Columbia College celebrates the many prestigious students who received honors in the 2022–23 academic year. Congratulations to all on their impressive achievements!
Critical Language Scholarship
Two College students and one GS student have been selected for the 2023 Critical Language Scholarship, a summer study abroad program for American students to deepen their linguistic skills and cultural understanding of languages considered essential to America’s engagement with the world.
Muna Ali CC’25, an anthropology major with a concentration in statistics from Columbus, will participate in Arabic language study at the Arab American Language Institute in Meknes, Morocco. Ali looks forward to building her language skills and deepening her understanding of the contextual role of Arabic in North Africa. Jennifer Chiu CC’26, a linguistics and computer science major from Memphis, will spend the summer studying Korean in Busan, South Korea, is excited for the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Korean and plans to explore the intersection between computer science and linguistics. Joshua Sandy GS’24, a human rights major, will study Russian this summer.
DAAD Study Scholarship
Ethan Fenlon CC’21, an English major from Lancaster, Pa., has been awarded a DAAD Study Scholarship. DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, or German Academic Exchange Service) Study Scholarships provide highly qualified individuals with an opportunity to complete a full master’s program at a German university, in nearly any field. Fenlon plans to pursue an M.A. in European literature at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Fenlon was a regular programmer at WBAR and tutored NYC high school students through the Roger Lehecka Double Discovery Center. He also taught English to adults at the local nonprofit Community Impact. Fenlon is currently teaching English in Cheonan, South Korea as a scholar in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering
Two Columbia College students and one Columbia Engineering student were chosen for the DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering program, a summer internship for undergraduates in biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences and engineering. Recipients work with research groups at universities and top research institutions across Germany. Taylor Briggs CC’24, a physics major, and Arman Ozcan CC’25, a computer science and mathematics major, will pursue research at Rhine-Westphalia Technical University of Aachen University. Elizabeth Katzman SEAS’24, a chemical engineering major, will carry out research at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
Goldwater Scholarships
Two Columbia College students and one School of General Studies student were awarded the Goldwater Scholarship, the preeminent undergraduate award in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.
Aiden Sagerman CC’24, a mathematics and comparative literature and society double major from San Francisco, will research set theory and algebraic and geometric topology; Pranay Talla CC’24, a double major in biochemistry and computer science-mathematics from Chappaqua, N.Y., is focused on cancer research; and Gabriel Mangum Lehmann GS’24, an earth science major from New York City, will participate in the Dual B.A. Program between Columbia and Trinity College Dublin, researching paleoceanography.
Mortimer Hays-Brandeis Traveling Fellowship
Seiji Murakami CC’23, a New York City native, will spend the year in Japan studying the techniques of traditional paperworking through an apprenticeship in Saitama prefecture and researching in Echizen, one of the few remaining papermaking towns in the country. The Mortimer Hays-Brandeis Traveling Fellowship provides support to graduating seniors and recent graduates in the visual and fine arts for travel and living expenses to pursue independent, yearlong projects outside the United States.
Key into Public Service Scholar
Victoria Choe CC’24, a history major from Livingston, N.J., is one of 20 students selected as a Key into Public Service Scholar by The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society. The award recognizes students who have demonstrated interest in working in the public sector and possess a strong academic record in the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences.
Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program
Two Columbia affiliates have been selected for the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program, which connects exceptional college juniors and seniors, and graduate students, with paid summer internships in commercial spaceflight, and with notable aerospace leaders for mentorship. Swati Ravi CC’22, an astrophysics major from Plano, Texas, who is pursuing an M.Sc. in space, science and technology at University College Dublin through the Mitchell Scholarship, will work in the “Destinations Safety and Mission Assurance” division of Sierra Space for its Orbital Reef project this summer. Tycho Bogdanowitsch SEAS’24, a mechanical engineering major from Bergen County, N.J., will intern at Vast Space, working on propulsion for the Orbiter team.
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships were awarded to 37 Columbia undergraduates and alumni. The fellowships recognize and support outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.
Roosevelt Network Fellowship
Two Columbia College students have been chosen for Roosevelt Network Fellowship programs. The Roosevelt Network develops and supports undergraduates and early career professionals — in particular, those who hold identities that have historically been denied political power — to be the next generation of leaders in the progressive policy ecosystem. Crystal Foretia CC’23, a history and political science double major from Silver Spring, Md., has been admitted to the Emerging Fellowship Program, the Roosevelt Network’s most advanced policy and research fellowship. Victor Jandres Rivera CC’24, an ethnicity and race studies and human rights double major from Richmond, Va., has been admitted to the Roosevelt in Washington Fellowship Program, which offers mentorship and a summer internship within a progressive movement organization in addition to the opportunity to work in teams on a policy proposal.
Columbia College and Columbia Engineering students interested in learning more about scholarships and fellowships are encouraged to connect with Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.