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From May 22 through May 31, the group visited Dublin, Belfast, and Londonderry to explore the civil rights struggle in the United Kingdom and its striking parallels to the civil rights movement in the southern United States.

“Our course examines the intersections between the US Civil Rights Movement and the Troubles in Northern Ireland, exploring themes of power, marginalization, and the fight for justice,” says Dolan. “The primary objectives are to expose students to the parallels between Black Americans’ and Irish Catholics’ ongoing struggles for civil rights and social equity, with particular emphasis on women’s roles in both movements.”

The trip featured guest speakers, documentaries, walking tours, community meetings, and site visits in a structured experience that allowed students to examine historical and political connections firsthand. 

They spent their first two days in Dublin, where they watched the documentary Echoes of 2004, produced by Dr. Ebun Joseph, which examines the long-term impact of Ireland’s 2004 Citizenship Referendum. Dr. Joseph, who helped establish Black Studies at University College Dublin in 2018, also serves as the Irish Government’s Special Rapporteur on Racial Equality and Racism.

Later, the group met with Irish journalist Miriam O’Callaghan, who led the production of the documentary 1968: The Long March, Northern Ireland Civil Rights. The film details how Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired a parallel civil rights movement in Northern Ireland.

As the students have learned in the classroom this spring semester, Northern Ireland remains segregated.

“Social struggles do not emerge in isolation; they are fundamentally transnational phenomena,” says Harris. “The civil rights movements of Northern Ireland and the American South were in active dialogue with one another—bound together by striking parallels in their marches, their strategies of nonviolent resistance, and their shared determination to work within existing legal and political frameworks to secure full citizenship: for Catholics in Northern Ireland, and for Black Americans in the United States.”

Even today, peace walls remain in place to separate communities, and only 8 percent of students in Northern Ireland attend integrated schools.

Much of the country remains divided along Catholic and Protestant lines. However, younger generations are beginning to move past the animosity and trauma of the Troubles, a period of conflict that ended with the Good Friday Agreement.

A major point of ongoing disagreement is constitutional status: many Catholics in Northern Ireland support reunification with Ireland. In contrast, many Protestants prefer that Northern Ireland remain part of the United Kingdom.

As this conflict continues, Macalester hopes to secure funding in future years to reduce financial barriers and expand opportunities for more students to participate in globally-minded learning experiences like these.

The post Scots Abroad: Learning from Northern Ireland’s Divided History first appeared on News.

Ruth Dunlap ’26

Biology
“The Highs and Lows of Life in a Valley: Topographic Controls on Tundra Vegetation in a Warming Arctic”

Ruth Dunlap traveled to Finland and Norway to answer the question: does the shape of the land matter for how Arctic plants survive our changing planet? From hills to valleys, Dunlap examined how even the smallest differences in topography can impact plant diversity, function, and survival. The majority of their fieldwork was conducted at a research station in Varanger, Norway, one of the locations visited by a team of interdisciplinary Mac researchers focused on the future of the Arctic and led by biology professor Dr. Mary Heskel.

What was the most surprising or unexpected thing you discovered?
“Topography can create biodiversity hotspots in the Arctic, even within a short distance. These areas of diversity are important for ecosystem multi-functionality, herbivore and pollinator persistence, carbon storage, and climate resilience. Another really interesting finding from my work (found in other studies as well) is how different species respond differently to topographic heterogeneity. For example, some species may be more plastic (greater capacity to change) in their responses to different microenvironmental conditions.”

What was the hardest part of the project or biggest challenge to overcome?
“Field work always comes with challenges: long days, technical issues, and poor weather. All of this requires rethinking data collection and the potential projects that follow. Working with many incredible field scientists, we were able to work around issues to collect data.”

Gregory Forsberg ’26

Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
“Understanding Delays in Emergency Department Care: A National Analysis of Wait Times”

Gregory Forsberg’s honors project takes a data-driven look at a matter of life or death: delays in emergency rooms. Using survey data from emergency department visits from across the US, Forsberg analyzed which operational factors have the strongest relationships with wait times. The senior’s work required learning about survey statistics, including the methods needed to analyze data from a complex multistage probability sampling design.

What drew you to this topic?
“I was drawn to this topic because I wanted a project at the intersection of data science and medicine. As a data science major hoping to attend medical school after Macalester, this project felt like a great fit. I have often heard people complain about long hospital or emergency department wait times without fully understanding why those delays happen. Given my background in data science and statistics, I saw this as an interesting problem to investigate.”

How has your project impacted how you think about your field or the world?
“This project showed me how powerful and important data science can be for answering questions in healthcare and beyond. As technology advances, data science provides important tools for understanding complex systems and identifying patterns that may not be obvious at first.”

Zhijun He ’26

International Studies
“After the Catastrophe: Rwanda’s Transformation”

In 1994, Rwanda emerged from a genocide with little government infrastructure and virtually no financial resources. In their honors project, Zhijun He investigates how the country rebuilt itself and at what cost. They look at four institutions that Rwanda constructed in the aftermath of devastation: community courts, communal labor programs, performance contracts, and civic education camps. As He argues, some were successful, but all came at some cost to society.

What drew you to this topic?
“By the time I got to Macalester and Professor Ahmed Samatar’s classroom, a question I had been circling for years finally had a name: how does a state simultaneously take from people and give to them, and what happens when both sides of that relationship come under strain at once? Rwanda turned out to be the place where that question is asked in its sharpest form.”

How has your project impacted how you think about your field or the world?
“I came in thinking development was something you optimize. I am leaving thinking it is something a society negotiates, under conditions it usually didn’t choose, with tools that are usually inherited rather than designed. That changes what it means to study a place. It also raises a question I’ll be living with for a while: what does it mean to theorize from outside about institutions whose logic might not be capturable from outside?”

Emily Hueser ’26

Media and Cultural Studies
“Being Scared in a Secondary Universe: Experiencing the Self Through The Horror Film”

Horror is often dismissed as cheap entertainment, but Emily Hueser’s project investigated the genre as a place of complex identity formation. The senior’s thesis examines how the physical experience of watching horror—everything from flinching, screaming, and covering your eyes—is actually part of how we construct our sense of self. Through four films—Get Out, Videodrome, The Fly, and The Substance—Hueser also tackles how horror engages questions of race, disability, and collective identity.

What drew you to this topic?
“I’m actually not a huge horror fan myself. What drew me to the genre was the difference in how I watch it—it’s the only movie I refuse to watch alone. I HAVE to watch with friends or family because I’m too much of a chicken. I felt like there was lots of potential in this required, communal nature for me. It’s also always felt like the most ‘experienced’ genre, one that brings with it an expectation of jumping in your seat, of covering your eyes with your hands. With no other genre do I assume that I will be physically engaging my body while I watch.”

How has your project impacted how you think about your field or the world?
“It’s made me think of my own personal practices of spectatorship and the nature of ‘watching.’ It’s allowed me to consider the cinema and moviegoing as a political practice, one that brings me closer to my community. It’s also made me spend way too much money at The Main Cinema and The Grandview.”

Ruben Verità ’26

Art and Art History
“Weaving Ideology: Textiles in Florentine and Venetian Painting of the Cinquecento”

When it comes to the art of the Renaissance, famous paintings and sculptures often come to mind. But Ruben Verità argues fabric is just as interesting and perhaps even more revealing of the time period. Comparing works from Florence and Venice, Verità shows how the creation and design of fabric works of art differ across political systems. Drawing on sources beyond the paintings themselves, the senior looked to Italian literature, economic history, and the early silk industry to provide deeper context.

What drew you to this topic?
“My family fostered a love and appreciation for the arts since I was a child. My father has prints of Renaissance paintings hanging in his office, and my family would go to museums together whenever we had the opportunity. During my adolescence I developed a passion for fashion, which I pursued at Macalester through my work study position in the costume shop of the Theater and Dance Department. Thus, I wanted my thesis to be about textiles in some way. Then, through discussions with my professors, particularly my advisor, Dr. Jacob Eisensmith, during my junior year, I was able to combine my interest in textiles and clothing with my passion for Renaissance art.”

How has your project impacted how you think about your field or the world?
“I think the research I conducted made me especially aware of the details you can glean from the broader social, political, and historical context of an artist’s output and a painting’s creation, to provide a more thorough analysis of an artwork. Artworks are not static objects that can be wholly understood by examining their formal aspects. Rather, the broader situation surrounding their creation must also be considered.”

The post Five Seniors Share What Their Honors Projects Taught Them first appeared on News.

Sarah Rossmann Deschamps ’88 published a new memoir, I Couldn’t Tell You. The book builds on her previous memoir about her daughter’s medical crisis overseas, focusing on the emotional and psychological struggles the family faced after returning to the United States. Deschamps’ father, Professor Emeritus Dr. Jack Rossmann, is recording an audiobook version for blind and low-vision readers in Minnesota.

From newcomers to national contenders

For the first time, Macalester was represented at the QatarDebate Championship, held at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign. Competing as a team of all first-year students with no prior QatarDebate experience, Aya Halabi ’29, Mulham Dalla ’29, and Tala Khodre ’29 delivered an outstanding performance, placing second at the Midwest Arabic Debate Championship and qualifying for the national tournament. 

Individually, Khodre, who is from Tartus, Syria, earned a silver medal as the second-best speaker in the native speaker category, while Halabi placed fifth in the same category.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement and excited to join teams from across the country at the national tournament this upcoming fall,” Khodre said. 

She added that the team sees potential for expanding opportunities within Macalester’s forensics program, including increased participation from both native and nonnative speakers and possible engagement with related competitions such as the Model Arab League.

An elite workshop for scholarly growth 

The National Humanities Center selected Macalester history professor Linda Sturtz as one of twenty scholars for its second annual Scholarly Writing Institute. 

Representing sixteen colleges and universities across ten states, participants will spend nine days in residence this July advancing their research and writing. The institute provides dedicated workspace, group sessions, and one-on-one guidance from an acclaimed writing coach and leading academic presses to help scholars make significant progress on their projects.

New works on justice and opportunity 

Dr. Walter Greason, Dewitt Wallace Professor of History, contributed to three major publications.

For Such a Time as This, a report from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, examines the history of African-Americans in New Jersey and proposes policies to address racial segregation statewide. Greason described it as “the culmination of my career work.”

He also contributed to Hidden Voices: Stories of the Global African Diaspora, Volumes 1 and 2, published by the New York City Department of Education. The collaborative social studies text explores 5,000 years of African diaspora history and is designed to support student engagement and language arts proficiency.

In addition, Greason contributed to Building a State of Opportunity, a policy report published by the state of New Jersey focused on creating a just and inclusive state economy. He noted that methodologies and data that appear in the report were tested in his advanced Macalester courses.

A new view of New Orleans

Dr. Walter Greason, DeWitt Wallace Professor of History, contributed to Shifting Landscapes, a groundbreaking virtual reality experience that immerses users in the history of the French Quarter in New Orleans through the perspectives of enslaved African Americans in 1860.

“This collaborative project was a mission to demonstrate the power of new media to communicate advanced historical research,” Greason said. “This site demonstrates the viability and importance of virtual reality technologies in the teaching and research of world history.”

How to be considered for future Maccolades

If you or someone you know recently earned an award, fellowship, or honor and would like it to be considered for inclusion in next month’s Maccolades, please let Communications & Marketing know by filling out this Maccolades form. For recent book publications, please use this book publication form.

The post From Guatemala Classrooms to Virtual Reality History first appeared on News.

This summer, Chuol will lead the Voices of Amani project in Kenya, addressing ethnic conflict in the Kakuma Refugee Camp by empowering teachers as “Peace Champions.”

Through training in empathy, dialogue, and conflict resolution, the project aims to reach over three hundred students, fostering cross-cultural understanding and sustainable reconciliation of one of Kenya’s long-standing refugee communities.

“It feels like a full circle moment, but not the end of the story; it feels like a beginning,” says Chuol. “It reflects what it means when a place like Macalester believes in you and gives you the opportunity to return and create change where you once felt limited. I am returning not as someone who escaped the story, but as someone ready to help rewrite it.”

The work is especially meaningful to Chuol, who grew up in the same refugee camp.

“I have experienced, witnessed stories of pain and resilience in Kakuma that have stayed with me like a song in my head, moments where I wished I could do more,” Chuol said. “This grant is not just support—it is permission to act on the voices I could no longer ignore.”

Chuol overcame significant obstacles at a young age, living without his family since the age of twelve and eventually traveling to Minnesota to study computer science.

“I remember long lines for water and food that was never enough, and classrooms where learning often meant listening closely and making sense of what you could,” says Chuol. “Yet even in those moments, there was laughter and community, and those experiences shaped me into someone who values resilience and purpose. I did not have the easiest childhood, but it gave me a reason to make things better for someone else.”

Through it all, Chuol has prioritized giving back to others. Despite his busy schedule as a student-athlete on Macalester’s track and field team, he still dedicates time to teach children in Kenya online, connecting with them from thousands of miles away.

Now, the children in Kakuma will soon have even more of his attention, along with the financial backing of the Davis Projects for Peace.

About the Davis Projects for Peace

Established in 2007 by philanthropist Kathryn Wasserman Davis, the Davis Projects for Peace program empowers college students to design and implement grassroots initiatives that promote peace, often in regions facing systemic challenges. 

Since its founding, the initiative has supported more than 2,200 projects in 150 countries. The 2026 cohort is composed of 142 projects in 59 countries.
Since 2007, Macalester has participated in dozens of Davis Projects for Peace. View other recent projects.

The post Makol J. Chuol Awarded 2026 Davis Projects for Peace Grant first appeared on News.

Before the ceremony was through about 475 students would cross the stage and receive their diplomas. It was a celebration marked by reminders of their resilience, the strength of community, and calls to carry Macalester values into an uncertain world.

Physician-scientist Dr. Anthony S. Fauci and bioethicist Dr. Christine Grady delivered a joint keynote address after receiving honorary degrees from the college. Together, they encouraged graduates to strive for excellence in service to society and to be daring in the face of adversity.

Grady, who served for many years as chief of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, emphasized the importance of human connection in a world increasingly defined by social isolation. “These are connections that will persist across space and time,” Grady said. “Cherish them, nurture them, but also welcome the joy and challenge of building on them with new connections.”

Grady is married to Fauci, who spent more than five decades working for the National Institutes of Health. Known for his work in infectious disease research and for advising seven US presidents, he urged graduates to guard against what he called “the normalization of untruths” and the growing acceptance of falsehoods contrary to available evidence.

“Macalester prepared you and has given you the skill to be the antidote and the bulwark against this disturbing trend—what I speak of is the skill of critical thinking,” Fauci said. “You have learned here and will continue to learn how to listen carefully, argue calmly, and without prejudice, detect bias, and consider competing claims with an open mind. These are not just your academic skills. They are your societal responsibilities.”

Those skills—and the importance of Macalester’s mission—are more relevant than ever, President Suzanne Rivera told the audience. She encouraged graduates to leverage the full breadth of their education, embracing the Macalester values of internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society, to take action and drive meaningful change.

“The world won’t get better on its own. And failing to try to fix what’s wrong, giving up, well, that just concedes defeat,” Rivera said. “Don’t let fear or apathy get in your way. Keep embracing that responsibility, the moral duty to try. You won’t be alone. Your Macalester community will be right there with you.”

Senior class speaker Hamza Hassan Mahamud ’26, a political science major and captain of the track and field team, delivered a speech rooted in hope for a better world, while acknowledging the challenges that they’ve already faced, together. Resilience, he said, will play a key role in their success moving forward.

“I’ve seen resilience on this campus and I see it on the faces of my classmates today,” Mahamud said. “I look at a group of people who see news headlines and are not content with the state of our planet. I see new talent in the sciences, arts, and humanities who believe a world where we love each other more is possible. So long as we carry that belief and the resilience that we have all learned here from each other, a more peaceful world is possible.”

And in a final challenge to his fellow graduates, Mahamud called on the Class of 2026 to work towards a better world while opening doors for others.

“As you walk through a new set of doors, remember to hold them open for people coming behind you,” Mahamud said. “Classes and generations of Macalester graduates before us did the same. And the world depends on those who pay it forward.”

The post Celebrating the Class of 2026 at Commencement first appeared on News.

“Thursday’s ceremony marks a significant step as we work toward the goals established in our strategic plan, Imagine, Macalester, almost four years ago,” said Macalester College President Suzanne Rivera. “This new residence hall and welcome center represents a commitment to current and prospective students, as well as to the broader Macalester community and our neighbors throughout Saint Paul.”

The five-story building will help to accomplish a number of goals, including expanding on-campus living capacity for upper-year students, creating a new welcoming space for prospective students and alumni, and expanding the college’s presence in its broader community.

The new residence hall, designed primarily for upper-year students as part of the college’s new three-year residency requirement, will showcase Macalester’s leadership in sustainability. Supporting the college’s decarbonization goals, the building will be heated and cooled by geothermal technology and constructed using a hybrid cross-laminated timber and stick-frame design to reduce embodied carbon.

Significant green space with native plants around the building, as well as a green roof terrace, will provide meeting spaces rooted in nature. 

“This building will set Macalester on a course to make significant progress toward its decarbonization goals,” said Lief. “The geothermal plant being constructed to heat and cool the building is designed for future expansion, allowing additional buildings north of Grand Avenue to connect to the system and transition away from the campus’s natural gas–powered boiler network.This shift will lower heating and cooling costs while significantly reducing CO2 emissions.”

The new building will also house the college’s new welcome center, bringing together the Admissions Office and gathering spaces for students, staff, alumni, and the broader community Macalester is proud to be a neighbor in. A coffee shop and cafe open to the public will share space with the welcome center, adding new energy and vibrancy to Grand Avenue. 

The wait will not be long, as construction is expected to be completed in 2027. Macalester’s new residence and hall and welcome center will serve as a vibrant gathering place for students, staff, alumni, and neighbors from across Saint Paul.

The post Macalester College Senior Leadership Dedicates New Residence Hall and Welcome Center first appeared on News.

These appointments take effect on September 1, 2026.

“I’m honored to work with amazing faculty who are prolific scholars and who maintain active research agendas while remaining deeply committed to service at the college,” says Anderson-Levy. “They are skilled educators and mentors who challenge and support students inside and outside the classroom.”

The following faculty members were appointed:

Sarah Boyer — O.T. Walter Professor of Biology

Professor Boyer holds a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College, a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a PhD from Harvard University. Her lab studies the evolution of mite harvesters (tiny arachnids) in New Zealand, supported by a National Science Foundation grant. She and her students also study the reproductive biology of local daddy long-legs found on campus and at Ordway Field Station.

Darcy Burgund — (inaugural) Weingarden Professor of Neuroscience

Professor Burgund has a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College and a PhD from the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on visual cognition and memory, especially how people recognize objects, using methods such as divided-visual-field tasks and functional magnetic resonance imaging to study brain activity.

Julie Dolan — Mitau Professor of Political Science

Professor Dolan earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College and a PhD from American University. She has since written or co-written several books, including Representative Bureaucracy: Classic Readings and Continuing Controversies (with David H. Rosenbloom) and four editions of Women and Politics: Paths to Power and Political Influence (with Melissa Deckman and Michele Swers).

Duchess Harris — DeWitt Wallace Professor of American Studies

Professor Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a PhD from the University of Minnesota, and a Juris Doctor from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law. In 2026, she published two books: Black Feminist Politics: From the Voting Rights Act to the Kamala Harris Vice Presidency (1965–2025) and Meghan Markle: Essays on Monarchy, Race, and Colonialism, co-authored with Julie Schwietert Collazo. Among several local and national roles, Professor Harris has also served as the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commissioner.

Chris Wells — John Holl Professor of Environmental Studies

Professor Wells has a bachelor’s degree from Williams College and master’s and PhD degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is the author of Car Country: An Environmental History and Nature’s Crossroads: The Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota (co-edited with George Vrtis). He is also the editor of Environmental Justice in Postwar America: A Documentary Reader.

The post Five Faculty Members Named Endowed Chairs first appeared on News.

Willow Albano

Willow Albano has demonstrated sustained, distinguished leadership across Macalester through a rare combination of intellectual curiosity, humility, and care for community. Over four years in Macalester College Student Government, culminating in the presidency, Albano has strengthened student governance by improving continuity, accessibility, and collaboration. As captain and preceptor of moot court, they have cultivated an inclusive, high-performing team culture grounded in mentorship and reflective practice. Their leadership within Filipinos at Mac has fostered cultural connection and dialogue across diverse student experiences. Beyond campus, Albano’s fellowship work with the ACLU of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, and the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute reflects dedication to public service and equity in policy spaces. Across all roles, Albano leads with consistency, emotional intelligence, and a focus on empowering others, leaving a lasting impact on Macalester’s community and its values of service, multiculturalism, and academic excellence and global civic engagement.

Inbal Armony

Inbal Armony exemplifies the qualities of distinguished leadership through her sustained commitment to academic excellence, collaborative problem-solving, and community engagement across Macalester. In the classroom, she distinguishes herself as a thoughtful, deeply prepared student who elevates peer learning through insight, humility, and intellectual rigor. Beyond academics, she has played vital leadership roles in environmental initiatives, student governance spaces, and campus organizations, consistently fostering inclusion and constructive dialogue. As a teaching assistant and preceptor, Armony supports peers with patience and generosity, making challenging material more accessible while cultivating confidence in others. Armony’s leadership within the Sustainability Advisory Committee and Sunrise Movement reflects a steadfast dedication to environmental justice and systems-level change, both locally and globally. Even in moments of profound personal and political complexity, she models ethical reflection, empathy, and the courage to engage across differences. Armony leaves a lasting impact through her ability to connect ideas, people, and values in meaningful ways.

Cristian Cano

Cristian Cano exemplifies the Distinguished Leadership Award through sustained, community-centered engagement that bridges academic excellence with meaningful public impact. A dedicated scholar in Environmental Studies, he applies his learning to real-world challenges, from GIS research on environmental justice to policy work with local government and community organizations. On campus, his contributions to strategic planning and student-led initiatives reflect thoughtful, collaborative leadership. Beyond Macalester, Cano’s mentorship of first-generation students and his work with Latine communities demonstrate a deep commitment to service and inclusion. Whether organizing workshops, conducting research, or supporting peers, Cano leads with humility, care, and integrity. His ability to connect diverse communities, elevate shared goals, and translate knowledge into action has left a lasting imprint on both campus and the broader Twin Cities community, embodying Macalester’s values of multiculturalism, service, and academic excellence.

Yair Castillo Palacios

Yair Castillo Palacios has shown himself to be a thoughtful and deeply committed leader whose impact spans campus, community, and the broader Twin Cities. As a Posse and Bonner Scholar, he integrates academic inquiry with sustained service, particularly through his work in college access, where he has empowered students to envision and pursue higher education. Castillo Palacios builds trust through intentional dialogue, whether facilitating workshops, engaging multilingual learners, or fostering connection across differences. On campus, his leadership cultivates belonging and strengthens peer communities through collaboration and care. Beyond Macalester, his work with organizations such as CLUES and Episcopal Homes reflects a profound dedication to dignity, mental health, and elder care. Across every setting, Castillo Palacios leads with empathy, consistency, and purpose, translating values into meaningful action. His contributions embody Macalester’s commitment to multiculturalism and service, leaving a lasting legacy of compassion, access, and community-centered leadership.

Lorenna Graham

Lorenna Graham has made a lasting impact at Macalester through her sustained leadership in advancing sustainability and environmental justice. As a central contributor to the college’s zero-waste action plan, Graham combined research, collaboration, and advocacy to move ambitious ideas into institutional practice. Her ability to engage stakeholders—from peers to senior leadership—reflects both strategic thinking and a commitment to community-centered change. Beyond this work, Graham has contributed as a sustainability assistant, Atlas Fellow, and student researcher, consistently integrating academic insight with applied action. She approaches her work with clarity, persistence, and a strong sense of responsibility to both people and the environment. By building systems, fostering dialogue, and championing long-term solutions, Graham has helped position Macalester as a leader in sustainability while leaving a foundation that will benefit the campus and broader community for years to come.

Bruno Guiduli

Bruno Guiduli has demonstrated leadership with an energetic, community-driven approach that brings people together across interests and identities. Recognizing a gap in campus life, he founded and grew the men’s club soccer team into a thriving, competitive program while fostering an inclusive environment rooted in connection and joy. His leadership extends beyond athletics through the creation of Green Athletics, where he has advanced sustainability efforts within club and varsity sports. Guiduli’s enthusiasm, global perspective, and commitment to service are evident in his academic pursuits, international experiences, and community engagement. Whether organizing teams, supporting peers, or volunteering locally, Guiduli consistently creates spaces where others feel welcomed and inspired to participate. His ability to build community, champion innovation, and lead with positivity has left a lasting and meaningful mark on Macalester’s campus culture.

Isam Hussaini

Isam Hussaini has made a meaningful difference at Macalester through his integration of academic excellence, community leadership, and everyday acts of care. As a neuroscience major with interdisciplinary minors, he approaches learning with depth and curiosity, connecting science, ethics, and culture in thoughtful ways. He has strengthened the pre-med community by founding student initiatives, mentoring peers, and expanding access to professional opportunities. Within the Muslim Student Association, his leadership has fostered belonging, interfaith understanding, and vibrant cultural programming for the broader campus. Hussaini’s contributions extend beyond formal campus roles: he is known for his genuine kindness, his ability to build connections across differences, and his commitment to uplifting those around him. Whether organizing large-scale events, supporting peers academically, or creating inclusive spaces, he leads with humility and intention. His presence has enriched the Macalester community and reflects its core values of multiculturalism, service, and intellectual engagement.

Nurain Jiwani

Nurain Jiwani has transformed the Macalester community through visionary leadership in sustainability, food access, and student empowerment. As a driving force behind MacShare, he strengthened and expanded essential programs, including the food voucher initiative, ensuring greater access to fresh, affordable food. By applying his expertise in data science, he improved operational systems and helped launch innovative tools like the Extra Eats app. Jiwani’s leadership extends beyond implementation—he has mentored peers, developed training resources, and cultivated future leaders to sustain this work. Academically, he balances rigorous study in mathematics and computer science with interdisciplinary exploration, modeling intellectual curiosity and excellence. Whether leading campus-wide initiatives, precepting courses, or engaging in community partnerships, he approaches every effort with energy, humility, and purpose. Jiwani’s contributions have reshaped systems, strengthened community care, and established a lasting foundation for addressing food insecurity at Macalester.

Hamza Mahamud

Hamza Mahamud has demonstrated exceptional leadership through a dynamic blend of academic achievement, civic engagement, and global perspective. A highly accomplished scholar, he has earned prestigious fellowships and distinctions while contributing original research and published writing on political and social issues. On campus, Mahamud has been a driving force in student leadership, from guiding Model United Nations to success on national stages to shaping dialogue as a student editor and preceptor. His work reflects both intellectual rigor and a commitment to elevating others. Beyond Macalester, Hamza has applied his skills in policy, research, and advocacy roles across local and international contexts, representing the college with professionalism and purpose. His ability to connect theory with practice, engage diverse communities, and lead with clarity and ambition has made a lasting impression on the Macalester community and exemplifies the college’s core values.

Kampe Rushoka

Kampe Rushoka has distinguished herself at Macalester through a steady, reflective form of leadership rooted in intellectual depth, empathy, and principled engagement with complex global issues. In academic settings, she is a thoughtful and attentive presence who elevates classroom dialogue through careful listening and incisive contributions. Her influence extends beyond the classroom through sustained involvement in human rights initiatives, international dialogue, and campus organizations dedicated to justice and cross-cultural understanding. Whether moderating conferences, leading discussions on Rwanda, or contributing to the Pathways to Peace committee, she approaches difficult conversations with clarity, respect, and intellectual generosity. Rushoka also brings Macalester’s values into a global context through her internships in Rwanda and the Twin Cities, advancing women’s rights and fostering international collaboration. Across all spaces, she models a leadership style grounded in humility, critical reflection, and a commitment to building understanding across differences.

Samantha Schafer

Samantha Schafer has been a consistently engaged and quietly effective leader across Macalester’s campus throughout her undergraduate career. She combines strong academic performance with a broad record of service, leadership, and civic engagement that has shaped campus life in meaningful ways. As MCSG Academic Affairs Committee Chair, she helps steward key academic policy discussions, while also serving on EPAG and the Curricular Implementation Committee, where she contributes thoughtful student perspectives to institutional decision-making. Her earlier roles, which include Orientation Leader, Democracy Matters President, and Sophomore Leader in Lives of Commitment, reflect a sustained commitment to supporting peers at multiple stages of their Macalester experience.

Beyond governance, Schafer has demonstrated deep commitment to public service, including over 250 hours tutoring at Rondo Library, election engagement work through the Community Engagement Center, and coordination of a SNAP Relief Food Drive. She is equally committed to academic and international learning, maintaining a strong GPA while engaging in multilingual study and policy internships. Across all roles, she leads through reliability, humility, and steady presence, strengthening every community she joins.

Melody Woodward

Melody Woodward has been a steady and thoughtful presence within the QuestBridge community and across Macalester. As a transfer student balancing significant healthcare work alongside her studies, she has shown humility, organization, and a consistent commitment to others. Rather than seeking visibility, she focuses on building structures that help students connect and sustain community over time.

As QuestBridge Student Organization President, Woodward has strengthened belonging among Scholars and ensured future leaders have a strong foundation to build on. Her leadership is collaborative and intentional, shaped by listening, planning, and follow-through. She has also contributed to community service beyond campus, including volunteering at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center and supporting local food distribution efforts in reliable, behind-the-scenes roles.

Academically, Woodward is a Biochemistry major and French minor who has served as both a teaching and research assistant. She recently completed her capstone and MCAT preparation while continuing her community commitments, including donating her study materials to future students. Across all areas, she leads with consistency, care, and a focus on collective success.

Damaris Zamora-Aguilon

Damaris Zamora-Aguilon has distinguished herself as an exceptionally engaged student whose academic excellence is matched by a sustained record of high-impact public service and leadership. Her experiences span local, national, and international institutions, reflecting both ambition and a consistent commitment to public good. In 2024, she secured a highly competitive internship in the US House of Representatives through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, where she also participated in White House Fellows shadowing. In 2025, she further expanded her legal and policy experience through a judicial internship with the Eastern District of New York in the Sotomayor Program, working closely within the federal court system.

At Macalester, Zamora-Aguilon has been a visible and active contributor across multiple spaces, including as a QuestBridge leader, Bonner mentor, and Board of Trustees student liaison. She has played key roles in student governance and community programming while maintaining strong academic performance in Political Science. Her scholarship includes original research on migration and policy in Guatemala City and a standout guest lecture on abortion policy in Mexico. Across demanding academic, civic, and leadership roles, Zamora-Aguilon consistently demonstrates intellectual rigor, initiative, and a deep commitment to equity-oriented public service.

The post Thirteen Seniors Receive 2026 Distinguished Leadership Awards first appeared on News.

In just four years, the Posse Foundation is already having a significant impact on the culture of Macalester’s student body. The program helps more Minnesotan high school students receive a world-class education right here in St. Paul.

“Macalester Posse Scholars come from the neighborhoods that surround Mac, representing the richly diverse communities in the Twin Cities,”  says Dean of Admissions Elyan Paz. “They contribute to our student body through their leadership, curiosity, and lived experiences, actively participating in the shared goals of Macalester and Posse—to prepare students to lead and make a difference in the communities they’ll join as graduates.”

Being recruited by the Posse Foundation is no small feat. Students are nominated by high school mentors and selected through a rigorous process that emphasizes leadership and merit demonstrated long before they arrive at Macalester.

Once on campus, the cohort forms a close-knit, built-in community that offers holistic support while pushing one another to thrive within Macalester’s rigorous academic environment.

“Posse had seen in me the leader I had yet to recognize myself,” says Calla Lee ‘26. “They invested their time, effort, and care into my education because they had faith I would become the changemaker I am today. Posse at Macalester is special, bringing local communities back to the college, so being able to be a part of the first generation of Posse grads makes me excited for all of the future members of this community who will be able to experience the same transformations I did.”

Students work with a faculty mentor at Macalester, meeting weekly as a group and biweekly one-on-one throughout their time at the college.

“The template encourages the Posse mentor to tune into every phase of growth of the Posse scholar from move-in day to the first day of classes and from finishing up first year to navigating into a major,” says mentor and chair of American studies Karín Aguilar-San Juan. “The foundation emphasizes connecting Posse scholars to faculty mentors as a way to hasten the development of institutional knowledge.”

This year’s cohort of nine students was awarded full-tuition scholarships to attend Macalester.

The post Macalester Graduates Inaugural Posse Foundation Cohort first appeared on News.

In April, Ainsley Meyer ’26, Kate Caulder ’27, and Jo-Z Wu ’28 earned All-American honors at the American Mock Trial Association’s 41st National Championship Tournament in Washington, DC.

“This year’s triumphant success will bolster the program’s recruitment, legacy, and competitive drive for years to come,” says Director of Forensics Beau Larsen. “Out of over seven hundred mock trial teams that compete at regionals every year, only fifty teams advance to the national competition. And Macalester didn’t just qualify one team to nationals, we qualified two—one out of only seven schools in the country to do so.”

In collegiate mock trial, students switch off each year between criminal and civil cases. This year’s national case was about an armed robbery at a diner and gave students the opportunity to offer a plea deal to one of the suspects in question.

One of Macalester’s teams—comprising Paramitha Pratha ’29, Wu, Kofi Anyimadu ’28, Betsy Thede ’29, Josie Mitchell ’29, Caulder, Sabri Abdusalam ’28, and Tani Gangal ’29—received an honorable mention at the end of the tournament.

“All season, Mac students rallied around the goal of sending two teams to nationals,” says Larsen. “My students’ belief in themselves, their dedication to the game, and their mutual commitment to each other is what made this possible. In particular, I want to recognize our three senior student leaders—Maita Mungah, David Truman, and Ainsley Meyer—whose behind-the-scenes leadership in many ways enabled this year’s program-wide success.” 

As the trio of All-Americans celebrates their collective success, they are also taking time to reflect.

How does it feel to end your season in this way?

“It feels very rewarding,” says Meyer. “As a senior, I couldn’t have picked a better way to end my Mock Trial career. I feel like all of the work that I have been putting in for years has paid off, and I am so happy to end this season with people that I love competing alongside me.”

What makes Macalester Mock Trial so noteworthy on the competitive circuit? 

“I think we have a good combination of legal reasoning and showmanship,” says Caulder. “Mac students tend to be very good at creating strong arguments. We also worked really hard this season at becoming more performative and flashy. It’s important to have both strong content and entertaining performances, and I think we struck that balance well.”

What level of dedication did this effort require? 

“Like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” says Wu. “In the month between the case release and nationals, we only skipped four days of practice, often logging over twenty-five hours a week. It was an intense, consuming commitment. A special shoutout to all of our coaches—especially Natalie Parisi and Brendan Hayner-Slattery—we wouldn’t have had this success without their support.”

How do you think you will look back on this accomplishment thirty years from now?

“I will remember the people the most,” says Meyer. “It has been such an honor to compete with other talented and driven people. I will remember how much those people uplifted and supported me. And I will never forget how lucky I was to share this experience with them. ”

How does the team culture at Macalester shape your experience?

“It was the difference maker,” says Wu. “Everyone was deeply committed, but just as importantly, genuinely supportive of one another. That combination created an environment where we pushed each other to improve while still making Mock Trial enjoyable. By the end of the season we were a tightly knit family.”

How successful do you think this program can be in the future?

“The sky is the limit,” says Caulder. “We made huge strides this year, having finished in the top 25 at the national tournament. I think that with this success, everyone knows now that we can be very competitive, so we’re going to keep pushing for these kinds of results and better. We want to be in the final round at Nationals.”

The post Macalester Mock Trial Celebrates Three All-Americans first appeared on News.

A member of the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Division III Hall of Fame Class of 2026, Coach Pearson coached from 1989 through the 2010–11 season.

During that time, he guided Macalester athletes to remarkable success, including 168 school records, 69 All-MIAC performances, and 21 All-America honors.

As Pearson readies for induction at the CSCAA Annual Awards Celebration in Chicago, he is taking a moment to reflect on his twenty-two seasons leading the Macalester Scots men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams.

Q: How did it feel to learn you would be inducted into the CSCAA Division III Hall of Fame?

A: Coaching swimming and water polo was my passion for more than four decades. I was humbled to find out I had been nominated by my peers. I am also honored to now be a part of the Hall of Fame selection committee. What an absolute honor!

Q: What stands out as the most memorable moment of your coaching career? 

A: The MIAC championship meet will always be burned in my memory; to see all the hard work and sacrifice these athletes put into the sport pay off by achieving their goals. Or, the time when a Mac swimmer earned All-America status for the first time in a decade.

Q: What do you hope your legacy at Macalester will be?

A: Students can balance a rigorous academic program while competing at their best level. They earned the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association academic award every semester, including leading the nation in team GPA on several occasions. In addition, each team member contributed to the success of their teammates. I hope that is something they carry with them as they have gone on to make the world a better place as teachers, professors, doctors, lawyers, clergy, and more.

Q: How would you describe your coaching philosophy?

A: I worked with everyone on the team to achieve personal and team goals in a fun atmosphere. I reminded athletes that each of them committed to the sport because they thought it was fun to do.

Q: What do you hope your athletes took away from their time under the your wing?

A: I hope they know that they are family to me, and each other. By being a part of that, I believe they can face anything.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring coaches entering the field today?

A: Stay true to your philosophy, but don’t be afraid to learn from your athletes. Make time for life balance, and help your athletes do the same.

The post Former Macalester Swimming and Diving Coach Reflects on Hall of Fame Honor first appeared on News.

As Fulbright participants, all recipients will study, conduct research, and teach abroad for the 2026–2027 academic year through the Fulbright US Student Program or related Fulbright partnerships abroad. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service. 

Five Scots received awards for English teaching assistantships:

• Carmen De Souza Bronshteyn ’26 will teach English in Taiwan
• Sophia Diliberti ’26 will teach English in Peru
• Liv Whitmore ’26 will teach English in Latvia
• Lia Sánchez Valles ’25 will teach English in Mexico
• Leyden Streed ’25 will teach English in Indonesia

Carmen De Souza Bronshteyn ’26 will teach English in Taiwan

Sophia Diliberti ’26 will teach English in Peru

Liv Whitmore ’26 will teach English in Latvia

Leyden Streed ’25 will teach English in Indonesia

“We are very proud of these five students and we hope their Fulbright experiences will be deeply meaningful,” said President Suzanne Rivera. “Their participation in the program is part of a long tradition at Macalester, which is a top producer of Fulbright recipients.”

As Fulbright alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed alumni, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Fulbright alumni include sixty-three Nobel Prize laureates, ninety-three Pulitzer Prize recipients, and ninety-three MacArthur Fellows.

Macalester is a Fulbright Program top producer

Macalester has been recognized as a high-output school for four consecutive academic years.

Read the announcement

The Fulbright Program is the US government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. 

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 450,000 participants the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns in over 160 countries. 

The primary source of funding for the Fulbright program is an annual appropriation by the US Congress to the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. 

The Fulbright US Student Program is administered at Macalester through Dr. Brigetta Abel, associate dean of academic success.

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Three Macalester students traveled to Washington, D.C. to compete in the Schuman Challenge. This academic competition requires students to develop and present policy proposals dealing with transatlantic issues in front of senior officials and experts at the European Union Delegation office.

Fabian Flores Solano ’28, Max Pabst ’28, and Mihailo Vucetic ’27, advanced from a 41-team preliminary round, featuring Ivy League and other top institutions, to the final 15 teams invited to present at the European Union Delegation. After advancing to the final round of presentations and questions, Macalester took first place.

“We were thrilled,” said Wendy Weber, senior lecturer in political science, who accompanied the students. 

Along with trophies, the team won a trip to Brussels, where they will present their proposal to European Union officials.

A legacy on display

Macalester graduate, Cherie Riesenberg ’72, has work featured in Legacy: The Women of WARM Gallery, an exhibition celebrating 50 years since the Women’s Art Registry of Minnesota was founded in 1976. 

The exhibition runs from April 10 to June 13 at Kickernick Gallery in Minneapolis and showcases 73 artists who were members of the groundbreaking women’s art collective between 1976 and 1991. All events are free and open to the public.

A Hall of Fame moment

Macalester trustee Ed Deutschlander ’93 was inducted into Finseca’s Management Hall of Fame at the 2026 Leaders and Managers Program conference in Nashville. The honor recognizes industry leaders for excellence in leadership, mentorship, advocacy, and advancing clients’ financial security.

Deutschlander is CEO of North Star Resource Group, a financial services firm headquartered in Minneapolis. The recognition highlights his impact on the profession.

Reflecting on the moment, Deutschlander called it “a special honor” and emphasized the role Macalester has played in his life.

“Macalester is one of the key pillars in my life,” he said. “I cannot imagine my life without it.”

Celebrating students who think globally 

Macalester honored Oriane Sachs-Bernstein ’26, Kampe Rushoka ’26, and Rosie Bai ’26 with the 2026 Global Citizenship Awards. Presented each April by the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship, the award recognizes graduating seniors who exemplify academic excellence, internationalism, multiculturalism, and civic engagement.

AI fellowship opens new doors 

Sohail Khan Mohammed ’27 was selected for a full-year Break Through Tech AI fellowship for 2026-2027, offered by Cornell Tech at Cornell University. 

“This allows me to learn about AI remotely and gain the mentorship I need to succeed in understanding current AI, including agentic AI,” Mohammed said. 

Through the program, he will study machine learning, AI Studio, and agentic AI while working on real-world industry projects. He will also receive ongoing mentorship to help build a portfolio for potential careers in AI.

“I’m excited to learn deeply about AI and contribute in a safe, healthy, and sustainable manner,” Mohammed said. 

Participants who successfully complete the program will earn a certificate and a $2,000 stipend. The fellowship begins in May.

A bright moment on Jeopardy!

Macalester graduate Stephanie Rice-Hoffner ’19 recently appeared on Jeopardy!, testing her knowledge on one of television’s most iconic quiz shows. She faced a formidable returning champion. While she didn’t unseat the reigning winner, she’s still a champion to the Macalester community.

A resonant achievement

Chuen-Fung Wong, music professor, earned the E. Gene Smith Inner Asia Book Prize from the Association for Asian Studies for his book Even in the Rain: Uyghur Music in Modern China. The citation calls it “a stellar ethnographic study of the cultural politics of Uyghur music-making under Chinese Communist rule” and adds, “Wong’s expertise in Uyghur language, ethnomusicology and musical instrumentation is breathtaking.” The association’s book prizes are among the most significant recognition of outstanding scholarship in the field of Asian Studies.

Writing worth applauding

Four Macalester students earned the school’s Gateway Prize for Excellent Writing, awarded annually for papers that demonstrate outstanding content, clarity, and presentation:

• Fine arts: Henna Schecter ’26, “Murmuration”
• Humanities: Sophia Weil ’28, “The Ludicrous in Short Form Texts”
• Natural sciences and math: Frances McConnell ’26, “Transit, Topology, and Structural Inequity”
• Social sciences: Yaretzi Garza Silva ’26, “Japanese, Asian American, and Other Communities”

Established by the family of Wallace F. Janssen ’28, the prize honors students who wrote for the Gateway magazine in the 1920s and 1930s. The 2026 selection committee included Jim Dawes (humanities), Sherry Imran (social sciences), Randy Reyes (fine arts), and Phil Rivera (natural sciences and math).

Alum named to 40 under 40

Macalester graduate Ahna Minge ’08 is among the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 honorees of 2026. Minge is deputy commissioner for enterprise finance and state budget director for Minnesota Management and Budget.

The list includes standout executives and entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities across a variety of industries: real estate, finance, hospitality, law and more. Through their professional accomplishments and community involvement they’ve risen to the top of hundreds of nominations to be selected by Business Journal editors as this year’s honorees of noteworthy young local leaders.

How to be considered for future Maccolades

If you or someone you know recently earned an award, fellowship, or honor and would like it to be considered for inclusion in next month’s Maccolades, please let Communications & Marketing know by filling out this Maccolades form. For recent book publications, please use this book publication form.

The post Winning pitch to EU officials, Jeopardy! appearance, 40 under 40, and more first appeared on News.

The US Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides merit-based scholarships to talented American undergraduate students with significant financial need, enabling them to study or intern abroad for academic credit.

127 Macalester students have received Gilman awards since 2012.

This recognition reflects Macalester’s commitment to providing students with international experiences that foster competitive career skills and global networks.

“Macalester students are tenacious,” said Alainna Swenson, assistant director of finance and operations in the Center for Study Away. “This recognition is a testament to their drive to succeed, their passion for learning, and their commitment to contributing to their local and global community.”

Through its history, the Gilman Program has reshaped study abroad, making it more accessible and inclusive for American students by providing scholarships to outstanding undergraduates who might not otherwise have the opportunity due to financial constraints.

The Gilman Program is administered by the US Department of State, funded by the US government, and supported in implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Small Institutions (fewer than 5,000 students) 

1. Spelman College 
2. Berea College 
3. The Evergreen State College 
4. Brandeis University 
5. Macalester College 
6. Mercer University 
7. Hobart William Smith Colleges 
8. Mount Holyoke College 
9. Barnard College 
10. College of Saint Benedict 
11. Agnes Scott College 
12. Beloit College 
13. University of Richmond 
14. Saint Edward’s University 
15. Augsburg University 
16. Loyola University New Orleans 
17. Arcadia University 
18. St Olaf College 
19. Denison University 
20. Clark University 
21. Vassar College 
22. Babson College 
23. Bucknell University 
24. Wellesley College 
25. Carleton College 
26. Nebraska Wesleyan University 
27. Smith College 
28. Spring Arbor University 

This story was originally published on Mar. 12, 2026. It was updated on April 27, 2026 to include Macalester’s ranking.

The post Macalester Ranks Fifth Among Gilman Program’s Top Producing Small Institutions first appeared on News.