49 Students Named as 2025-2026 Fellows

Over the course of the 2025-26 academic year, 49 Columbia GSers have received awards through various fellowship programs. Among them is the second GS Gates-Cambridge Scholar and an inaugural Lafayette fellow.

Maya Koka ‘26GS joins a cohort of 76 Gates-Cambridge Scholars from around the world, selected for their academic intellect and social leadership. The award grants each scholar fully-funded graduate study and research in any subject at the world-renowned University of Cambridge. As a recent graduate of the Dual BA with Trinity College Dublin, Koka’s studies focus on language philosophy in domestic abuse testimonies, with the broader goal of advancing survivor-centered legal interventions.

Sciences-Po Dual BA graduate Josephine O’Brien ‘26GS was selected as an inaugural Lafayette Fellow. Founded in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the fellowship provides funding for a year of master’s level study in France, which O’Brien will use to pursue a Master’s in Logic, History, and Philosophy of Science and Technology at ENS Lyon. 

As these two stories illustrate, fellowships are fantastic opportunities for students and alumni to receive funding for personal and professional projects that extend beyond Morningside Heights. Fellowships grant students access to new knowledge and help them to better engage with the world around them. We congratulate this year’s fellowship winners, who embody the hard work, dedication, and well-deserved success that is a hallmark of the GS Community.

Top International and National Awards*

Gates-Cambridge Scholarship 
Maya Koka ‘26,  Philosophy

Cambridge Trust Scholarship
George Hofstetter ‘26, Political Science

Lafayette Fellowship 
Josephine O’Brien ‘26, Medical Humanities

Truman Scholarship
Justin Kiel ‘27, Political Science

Udall Fellowship
Anais Taffin ‘28, Sustainable Development

Rotary Global Scholarship
Lindsey Marie Brown ‘26, Neuroscience and Behavior

Fulbright 
Cassidy Capri Murray ‘26, Political Science 
Kiet Nguyen ‘26 Postbac Premedical Program 
Ruby Topalian ‘26 , History
Robert Mulvey ‘26, Theater and Performance
Penelope Gelman ‘26, Economics (alternate)
Kaatje Vandenberg ‘26, English  (alternate)

National Science Foundation 
Kaitlyn Dal Bon ’23, Psychology
Jiana Ugale ‘24, Anthropology
Daniela Juarez Escobar ‘23, Psychology 
Maya Druch ‘25, Biochemistry, Honorable Mention 

Other National and International Awards

McDonald Cadet Leadership Conference
Robert Mugno ‘28

John L. Nau III Endowed Graduate Fellowship in American History
Abigail Edwards ‘26, History

Gilman Fellowship
Delano Burrowes ‘27, African-American Studies

Presidential Fellow, Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency
Billy Jack Hoyos Rimarachin ‘28, Political Science

Hertog Humanities Fellow
Matthew Sivieri ‘28, undeclared major

New York-Based Awards

Jerome Lohez 9/11 Scholarship Foundation
Raluca Mihoci ‘28, Economics
Ernest Tan ‘27 ,  Economics, Mathematics, and Sociology  

Women’s Forum
Ronak Elias ‘27, Computer Science
Elizabeth Galles ‘27, Psychology
Tahera Hedayati ‘28, Psychology and Statistics
Raquel Ramirez ‘27, Neuroscience and Behavior
Lovestar Rogers ‘26 Sociology
Massiel Velarde Perez ‘27, Cognitive Science

Columbia University Awards

Social Impact Fellowship, Columbia World Projects
Elisa Tu Anh Goislard Nguyen ‘27 Philosophy
Isadora Gloria  Evers ‘27, Philosophy 
Alexis Baltazar ‘27, Linguistics and Philosophy
Nicolle Kathleen Riley ‘28, Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology
Jeffrey Vazquez ‘28, Sociology

Columbia Global Learning Scholarship
Jolee Cobb ‘27, Urban Studies
Anthony Maule ‘27, Philosophy
Delano Burrowes ‘27, African-American Studies

Institute of Global Politics Fellows
Tooli Shariah ‘26, Human Rights
Sofia Houir ‘26, Political Science
Luz Maria Guerrero Carrillo ‘26, Political Science
Elise Demkiw ‘26, Economics-Political Science
Hunter Dorodea ‘27, Computer Science & Film
Garret Gregor-Splaver ‘27, Applied Mathematics

Saltzman Center for War and Peace Studies
Paul Audoin ‘27, Economics-Political Science
Gulnazik Bakhramova ‘27, Political Science
Mara Bulzan ‘26, Political Science  
Rose Cole ‘26, Political Science
Cassidy Murray ‘26, Political Science
Melina Rozenkhan ‘26, Political Science
Alexandre Seara ‘26, Political Science
Yevheniia Yefymova ‘26, Information Sciences

*The national and international competitions listed in this section operate with a one-year lead time.  Thus students who successfully applied in 2025-26 will take up their awards in 2026-27.  For all of the other fellowships named on this document, students applied and enjoyed the benefits of the fellowship in 2025-26 (including summer ‘26).