryan will seek to study the Sarayaku community's testimonies on their journey for justice in Ecuador, and use participatory action research to examine the economic rational incentives that influence the challenges of the Sarayaku community.

Jocelyn Chi ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Arcadia, California
Majors: Psychology; Marketing
Minor: Public Health
Involvement on campus: Study Abroad; SCU Orchestra; Registered Student Organization Peer Advisor; Center for Student Involvement; COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery Working Group; SCCAP; Bronco Accelerator Prep School

If selected, Jocelyn will be teaching English in Taiwan.

Alejandra Deambrosio ’20
Research Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: New Canaan, Connecticut
Majors: Political Science; Communication
Involvement on campus: Associated Student Government; Center for Sustainability; Global Social Benefits Fellow; Global Fellow; Peer educator for Political Science and GSBF; Genesis Film Festival; Phi Beta Kappa honors society; Political Science and Communication Honors Societies.

If selected, Ali will be studying Female political representation in Uruguay’s subnational levels of government. Specifically looking at the recent gender quota law and its effectiveness on the local scale.

Danielle Dixon ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Major: Environmental Studies
Minors: French and Francophone Studies; German Studies
Involvement on campus: Study Abroad; Theatre Production; Environmental Field School Internship; Intramural soccer; Habitat for Humanity. 

If selected, Danielle will work as an English Teaching Assistant in a local school in Germany. She will not only be teaching the language but also work as an ambassador to spread knowledge about American culture while also learning about German traditions.

Madeline Gile ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Mercer Island, Washington
Majors: English; Communication
Involvement on campus: Study Abroad; The Santa Clara; The HUB Writing Center; Danced in Images, Senior Recitals, and Choreographer’s Gallery; Communication and English Honors Societies

If selected, Madeline will be teaching English to students in Bulgaria.

Emma Hokoda ’20
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Major: Environmental Studies
Minor: Sustainability
Involvement on campus: The HUB Writing Center; Global Social Benefit Fellow; Center for Sustainability; Immersion Coordinator, and CLC small group leader; Study Abroad; University Honors Program

If selected, Emma will be teaching English at the Secondary and post-Secondary institutions in both Nuuk and Sistimiuk/Manitsoq, Greenland.

Grace Lin-Cereghino ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Stockton, California
Majors: Public Health Science; Italian Studies
Minor: Urban Education
Involvement on campus: Vari Italian Studies Fellow; Arrupe Engagement; Camp Kesem at SCU; Undocumented Students and Allies Association; Community Facilitator in Unity and Loyola Residential Learning Communities; University Honors Program; Peer Educator Program

If selected, Grace will be working in an Italian high school, helping students strengthen their English language skills and facilitating cross-cultural dialogue. Beyond the classroom, she hopes to get involved in one of Italy's immigrant reception centers and other migration-centered organizations.

Ryan Nazari ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Campbell, California
Majors: English; Philosophy
Minor: Arabic, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies
Involvement on campus: LEVL Up; The HUB Writing Center; Peer Educator for the LEAD Scholars Program and the English Department; Canterbury Scholar; Study Abroad

If selected, Ryan will be teaching English at a university in Armenia for a year and conducting a supplementary workshop project with Armenian refugees from Nagorno Karabakh and the Middle East.

Anjali Rangaswami ’21
Research Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: San Francisco, California
Major: Sociology
Minor: Economics
Involvement on campus: Study Abroad; Peer Educator for the Sociology and Modern Languages and Literatures departments; SCU Violence Prevention Program; Alpha Sigma Nu Honors Society; Bronco Urban Gardens

If selected, Anjali will be researching the intersectionality of caste and gender on sexual harassment in Indian higher education.

Erin Ronald ’19*
Research Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Majors: Environmental Studies; Sociology
Involvement at SCU: Witold Krassowski Sociology Award for exemplary research; Center for Sustainability; Study Abroad; Global Social Benefits Fellow; Food Recovery Network; SLURP; Sociology Honors Society; Alpha Sigma Nu Presidential Honors Society

*Erin is currently conducting research in Sweden, having applied twice, just in case the 2020 program was delayed by COVID-19.

Tess Rosenberg ’21
Study Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: New Canaan, Connecticut
Major: Anthropology
Minors: Studio Art; Journalism
Involvement on campus: Environmental justice group ENACT; SCCAP; Community Heritage Lab; The Santa Clara; President of the Anthropology Club; REAL Program

If selected, Tess will be pursuing a one-year master’s degree in visual and digital media at IE University in Spain.

Alexander Varni ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Burlingame, California
Majors: Communication; Environmental Studies
Involvement on campus: Study Abroad; Research Assistant and Peer Educator in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences; Modern Languages and Literatures Student Ambassador; President of the Language Learning Club.

If selected, Alex will work as an English Teaching Assistant, instructing English language and U.S. culture classes to students in Belgium.

Christopher Wanis ’21
English Teaching Assistant Award Semi-finalist

Hometown: Timonium, Maryland
Majors: Political Science; Ethnic Studies
Minor: Music
Involvement on campus: Study Abroad; REAL Program; Latinx Student Union; Students for Justice in Palestine; SCU Provost Research Fellow; Jean Donovan Fellow

If selected, Christopher will be teaching English and conducting a supplementary project giving mental health and legal support to women who have faced domestic violence in Mexico.