Maxine Alpart ’27
Major/Minor: English/Chemistry
Hometown: Guilderland, NY
Placement: Crossroads
Maxine’s interest in youth leadership development and access to opportunity has always been present. Throughout high school, she served on her school district’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee as a student liaison, and spent her summers working as a day camp counselor. These experiences showed Maxine the immense benefits of experiential learning, as well as the barriers of entry that prevent parents and families from accessing these opportunities. At Colgate, Maxine is a part of the Outdoor Education department, creating initiatives for reaching underrepresented populations in outdoor spaces and growing her own sense of personal leadership. She also was a student leader of the Hamilton Outdoor Group Grads program through the COVE, a community-based club that gets kids outside in an effort to foster positive relationships with each other and physical activity. Maxine is an English major and a chemistry minor, with plans of going on to medical school to become a physician. She hopes to carry this lifelong commitment to equity and mentorship into her future career as a physician by expanding access to opportunities and empowering her patients to advocate for themselves, make informed decisions, and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Grace Carlisle ’27
Major/Minor: Molecular Biology/Sociology
Hometown: Winchester, MA
Placement: Boston Medical Center
Grace’s interest in medicine grew from early exposure to healthcare environments, a longstanding fascination with biology, and a deep commitment to service. Beginning in high school, she volunteered at Massachusetts General Hospital, where patient interactions underscored the trust, empathy, and connection at the heart of medical care. At Colgate, serving as an EMT at Madison County EMS exposed her to barriers within rural healthcare systems, and sparked a particular interest in addiction medicine and community-based interventions. This semester, Grace is studying abroad in Copenhagen, where she is exploring international models of equitable healthcare delivery and deepening her understanding of mental health science through a global public health lens. On Campus, Grace is a Haven Ambassador, a leader of Colgate High School Tutors, an SO coordinator with MCEMS, and also works as a lifeguard at Lineberry Natatorium. This summer, at Boston Medical Center, she looks forward to engaging in clinical advocacy and health justice initiatives at a safety-net hospital. She plans to pursue an MD following graduation, with the goal of becoming a physician who centers outreach, advocacy, and social justice to advance equitable healthcare access for underserved communities.
Jonathan Cheng ’27
Majors: Japanese and Peace & Conflict Studies
Hometown: Hong Kong
Placement: Inner City Weightlifting
As an international student from Hong Kong, Jonathan leverages language study and a regional focus on East Asia towards greater cross-cultural perspectives. With a deep background in Japanese language studies and a study abroad semester at Kansai Gaidai University in 2025, he is keenly aware of how language and sociocultural contexts shape structural institutions. At Colgate, Jonathan has applied these understandings through direct-service roles in the VITA tax program and COVE Salvage. Via the Upstate Institute Summer Field School, Jonathan worked with the Midtown Utica Community Center (MUCC) in 2025. His role combined ESL instruction for refugee populations with internal program analysis and support for all aspects of daily MUCC operations. This experience culminated in a greater understanding of the realities guiding adult refugee-oriented ESL programming, how nonprofits navigate the shaping of said realities amidst structural constraints, and the devotion of adult learners he worked with. Jonathan’s placement with Inner City Weightlifting (ICW) continues this work with individual agency and structural constraints. Having researched post-carceral reintegration in a CORE Prisons seminar, he is eager to see how ICW’s fitness and career development model addresses these complexities. Jonathan looks forward to further exploring the operational and policy-adjacent aspects of mission-driven work with the long-term outlook of a career in the common good.
Rebecca Duque ’29
Major: Political Science
Hometown: New Rochelle, NY
Placement: Women’s Lunch Place
Rebecca Duque has always cared about her community and the people in it. Growing up in the suburbs of New York City, she noticed how rising rents and gentrification were changing her neighborhood and affecting families who had lived there for years. Those experiences sparked her interest in public policy and advocacy. In the summer of 2024, she worked with State Senator Robert Jackson, where she helped with local issues like rent affordability and food insecurity. She also helped grow the office’s social media presence to better connect with young people and volunteered at a food shelter in Harlem. Through this, she learned how local government works and how small efforts can make a real difference. Now a first-year student at Colgate University, Rebecca is majoring in Political Science and minoring in Spanish. She’s involved in LASO and is excited to explore more leadership opportunities. She hopes to attend law school in the future and inspire other young Hispanic girls to speak up and get involved. Rebecca is friendly, team-oriented, and excited to learn, grow, and build new connections through this fellowship.
Ava Goletz ’29
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Lyme, NH
Placement: Inner City Weightlifting
Since a young age, Ava has been deeply interested in law and the legal system. Her passion for justice was solidified after hearing a presentation from a lawyer with the Innocence Project, which introduced her to the realities of wrongful convictions and the lasting harm caused by mass incarceration. That experience inspired her commitment to advocating for individuals impacted by structural inequities within the criminal legal system and sparked a particular interest in policy reform and reentry justice. At Colgate, Ava is an elected senator in the Student Government Association and a leader of the Colgate Carceral Reform Initiative, where she helps organize educational programming on wrongful convictions and partners with community organizations such as Unchained NY. Through initiatives like a campus-wide book drive for incarcerated individuals in Syracuse, she has seen how restoring access to resources can help rebuild dignity and connection. Ava is committed to pursuing a law degree after undergraduate study and hopes to enter the public defender sector, where she can combine policy knowledge, community-based advocacy, and relational justice to support those most harmed by the system.
Denise Paz Guerrero ’28
Major/Minor: Political Science/Spanish
Hometown: York, PA
Placement: International Institute of New England
As a proud first-generation Mexican-American, Denise is deeply passionate about supporting immigrant and underserved communities through advocacy and education. Witnessing the barriers immigrant students face in academic spaces, she became an English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor for her classmates developing their English skills, an experience that reinforced her commitment to promoting inclusion and equity through service. She now actively works with refugees and recent migrants at Midtown Utica Community Center, supporting them in overcoming language barriers so they can pursue their professional and personal goals. Beyond her volunteering experiences, Denise is part of the Executive Board for the Questbridge Scholars Network (QSN) on campus, which has held several social and professional events to equip students who identify as low-income with resources to thrive on campus. Similarly, she works as an Office Ambassador Intern at Colgate University’s Career Services, supporting students and visitors in navigating the offices’ resources and professional tools. Looking ahead, Denise is eager to participate as a Manzi Fellow at the International Institute of New England in order to gain exposure in the refugee resettlement process and legal structures that impact the stability of refugee populations. She hopes to pursue a career in public policy to continue advocating for reforms that protect immigrant and refugee communities.
Anna Harrington ’28
Major/Minor: Neuroscience/Women’s Studies
Hometown: St. Helena, CA
Placement: Boston Medical Center
From an early age, Anna has been interested in medicine and community care, leading her to pursue the pre-med track at Colgate University with a focus in social justice and advocacy work. On campus, Anna is involved with Colgate Caretakers, where she volunteers at a local adult day health center. Anna also serves as a Haven Ambassador, offering trauma-informed peer support to survivors of intrapersonal violence and coordinating on campus programming addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, and consent, amongst other pertinent topics. Anna has also volunteered at her local hospital, primarily in the Cancer Center, gaining exposure to clinical environments and patient care. Outside of her academic and service commitments, Anna is a member of The Colgate Resolutions, Colgate’s first all-gender a cappella group. She looks forward to expanding her clinical and community health experience this summer at Boston Medical Center.
Phoenix Phoenix ’28
Major/Minor: Biology/Educational Studies & Global Public and Environmental Health
Hometown: Denver, CO
Placement: Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program
In their hometown of Colorado, Phoenix volunteers at numerous community farms that provide food for low-income families and educates curious kids how to grow their own fresh produce. They strongly believe that combatting disparities in accessibility of resources is best done at the local level through community empowerment and systemic change. As a National QuestBridge Scholar, Phoenix has continued this work at Colgate through promotion of spaces and events that support queer, first-generation, and low-income students. Their love for people is evident in a brilliant smile and an incredible passion for empathy and learning. From performing field research on tropical diversity in Peru to investigating the impact of historical redlining on food insecurity in Denver and training to become an Outdoor Educator, Phoenix demonstrates a curiosity that knows no bounds. Their dream is to receive a doctorate in Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences from American University and ultimately serve as a public school educator. For now, Phoenix is ecstatic to work with Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program and make an impact in other’s lives.
Melissa Robinson ’28
Majors: Spanish and International Relations
Hometown: Rochester, NY
Placement: Hildebrand Family Self-Help Center
Melissa cares deeply about supporting families and strengthening the communities they call home. She is especially interested in the ways institutions and local organizations can better respond to families navigating economic and social challenges. Her commitment to service has grown through hands-on leadership and cross cultural experiences. As a member of YoungLife, she helped build a greenhouse in Taura, El Salvador to support sustainable food access. She also taught English classes to residents, an experience that showed her how powerful language can be in expanding opportunity and building confidence. These experiences shaped her belief that meaningful change begins with listening, trust, and long-term relationships. At Colgate, Melissa works as a tutor with America Reads, supporting second-grade students while they build literacy skills and confidence in the classroom. She is also a leader in Colgate’s Outdoor Education program, where she helps create supportive environments that challenge students to grow and build resilience. Melissa is excited to work with the Hildebrand Family Self-Help Center and to support families experiencing housing instability while continuing to learn from the communities she serves.
Whitney Smith ’27
Major/Minor: Biochemistry/Art History
Hometown: Sherborn, MA
Placement: Boston Medical Center
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 Colgate, she works as a biochemistry research assistant in Professor Peeler’s lab and enjoys helping other students as a peer tutor. She has conducted clinical research in orthopaedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and in neonatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. As an art history minor, Whitney has studied the effect of displays of human remains in museums on medical mistrust in minority communities which will inform her future practice as a physician. Outside of the classroom, she is an athlete on Colgate's Division I Varsity Track and Field team and represents her team as a wellness advocate.
Maddy Vohland ’27
Major/Minor: Political Science/Educational Studies
Hometown: Salem, OR
Placement: Facing History and Ourselves
From being raised in a family of educators and teachers, Maddy developed an interest in education early in her schooling experience. As she began volunteering in policy areas and campaigns, she saw the socioeconomic inequities in her hometown and its school district. At Colgate, she is able to study at the intersection of political spaces in relation to education. Her classes have strengthened her interest in educational justice and her goal of creating an inclusive and participatory school curriculum. Outside of classes, Maddy’s experience as an Admissions Ambassador and member of Link Staff has allowed her to continue prioritizing inclusion and accessibility in education. By welcoming future and new members of Colgate’s community, she has been able to support students in the same processes that she navigated as a first-generation college student. Maddy is incredibly excited to work with Facing History and Ourselves to learn more about the development of democratic engagement through civic curriculum. In the future, she hopes to use her growth from this experience to pursue a career in education policy and further advance equity in school systems and their curricula.
Amy Wouters ’28
Major/Minor: Anthropology/Global Public and Environmental Health
Hometown: Amsterdam, The Netherlands and New York, NY
Placement: Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
Amy is deeply interested in public health, with a particular focus on how structural/social factors can impact people’s access to and experience with medical care. Her interest in public health grew through her interdisciplinary academic work. As part of the International Baccalaureate she wrote an independent research project that examined how socio-economic status and power dynamics influence doctor–patient relationships across different cultures. At Colgate, Amy serves as a Shaw Wellness Ambassador, where she works to reduce barriers to care and encourage student wellness by supporting initiatives that address food insecurity, mental health, sexual health, substance use, and more. Through this role, she has gained a deeper understanding of how community-based initiatives promote well-being and create supportive, judgment-free environments. She is also a leader of Colgate’s Public Health Initiatives club, organizing events, including a public health speaker series and bone marrow donation event, to promote public health at Colgate and beyond. As a member of Colgate’s Women's Rugby Team and Gamma Phi Beta, she loves to work, as part of a team, towards a common goal. She is excited to continue learning how community-centered care can promote equitable access to healthcare and improve health outcomes for underserved populations.