Jeffrey Arigo ’26
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Hometown: Mendon, N.Y.
Inspired by physicians throughout his life, Jeff found an early passion for biology and how medicine integrated science to improve lives. As a medical technician, he developed a strong interest in pediatrics and was introduced to the field of health care improvement. Jeff further explored this area at the University of Rochester, where he contributed to a study focused on quality improvement initiatives in pediatric G-tube care and surgical education. Jeff volunteers at St. Andrew's Food Cupboard in Rochester, N.Y., supporting individuals facing food insecurity. On campus, he leads group problem sets for the biology department and was previously a community leader. He also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and tutors high school students. Under the mentorship of Professor Engda Hagos, Jeff studies the role of the transcription factor KLF4 in ferroptosis, an iron-mediated form of cell death, and its implications in cancer biology. This summer, he will conduct pediatric oncology research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Recognizing the intersection of health care improvement and biomedical research, Jeff aspires to become a physician-scientist dedicated to compassionate patient care and the pursuit of innovative therapies that enhance patient outcomes.
Kyle Born ’26
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Chemistry
Hometown: Wilmette, Ill.
Growing up with neurological disease in his family, Kyle became keenly aware of the associated symptoms and realities of the afflicted people around him. As the basis for his interest in medicine, Kyle decided to major in neuroscience. He began working in Professor Wan-Chun Liu’s lab during his first year at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ and continues to research the effects of light pollution on finch brain development. Outside the lab, Kyle plays guitar for children with cancer through the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Key Notes program, volunteers at a local nursing home, and tutors students at Madison Central School. He also helps run 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Neuroscience Club and has a radio program. In recent summers, Kyle has worked at Feinberg Medical School’s neurology department, conducting a variety of surgeries and lab techniques with mouse disease models. Kyle hopes to practice in neurology, psychiatry, or general surgery, focusing on equal access for rural populations.
Chayce Canty ’27
Majors: Political Science; Peace and Conflict Studies
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Chayce's passion for law has been deeply shaped by living in Atlanta and traveling abroad, where she has engaged with diverse legal systems, cultures, and perspectives on justice. Witnessing how different countries navigate migration, governance, and security has strengthened her commitment to the intersection of law and national security on a global scale. Chayce is the founder of Pair + Care through 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Thought Into Action incubator. She is also a Benton Scholar and an OUS Scholar, as well as a member of the Black Student Union, Pre-Law Society, Conduct Board, and Kappa Kappa Gamma. Currently, Chayce is participating in 91¶ÌÊÓƵ's Washington, D.C., Study Group, interning at Cornerstone Government Affairs with the OpsWatch team. There, she monitors political client grant and fundraising opportunities while taking courses on U.S. civil-military relations. Next semester, she will expand her global perspective by studying in Cape Town, South Africa, focusing on the study of human rights and migration.
Grace Ciaravino ’26
Major: Neuroscience
Hometown: Endwell, N.Y.
Driven by a passion for science and patient care, Grace believes medicine is about establishing meaningful connections with patients. This journey began in high school through the New Visions Health Academy, where she gained nearly 200 hours of shadowing experience across 25+ medical specialties. At 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, she combines rigorous academic study with hands-on experience in research and clinical settings. As a research assistant in the Psychological and Brain Science Department, she studies co-song gesturing in zebra finches to uncover mechanisms of song-learning. Grace also works as a surgical orderly at Guthrie Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, N.Y., where she assists with patient positioning, operating room setup, and patient engagement to ensure optimal care. Grace serves as a captain of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Division I Women’s Rowing team, fostering teamwork and perseverance, and as director of academic excellence for Delta Delta Delta, where she mentors peers and promotes scholarship. She aspires to integrate scientific inquiry with compassionate, patient-centered care to make a lasting impact in health care, potentially in orthopedics.
Olwethu Ezell ’26
Majors: Political Science, Sociology
Hometown: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
As a first-generation South African immigrant, Olwethu is empowered by her country’s resilience in the fight against apartheid and has made racial and economic justice advocacy her lifelong practice. Olwethu is passionate about efforts that challenge policymaking and legislation that disproportionately impacts BIPOC and low-income communities. This passion was ignited when she began volunteering in arraignment court watch sessions, assisting Professor Chandra Russo in her work with the organization Showing Up for Racial Justice. In her role, she collaborates with other volunteers to eliminate the use of cash bail in cases of low-level, non-violent offenses. Last summer, Olwethu developed her passion for criminal legal reform as a research assistant intern on a collaborative project between UCLA Law School and JusticeLA. She is continuing her journey with 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Washington, D.C., Study Group this spring and interning in the U.S. Senate. Olwethu envisions a future career in politics that employs law as an avenue for sustainable, long-lasting change.
Ean Hill ’26
Majors: Classical Studies, German
Hometown: Bardstown, Ky.
Ean’s passion for law is imbued with his belief in the human soul. Growing up in rural Kentucky, he credits his exposure to the arts and humanities with his passion for learning and the law. Last summer, he completed a legal internship with the Munich-based law firm Rückel & Collegen solely within a German-speaking environment. Due to this, Ean had the privilege to work for the prosecution of Irmgard Fuchner in Germany’s last Nazi trial. The Furchner trial was extremely influential to his modus operandi, as it gave him the belief that every action, no matter how menial, has a right and wrong. Ean believes in the value of the humanities and recognizes the responsibility of the law to defend it. Following graduation, Ean plans to spend time abroad to improve his German before returning to the U.S. for law school. He hopes to pursue a career working in art restitution and international law, working to ensure public access to art and culture.
Rachael Martinez ’26
Majors: Psychological Sciences; Peace and Conflict Studies
Hometown: Chandler, Ariz.
Rachael's inherent thirst for knowledge, need for competition, and desire for community motivated her to attend 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. Engaging in the curricula of her two academic majors has allowed her to flourish as a student and recognize the unique strengths of a liberal arts education. Adjacent to the rigorous academics, Rachael enjoys playing on 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Division I Volleyball team where she embraces her holistic education as she learns and grows with the support system of teammates, coaches, staff, and alumni at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. It is through this experience that Rachael has recognized her admiration for higher education and its intersection with the legal profession. She aspires to attend law school to study the current dilemmas of academia and their legalities, including topics such as the liberal arts curriculum debate; the dissemination of knowledge; discrimination claims; and the legal framework of higher education institutions and their regional distinctiveness. Rachael envisions using her law degree to work as general counsel to a higher education institution, to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education, or to lead a university. Following graduation, she has committed to pursuing her master’s degree at Durham University while playing an additional year of competitive volleyball before returning to the U.S. to attend law school.
Alta McQuillen ’26
Major: Molecular Biology
Minor: Global Public and Environmental Health
Hometown: Larchmont, N.Y.
Alta’s passion for medicine stems from her commitment to medical research and expanding health care access. Before 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Alta joined the Giannakakou Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine and performed research on potential small molecule inhibitors of AR-V7 in castration-resistant prostate cancer. Last summer, Alta worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer at a free health care clinic for uninsured and underinsured Black men. Along with two other volunteers, she oversaw clinic operations, coordinated care, and assisted physicians and nurses. This experience taught her the complexities of disease prevention and health care delivery. At 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Alta performs biostatistics-based research in the biology department. In fall 2023, Alta performed research on the physiological factors affecting canine temperature regulation as a part of a collaborative project submitted for publication. At 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, she also mentors and tutors local elementary school students. Her experiences have fueled her determination to earn an MD-MPH, leading her to practice medicine in a way that advances the goal of providing equitable access to health care.
Kelly Ribeiro ’27
Major: Psychology
Minors: Writing and Rhetoric; Political Science
Hometown: Lyndhurst, N.J.
Growing up as a first-generation Brazilian-American shaped Kelly’s understanding of the systemic challenges immigrant families face. Observing her family and community face legal and social obstacles has helped her recognize the broader systemic issues that affect immigrant families. This awareness led her to pursue law to address these inequalities and promote access to justice for underrepresented groups. While at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Kelly is an OUS scholar, an employer relations intern in Career Services, and conducts research on sleep psychology with the psychological and brain science department. She has gained hands-on legal experience through internships at a courthouse and at a law firm, where she conducted legal research and assisted with case preparation. Additionally, she serves as the president of Backpacks for Kids, a nonprofit that leads initiatives to support refugee families, which is supported through the Thought Into Action incubator. She hopes to pursue a career in law, advocating for immigrant rights and broader social reform to ensure that all communities, regardless of background, have access to justice and opportunity.
Ciara Sanders ’26
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Brewster, N.Y.
Ciara’s interest in law stems from her passion for advocacy. After interning for U.S. Representative Yvette Clarke as a congressional intern, Ciara gained insight into gender-based discrimination in America’s health care system. Inspired by legislation that defends women’s reproductive rights, she hopes to use the law to combat inequities that women face in other areas like the workplace, justice system, and education. On campus, she utilizes her position as a team leader of the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Vote Project to encourage civic engagement and help students facing difficulties exercising their right to vote. In addition, she serves as vice president of the Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society and office ambassador in Career Services, where she can express her passion for service and helping others. In the future, Ciara hopes to continue advocating for and empowering women through the law.
Sarah Sexton ’26
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Greene, N.Y.
Growing up in upstate New York, Sarah witnessed many challenges and opportunities in rural health care, sparking her excitement to leverage a medical career to give back to these communities. Volunteering at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ has deepened her interest in and conviction for rural medicine. She volunteers at Roots & Wings with the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Hunger Outreach Program, at the Morrisville Crouse Community Day Health Center with 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Caretakers, and as an EMT with Madison County. On campus, Sarah is a general and organic chemistry tutor, as well as a research assistant under Professor Jacob Goldberg, studying the incorporation of unnatural and fluorinated amino acids into proteins. Sarah leads and choreographs for the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Dance Initiative and dances in the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Ballet Company. Following 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, she plans to attend medical school and work to alleviate health care disparities in rural and underserved populations.
Whitney Smith ’27
Majors: Biochemistry
Minor: Art History
Hometown: Sherborn, Mass.
Whitney’s interest in medicine started early in childhood, but it wasn’t until she watched her father battle a rare form of cancer that it became her driving force. Whitney is passionate about the prospect of curing diseases and genetic conditions that previously would have been life-limiting through cutting-edge treatments in gene therapy and immunotherapy. At 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, she works as a biochemistry research assistant in Professor Peeler’s lab and enjoys helping other students as a peer tutor. During her internship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, she conducted clinical research in orthopedic trauma surgery. Whitney’s research will aid in the construction of an AI model to predict the discharge dispositions of geriatric hip fracture patients. Utilizing her minor, Whitney studied the effect of displays of human remains in museums on medical mistrust in minority communities. Outside of the classroom, she is an athlete on 91¶ÌÊÓƵ's Division I Varsity Track and Field team and represents her team as a wellness advocate. This summer, she will conduct clinical research in neonatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Annika Stimac ’26
Majors: Political Science, English
Hometown: Ellington, Conn.
Growing up in a farm town, Annika has been shaped by the idea that hard work and small efforts can change the world. The idea of helping people has always inspired her. Currently, she serves as the chief of intelligence for the Ukraine Accountability Project (UAP) for the Global Accountability Network, an organization dedicated to documenting and building legal cases against war crimes around the world. As a member of the UAP, she was a lead writer on its paper, ICC Jurisdiction Over Extraordinary Renditions from the Territory of States Parties, which led to the International Criminal Court issuing warrants for the arrest of Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova. Annika has also worked on a draft indictment of President Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus and a white paper arguing for the creation of ecocide as an official crime, which have been circulated widely throughout the international political community. At 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, she enjoys tutoring kindergarteners, playing starting Scrum Half for the Women’s Rugby Team, as well as serving as the spirit committee director for the Student Activities Association and a member of the Budget Allocations Committee. She dreams of being a civil rights attorney.
Cristian Teruel ’26
Major: Molecular Biology
Minor: Global, Public, and Environmental Health
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Having been born with heart disease, Cristian developed a fascination with cardiology at an early age. Witnessing the transformative and powerful impact his doctors had on him evoked a sense of responsibility to one day do the same for others. At 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Cristian played varsity soccer until a medical retirement redirected his path. He became a student trainer for the team and further immersed himself in health care by working as an EMT for Madison County. He is also a Questbridge Scholar, a mentor for the pre-health pathways club, and works as a librarian assistant. Over the summers, Cristian has found joy in volunteering at local emergency rooms and working as an online tutor for organic chemistry. Cristian will serve as a Jim Manzi ’73 Fellow this summer at Boston Medical Center. Following 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Cristian aims to obtain an MD-MPH to address health care disparities and advocate for underserved populations. He seeks to blend clinical expertise with public health initiatives, ensuring equitable access to quality care. Through medicine, Cristian has always seen a pathway to empower and uplift others, just as his own physicians once did for him.
Ingrid Vorbrich ’26
Majors: Religion, Molecular Biology
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
Ingrid’s passion for reproductive justice stems from listening to the experiences underserved patients have with the U.S. medical system. She aims to change the practice of women’s medicine by becoming an OBGYN trained in a public health perspective. Through her majors, Ingrid seeks to understand diverse perspectives and interpretations of health and life, which will help her transform women’s medicine from a science-centric field to a holistic practice that accounts for people’s humanity and background. At 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Ingrid is a training coordinator and EMT with Madison County and a leader of the HAVEN Ambassadors. She also hosts a radio show that combines her love of music and social justice by sharing unheard or underrepresented women’s stories. Ingrid’s work with third graders through the Seneca Sisters mentoring program helps her instill self-confidence, trust, and autonomy to break cycles of misinformation about women’s bodies. She interned as a Jim Manzi ’73 Fellow last summer with the OB/GYN department of Boston Medical Center to address health care disparities. This spring, Ingrid is studying abroad in India to learn about how different NGOs approach health challenges throughout the country and within different communities. Following 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Ingrid intends to pursue an MD and possibly an MPH.
Alexa Watson ’26
Majors: Political Science, Philosophy
Hometown: Montvale, N.J.
Alexa’s interest in law is driven by a passion for exploring evolving legal and ethical questions and driving meaningful change. She seeks to address the evolving challenges that shape society, particularly at the intersection of law, technology, and civil liberties. As a James Madison summer research fellow last year, she explored the implications of artificial intelligence on the legal profession, examining how emerging technologies intersect with ethical responsibility and fairness. This experience reinforced her commitment to engaging with the complex legal landscape and being at the forefront of maintaining justice and fostering innovation in law. Beyond research, Alexa is dedicated to leadership and advocacy. As president of both the Women’s Network and the Pre-Law Society, she has worked to increase student involvement, foster interdisciplinary learning, and expand opportunities for students. Following 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, Alexa hopes to attend law school, where she will continue working to advocate for justice and innovation in the profession.