Fellowship Ambassadors
Fellowship Ambassadors (FAs) are current USC students and national award winners who
help the National Fellowships Office with outreach. Recipients of awards such as Hollings,
Goldwater, Critical Language Scholarship, Truman and more, these students come from
an array of different disciplines and fellowship experiences. They are excited to
chat with peers about their specific fellowship experience over coffee (on us!).
Connecting with a Fellowship Ambassador
Interested in chatting with an FA? Follow these steps:
No FA for your fellowship of interest? Already met with an FA? Then make an advisor appointment and complete your Candidate Profile .
For Graduate Students
Graduate students can find their Graduate Fellowship Peer Mentors here.
Become a Fellowship Ambassador
Learn more about the Fellowship Ambassador role and how to apply.
2026 – 2027 Fellowship Ambassadors:
Expand all Environment and Public Service
Sean Bowker, civil engineering | DoW SMART
Ask me about:
building experience and professional relationships
interview prep, resume writing or LinkedIn profiles
Grace Cosby, science and technology policy (BARSC) | NSF REU, AEI Summer Honors Program,
Center for Modern Health Summer Fellowship
Ask me about:
writing about and publishing policy
conducting research internationally
Josh Evans, public policy (BARSC) | PPIA Junior Summer Institute
Ask me about:
public service opportunities
opportunities for students wanting to pursue a master’s in public policy
Emily Henderson, public health law and policy (BARSC) | AEI Summer Honors Program
Ask me about:
having both STEM and humanities interests
finding academic mentors
Kayla Thompson, environmental science | Udall Scholarship
Ask me about:
connecting your career goals to your leadership positions and experiences at USC
being a woman in science
Languages and Experiences Abroad
Isabella Avosso, biology and healthcare policy (BARSC) | DAAD RISE
Ask me about:
tailoring your CV/resume to specific fellowships
international differences in research culture
Addie Ayler, neuroscience | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
balancing applications and school
being a student leader
Maddie Bailey, international studies, Russian and geography | Critical Language Scholarship
Ask me about:
language learning abroad
adjusting to new cultures
Elaina Conger, civil engineering | DAAD RISE, Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
managing interdisciplinary interests and deciding between opportunities
going abroad as an engineering student
Tam Dinh, psychology and biology | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
being a first-generation college student
being an Asian-American student
Brit Dugan, finance and accounting | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
studying abroad as an accounting major
engaging with fellowships as a business student
Kierra Gilliard, international business, operations & supply chain | Boren Scholarship
Alternate
Ask me about:
balancing applications and school
navigating food allergies while abroad
Hannah Jewell, global studies | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
balancing school and traveling while abroad
how to brainstorm application material
Melana Kucherina, biology | DAAD RISE
Ask me about:
research
anything healthcare related
Tane'zha Mingo, political science | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
being Black and abroad
going abroad for the first time
Rebekah Sargent, biomedical engineering | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
studying abroad as a pre-med student
being a woman in STEM and engineering
Yuri Gonzalez Solachi, finance and risk management | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
being a first-generation college student
being an entrepreneur
Rani Shelton, psychology and English | DAAD RISE
Ask me about:
studying abroad
research in the social sciences
Messiah Sugick, nursing | Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
being Black and pre-nursing
being Black and having ADHD
Research
Isabella Avosso, biology and healthcare policy (BARSC) | DAAD RISE
Ask me about:
tailoring your CV/resume to specific fellowships
international differences in research culture
Sean Bowker, civil engineering | DoW SMART
Ask me about:
building experience and professional relationships
interview prep, resume writing or LinkedIn profiles
Jacob Boutin, aerospace engineering | SC Space Grant
Ask me about:
how to get involved in undergraduate research in engineering or what it is like
presenting research at conferences or acquiring funding for traveling to present
Elaina Conger, civil engineering | DAAD RISE, Gilman Scholarship
Ask me about:
managing interdisciplinary interests and deciding between opportunities
going abroad as an engineering student
Grace Cosby, science and technology policy (BARSC) | NSF REU, AEI Summer Honors Program,
Center for Modern Health Summer Fellowship
Ask me about:
writing about and publishing policy
conducting research internationally
Ria Kothari, biochemistry and molecular biology | NIH Summer Internship Program, Goldwater
Scholarship
Ask me about:
applying to fellowships as a first-year student
pursuing dual-degree programs
Melana Kucherina, biology | DAAD RISE
Ask me about:
research
anything healthcare related
Ansley Martin, neuroscience | Goldwater Scholarship
Ask me about:
studying abroad as a pre-med student
being a woman in STEM and engineering
Linden McGregor, biochemistry and molecular biology | Goldwater Scholarship, NIH Summer
Internship Program
Ask me about:
opportunities to get more involved in research
getting feedback and revising applications
Carlynn Rychener, biochemistry and molecular biology and French | NSF REU, NASA SARP
Ask me about:
navigating an uncertain career path
summer research programs
Rani Shelton, psychology and English | DAAD RISE
Ask me about:
studying abroad
research in the social sciences
Reagan Stanton, physics (astronomy concentration) | Goldwater Scholarship, NSF REU
Ask me about:
being a woman in STEM
planning for graduate school and finding fellowships for that