Initiates at Santa Clara University (2016)
Inducted as juniors in 2015
Emily Fayram. Emily is a Psychology and Child Studies double major from Los Olivos, CA. She has worked as lab manager for the Resilient Families Program with Professor Burns, served as co-president of the Future Child Advocates of SCU, and volunteered as a Bronco Abroad Ambassador. Emily has cultivated her love of exploration through studying Positive Psychology in Copenhagen, Denmark, participating in an immersion trip to West Virginia, and traveling across the country to present with the Resilient Families Program. After graduation, Emily will work at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad in Copenhagen before pursuing a career in Clinical Psychology.
Robert Kousnetsov. Robert is a Biology, Biochemistry, and Computer Science major and Biotechnology minor. He has done research in the molecular genetics lab of Professor Leilani Miller, for which he received a Hayes Fellowship. In addition, he served as Health Care Ethics Intern and volunteers at the Regional Medical Center of San Jose. Robert was also a member of SCU’s first ever International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team. He plans to work in the biotech industry before applying to medical schools.
Daniel Long. Daniel is graduating with a degree in Economics and a minor in Political Science. Born in the Bay Area and raised in Denver, CO, Daniel loves to root for the San Francisco Giants and explore the great outdoors. Professionally, his interests include environmental justice and poverty alleviation. He is currently working as a data analyst for Tesla Motors, and after graduation, he hopes to continue working to find private sector solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems.
Sarah Piombo. Sarah is a double major in Public Health and Psychology with an emphasis in Biology. She worked as a research assistant for Professor Kieran Sullivan, exploring how technology and social media affect intimate relationships and has presented at the Western Psychology Conference of Undergraduate Research. She has volunteered and interned in both public health and psychology positions. Sarah will be embarking on a Master’s in Public Health degree at the University of Southern California.
Sean Reilly. Sean, a San Jose local, is a double major in Environmental Science and Biology. As president of the Green Club for the past three years, he has helped foster the Santa Clara community’s engagement with environmentalism. When not out rock climbing, he works in the Stable Isotope Laboratory studying atmospheric river storm-systems and the role of the Santa Cruz Mountains in local precipitation. While studying abroad in Australia, he had the opportunity to study tropical rainforests. As a Fulbright Scholar, he will be heading back to Australia next year to work on invasive species management with Aboriginal rangers.
Elizabeth Sherwin. Elizabeth is a Public Health Science and Spanish double major. While studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she interviewed community health workers and completed a research project about primary healthcare. Passionate about ending human trafficking, Elizabeth served as co-president of the Freedom Project club on campus. Last summer she traveled to Mexico as a Global Social Benefit Fellow, where she conducted research with Sistema Biobolsa, a social enterprise working to improve the livelihood of small farmers. Elizabeth hopes to return to Latin America before pursuing a master’s degree in Public Health.
Inducted in 2016
Jay Bowlby. Jay is a double major in Communication and Philosophy, with emphases in Ethics and Pre-Law. From Seattle, WA, he studied at the American University of Paris his freshman year before transferring to Santa Clara University. During his time at Santa Clara, he has interned as a legal case assistant at a boutique law firm in San Jose while working as an assistant for the SCU Pre-Law advisor. After graduation, he plans on moving back to Seattle before applying to law schools in the fall.
Lauren Braddick. Lauren is a Political Science major and History and Sociology double minor. She played for the women’s ultimate disc team, participated in the Model United Nations, and served as a peer educator. She studied Peace and Conflict Resolution for a semester in Washington, D.C., which included trips to both Bosnia and Jordan. She also researched the effects of outside aid on post-conflict countries with Professor Levy of the Political Science department. Following graduation, Lauren plans on pursuing a career in the field of intelligence.
Caitlin Burns. Caitlin is graduating with a double major in Psychology and Theatre Arts (Dance emphasis). Since freshman year, Caitlin has had the joy of performing in, and choreographing for, 20 on-campus productions with the Theatre and Dance department, including her senior recital this past Fall. She is a member of a professional modern dance company in San Francisco and worked at Transportation Services. Caitlin will be performing professionally in the Bay Area this summer before moving to New York City to pursue dance, and will ultimately attend graduate school to become a clinical psychologist.
Lauren Cloward. Lauren, a native of Seattle, WA, is a Political Science and Environmental Studies double major and the founder of SCU’s Oxfam America Club. She worked as a research assistant for Professor Chris Bacon and planned events for the Food and Agribusiness Institute (FAI) on campus. During her junior year, she studied in Rabat, Morocco, interned with the Association for Social and Environmental Development in Kolkata, India, and traveled to Cuba on an immersion trip. This summer, Lauren will be working on an on-farm food waste project with FAI and conducting food and water security research with Professor Bacon in Nicaragua.
Jon Colarelli. Jon studied Psychology, Finance, and Urban Education at Santa Clara. On campus, he has most strongly defined himself through his work as a community facilitator and assistant resident director in Graham Hall. Above all else, Jon appreciates the diversity of his SCU experience. He participated in the ACE Leadership Program, the Honors Advisory Council, Catholic Relief Services, and the “Just Kickin’ It” Pick-Up Soccer Club. Jon will leverage this broad experience to serve the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a paralegal in Baltimore, after which he hopes to advocate for youth in the juvenile justice system.
Caitlin Courshon: Caitlin is a Psychology and Sociology double major with a minor in Communication. A native of Bellevue, WA, she studied and worked at a non-profit in Cape Town, South Africa, for five months during her junior year. Caitlin has also worked as a research assistant for Professor Tim Urdan of the Psychology Department, pursuing education research on student motivation and presenting at three national conferences. She will be working as an AmeriCorps volunteer, running a literacy mentorship program at an elementary school in Seattle, while applying to School Psychology graduate programs.
Bryan Crook. Bryan is a Biology major and Chemistry minor who researched neuromodulation of the crustacean nervous system with Professor Steve Suljak. He was a three time captain of the Cross Country and Track teams, but is probably better known for getting rowdy in the front row at SCU basketball games. He contributed to Professor Simone Billings' argumentation text, worked as an O’Connor Hospital Healthcare Ethics intern, and led a weeklong immersion trip to the Navajo Nation. He plans to attend medical school.
Clara Cushing. Clara, a Classical Studies and English double major, is the recipient of the 2016 Katherine Woodall Prize in Literary Criticism or Theory. She has spent the past three years tutoring at the HUB Writing Center, and she worked last summer as a communications intern at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Clara swam the Alcatraz Challenge with Santa Clara’s swim club in 2014 and studied abroad in Rome for a semester. Next year, she will return to Europe as a Fulbright Scholar to teach English in the Czech Republic.
Neil Datar. Neil, a junior majoring in Political Science and History, serves as the Senate Chair in the Associated Student Government. He works as a student assistant for the Political Science Department and previously worked as a desk receptionist in a residential learning community. Additionally, he is working to bring “Buckshaw”, a safe late-night transportation service, to Santa Clara. This summer, he will be working with the City of Santa Clara and SCU’s Planning and Projects Department.
Lauren Edwards. Lauren is a junior studying Chemistry and Psychobiology. Born in Seattle, she spent fall quarter in beautiful Copenhagen where she developed an interest in psychopharmacology. She recently became an officer of the Science and Engineering Mentoring Outreach Program as well as the vice president of the psychology honor society, Psi Chi. Funded by SCU’s Hayes Fellowship, Lauren spent last summer at the Brain and Mind Institute where she researched the effects of music on the gait of Parkinson’s patients to investigate alternative therapies for the neurodegenerative disease. This summer, Lauren will begin a new research project at the University of Washington’s Department of Neurological Surgery.
Daniel Escobar. Daniel is a Political Science major with a minor in Environmental Studies. Beyond his major, he has enjoyed studying hip-hop dance and Mandarin. He served as a program coordinator and later a department coordinator for the Santa Clara Community Action Program, a student-led organization centered on service and activism. As a program coordinator, he led students to volunteer in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. He studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain and completed a Jean Donovan fellowship as a teacher’s aid in Santiago, Chile. Daniel is in the process of applying for a fellowship with the Bay Area Climate Corps.
Taylor Ferdinandsen. Taylor, an English major with a Religious Studies minor, served as the captain of the women’s club volleyball team and volunteered at a high school for ESL adults. She has been employed by Santa Clara as the head athletic insurance processor and has spent her summers working jobs that involve spending time with kids. After spending the coming year as an au pair in Bologna, Italy, Taylor will pursue a teaching credential and master’s degree in education.
Natalie Grazian. Natalie is an English major and Spanish minor. She hails from San Diego, CA, and recently completed a historical fiction novella as part of the SCU English Department's Canterbury Fellowship Program. In addition to being the fiction editor of the Santa Clara Review literary magazine and a tutor at the HUB Writing Center, she studied abroad in Alicante, Spain and went on an immersion trip to Cuba. After earning an ESL certification, Natalie will attend graduate school to become a high-school English teacher.
Gus Hardy. Gus is a double-major in Religious Studies and Political Science. While at Santa Clara, he served as a senator in student government and a leader in Christian Life Communities—all while working as a Campus Ministry intern, a Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative fellow for the City of San Jose, and a blogger for Catholic News Service. He also traveled to the Philippines where he was a student at the Casa Bayanihan program. After graduation, he will serve for a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Montana while applying to graduate programs in theology. Gus is Valedictorian of the Class of 2016.
Jenna Harrison. Jenna is a Political Science and Sociology major. A native of Windsor, CA, she has spent the last two years as an intern at the United States Pretrial Services Agency at the federal court in San Jose. She has been active within the Sociology Department as a lab and research assistant. Her honors thesis studied the risk and protective factors that influence adolescent transitions from licit to illicit drugs. In August, Jenna will start law school at USC Gould School of Law.
Lucas Hill. Lucas is from Walnut Creek, CA, and is graduating with a degree in Biology. At SCU, Lucas has participated in the Health Care Ethics Internship, volunteered with children in San Jose and in western Thailand, dissected butterflies for their enzymes, and performed as Lucy in two drag shows. After graduation, Lucas will hopefully work as a clinical care assistant with Lifelong Medical Care at a health clinic in downtown Oakland, and begin applying to medical schools.
Tiffany Iskandar. Homeschooled through high school, Tiffany is graduating with dual degrees in Accounting and Economics, and minoring in International Business. As a three-time Theatre on Ice National Champion, she represented Team USA in the World Championships (Nations Cup) in France. Tiffany is the founder and president of Santa Clara Consulting and UNICEF at SCU. Working with Professor John Ifcher, she researched whether studying economics leads to selfishness. After interning at Symantec as a Technical Business Analyst, Tiffany interned at BlackRock as a Summer Analyst in Investments and won the 2015 BlackRock Portfolio Challenge. Upon graduation, Tiffany will start full-time at BlackRock.
Pavel Klier. Pavel is a double major in Biochemistry and Physics (emphasis biophysics) with a minor in Music. Born and raised in the Silicon Valley, he worked for three years with Professor Brian McNelis in the Department of Chemistry designing and synthesizing chiral auxiliaries. He was also a proud member of Vocalicious, an a cappella group on campus. He will pursue a PhD in Chemistry at UC Berkeley.
Stefanie Kong. Stefanie is a Biology and Music double major with a minor in Public Health. She was a winner of the 2015 Concerto Aria Competition and performed the Grieg piano concerto with the SCU Orchestra. As the Secretary of Artists Striving to End Poverty, Stefanie helped bring the visual and performing arts to underserved youth in San Jose. She also co-founded a MEDLIFE chapter on campus to promote global health engagement in South America. Following graduation, Stefanie will work at Roche Diagnostics before pursuing a career in medicine and public health.
Alec Kwo. Originally from Carmel, IN, Alec is a Sociology major with a Music minor. He was a TA in the Music Department, a trip leader for Into the Wild, studied abroad in El Salvador, interned at the Center for Sustainability, served on the Santa Clara Community Action Program staff, worked as a research assistant in the Sociology Department, and was a two-time intramural soccer champion. After graduation, Alec will be conducting community outreach efforts for Ecology Action, an environmental organization in San Jose, while exploring potential graduate and law programs.
Kirkland Langberg. Kirkland is a Communication major, with an emphasis in film, and an Economics minor. He studied abroad and interned in London for Really Bright Media, a film production company, which creates content for businesses across Europe. Two of his short films won awards at the Genesis Film Festival in 2015. He also recently gave a TEDx talk on the Science of Happiness, which was the subject of his senior thesis. He will be moving to Los Angeles to work in the film industry.
Sondra Leal Da Costa. Sondra is a Biology major. A native of Los Gatos, CA, she studied abroad in Copenhagen where she further explored her passion for medicine and traveling. She loves working with children and has spent time tutoring students and providing childcare for families. Next year, Sondra will train to be an EMT and participate in a medical volunteer program with International Service Learning before attending medical school.
Christina Leupp. Christina is an English major with minors in Entrepreneurship and Retail Studies. She served as president of both Alpha Sigma Nu and the Santa Clara Panhellenic Council, as well as a lead tutor in the HUB Writing Center. Christina worked in the University Event Planning Office and with the Santa Clara Student Alumni Council. In 2016, she received the Buck Bannan Student Life Award from the Santa Clara Alumni Association. Christina also volunteered in Lourdes, France, every summer for five years serving the terminally ill. After graduation, Christina will work in Silicon Valley.
Patrick Lyons. Patrick is a Political Science major with a minor in International Business. He studied in Washington, DC, at American University’s Washington Semester Program, concentrating in Justice and Law studies. While there, Patrick also interned with a private security firm where he had the opportunity to work alongside former CIA and Secret Service agents. Patrick will begin working as a case assistant at a San Francisco law firm, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP. He plans a career in law.
Andrew McCarty. Andrew, a History and Political Science double major and an Economics minor, has been a member of the Men’s Rugby team for the past four years. As a junior, Andrew studied abroad in London, where he interned with a Member of Parliament. Andrew also helped on a project researching peace-building and state-building in post-conflict states. Through his work with Silicon Valley Talent Partnership, a local nonprofit, he helped introduce Feeding Silicon Valley, an initiative to send excess food from stores, events, and restaurants to local homeless shelters. After graduation, Andrew will be working in Palo Alto at Silicon Valley Bank.
Kyra McComas. Kyra is graduating with degrees in Biochemistry and History, and minors in Biology and Biotechnology. She completed three years of research in the Fuller Organic Chemistry Laboratory, exploring novel analytic techniques. She has tutored calculus, chemistry, biology, and biochemistry and participated in service work tutoring Spanish-speaking day-workers. As co-founder of the Women in STEM club, she helped create a support community for undergraduate women in STEM fields. After participating in a medical brigade in rural Ghana, her passion for healthcare was confirmed. Kyra will begin medical school at the University of Utah in August.
Richard Mule´. Richard, an Electrical Engineering, Finance, and Physics triple major with a Math minor, researched early galaxy formation with Professor Kristin Kulas of the Physics Department. He served on SCU’s peer judicial board, worked as a student assistant for the library, and tutored students through the Drahmann Center. He was recently named one of the winners of the Engineering Senior Design Contest for successfully designing and programming a wavefront sensor for Professor Chris Weber in the Physics Department. After graduation, he will be working at Stanford as a research assistant helping to characterize new versions of cryo-electronics devices developed for advanced physics applications.
Nicole Meier Nicole is a Philosophy major and History minor. Nicole served in the judicial branch of student government, worked at the Santa Clara University School of Law as an administrative assistant and proctor for both law school exams and the LSAT, and was a dedicated mentor to a fellow Honors Program student. She also spent the entirety of her junior year at Oxford University on a full academic scholarship. Nicole will be applying to law schools.
Makenzie Mueller - Makenzie is a Political Science major with minors in International Business and Arabic, Islamic, Middle Eastern Studies. She is also an honors student and has participated in campus groups such as the International Club. In addition to her personal travels to over 35 countries, she spent time abroad studying Arabic, diplomacy, and policy in Amman, Jordan. A Colorado native, she spends her free time outside rock climbing and hiking. Makenzie plans to pursue a career in the outdoor sports retail industry.
Eryn Olson. Eryn is a double major in Communication and Sociology from Torrance, CA. She wrote for the campus newspaper and spent the last year interning with Santa Clara Magazine. She earned two department awards this year for her research and writing. Eryn studied abroad in Ireland at the University College Cork, but don’t let that, her red hair, or her name trick you—she’s barely Irish. After graduation, she’ll be pursuing her passion for sports and spending her first summer away from Southern California working at Levi’s Stadium as a tour guide.
Emily Paton. Emily is a Public Health Science major with minors in Biology and Chemistry. She studied abroad her junior year in Geneva, Switzerland, where she conducted independent research on the therapeutic implications of the cancer stem cell hypothesis. The following summer, she studied head and neck cancer as a research fellow at the University of Colorado’s Center for Regenerative Medicine. In addition to her scientific pursuits, Emily coached high school debate and worked as a calculus and statistics tutor at the University’s Drahmann Center. Emily plans on pursuing clinical research before applying to medical schools.
Annamarie Pilon. Annamarie is a junior Psychology and Studio Art double major from Davis, CA. Since her first year on campus, she has volunteered with the Santa Clara Community Action Program at venues such as the Chandler Tripp Preschool for disabled children. As a sophomore, she served as marketing coordinator and event-planner for the Communitas Residential Learning Community. Currently, Annamarie works in the Harrington Learning Commons, where she assists students in accessing library resources. She has a passion for working with people. After graduation she plans to pursue a career in psychotherapy or art education.
Kelly Shi. Kelly is a Philosophy major with minors in French Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies. As captain of the SCU Ethics Bowl team, she led the team to place in the Top 10 at the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl. Kelly also served as the president of the SCU Philosophy Club, a Hackworth Fellow with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, and a volunteer at a local center for mentally disabled adults. Kelly will join Teach for America and teach high school English in Arkansas.
Austin Smith. Austin, a Political Science and Economics double major, spent four years as a member of the Associated Student Government where he served as the Chief Justice for two years and then as the Chairman of the Student Affairs Committee. Over his four years, Austin oversaw an $80,000 budget for the University's clubs, was a member of the University's Policy Committee for Academic Affairs and was the co-chair of the task force that created an Honor Code for the University. A native of Los Angeles, Austin will return home to attend the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law.
Alexandra Sudomoeva. Alexandra, a double degree in Mathematical Economics and Communication, is an international student from Moscow, Russia. This past year she was chosen as the Markkula Center’s Hackworth Fellow to address the issue of affordable housing in Santa Clara. After returning from studying abroad in Paris during her junior year, she became a research assistant in the Department of Economics. Alexandra has also been one of the leaders of Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity. After graduation, Alexandra will be working on corporate strategy at Cisco. In the future, she intends to earn a doctorate in Mathematical Economics and to pursue a career in the field of developmental economics.
William Swanson. Will is a Political Science major with an emphasis in International Relations from Los Angeles, California. He worked at SCU’s Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship and as a Global Social Benefit Fellow for the Cambodian social enterprise Operation ASHA. Will used his experience working at the Miller Center and his experience working in Cambodia to write his senior thesis on how social enterprises evaluate impact. Next year he will be returning to Los Angeles to attend law school at UCLA, with the goal of one day working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Sean Werkema. Sean is a Political Science major with a minor in Economics. He worked as a research assistant for Professor Naomi Levy on a federally funded project analyzing state- and peace- building in post-conflict countries. In his junior year he studied in Freiburg, Germany with an emphasis in European Union studies. Beyond the classroom, he was a member of the Men’s Rugby Team and gained experience working as a researcher for the non-profit Joint Venture Silicon Valley in the field of public finance. Sean will work as a project coordinator for Sonoma County’s Economic Development Board conducting business development and economic research.
Serena Wong. Serena, an English major and Communication minor, completed her degree in three years. She served passionately as an executive board member for the Asian Pacific Islander Student Union, organizing events including a film festival and a student-led concert featuring works by Asian American artists. She also ran a private tutoring service for middle school students, worked as a filmmaking TA for the Communication Department, and held various videography and communications positions on campus. In the summer, Serena will be attending the Jubilee Project Fellowship in Los Angeles alongside other filmmakers from around the world. She plans to pursue a career in filmmaking with a social impact, and aspires to start her own production company with the goal of promoting greater diversity and representation in the film and television industry.