Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, Claremont McKenna College students earned recognition on a global scale, with notable scholarships, ranging from a Rhodes, to several Fulbrights, and other distinguished fellowships.
Six members of CMC’s Class of 2024 and two recent alumni were awarded esteemed Fulbright grants: Liann Bielicki ’24, Angélica Campos ’20, Nathalie Chavez ’23, Annabelle Duflock ’24, Joelle Min ’24, Emily Ortiz ’24, Adarsh Srinivasan ’24, and Shay Suresh '24.
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. In February 2024, Claremont McKenna was recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright recipients.
“This year’s Fulbright winners are an impressive group,” said Yi Shun Lai, CMC’s Interim Assistant Director of Fellowships Advising. “From carbon cap projects in Southeast Asia to teaching posts in Europe, they represent the true breadth of the CMC student body’s varied aspirations and interests.”
In addition to the Fulbrights, significant honors went to CMCers, including, Bertha Tobias ’24, who was honored with a Rhodes Scholarship; Alvin Villarosa ’25, who was named a Barry Goldwater Scholar; and Ivanna Morales Mercado ’25, who earned the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service.
“We’re proud of them and of their colleagues who won other competitive fellowships ranging from funded graduate-school opportunities in New Zealand and positions in California’s state government, to prestigious science fellowships and humanities scholarships,” Lai continued. “We’re impressed by all of the many students who competed for these opportunities.”
The recognitions will support CMCers to achieve their shared goals of utilizing their leadership skills to meet the world’s challenges.
California Capitol Fellowships (Year-long placement in California state government)
- Genevieve McCloy ’24 (Assembly)
- Caruna Gillespie ’24 (Senate)
Coro (Public affairs and urban studies)
- Kenya Nunez ’24
Critical Language Scholarship (Fully funded summer program to study critical languages)
- Alexandra Perez-Pleitez ’26
Elbaz Family Post-Grad Fellowship (Year-long placement with a human rights organization funded by the Mgrublian Center)
- José Chiquito ’24
- Riley Green ’24
Fulbright Recipients
- Liann Bielicki ’24 – English Teaching Assistant, Taiwan
- Angélica Campos ’20 – Fulbright Graduate Degree, Mexico
- Nathalie Chavez ’23 – English Teaching Assistant, South Korea
- Annabelle Duflock ’24 – English Teaching Assistant, Spain
- Joelle Min ’24 – English Teaching Assistant, South Korea
- Emily Ortiz ‘24 – English Teaching Assistant, Taiwan
- Adarsh Srinivasan ’24 – Open Study/Research Award (Environmental Studies), Indonesia
- Shay Suresh '24 – Open Study/Research Award (Public Policy), Ireland
Goldwater Scholarship (STEM research)
- Alvin Villarosa ‘25
J. Carolyn and Joseph B. McMullin Endowed Rotary Global Grant Scholarship (Graduate school funding abroad)
- Richa Parikh ’24
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (5C Fellowship to introduce students from underrepresented backgrounds to research and academic careers)
- Louis Layman ’26
Napier Award for Creative Leadership (Grant to a 5C senior for a significant community development project)
- Rukmini Banerjee ’24
Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service (Public service leadership development)
- Ivanna Morales Mercado ’25
Project Horseshoe Farm (Community health fellowships)
- Keeley LaRiviere ’24 (Yearlong fellowship starting summer 2024)
- Liya Yemaneberhane ’24 (Winter fellowship)
Projects for Peace (Grant for a significant summer community development project)
- Genevieve McCloy ’24
- Richa Parikh ’24
- Laura Rich ’24
Rhodes Scholarship (Fully funded degree at Oxford University)
- Bertha Tobias ’24
Rotary Global Grant (to fund graduate school study)
- Tallan Donine ’21
The Public Interest Fellowship (Two-year fellowship designed for professional development)
- Pieter van Wingerden ’24