During the 2024-2025 school year, the Undergraduate Fellowship Office (UFO) partnered with many programs, departments, schools, and other groups to support highly motivated undergraduate students and recent Ohio State graduates in their pursuit of competitive fellowships. We are proud to announce many awardees, finalists, and nominees for awards for transformative fellowship opportunities.
The group of incredible students listed below represent the College of Arts and Science, College of Engineering, Fisher College of Business, College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and College of Medicine. On campus, they are Pelotonia Scholars, Undergraduate Student Government representatives, President’s Buckeye Accelerator winners, Buckeye Leadership Follows, Honors and Scholars students, founders of student organizations, first generation college students, Stamps Eminence Fellows, and more. And their aspirations include advanced degrees such as MDs, PhDs, and JDs as well as careers in diplomacy, data analytics, environmental law, politics, education, medicine, and others. From rising sophomores to recent graduates, these Buckeyes will undoubtedly continue to make Ohio State proud.
Reflecting on the 2024-2025 school year, program manager of competitive fellowships Janet Schroeder commented on the diligence and ambitious nature of Ohio State students. Schroeder stated, “Each year a talented crop of students seeks support from our office, and I am constantly learning new things from them! This year I was especially impressed by the ways applicants faced uncertainties related to funding, availability of awards, and other challenges. Still, with good faith and lots of effort, students create and submit compelling applications that also help them understand themselves and their ambitions in new ways.” Schroeder reflected, “Watching such transformations is a highlight of my work.”
During the 2024-2025 school year, UFO supported students and recent alumni on over 200 applications. We now celebrate the following students for their achievements:
- Majd Al-Marrawi, Goldwater Scholarship, Recipient
- Akshay Anand, DAAD-RISE, Alternate
- Srihan Anand, Truman Scholarship, Finalist
- Audry Bajec, Udall Scholarship, Nominee
- Emily Baldwin, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Alternate
- Meghan Beery, Udall Scholarship, Nominee
- Samantha Bernholtz, Critical Language Scholarship, Semi-finalist
- James Carpenter, Marshall Scholarship, Nominee
- Defne Ceyhan, Churchill Scholarship, Alternate; Gates-Cambridge Scholarship, Semi-finalist
- Ben Conrad, Goldwater Scholarship, Recipient
- Julia Davies, Princeton in Asia, Semi-finalist
- Chloe Dawson, Princeton in Latin America, Semi-finalist
- Laksh Dhir, Astronaut Scholarship, Nominee; Truman Scholarship, Finalist
- Anais Fernandez-Castro, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Kale Fuller, Critical Language Scholarship, Semi-finalist
- Dagma Getnet, Princeton in Latin America, Semi-finalist
- Sam Gill, DAAD-RISE, Recipient
- Hanna Gill, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Abigail Glover, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Shelby Gogal, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Kel Harris, Gaither Junior Fellowship, Nominee
- Luke Hawes, Udall Scholarship, Honorable Mention
- Haanya Ijaz, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Recipient
- Melwan Izem, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Recipient
- Joshua Jeyandran, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Recipient
- Sahir Kabir, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Rita Kret, Truman Scholarship, Nominee
- Kelsey Lowman, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Chloe Lu, Fulbright United Kingdom Summer Institute, Recipient
- Sarah Male, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Caroline Mallory, Marshall Scholarship, Nominee
- Mary Marron, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Alexa Pyun, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Zahra Ramakdawala, Critical Language Scholarship, Semi-finalist
- Elyse Reed, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Recipient
- Hannah Rees, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Maxwell Rodney, Rhodes Scholarship, Nominee; Marshall Scholarship, Nominee
- Jazmine Rogers, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Harsha Sanaka, Goldwater Scholarship, Recipient
- Michael Sarkis, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Sai Vidyud Senthil Nathan, Goldwater Scholarship, Nominee
- Dalal Shalash, Rhodes Scholarship, Nominee; Marshall Scholarship, Nominee
- Rachel Simroth, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Recipient
- Paolo Sinopoli, Goldwater Scholarship, Recipient
- Yasmine Skalli, Gaither Junior Fellowship, Nominee
- Lucas Tai, Schwarzman Scholars, Recipient
- Ashley Tarrant, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Alternate
- Anitvir Taunque, Rhodes Scholarship, Finalist; Marshall Scholarship, Nominee
- Krithik Tella, Astronaut Scholarship, Recipient
- Cordelia Van der Veer, Udall Scholarship, Recipient; Beinecke Scholarship, Recipient
- Alexandra Vombergar, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Semi-finalist
- Clovis Westlund, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Alternate
- Zoe Wolfe, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Alternate
- John Wright, Churchill Scholarship, Nominee
- Geoffrey Xue, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Alternate
- Jaden Zelidon, Truman Scholarship, Finalist
When asked to reflect on their efforts this year, applicants also noted the value of the application process. One Fulbright semi-finalist said that it was “extremely helpful thinking about all the different parts of my life and how to fit them together. [It’s] definitely something I couldn’t have done alone, but working through the process with lots of feedback was instrumental!” A Goldwater Scholarship recipient stated, “applying for this scholarship let me reflect on my goals and solidify my career choice. The process as a whole was transformative in making me understand what truly motivates me.”
To earn their nominations or awards, the students worked with staff in the Undergraduate Fellowship Office. Students attended information sessions, drafted application essays, compiled resumes, and sought letters of recommendation from mentors on and off campus. Through multiple rounds of revisions to their materials, applicants benefited from feedback from UFO staff, as well as from their peers and mentors. Some applicants won the awards they were seeking, and all students, whether they earned the award or not, grew through the application process as they articulated the impact they hope to have on the world.
Please join us in celebrating these students. Follow us on Instagram, visit our Undergraduate Fellowship Office website, or email us at fellowships@osu.edu for more information about UFO programming and for profiles of many of our awardees!