Aarushi Gaikwad is a rising junior in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program at Rutgers University, pursuing a double major in Psychology and Political Science. Her interest in academic research was sparked during a transformative study abroad experience in South Africa, where she spent two weeks to researching and analyzing the impacts of Apartheid on contemporary South African society. Driven by a passion for public service and politics, Aarushi actively engages in local volunteering and supports various political campaigns. She strongly advocates for youth involvement in politics, viewing it as pivotal for societal progress. At Rutgers, she serves on the E-Board of Hindu Yuva, contributing to fostering an inclusive environment for Hindu students to practice and explore their faith. This fall, Aarushi will volunteer as an Honors Peer Tutor and work with RU Voting to mobilize youth voters for upcoming elections. Through the Gardner Fellowship, she aims to increase her understanding of how research informs public policy and hopes to advocate for marginalized communities by promoting equity and fairness. Looking ahead, Aarushi plans to pursue a master's degree in global policy followed by law school, aspiring to build a career as an attorney dedicated to shaping legal frameworks that foster justice and equality. In her free time, she enjoys playing music, working out, and exploring different cultures through traveling.
Adiva Ara Khan is a rising junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Political Science and double minoring in Critical Intelligence and Economics. Adiva’s interests in civic engagement began in high school where she attended both the State and National We the People competitions and placed seventh nationally as a member of Unit 5. Through this program Adiva found her passions for teaching civic education and further developed these skills through IDIA- Institute for Domestic and International Affairs- here at Rutgers. The skills and passion projects that she has been able to develop both in and and out of her academics have transformed her education for the better. Through the Gardner Fellowship, Adiva looks forward to mentorship opportunities and further developing her research and writing skills. Beyond college, Adiva aspires to attend law school and solo travel.
Alice Ko (she/her) is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences double majoring in Psychology and Human Resource Management with a minor in Political Science. Her interest in public service began as a freshman working at Legal Services of New Jersey, and continued through her experiences at the Middlesex County Bar Association, Andy Kim for New Jersey, and most recently, an internship with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. Alice is invested in how social psychology can inform legal practice, and puts her studies to work by competing and captaining for the Rutgers University Mock Trial Association. She also serves as the Vice President of the Rutgers University Women's Pre-Law Society. After graduation, she hopes to continue making an impact on the underserved legal community. In her free time, Alice enjoys listening to Taylor Swift, watching Formula One (forza Ferrari), and taking road trips with her family.
Azinwi Numfor is a junior in School of Arts & Sciences double majoring in Public Policy and Political Science and minoring in Law & History, Women’s and Gender studies, and Africana Studies. She is a member of the Fellows in Racial Justice Learning Community, where she deepens her understanding of systemic inequalities and collaborates with peers and mentors to formulate strategies that address educational disparities. She also serves as a member of the student advisory board for the Office of Undergraduate Intellectual Life (OUIL) for the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice. In addition, she is involved with the Rutgers NAACP organization as the chair of the education committee and is a First-Year Interest Group Seminars (FIGS) peer instructor, teaching a course on “Exploring Diversity and Social Justice.” Her academic interests include the intersections of American politics and public policy, especially surrounding education and social policy reform and racial justice. Her career goals revolve around effecting positive policy changes and engaging in public service to uplift marginalized communities. Currently, Azinwi is part of the Advancing Black Pathways Fellowship program at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where she is exploring the relationship between financial services and policy through risk management.a part of the Advancing Black Pathways Fellowship program at JPMorgan Chase & Co. where she is exploring a new interest about the relationship between financial services and policy through risk management. In the fall, she is excited to be a part of the Institute of Women's Leadership Scholars Certificate program further developing her skills in leadership and service. Azinwi is also excited to work as Research Assistant for Dr. Stacey Greene through the Aresty Research Center on the politics of solidarity. In her free time, she enjoys watching the New York Knicks play basketball, playing the Sims, and spending time with friends and family.
Erica Shabnam is a junior at the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Public Policy and Information Technology & Informatics (ITI). Her professional and academic interests lie at the intersection of technology and policy, wherein she wishes to inform technological issues through public policy efforts. Erica’s fascination with research began during her freshman year at Rutgers, where she thoroughly enjoyed learning about social science research in Dr. Cahill’s Political Science Research Methods course, further solidifying her knowledge with the Aresty Research Program as a Research Assistant in her sophomore year. In the summer before the start of her junior year, Erica served as a Policy Intern with the New Jersey Senate Democratic Office. In this role, she had the pleasure of closely observing the state’s legislative process by engaging in Senate Committee meetings and writing research memos, letters, and policy documents for senators. On campus, she is a Resident Assistant, a Peer Career Coach and Customer Relations Manager with Rutgers Career Exploration and Success (CES), and the Professional Affairs Director for the Women in ITI club. Through her Gardner Fellowship experience, Erica is excited to broaden her knowledge of the intricacies behind policy creation and address elaborate policy problems via a hands-on approach. Upon graduation, Erica aspires to foster a career in a federal or state government office, or a technology-focused think tank. In her free time, Erica loves taking long walks with no intended destination, writing poems, watching thriller films, and collecting unique jewelry.
Gregory Martinez is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences double majoring in Economics and Philosophy. He stays active on campus through membership in the Latinx Pre-Law Society and Phi Sigma Tau, the Rutgers Philosophy Honor Society. Also involved with the Eagleton Institute of Politics, he spent Spring 2024 as an RU Ready Intern, where he facilitated civic engagement curricula for high school students, and volunteered as an RU Voting Ambassador over the summer. Gregory hopes to use his dual areas of study to inspire interdisciplinary research he hopes to carry into his ultimate goal of law school. In his spare time, Gregory likes to defend Rosalía's generational 2022 album Motomami, give unsolicited opinions about movies, and be too emotionally invested in the New York Red Bulls.
Margareta Lu is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Political Science with a minor in Statistics. On campus, she serves as the chapter chair of NJPIRG Students, a social and environmental nonprofit activist group for students. Through her position, she works to recruit and train students to run campaigns to increase pollinator health, fight hunger and homelessness, reduce textbook costs, and get out the student vote. Through the Gardner Fellowship, she hopes to learn more about empowering and providing a political platform for youth, fostering greater democracy, and tackling environmental injustice from an interdisciplinary approach. After graduation, she plans to continue working in nonprofit, advocacy, or policy sectors, and eventually, attend law school. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her friends, discover new music, and find places to explore.
Rafael Escalante is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Political Science and Public Policy. Originally from Venezuela, he was forced to flee his homeland in 2019 due to his political activism against the authoritarian Venezuelan government. Rafael serves as president of the Rutgers University Democrats, the University’s largest partisan student organization. In addition, Rafael is a volunteer at the Student Success Center of Make The Road NJ, where he supports first-generation and undocumented students from low-income communities in their college application process. He previously worked as a fellow in the historical senate campaign of Andy Kim and served as a summer intern in the United States Senate. Rafael is passionate about civil rights, especially those of immigrant and Queer communities, and hopes to continue his advocacy work throughout the rest of his academic and professional career.
Rigo Salvatierra is a rising junior within the School of Arts and Sciences double majoring in Latino and Caribbean Studies and Political Science. He chose these two majors due to the rich synergy and overlap between them that he discovered after taking classes in both departments during his first two years at Rutgers. He plans to take what he has learned from both fields and apply it to the work he wants to do in the future pertaining to border security, immigration, and undocumented people. After undergrad he will pursue a doctorate degree in order to study border policies and how countries regulate their borders, with an emphasis on Central America. He will be working as the Peer Mentor for the Political Science and Law Living Learning Community this upcoming year, as well as a Sustainability Ambassador for the Office of Climate Action. He is currently spending his summer working at a day camp in Pennsylvania, hanging out with his three younger siblings, and trying to catch up on his endless backlog of television shows and movies.
Sakari Denson is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Douglass Residential College at Rutgers University, double majoring in Psychology and History with a minor in Criminology. Through her psychology coursework, Sakari developed a vested interest in policy regarding the accessibility of mental health treatment within marginalized communities. She currently works with a mental health hotline to provide assistance to people in crisis. Additionally, Sakari is keenly interested in racial issues, especially those pertaining to disparities within the healthcare system as well as institutional and structural racism. She has extensively researched and written on the intersection between race and socioeconomic status, and looks forward to expanding her research on this area of policy. Through her diverse work experience, Sakari has developed strong critical thinking, collaborative, and interpersonal skills. After graduating, she plans on applying to grad school to study clinical psychology, and to make a career of working with adolescents and young adults. Sakari is on the E-board of the Rutgers Book Club, and in her free time likes to read, write, and watch movies.
Samuel Klepper is a rising junior in the School of Arts and Sciences pursuing a double major in Political Science and Psychology as well as a minor in Economics. As a first-year, he participated as a member of the Law and Political Science Living Learning Community, and has deepened his connection with law as an undergraduate through his involvement with Rutgers University Pre-Law Society. Beginning next semester, he will serve as an executive editor for Rutgers University Undergraduate Law Review. He additionally acted as a New Student Orientation Leader in collaboration with Rutgers University Student Transition and Orientation Programs for Summer 2024. He hopes to continue giving back to Rutgers University as a member of the Lloyd C. Gardner Fellowship. Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, he hopes to attend law school where he plans to specialize in tax law. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, researching niche topics, spending time with friends and loved ones, and following professional baseball and soccer.
Shannon DelGuercio is an Honors College junior, majoring in political science and English and minoring in economics, in the School of Arts and Sciences. On campus, she serves as the Social Media Assistant for the Young Elected Leaders Project and works as a research assistant on projects focusing on core American governmental institutions. This work has inspired a passion for constitutional law and civic engagement. In the future, Shannon hopes to either attend law school or pursue a PhD. In her free time, she likes to run, hike, read, and spend time with friends and family.
Shreya Vaidya is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in political science and minoring in South Asian studies. After previously pursuing a degree in biological sciences on a pre medicine track, she found her passion lies in understanding the intersectionality of law and politics and the true nature of policy implementation. She was a part of Rutgers VAW Global Health Alliances taking part in two weeks of medical clinic work in the Jarabacoa region of the Dominican Republic. Additionally, she is a member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority and an Associate Editor for the Rutgers Undergraduate Law Review for Fall of 2024. Shreya is interested in applying to law school post undergraduate studies and hopes to work in the criminal law field with a focus on exploring the public health approach to drug court. She hopes to continue advocating for social justice initiatives and address healthcare disparities within POC communities. She enjoys listening to all kinds of music, beach trips, and completing the Harry Potter name chain quiz in under 4 minutes. Shreya is very excited for the upcoming opportunity to be a Gardner fellow and hopes to learn from her professors and peers and present impactful research over the upcoming year.
Summer Assaf is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors College. She is majoring in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies and minoring in Arabic. Summer’s primary interests involve understanding the Palestinian cause and how it has played a key role in Middle Eastern geopolitics over the last century. Summer was awarded the 2024 Rutgers-Eagleton Washington Internship Award and interned at the Arab-American Discrimination Committee (ADC) over the summer, building a resource guide for K-12 administrators and teachers to include Palestinian and Arab-American heritage in their curriculum. She also assisted in building new ADC chapters across the country. In the next school year, she will serve as a Resident Assistant, aiming to create safe environments and offer support and resources to freshmen as they adjust to the community. Summer plans to specialize in Middle Eastern politics and attain a doctorate in political science. In her free time, Summer loves to cook, read political theory, and drink chai with her friends at Khyber in New Brunswick.
Zamira V. Knight is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program and Douglass Residential College. She is double majoring in History and Communication with a specialization in Leadership in Organizations and Community. This past summer, she worked as a policy and outreach intern for the Department of Children and Families and the Office of Education. She contributed to the ongoing project of rewriting DCF policies and ensuring they are up to date with current statutes, and she worked within the DCF state schools with at-risk youth (students facing homelessness, parental abandonment, and/or teenage pregnancy) to connect them with both governmental and nonprofit/community resources. This internship has really strengthened her love and appreciation for child/teen advocacy which she has been involved with since highschool. She also had the ability to sit with and lecture multiple classes of teen mothers regarding their goals, post-highschool opportunities, and pathways to achieve their aspirations. At Rutgers, she is involved in several organizations, most notably serving as a peer mentor for the SAS Honors Program and Thrive SSS, current Treasurer for the Latinx Pre-Law Society, as well as the Chapter Secretary for the Alpha Delta chapter of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad / Lambda Pi Chi Sorority Inc. In her free time, she loves to go out with friends, practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and spend time with her mom.