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Summer edge

A sampling of some of the organizations, companies and institutions where Wheaton students will be working this summer.

This summer, Wheaton funding is helping students monitor endangered monkeys in Belize, conduct cancer research in China, write for a national magazine in New York City and support the U.S. Consulate in Italy, among other exciting opportunities.

The Davis International, Porter Cleveland, Robert College and Wheaton fellowships are just a few examples of the Wheaton Edge—a promise that every single student will receive financial support for an internship, research position or other experiential learning opportunity by the time they graduate.

“This is a group of students who have worked hard to identify and obtain internships or research positions that are a customized fit based on their interests and where they are in their career development,” said Lisa Gavigan ’83, director of the Filene Center for Academic Advising and Career Services. “Under the guidance of Career Services, these students will explore careers as diverse as healthcare in the Azores Islands, journalism at Good Housekeeping magazine and biochemistry research at Arizona State University. They will return to the Wheaton campus with a better understanding of the skills and workplace competencies required to be successful in their chosen career paths.”

Here’s a rundown of how each of this year’s fellows will be spending the summer:

Davis International Fellows

Established by Diana Davis Spencer ’60 with funds from the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation, the Davis International Fellows Program helps students have meaningful international experiences that connect directly to their academic or career interests. The fellowship provides students with a $5,000 stipend to cover the costs of an unpaid, international internship, volunteer opportunity or independent research project.

  • Kelvin Kweku Ampem-Darko ’17, a neuroscience major from Bronx, N.Y. and Ghana, will rotate among several nonprofit organizations, health clinics and hospitals in Ecuador, tutoring, teaching English, disseminating health information, leading recreational activities and providing basic care to patients of all ages, through the nonprofit organization Child Family Health International.
  • Eric Esten ’16, an English major and history minor from Bethesda, Md., will conduct an independent research project on James Joyce in the author’s native Dublin, Ireland, looking through documents in the National Library of Ireland and studying alongside premier Joyce scholars at the James Joyce Annual Summer School.
  • Ruth Gakpo ’16, a neuroscience major and women’s and gender studies minor from Worcester, Mass., will provide treatment and health education to people in impoverished communities in Ghana as a community outreach and community clinics volunteer with Blue-Med Africa.
  • Sam Hickson ’17, from Kennebunk, Maine, a double major in Hispanic studies and economics and a theater minor, will teach students in Guatemala as a volunteer with Safe Passage.
  • Elisabeth Hodge ’16, from Fairway, Kansas, a double major in mathematics and elementary education and a dance studies minor, will return to Mauritius after teaching English there last summer to take on the role of program director for the nonprofit Learning Enterprises. She will interview, hire and train volunteers; secure host families; and find volunteer locations.
  • Karl Rivera ’16, a visual sociology major from New York, N.Y., will follow up on work he conducted last summer on a Mellon Research Grant by returning to Ahmedabad, India to conduct a visual enthnographic study of a textile mill “slum.”
  • Jeffrey Sanborn ’16, from Chelmsford, Mass., a biology major and studio art minor on the pre-med track, will shadow and support healthcare professionals at Levolosi Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania through Elective Africa.
  • Lilia Rose Trissler ’16, a biology major and animal behavior minor from North Kingstown, R.I., will help monitor endangered Yucatan black howler monkeys that have been tagged and released by Wildtracks Belize.
  • Samuel Zarfos ’17, from Waterville, Maine, a chemistry major on the pre-med track, will shadow and assist doctors in public hospitals in Portugal and teach English in the local community through The Atlantis Project.
  • Raymond Zhang ’17, a biochemistry major from Chapel Hill, N.C., will work on cancer research with the Cancer Institute at Xuzhou Medical College in Jiangsu Province, China.

Porter Cleveland Fellows

Established in 2005 in honor of Nancy Lyon Porter ’43, the Porter Cleveland Fellows Program provides funding for community-based summer internship and volunteer experiences in Cleveland, Ohio. Students receive a $3,500 stipend plus paid housing at Case Western Reserve University.

  • Jennifer Fialli ’17, an environmental science major and community public health minor from North Reading, Mass., will intern with the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
  • Quinn Hurse ’18, an international relations major from Little Neck, N.Y., will intern with the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
  • Stephanie Kaczowski ’16, from Willimantic, Conn., a double major in women’s and gender studies and philosophy, will intern with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.
  • Amalia Quesdada Nylen ’17, from Malden, Mass., currently undecided, will intern with the Cleveland Leadership Center.

Robert College Fellows

Since 1992, Wheaton has sent students to Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey, where they work in the college’s English language summer day camp program for middle school-aged children. Students receive a $3,000 stipend funded jointly by the two colleges and free room and board on the Robert College campus.

Recipients of the 2015 Robert College Fellowship include: Georgia Crane ’16, an education and psychology major from New York, N.Y.; Lucie Palmeri ’17, an economics major and Asian studies minor from Yarmouthport, Mass.; Daniela Pena ’18, a prospective political science major from Warwick, R.I.; and Sebastian Viasus ’17, a double major in physics and studio art from Roslindale, Mass.

Wheaton Fellows

The Wheaton Fellows Program is made possible by gifts from a number of benefactors and helps undergraduates pursue meaningful experiences both domestic and abroad that connect back to their academic or career interests. Students receive a $3,000 stipend for experiences that run from six to eight weeks over the summer.

  • Myah Bartolotta ’18, a neuroscience major from Cromwell, Conn., will conduct research on the synthesis, storage and secretion of bioactive peptides at the Neuropeptide Laboratory at the University of Connecticut Health Center. She is a recipient of the Dan Golden Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Kelley Baylis ’17, an English major and journalism studies minor from Newtown, Conn., will work alongside alumna Rachel Bowie ’04, associate editor of digital editions, as an editorial intern at Good Housekeeping magazine. She is a recipient of the Patricia Dunn Grey Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Everett Bertrand ’18, a history major from Poland, Maine, will intern with the Androscoggin Historical Society in Auburn, Maine, managing the society’s social media channels, producing their newsletter and providing other support. He is a recipient of the McCutheon Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • William Blackmer ’16, an international relations major from Benicia, Calif., will assist case workers in helping newly arrived refugees and asylees in Oakland, Calif. through the Catholic Charities of the East Bay. He is a recipient of the KC Whalen Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Anthony Bowden ’16, a business and management major from Portland, Maine, will work in marketing and sales for Shipyard Brewing Company in his hometown.
  • Nakola Cameron ’16, from Philadelphia, Pa., a double major in psychology and African, African American and diaspora studies, will observe, conduct daily therapeutic groups with children and support the efforts of the Total Achievement Program, which is operated by the Justice Resource Institute in Norton, Mass. He is a recipient of the KC Whalen Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Xiangzi Chen ’16, from Beijing, China, a double major in psychology and studio art, will work in public relations and marketing for Penguin Guide in Beijing. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Ben Christopher ’17, a neuroscience major and public health minor from Northampton, Mass., will observe and assist physical therapists and facilitate patient rehabilitation with Marathon Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine in Norton, Mass.
  • Erin Cotton ’16, from Conway, N.H., a double major in anthropology and creative writing, will study occupational access for refugees in New Hampshire through the Manchester Community Resource Center, an independent research project in support of his senior thesis. She is a recipient of the Dan Golden Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Hannah Dalglish ’16, from Barrington, R.I., a sociology major and minor in public health and economics, will support crafters who make and sell goods through the Income Generation project at Wola Nani Embrace, a nonprofit organization that advocates for individuals with HIV and AIDS, in Capetown, South Africa. She is a recipient of the Mars Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Abigail Epplett ’18, from Uxbridge, Mass., a prospective creative writing major and graphic design minor, will intern at Treasures Upscale Thrift Store in North Grafton, Mass., developing a social media campaign for the store and managing a department.
  • Andrew Esancy ’16, from Yarmouth, Maine, a business and management major interested in a law career, will attend client meetings, conferences and court proceedings and provide office support at Lynch & Newman LLC, a law firm in Damariscotta, Maine.
  • Zheng Fang ’16, from Shanghai, China, a double major in mathematics and economics, will carry out asset management operations for Chinese and foreign currency at the Bank of Communication in Shanghai. He is a recipient of the Global Security Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Sydney Ferrell ’17, from Los Angeles, Calif., an international relations major with a minor in public policy, will work with Wheaton alumna Ebony Williams ’08 as a healing arts intern with The Ragdoll Project and Something to Say, two nonprofit initiatives in Pasadena, Calif. She is a recipient of the Mars Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Nataja Flood ’16, from Wilmington, N.C., an English major with minors in education, studio art and African, African American and diaspora studies, will plan events, manage outreach and provide other support to Girls Initiatives at the YWCA of the City of New York.
  • Jerard Fredette ’17, from Stoneham, Mass., a chemistry major interested in a pre-med or pre-pharmacy track, will shadow and provide administrative support to Dr. Martha Martents, MD, in Watertown, Mass.
  • Hannah Gasperoni ’17, a biochemistry major from Hampton, N.H., will study the correlation between HIV prevalence and the sale of sterile syringes in pharmacies at Tufts Medical School’s Department of Public Health in Boston. She is a recipient of the Dan Golden Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Daniel Gavigan ’18, an undecided major from Middleboro, Mass., will work as a recording and production intern at MockingBird Studios in Mansfield, Mass.
  • Jinnan Ge ’16, from Qingdao, Shadong Province, China, a double major in computer science and mathematics and an economics minor, will test software as a research assistant for the School of Computer Science and Technology at Ocean University of China in Qingdao. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Mackenzie Goller ’18, from Ivoryton, Conn., an environmental studies major with a concentration in agriculture, will work on organic farms in New York, Georgia, Missouri, Texas and Utah through Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF USA).
  • Isabel Gorham ’16, a mathematics major and physics minor from Durham, N.H., will conduct research and data analysis on climate change and its impact on farmers, ranches and forest landowners in the northeast with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Northern Research Station, located in her hometown. She is a recipient of the KC Whalen Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Caleigh Grogan ’18, from Bangor, Maine, a prospective double major in religious studies and creative writing, will assist the director of religious education and lead an adult religious education class as an intern with the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor. She is a recipient of the Keefe Family Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Kaylin Gurnari ’17, from Westport, Conn., a double major in psychology and economics, will research training techniques in interpersonal psychotherapy at the Weight Management and Eating Disorder Research Lab at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. She is a recipient of the Mars Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Jasper Guyer-Stevens ’18, a prospective environmental studies major from St. John, Virgin Islands, will do trail maintenance, provide educational outreach and help run events and programs for the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park in the town of Cruz Bay.
  • Alison Guzzetti ’17, a biochemistry major and German minor from Augusta, Maine, will shadow and assist physicians at Kennebec Valley Internal Medicine and a psychiatrist at Town Park Psychiatric Associates in her hometown. She is a recipient of the Mars Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Kelsey Harris ’16, a political science major and business and management minor from Spencer, Mass., will be a coaching intern, working with athletes in the BeAthletic Sports Performance Program, and assistant to the strength and conditioning staff at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Casey Hess ’16, an English major and history minor from Pickerington, Ohio, will work as an editorial intern at Premier Travel Media in Chicago.
  • Samantha Hines ’17, from Bridgewater, Mass., a psychology major with minors in world religion and community health, will supervise and assist patients and help with case management and treatment plan creation at Northborough Community Residence in Northborough, Mass., part of The Bridge of Central Massachusetts Inc.
  • Grace Kelly ’16, from Alexandria, Va., a history major with minors in international politics and French studies, will help build social media presence and develop partnership programs for the Bhutan Foundation in Washington, D.C. She is a recipient of the Weil Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Neeve MacGregor ’16, a theatre and dance studies major and English minor from Norton, Mass., will work as an arts administration intern with Battery Dance Company in New York, N.Y., helping to plan, market and run the company’s Downtown Dance Festival.
  • Connor McDonald ’17, an environmental science major from Groton, Mass., will conduct field research and monitoring of the diamondback terrapin for the Terrapin/Horseshoe Crab Program at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellfleet, Mass.
  • Emily Mercurio ’16, from Weatogue, Conn., a double major in English and women’s and gender studies, will build and execute a social media engagement plan, develop informational graphics and provide other support to the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, based in Providence. She is a recipient of the Keefe Family Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Daniela Monge ’16, a psychology major from Coventry, R.I., will work as a lab intern at Rhode Island Hospital, helping Wheaton psychology professor Lindsay Orchowski with her research centered on developing sexual assault prevention programs for high school and college students. She is a recipient of the Mars Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Rebecca Olivieri ’18, from Milton, Mass., a double major in biology and business and management, will assist individuals with disabilities in exercise programs with the Partnership Program at South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass. She is a recipient of the Jean Phillips Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Aleksandra Popova ’16, from Nantucket, Mass., a political science major with minors in business and management, legal studies and French studies, will intern in the office of State Representative Timothy Madden in Boston. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Clare Prober ’16, a philosophy major and legal studies minor from Stoughton, Mass., will work as an administrative intern at Wallace Law Office in Canton, Mass. She is a recipient of the NICE Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Alyssa Reed ’16, a sociology major and community health minor from Montpelier, Vt., will intern with the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program, providing administrative support, producing their newsletter and working directly with clients. She is a recipient of the Weil Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Jacquelyn Richards ’16, a biochemistry major from Rockport, Maine, will observe and assist dental professionals at Camden Hills Dental Care in her hometown.
  • Lauren Robinson ’16, from Hadley, Mass., a double major in American history and English, will serve as the curatorial intern at Martha’s Vineyard Museum in Edgartown, Mass.
  • Emma Shachat ’18, from Berkeley, Calif., a women’s and gender studies major with minors in studio art and peace and social justice, will support the efforts of The Red Web Foundation, a nonprofit organization the works to destigmatize menstruation and female biology, in Oakland, Calif. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Khaled Sharafaddin ’16, from Sanaa, Yemen, a double major in computer science and German, will develop Web applications, manage a website and database and test software as an intern with ABC Computing Services/TeleYemen in Regensburg, Germany.
  • Nina Shepperson ’18, undecided, from Croton, N.Y., will work on technology, outreach, artist relations and programming for FIGMENT, a nonprofit arts organization based on Governors Island in New York, N.Y. She is a recipient of the Mars Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Samuel Sproule ’16, a psychology major from Trenton, Maine, will work as a research assistant to Wheaton Assistant Professor of Psychology Matthew Gingo, conducting interviews with middle school students and providing other support for a project on moral development in children. He is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Caroline Stanclift ’16, a biochemistry major and African studies minor from Rockport, Maine, will work as a research assistant to Dr. Chris Diehnelt at Arizona State University’s School of Biodesign and Innovative Medicine, conducting research on the development of new antibiotics for resistant strains of bacteria. She is a recipient of the Mars Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Yuying Sun ’17, a mathematics major from Changchun Province, China, will conduct experiments and track data as a research assistant in the engineering department at Jilin University in Changchun Province. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Abigail Taylor ’16, an international relations major and English minor from Belchertown, Mass., will provide administrative support as an intern with the U.S. Consulate General in Milan, Italy. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Marielle Thete ’16, from Portland, Maine, a double major in political science and international relations with a focus on African politics, will assist the executive director of Africare, a nonprofit organization that runs developmental projects in 36 African countries. She will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a recipient of the Flanagan Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Evania Thompson ’18, undecided, from Seekonk, Mass., will help plan, develop and manage Wheaton’s on-campus Wheafarm as well work as an intern with Bristol Commons Community Garden in Taunton, Mass., helping with permaculture design, teaching workshops and creating social media posts and newsletters.
  • Morgan Wilbur ’16, a creative writing major from Barrington, R.I., will record and publish the stories of refugee families served by Beautiful Day RI, a nonprofit organization based in Providence that trains refugees in business and job skills.
  • Brandon Williams ’16, a biochemistry major from Freeport, Maine, will work as a research assistant University of New England in the Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, helping with research on harvesting and extraction procedures for a certain type of bacteria. He is a recipient of the Keefe Family Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Emma Woodcock ’16, from Orange, Mass., a double major in American history and business and management, will work as a marketing and special events intern at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum in Edgartown, Mass. She is a recipient of the Wright Shippee Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Junfei Yu ’18, a computer science major from Shanghai, China, will work as an intern in the State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites at Shanghai Jiaotong University, testing new composite biomaterials for tissue engineering scaffolding.
  • Qi Zhang ’16, from Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, a double major in computer science and mathematics, will be the software lead for a team of five undergraduate programmers working with Wheaton’s Lexomics Research Group. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.
  • Xue Zhao ’18, from Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China, a double major in chemistry and economics and a French minor, will work as a research assistant to Wheaton Visiting Assistant Professor in Chemistry Hilary Gaudet, focusing on the effects of mercury on breast cancer progression. She is a recipient of the Caroline Edwards Fellowship, a stipend within the Wheaton Fellowship program.

Adams Professional Development Fellows

The Gertrude Adams Professional Development Fellowship is awarded to seniors to help cover the costs of an unpaid internship, volunteer opportunity or artistic apprenticeship during the summer following graduation. The grants, $3,500 each, are designed to help recent graduates gain practical experience and take the first step toward building their post-Wheaton careers.

This year’s recipients include:

  • Alex Butcher-Nesbitt ’15, a political science major from North Sandwich, N.H., will intern in Washington, D.C.
  • Jasmine Clarke ’15, from Boston, an art history major with a minor in education, will work as a development intern with New Urban Arts in Providence.
  • Joshua Gomez ’15, a psychology major and chemistry minor from Santa Barbara, Calif. who is on the pre-med track, will help offer syphilis and HIV diagnoses and treatment as an intern with the Santa Barbara County Health Clinic in his hometown.