2014-2015 Fellows

Alina Afinogenova is a student in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program double majoring in genetics and economics and minoring in cognitive science. She is a tutor for the Honors Tutoring Project, where she helps her peers with various genetics and economics electives, and she has been selected as an Aresty Peer Instructor for the 2014-2015 scholastic year. She is also an Honors Program Ambassador and Peer Mentor. Furthermore, Alina became involved in research under Dr. Shumyatsky of the genetics department in January 2013. She has been investigating the biochemical bases of learning and memory and is very excited to present her findings at the 10 Annual Aresty Undergraduate Research Symposium. In the summer of 2014, she will be working at the Scripps Institute in Florida, furthering her studies in memory research.

Alexander Davis is a School of Arts and Sciences student majoring in History and minoring in Psychology, with hopes to enter the Five Year Program in the Graduate School of Education. He was accepted into the SAS Honors Program in the summer of his Freshman year and recently received the SAS Academic Excellence Award. He is a founding a member of the Rutgers History Club and the future leader of the Demarest Hall Sex, Sexuality, and Gender section. His main areas of academic interest are modern history of Germany (specifically the Weimar Republic), the cleavages of sex, gender, race, and class in history, and the effects of cognitive biases on decision making.

Jeffrey Gugliotta is a School of Arts and Sciences Honors student majoring in Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics, and minoring in Mathematics. He works with the mathematics department as a peer mentor, and is the current treasurer of RU Chess Club. He is also a Rutgers Presidential Scholar. When he is not busy discovering the secrets of the universe, he can be found running, swimming, playing guitar, or in the untamed wilderness of the internet.

• Leadership Position: Secretary
• Alum: Hansen, Nick

Nicholas Hansen is a School of Arts and Sciences student majoring in political science. He is a member of the SAS Honors Program and a recipient of the SAS Academic Excellence Award. He currently serves as the Public Relations Chairperson for the nationally ranked Rutgers University Debate Union. In the past, he has served as an Organizing Fellow for Obama for America and the Presidential Inaugural Committee. He likes debate, progressive politics, and long walks on College Ave.

Andrew Harris is a student in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors program. He intends on completing a double major in Mathematics and Philosophy, as well as a double minor in Computer Science and German, but like many undergraduates is ultimately unsure of his plans. Last summer he was a New Student Orientation Leader, and this upcoming summer he will be studying abroad in Berlin. While in Berlin, he will be learning about the history of Jewish Berlin and is looking for a new perspective on the Holocaust and human rights violations as a whole. As a proud member of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, where he has served as recruitment chairman for the last year, he hopes to expand his own fraternity and improve the image and quality of Rutgers Greek Life as a whole. His interests include competitive chess, competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee, and competitive eating. He hopes the Lloyd Gardner Fellowship will give him a chance to learn more about political policies in their relation to human rights and give him an opportunity to help make a meaningful impact.

Esther Kang is a student in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program majoring in economics and minoring in philosophy. She is the president of the Rutgers University Mock Trial Association, and she competes as the closing attorney on the A Team. Additionally, Esther is a research assistant for Professor Milton Heumann’s whistleblowing project. During the previous summer, Esther analyzed statistics at the Monmouth County Courthouse, and she handled communication with constituents at the office of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. She hopes to pursue a career in the law and will be working to help families with section 8 vouchers in Newark this summer.  Esther is extremely excited to be a Lloyd Gardner Fellow and to debate democracy with a group of some of Rutgers’ best.

Andrew Liebau is a student in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors program, majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in Environmental Science. He is currently working for Professor Monica Driscoll as an undergraduate researcher, studying the connection between genetics and metabolic pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans. He is a recipient of the Rutgers Academic Excellence award for being in the top 10 percent in his class.When not studying he plays quidditch as a part of the Rutgers club team, taking the role of a chaser. He also enjoys the outdoors, and travels to Maine and New Hampshire most summers to hike and camp in the mountains. This summer he will be enrolled in the Pharmacy school’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, studying Environmental Health Sciences.

Yasmin Ramadan is a student in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program. She is majoring in Genetics and double-minoring in Philosophy and Middle Eastern Studies. Hailing from the ordinary town of North Brunswick and the not-so-ordinary cities of Cairo, Egypt and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ramadan is bilingual in Arabic and English and is working on her fluency in German. At Rutgers, she takes pride in being a Douglass woman, and has volunteered her time to co-teach the Douglass requisite course "Knowledge and Power: Issues in Women's Leadership" as well as mentor 19 Douglass women. She has had the honor of being the Freshman Class Gonfalonier (flag bearer) at the 2012 Douglass Alumni Society Induction Ceremony. Ramadan is a recipient of the NJ Elks Scholarship and has been on the Dean's List since she came to Rutgers. Ramadan is also a Success Networking Team Facilitator for the National Society of Leadership and Success, a mentor for the Honors Program, and will be doing research for the Genetics Department this fall. In addition to her academic pursuits, she takes pride in her heritage by being involved with the various Muslim and Arab organizations on campus. In her free time, Ramadan is a yogi, a flute and piccolo players, an avid reader, and a cinephile (lover of film). She hopes to one day reconcile her dreams of being a geneticist and a lawyer, and one day a Supreme Court Justice.

Edward Romano is a School of Arts and Sciences student majoring in History and Political Science.  He is heavily involved in New Jersey politics, currently serving with the Monroe Township Democratic Organization and as a member of the Woodbridge Young Democrats and the Middlesex County Young Democrats.  In 2013, Edward interned on Barbara Buono's campaign for governor and and is currently interning on Linda Greenstein's campaign for congress in NJ's 12th district.  Edward currently serves as the Vice President of the Rutgers History Club, Secretary of the Rutgers Democrats, and Leader of the History and Political Science Special Interest Housing Section.

Nicoletta Romano is a student in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, majoring in Comparative Literature and Italian. In addition to being a part of The Peithessophian Society, she is also a proud member of the Douglass Residential College, and is involved in its Global Village Living-Learning Community, both for Human Rights as well as Women and Creativity. This past spring break, she was fortunate enough to go to the Yucatan Peninsula with the Honors Program to study both Maya and Mexican history and culture. Besides working in the Political Science Department, Nicoletta has also been an Aresty Research Assistant for Professor T. Corey Brennan in the Classics Department, helping to compile a digital archive of one of modern Rome's most influential noble families, and plans to continue this work while at Rutgers. She is a Horatio Alger Scholar, and a recipient of the 2014 Rutgers Academic Excellence Award, as well as two department prizes from the Italian Department for her written compositions. Last summer, Nicoletta studied Italian literature in Sorrento, Italy where her family lives, and this summer she will be studying art history in Paris. She is very excited to participate in the Lloyd C. Gardner Fellowship Program in the fall.

Madhuri Swarna is pursuing a double major in political science and philosophy, and a minor in psychology. She is a proud member of the Douglass Residential College and the School of Arts and Sciences SAS Honors Program where she is an SAS Honors Peer Mentor. Madhuri is a recipient of the Academic Excellence Award for 2014 and the Rutgers College Class of 1925 Scholarship. Madhuri, in hopes of having a career in law, is an active member of the Rutgers Mock Trial Association, a competitive organization designed to promote public speaking, analytical, and other skills that will ultimately let her succeed in the legal field. Madhuri was the Team B captain for the 2013-2014 season, and is the 2014-2015 secretary. In addition to mock trial, Madhuri is also a member of the Peithessophian Society, a historic Rutgers organization dedicated to promoting inter-disciplinary debate and discussion among its members. She is currently working with Professor Paul Poast in the Political Science Department coding treaties for the World Treaty Index.

Zachary Torrey is majoring in Political Science and minoring in Economics, and is also part of the SAS Honors Program. He received the SAS Academic Excellence Award in the spring of 2014. He is interested in international relations, specifically the liberal international world order established at the end of the Second World War and its maintenance and continuation. In the summer of 2014, he will be interning with the US Consulate in Naples, Italy, and hopes to intern with either the Washington Internship Institute or the Washington Center in Washington, D.C. for the 2015 spring semester. He plans to pursue a Master’s Degree in International Relations. Zach is an avid fan of the book series A Song of Ice and Fire and loves to spoil A Game of Thrones for anyone who has not read the books.