Initiates at Santa Clara University (2018)
Inducted as juniors in 2017
Kathryn Franke. Kathryn is graduating with degrees in Biology and Women’s and Gender Studies and a minor in Public Health. Throughout her college career, she has worked closely with Dr. Barbara Burns of the Child Studies Department in implementing a community-based intervention designed to foster resilience in high-risk families. She has also participated in the Health Care Ethics Internship. After graduation, Kathryn will work in the Bielas Lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center studying the clinical implications of mitochondrial DNA mutations in the pathogenesis of cancer and age-related disease. Eventually, she hopes to continue to improve the health and wellbeing of communities as a medical doctor.
Hannah Kortbawi. Hannah is a Biology and Philosophy double major from Seattle, WA. During the past four years, she has served as a research assistant in Dr. Leilani Miller’s developmental biology lab on campus, worked with high school students with disabilities, tutored elementary school students, and volunteered at a cat shelter. During her senior year, she worked as a Markkula Center Health Care Ethics Intern. She has also served as a peer educator and teacher’s assistant for biology and philosophy classes. Hannah will return to Seattle to do research in Dr. Mary-Claire King’s medical genetics lab at the University of Washington.
Katherine Meyer. Katherine is a double major in Political Science and Religious Studies with a minor in French that kept her from getting lost when she studied abroad in Strasbourg, France. Last summer, she participated in the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates in Civil Conflict Management and Peace Science. She published her research in the Pi Sigma Alpha Journal of Politics and presented it at the 2018 Midwest Political Science Association Conference. Katherine is a recipient of the 2018 Michael Shallo Prize for outstanding achievement in Political Science and will be attending Georgetown University this fall to begin a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution.
Anand Purohit. Anand is a Political Science and Environmental Studies double major with an Economics minor. For the past three years, he has worked as a research assistant, investigating the connection between climate change and poverty in rural Nicaragua. When he is not studying or working, Anand likes to stay in shape. Though school keeps him busy, he makes time to hit the gym for at least an hour every day. Anand will attend UC Berkeley School of Law.
Inducted in 2018
Christine Abrahamians. Christine is a Political Science major with a pre-law emphasis. She has served as a peer educator for the French and Francophone Studies Program and as an undergraduate research assistant to Dr. Roberto Mata of the Religious Studies Department. She also conducted her own research project on political polarization on campus as a Hackworth Fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. As an aspiring lawyer, Christine plans to spend the coming year working as a corporate case assistant at Cooley LLP while applying to law schools.
Jessica Carmona. Jessica, from Ripon, CA, is a Psychology major with minors in Urban Education and Spanish Studies. For three years, she has been involved in Residence Life as a community facilitator within the residence halls on campus. Jessica has worked at a pediatric speech and occupational therapy clinic for the past two years and has spent much of her time volunteering with the special needs population in various Bay Area communities. As a first-generation college student, she has been part of the LEAD Scholars Program. Jessica will pursue a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at San Jose State University.
Joseph Cotter. Joseph, a native of Granite City, Illinois, is a Computer Science major with a minor in Mathematics. He is a recipient of the Provost Scholarship, awarded to undergraduates who have assumed leadership roles in their schools and communities. Joseph is a lover of sports, co-founding and serving as president of the Santa Clara University Table Tennis Club. A published poet and essayist, he has a passion for writing as well as painting and composing music. Joseph will begin his professional career with the enterprise software consulting firm Pierce Washington in San Francisco.
Sarah Craven. Sarah is a Biology major with minors in Spanish and Public Health. She spent a summer in Peru as one of the Ignatian Center's Jean Donovan Fellows, where she assisted with medical and public health outreach, improved her Spanish, and ate a lot of delicious food. She also participated in the Markkula Center's Health Care Ethics Internship, worked at the de Saisset Museum, and volunteered with the elderly as a linkAges advocate. Sarah is headed back to her hometown of Portland, OR, where she will study for the MCAT and work as a research assistant in Pediatric Nephrology at Oregon Health and Science University.
Joseph Curran. Joe is a junior majoring in Political Science and History. He is the vice president of Into the Wild, Santa Clara's outdoors organization. He studied abroad in Freiburg, Germany, and is a recipient of the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship's Global Social Benefit Fellowship. He is excited to conduct an action research project with Tugende, a Social Enterprise based in Kampala, Uganda.
Gabby Deutsch. Gabby is from Portland, OR, and is graduating with a double major in English and Ethnic Studies. She participated in immersion trips to East Los Angeles and Puebla, Mexico and studied abroad for a semester in Madrid, Spain. Gabby conducted research on the play Hamilton through the English department’s Canterbury Fellowship. She also spent the past year working as an editorial intern for the award-winning Santa Clara Magazine, the university’s alumni publication. Gabby is the recipient of the Katherine Woodall Prize in Literary Criticism or Theory. Gabby will attend Georgetown University to pursue a master’s degree in English.
Tyler Downing. Tyler is a Political Science major and an Individual Studies major, the latter in Arabic, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies. He is a member of the Political Science Honors Program, Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors Society, and the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-law fraternity. For his political science honors thesis Tyler researched the political use of and the legal precedence surrounding the Antiquities Act of 1906. Tyler will attend the University of Chicago School of Law and looks forward to a long career in law and politics.
Mary Fredericksen. Mary is an English major with a minor in Creative Writing. At Santa Clara, she has participated regularly in the Dance Department as a dancer in the shows: Choreographer’s Gallery, Images, and Abydos. She also studied creative writing and contemporary British literature in Edinburgh, Scotland. When she returned to SCU, she became a peer educator in dance, poetry, and fiction writing classes. Mary plans to become certified to teach English in foreign countries. She is especially excited to look into opportunities in Japan and South Korea.
Nathan George. Nathan is a Political Science major with an emphasis in pre-law studies. He is a recipient of the 2018 Michael Shallo Prize for excellence in political science. In his free time, Nathan is an avid reader of books on history, is a proud future Corgi owner, and is a dinosaur connoisseur. He will be attending the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law. The school is across the street from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, where Nathan hopes to spend his free time studying and volunteering.
Andres Gonzalez. Andres is a Biochemistry major with a minor in French. A Bay Area native, he studied abroad in Strasbourg, France. During his sophomore year he worked as a teaching assistant for the general chemistry labs. Passionate about LGBT rights, Andres helped organize Ignatian Q, a national Jesuit LGBT conference at SCU in 2017, and worked as the education and advocacy coordinator for the Rainbow Resource Center during his senior year. Following graduation, Andres will work in the labs of Dr. Craig Stephens and Dr. David Hess researching antibiotic resistance and genomic variability in E. coli, before starting dental school in 2019.
Tisha Harnlasiri. Tisha is a Computer Science major with a minor in Mathematics. During her time at SCU, she has served as a lab teaching assistant and grader in the Math & CS Department, and has assisted Professor Natalie Linnell with web development of a messaging app for the homeless. She has also volunteered with the Bronco Urban Gardens program to encourage children to eat more healthy and sustainable diets. After graduation, she plans to continue exploring her career interests in data science, education, and sustainability.
Michelle Heckert. Raised in Pacifica, CA, Michelle will graduate with a double degree in Psychology and Music, and a minor in Communication. Throughout her time at Santa Clara, she has been heavily involved in positions for the SCU baseball team, Residence Life, and Campus Ministry. She has also participated in psychology research under Dr. Birgit Koopmann-Holm, studying culture and emotion. Michelle served as the senior events manager for the Activities Programming Board, participated in dance productions, and worked in music composition and recording engineering. Michelle will pursue a Master of Arts degree in Songwriting in the UK.
Katherine Heiler. Katherine is a Biology major with minors in Chemistry and Public Health. Originally from Folsom, CA, Katherine has studied abroad in Copenhagen, has been a researcher in Dr. Tillman’s lab in the Chemistry Department, volunteered with Health Education at Kaiser Permanente, and worked on-campus at Media Services. In addition, she has been recognized as a Father Schmidt Scholar for demonstrating excellence in academic achievement, high morals, and a sense of dedication to the community. Katherine will pursue a nursing degree at Samuel Merritt University.
Jonathan Hoover. Jonathan is a Neuroscience major and Presidential Scholar. He was the second student to pursue an Individual Studies major in Neuroscience before the program was created, and he played a role in its establishment. He researched DNA repair polymerases with Dr. Islas in the Biology Department, studied the molecular mechanisms of ALS during an internship at Harvard Medical School, and played on the SCU Men’s Lacrosse team for four years. Jonathan hopes to conduct research in a molecular and cellular biology lab while applying to graduate schools.
Nicole Janssen. Nicole, a Biology major and Catholic Studies minor, volunteered as a development coordinator, treasurer, and counselor for Santa Clara’s chapter of Camp Kesem, a summer camp for children affected by a parent’s cancer. During her junior year, she was part of the Health Care Ethics Internship and expanded on her experiences in her honors thesis about the ethical medical treatment of transgender children and adolescents. Nicole will attend medical school at the University of Minnesota.
Hanna Johnson. Hanna is an English major, with an emphasis in professional writing. She was a research and teaching assistant in the business school focusing on international business, a subject which called out to her owing to time spent founding a company in the education space in Santiago, Chile. In her free time, Hanna enjoys competing in half marathons and traveling, and is currently writing her first book. She has been in training for a new position at the financial technology startup Securitize, and will begin full-time work as a project manager after graduation.
Katherine Lin. Katherine, from Fremont, CA, is a Public Health Science major with minors in Biology and History. Her interest is the intersection of social experiences and health outcomes. She was a member of the executive board of the Chinese Student Association for two years, serving as both freshman representative and Culture Show director. Outside of school, she enjoys traveling, reading, and dance. This summer, she will be doing research with Dr. Jamie Chang of the Public Health Program. Katherine will attend UCLA to pursue a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology.
Charlie Manning. Charlie is a Psychology major with a minor in Communication. His favorite hobbies include hiking and camping with friends. Charlie has traveled to countries including Ireland and Australia. Over the course of his college career, he has volunteered with several charitable organizations including Sacred Heart Community Services and TransFormCA. Charlie spent last summer interning in the Human Resources Department of Cisco Systems; he will begin full-time work at Cisco this August.
Allison Martinez. Allison is a Political Science and Ethnic Studies double major from Portland, OR. Allison ran cross-country and track, participated in an immersion trip to the Arizona border to learn about immigration, and connected with prospective students and their families as a Student Ambassador in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Allison’s Ethnic Studies senior capstone paper, an evaluation of SCU’s sexual assault prevention programs from an intersectional approach, won the 2018 Matt Meier Award for Excellence in Student Research. After graduation, Allison will work as an immigration assistant at Berry, Appleman & Leiden in San Francisco.
Madison Masten. Matti is a double major in Physics and Computer Science, with a minor in Dance. For the past two years, she has researched the ultrafast dynamics of semimetals with Professor Weber of the Physics Department. Matti is a recipient of the Carl H. Hayn Physics Prize and the Clare Boothe Luce Scholarship, and is the incoming President of the Women in Physics club on campus. She also loves dancing; she routinely performs with the Dance Department, and has led SCU’s Salsa Team. During summer 2018, Matti will be doing computational physics work at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory through the Department of Energy SULI program.
Anna McCreadie. Anna completed a degree in Psychology in three years as an athlete on the volleyball team, earning WCC All-Freshman Team honors. She developed an ethics scale with Dr. Thomas Plante and will present a poster at the annual conference of the American Psychological Association. She received the Wundt Award, the highest honor the Psychology Department bestows. Anna represents her team on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, serving as a liaison between administration and athletes. She is a dual citizen of Canada, plays the guitar, rides the unicycle, and loves the outdoors. Anna will pursue a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at SCU with her remaining years of athletic eligibility.
Julia Moore. Julia is a Psychology major with a minor in Communication. She served as a peer educator in the course “Psychology of Sleep and Dreaming” and as a research assistant in Dr. Kathryn Bruchmann’s Social Cognition and Comparison Lab. She also spent two summers at Genentech as an associate communications specialist. She now works with Dr. Chan Thai of the Communication Department studying how young adults cope with death and how to mitigate barriers to adherence in colorectal cancer screening. After graduation, Julia will continue her work with Dr. Thai while applying to graduate programs in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Athena Nguyen. Athena is graduating with a double major in Public Health Science and Political Science. She served alongside the Missionaries of Charity as a Jean Donovan Fellow at an orphanage for children with special needs in Cusco, Peru. She also conducted research as a Global Social Benefit Fellow in Myanmar through the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship. On campus, she has worked in the Department of Public Health as a research assistant, the Department of Political Science as a student assistant, and the Office of Residence Life as a community facilitator. This fall, she will travel to Vietnam as a Fulbright Fellow teaching English. Athena is the valedictorian of the Class of 2018.
Giannina Ong. Giannina is a triple major in English, Classics, and Women & Gender Studies. An immersion trip to the Navajo Nation inspired her to research domestic violence rates on the reservation and off in order to create a dialogue about intersectional struggles. She has served as a peer educator for an on-campus domestic violence prevention program and volunteered at a local women's shelter. She is the recipient of a Canterbury English Fellowship and a Provost Research Fellowship, and was recently recognized with the Student Life Senior Award. For the last three years, Giannina has been an integral part of SCU's NCAA Division One tennis team; over the last year, she was team captain and a Hackworth Fellow researching athletics in a Jesuit collegiate setting.
Jackson Parsons. Jackson is a double major in Computer Science and Japanese Studies with a minor in Mathematics. Having found a passion for cybersecurity and Japanese culture, he received the Freeman-ASIA Scholarship to study abroad in Tokyo and wrote his senior honors thesis on techno-cultural anxiety in Japan. He also served as a peer educator and study abroad ambassador and later interned for Genentech. This summer, Jackson will return to Boise, ID, to work as a software development intern for ULedger. He will return to Santa Clara in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in Computer Engineering.
Danielle Price. Danielle, from Los Angeles, CA, majored in Economics and minored in Political Science. Danielle has a particular interest in studying data analytics. While at Santa Clara she enjoyed working in the Drahmann Center as an economics tutor. She also worked as a research assistant in the Political Science department studying the effects of beauty bias in the workplace. Danielle will begin work as an analyst at the economic consulting firm, Cornerstone Research.
Brandon Sanchez. Brandon is a double major in History and Psychology. He has worked as a research assistant in the social psychology lab, served as president of the Residential Learning Communities Association and as a member of the Honors Advisory Council, and interned for the Mayor of San Jose as part of the Ignatian Center's Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative. Brandon spent his junior year at Oxford University where he studied history and experimental psychology and won the Mansfield College Essay Prize. During his senior year, under the mentorship of Professor Ron Hansen, he wrote a historical novella. After graduation, Brandon will move to New York City, where he will write for America Magazine. He is the recipient of the Nobili Medal for the Class of 2018.
Alexandra Sanicola. Alexandra is a Psychology major with minors in History and Urban Education. Throughout her time at SCU, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi serving as alumnae chair. She also served as the president of the History Club and volunteered at several secondary schools assisting young adults with special needs. Alexandra will attend UC Hastings School of Law where she will continue to pursue her passion for higher education and serving the needs of disadvantaged youth.
Brynn Sargent. Brynn, from Folsom, CA, is a Biology major with a double minor in Chemistry and Mathematics. Brynn competed on the cross-country and track teams every year, and currently sits at #8 all-time for SCU in the 800m. He completed four years of research under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Dahlhoff, culminating in an undergraduate thesis investigating the effects of climate change on animal population distribution. Brynn will be working as a medical assistant at a local family and sports medicine clinic while he applies to medical schools.
Alexander Seto. Alex is a University Honors student graduating with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science & Engineering, and a minor in Physics. He worked as a math tutor for the Drahmann Center, studied abroad in Madrid, and has interned at Amazon. He has also served as president of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, and as an officer in numerous other organizations. He recently won Best in Session for the Engineering Senior Design Competition with his senior thesis on the cryptographic technologies behind digital elections and the proposal of a new blockchain-based system. Alex will enter the PhD program in Computer Sience at Purdue University.
Zachary Steffen. Zach is a Physics and Mathematics double major who enjoys running, board games, and sustainability. He served as the president of the Society of Physics Students and worked with the Resilient Families Program headed by Dr. Barbara Burns in the Child Studies Department. He performed physics research at Stanford University with Professor Betty Young and at NIST-Boulder as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Zach will pursue a PhD in Physics at the University of Maryland.
Derek Sikkema. Derek is a junior English and Theatre major. He has self-published three novels and won the Provost Fellowship to write his fourth this summer. During his studies at Santa Clara, he has helped conduct research on Octavia Butler’s role in African American Literature, has been a member of the Santa Clara Ethics Bowl team that placed fourth at nationals, and has gone to Chinandega, Nicaragua on an immersion trip in devised theatre. He plans to pursue and MFA in Acting after graduating from Santa Clara, followed by and MFA in Creative Writing in the following years.
Henry Minsoo Strickland. Henry is a Philosophy major born and raised in the Bay Area. For the past two years he has served as editor-in-chief of SCU’s literary magazine, the Santa Clara Review. He is also a student worker at SCU’s Enrollment Services Center. Last summer, he interned with National Geographic as part of the operations team for Explorer magazine. Henry wrote his honors thesis on the ways in which virtual reality can help us gain a better understanding of the self and the world. He plans to attend law school and study music copyright law.
Xindi Sun. An international student from China, Xindi double-majored in Mathematics and Economics. She is interested in the economics of development and poverty. Her experience as part of an immersion trip to San Jose and as a volunteer at Solart, an organization dedicated to empower children in poverty in China, helped her to gain a deeper understanding of concepts and issues that she learned in classes. Xindi became interested in econometrics during her undergraduate studies and has decided to pursue a master’s degree in Business Analytics at SCU.
Michael Turgeon. Michael, who graduated in December with degrees in Music and Biology, researched ancient DNA for two years with Justen Whittall of the Biology Department and was thoroughly involved in the Santa Clara music scene. He was also a writing tutor and enjoyed presenting his work on science writing and songwriting at conferences. While at Santa Clara, he released two albums of original music, put on a self-composed senior recital, served as an environmental ethics fellow, and was a finalist for a national science-fiction award. He currently works in an environmental testing lab as he contemplates graduate studies in environmental biology.
Hannah Warnecke. A Public Health Science major and Biology minor, Hannah was deeply involved with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics through a clinical ethics internship and a Hackworth Fellowship project. She also studied abroad in Geneva, Switzerland. Her senior thesis examined ethical management of infectious diseases in humanitarian crises. Passionate about social justice, Hanna served on the staff of the Santa Clara Community Action Program and as the social justice chair of the Honors Advisory Council. Hannah will pursue a degree in nursing.
Melissa Yee. Mimi is a Psychobiology major and Public Health minor. Originally from Honolulu, HI, she studied abroad in Copenhagen and Berlin. She was the Culture Show director for the Hawaii Club and served as the public relations chair for the SCU Dental Society. Mimi also worked in Dr. Birgit Koopmann-Holm’s psychology culture and emotion research lab, and presented her research on crying at the Association for Psychological Science Annual Convention in May. Mimi will return home to Hawaii and work as a pediatric dental assistant while she applies to dental schools.
Jennifer Young. Jennifer is a double major in Mathematics and Computer Science with an emphasis in Financial Mathematics. She worked as a grader for various math courses and as a tutor in the Drahmann Advising Center. For two summers, she researched the mathematical biology problem of parameter identifiability with Professor Nicolette Meshkat of the Math Department. Since summer 2017, she has been researching thermostability of engineered proteins with Dr. Michelle McCully in the Biology Department. This fall, Jennifer will begin working full-time as a staff research associate at UCSF while starting a part-time master’s degree program in Software Engineering at SCU.