Two Whitties Awarded 2023 Watson Fellowships

Whitman College senior Katie Jose ’23 and alum Annie Means ’22 were each recently awarded the prestigious and highly competitive Thomas J. Watson Fellowship.

The Watson Fellowship program offers college graduates a year of independent, purposeful exploration and travel outside of the United States to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness and leadership, and to foster humane and effective participation in the global community. This year, 42 Watson Fellows were selected from 155 finalists who were nominated by their respective institutions.

Katie Jose, a double major in Global Health and Hispanic Studies, will undertake a project titled “Understanding Traditional Medicine” that will take her to the Philippines, Hong Kong and Argentina.

“Developed over generations, traditional medicine, also known as indigenous or folk medicine, is used by over 80% of the world’s population,“ says Jose. “Through the Watson, I hope to understand the complexities of these treatments and the potential that exists between traditional and Western medicine.”

Annie Means, who graduated in December with a double major in Environmental Humanities and Hispanic Studies, will undertake a project titled “Gender Inclusion in the Maritime Industry” that will take her to the United Kingdom, Iceland, Australia and Chile.

“Women make up a tiny percent of mariners, fishers and sailors,” says Means. “Why are they such a small part of the global nautical community? Engaging with female boat-builders, commercial fisherwomen, professional sailors, and the stories of historical female voyagers, I hope to learn how their experiences can inform the maritime sector’s future.”

Jess Hernandez, Director of Fellowships and Grants and member of the committee that interviewed and selected finalists to represent Whitman College at the national level, is excited for the futures of these two new Watson Fellows.

“Katie urges us to imagine a more inclusive, holistic, and empowering healthcare system in the United States that integrates traditional and Western medicine approaches,” says Hernandez. “Annie directs our attention to the value of a more (gender-) inclusive maritime industry and community that centers, uplifts and supports women-identifying mariners. These are two changemakers you are going to want to keep your eyes on.”

Whitman College is one of 41 institutions that partner with the Watson Foundation. All Watson Fellows remain outside of the United States pursuing their project goals for a full calendar year.

Story by Bradley Nelson. Published on March 3, 2023.

Spain Bound! Alex Feller ’22 Awarded Fulbright Scholarship

A recent Whitman College graduate will soon travel to Spain—earning a grant from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Alex Feller ’22 will serve as an English Teaching Assistant for the 2023–2024 year. She competed with more than 700 individuals who applied specifically for the program in Spain.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be participating as a Fulbright grantee for the 2023–2024 school year,” says Feller, who majored in Psychology at Whitman, graduating with honors. While a student at Whitman, Feller also worked as a Youth Advocacy Group Leader for the Mariposa Program of the Walla Walla YWCA.

“Some of the most remarkable moments of my life have come through being immersed in another culture and I am so grateful for this opportunity to live and teach abroad in Spain.”

Feller, who currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, was supported by Whitman’s Fellowships and Grants team—part of the Career and Community Engagement Center. “Thank you to everyone who supported and guided me through the application process,” says Feller.

Additionally, Ilse Spiropoulos ‘23 is an alternate for an English Teaching Assistantship in Greece. Whittie Chloe Daikh ‘21 was a semifinalist for an English Teaching Assistantship in the Palestinian Territories.

In the last 15 years, Whitman has had 55 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Awards go to students and graduates.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

Story by Casey Brown. Published on Jul 13, 2023.

Class of 2024 Chemistry Major Named Goldwater Scholar

Whitman College junior Clare Hermanson has been selected as a 2023–2024 Goldwater Scholar by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Hermanson, a Chemistry major from San Diego, California, was one of only 413 who earned the scholarship—among more than 5,000 applicants. Historically, she joins the elite ranks of a dozen previous Whitman students who received the scholarship or an honorable mention since the early 1990s.

Established by Senator Barry Goldwater, the organization was founded in 1986 and began awarding scholarships in 1989. The Goldwater Scholarship Program is a national scholarship for those studying natural sciences, engineering or mathematics. Goldwater seeks to identify, encourage and financially support sophomores and juniors who show promise as the next generation of science researchers.

Hermanson’s research looks to the future.

“My current research focuses on nanocrystal synthesis with an automated system. In the future, I hope to utilize automated chemistry to solve pressing environmental problems.”

She’s proud to represent Whitman College, she says.

“This award validates my scientific skills and motivates me to pursue a research career. I appreciate the opportunity at Whitman to conduct meaningful chemistry research.”

Hermanson also had help and a boost from her faculty advisor, Mark Hendricks, Assistant Professor of Chemistry.

“Working in Professor Hendricks’s lab has been the highlight of my undergraduate education,” says Hermanson. “I am grateful to Professor Hendricks for his invaluable mentorship and encouragement to apply for this scholarship.”

Story by Casey Brown. Published on May 4, 2023.

Three Whitties Named 2023 NSF Fellows

Out of an applicant pool of 12,000, three Whitman College alums were awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) grants.

Over a period of five years, recipients receive direct funding for three years of graduate research followed by a two-year teaching assistantship. The funding covers research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

These highly competitive NSF grants are notable because they fund a researcher rather than a project or institution. The GRFP provides support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education. Since 2002, Whitman boasts 44 recipients and nearly 50 honorable mentions.

Skylar Grayson ’21 is pursuing her Ph.D. in Astrophysics at Arizona State University.

“My work is focused on understanding the role supermassive black holes play in galaxy evolution,” says Grayson, who majored in Astronomy and Astrophysics at Whitman.

Andreas Guerrero ’20 is working toward a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology at Oregon State University and will investigate fungal-endosymbiont interactions. He also plans to develop curricula for school children to learn about mycology.

“By introducing children to mycology early, I hope to inspire them to continue to learn about fungi in college and beyond,” says Guerrero, who double-majored in BBMB (Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology) and Philosophy.

Noah Kaplan ’22 will pursue a Ph.D. in Computer Architecture at the University of Michigan and explore research possibilities.

“I’m still trying to find what subtopics interest me in the field of computer architecture, and I am looking forward to learning more about different research directions,” says Kaplan, who majored in Computer Science at Whitman.

Story by Casey Brown. Published on July 18, 2023.

Nishtha Rajbhandari ’24 Awarded Projects for Peace Grant

Whitman College student Nishtha Rajbhandari ’24 has been awarded a $10,000 Project for Peace grant. Since the grant was created in 2007, nearly 30 Whitman students have won awards and traveled to a dozen countries.

Rajbhandari’s project will be in her home country of Nepal over summer break. It will address lack of access to period products and harmful menstrual taboos.

Those two factors cause concerning, even dangerous, problems for the girls and menstruating youth of Nepal, including students missing a week of school every month, dropping out completely and facing unemployment. For these young people, it also contributes to child marriage and human trafficking, says Rajbhandari, who is an Economics major at Whitman. 

“With an aim to promote full participation of girls and menstruating individuals in schools, this project will help improve attendance and, in the long, run, offer a chance for a better future for young girls. The project seeks to bring peace into these individual lives and communities through long-term security and equity,” she says.

Two-Pronged Solution

Rajbhandari has a “two-pronged approach,” one for each problem she identified, and is partnering with Pad2Go, which is a Forbes 30 under 30 company that “pioneered introducing sanitary napkins vending machines in Nepal.” They have installed over 350 machines in all seven provinces of Nepal and is a household name, she says.

One prong is to get menstrual products in the hands of the students who need them. They will install sanitary napkin vending machines in six remote schools, pay for 36 months, or three years, worth of sanitary napkins to go in the machines, and distribute Dignity Kits in the schools. Rajbhandari says the kits will consist of items like reusable cloth pads, hand soaps and pamphlets on safe menstrual practices. After the three years are up, the schools can purchase reduced cost period products from Pad2Go.

The other prong is to conduct workshops with the Pad2Go team. The workshops will address the impact of period taboos on young people. They will be inclusive, encourage discussion and educate students on basic information such as the correct way to use and dispose of menstrual products, Rajbhandari says.

“The workshops will help students critically question existing taboos and barriers with the ultimate aim of limiting generationally inherited taboos,” Rajbhandari says.

Rajbhandari’s Project for Peace will have lasting impacts in her home country thanks to her long-term vision.

“The installation of sanitary napkin vending machines,” she says, “would encourage educational institutes to create safer spaces for girls and encourage girls to participate in school even during their menstruation days.”

Story by Casey Brown. Published on May 25, 2023.