Undergraduate Fellows Alumni

Class of 2025

Rashmi Acharya

Graduated 2025

Rashmi Acharya was a student in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Health and Societies, concentrating in Public Health and Neuroscience. Rashmi is interested in exploring the intersections between spirituality, wellness, healing, and being, and is involved with the Shelter Health Outreach Program and CHOP’s Homeless Health Initiative. She first was introduced to the Collegium through the Medical Humanities Fellowship and hopes to continue to engage in soul-searching, fruitful debate with her peers, and delving deeper into ancient and modern dialogues on what it means to exist.

Luke Baber

Graduated 2025

Luke Baber was a student in the Wharton School of Business ('25) and hails from Oklahoma. He involved himself in various clubs on campus such as the Wharton Undergraduate Society of Accounting, Coalition for Christian Outreach, and the Christian Union. Coming from a rich Southern Baptist background in the buckle of the Bible Belt and attending a Catholic prep school, Luke has great interest in learning about ways to encounter God and about ways to spread that joy unto others. His interests include business models, politics, and how religion is woven into the fabric of society. Usually you can find Luke watching documentaries, reading a book, or playing disc golf at Fairfield park.

Elizabeth Basilious

Graduated 2025

Elizabeth (Liz) Basilious was a student studying Health & Societies concentrating in Healthcare Markets and Finance with a minor in Medical Sociology and Healthcare Management. Throughout her time at Penn, she pursued research in fields related but not limited to the history of medicine, women's health, reproductive justice, and access to GLP-1 medications at Penn Medicine. She is passionate about healthcare access, health policy, social determinants of health, and the intersection of business in healthcare. On campus, she was involved with Moelis Access Science, the Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club, The Walk Magazine, Wharton Women, and is excited to be a Collegium Institute Fellow.

Laura Brodkey

Graduated 2025

Laura Brodkey was a student in Wharton studying Behavioral Economics and Business Economics and Public Policy. She first explored Collegium looking for opportunities to explore interesting conversations and philosophy and has since participated in the Philosophy of Finance program. She is interested in the intersection of sustainability, philosophy, human behavior, and the cooperation between governments, businesses and NGOs. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors through leading trips for other Penn students and exploring Philly.

Camellia Bui

Graduated 2025

Camellia Bui is a student from Vietnam who studied Psychology and Health & Societies in the College of Arts & Sciences (C'25). Involved in several secular mental wellness initiatives on campus, she often wonders how religion has provided spiritual guidance, solace and healing in the place of modern psychology today. Camellia hopes to use this opportunity to explore how modern scientific understanding and religious wisdom can be used in conjunction to interpret and alleviate current mental health crises.

Anita Chacko

Graduated 2025

Anita Chacko studied Philosophy, Politics, & Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. She has a background in Finance and got involved with Collegium to learn more about ethical considerations in finance through the Philosophy of Finance fellowship. She was a member of the Newman Catholic Center and a TA for the Wharton Youth Global Program. In her free time, she likes to cook, workout, and explore the city. After graduation, she will be in New York working in Sales & Trading.

Junle (Richard) Chen

Graduated 2025

Junle (Richard) Chen is a student from Princeton, New Jersey in the College of Arts and Sciences who studied Biochemistry and Neurobiology in Vagelos Scholars Program in the Molecular Life Sciences. Aspiring to become a neurologist, Richard’s interest is in decoding the mind body problem through the integrated fields of philosophy and neuroscience. His hobbies include fencing, music and poetry composition, and bartending.

Joyce He

Graduated 2025

Joyce He majored in linguistics, with minors in Hispanic studies, consumer psychology, and computer science (if she could, she would've added a fourth in creative writing). She enjoys memoirs, typography, a good smash burger, and writing (often about food). She was introduced to the Collegium Institute through their Legal Humanities Fellowship and is excited to understand more about the living God through talking with other Christians and reading from some really smart authors!

Euel Kebebew

Graduated 2025

Euel Kebebew was in the College of Arts & Sciences and studied International Relations and History. On campus, he nurtured his intellectual and theological curiosity through the Collegium Institute’s Legal Humanities Fellowship and Catholic Humanism Fellowship, where he explored the intersections of law, philosophy, and faith. He also served in the leadership of Veritas Forum @ Penn, fostering conversations that engage life’s deepest questions across worldviews. In his free time, he enjoys reading theology and philosophy, drawing inspiration from thinkers like Augustine, N.T. Wright, and Dostoevsky. Beyond these pursuits, Euel is passionate about international economic justice, global governance, and the role of religious institutions in shaping history and society.

Mo Foroutan

Graduated 2025

Mo Foroutan was an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania who majored in Economics. He was involved in the Penn's Undergraduate Economics Society, Penn's Economic Almanac, and Phi Chi Theta Business Fraternity. He enjoys playing soccer, history, and reading biographies in his free time.

Jordan Ortiz

Graduated 2025

Jordan Ortiz is a proud New Jersey resident and a dedicated student of American history. He was also a member of the Penn Sprint Football team and has an incredible passion for community service and political discourse. Jordan was raised in a Jewish household and hopes to learn about the intersectionalities of not just Catholicism and modern philosophy, but other religions as well. His principle goal with Collegium is to understand the law to a deeper extent so that he may promote justice and socio-economic equity wherever he may find himself.

Michael Ruggiero

Graduated 2025

Michael Ruggerio is originally from West Chester, PA and is a graduate of St. Joseph's Preparatory School. He studied Economics at the University of Pennsylvania (C'25).

McKenna Sun

Graduated 2025

McKenna Sun was a student at the University of Pennsylvania studying neuroscience . She was introduced to the Collegium Institute through her involvement at the Penn Newman Catholic Center. McKenna is interested in exploring further the meaning of Catholicism and hopes to learn more about the intersection between faith and reason. Outside of Collegium, she sang for Full Measure A Cappella and served as a singer and organist for the St. Agatha-St. James parish.

Class of 2024

Sydney Sun

Graduated 2024

Sydney Sun was a University Scholar who studied neuroscience and healthcare management at the University of Pennsylvania. She founded the Penn Epistle, the only Christian publication on campus, and revived the Veritas Forum at Penn, an organization dedicated to hosting discussions about different worldviews and asking life's most difficult questions. Sydney was involved in homeless outreach with the Newman Center and developmental psychology research. As an aspiring physician, Sydney was introduced to Collegium through the Medical Humanities Fellowship, which helped develop her interests in bioethics and health equity.

Sofia Wawrzyniak

Graduated 2024

Sofia Wawrzyniak studied International Relations and Computer Science, with a minor in East Asian studies. Her academic interests surround the intersection of technology and politics, with especial focus on the emerging field of cybersecurity and privacy law.

Charlie Xie

Graduated 2024

Zhangyang (Charlie) Xie studied Africana Studies and Science, Technology, and Society. He has a variety of academic interests including but not limited to religion, race, sociology of science, and propaganda and censorship in non-democracies. His recent research focuses on how an intersection of race, economy, and politics influenced American denominations' perception of evolution circa 1920. In his spare time, Charlie likes to watch movies, sing, and cook.

Emma Søndergaard Jensen

Graduated 2024

Emma majored in Philosophy and also attained Master of Bioethics (Perelman School of Medicine '24). At the Collegium, she took part in the Philosophy of Finance fellowship, the Catholic Humanism fellowship, and served on the Executive Committee as Treasurer. Emma enjoys reading philosophy --specifically Catholic philosophy and the philosophy of science. Outside of the Collegium, she was a Writing Fellow at the Marks Family Center for Excellence in Writing, President of Penn Ballet, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta, Sigma Kappa, and the John Marshall Pre-law Honors Society.

Justin Ruiz

Graduated 2024

Justin Ruiz studied Digital Media Design, a computer science major with a concentration in graphics. He assisted in leadership for the Penn Newman Center and Veritas Forum. In his spare time, he enjoys creating various artistic works from writing to 3D modeling.

Joseph Wilbur

Graduated 2024

Joseph Wilbur studied Classical Languages & Literature in the College of Arts and Sciences. His interest in Collegium began when he attended Collegium’s NSO Preceptorial during his freshman year. Apart from Collegium, he was a varsity athlete on the Penn Lightweight Rowing team, and also involved with Penn's Newman Center. Joseph appreciates the opportunity to engage in intellectual and theological dialogue related to the intersection of faith and reason.

Miriam Shah

Graduated 2024

Miriam Shah studied Intellectual History with a concentration in Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Madeeha Mirza

Graduated 2024

Madeeha Mirza studied Cognitive Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jason Milch

Graduated 2024

Jason Milch studied Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Siddharth Kanderi

Graduated 2024

Sid Kanderi studied Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sophie Horvath

Graduated 2024

Sophie Horvath studied Communications and Political Science at Penn. Hailing from DC, she is fascinated by politics and likes to dwell on the impact ideology, principle, and commitment to civil service have on governance and policy making. Having served as a chorister at the Washington National Cathedral for six years, she enjoys staying connected to spiritual life.

Sheila Hodges

Graduated 2024

Sheila Hodges studied Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. She is interested in using journalism to foster empathy for marginalized and misunderstood groups. At Penn, Sheila was a West Philly Beat Reporter at the Daily Pennsylvanian and the Chair of the Intercultural Committee at the Penn Newman Catholic Center.

João Estaca

Graduated 2024

João Estaca is from Lisbon, Portugal. He studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is very interested in Philosophy and how it has evolved over the years. Being an undergraduate fellow at the Collegium Institute was an opportunity to deepen his knowledge and interest in scholastic philosophy. He also likes to learn new languages and play fencing.

Isaac Gateno

Graduated 2024

Isaac Gateno is from Houston, Texas and got a major in Political Science (concentrating in American Politics), a minor in Survey Research and Data Analytics, and a Spanish language certificate at the University of Pennsylvania. Above all, his interest is in exploring the deepest questions of existence. He is drawn to the philosophical enigmas of consciousness, cosmology, and purpose. Isaac came to Collegium in search of a community dedicated to discussing the pressing questions of our age.

Julia Fischer

Graduated 2024

Julia Fischer was Benjamin Franklin Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania from Northern Virginia, pursuing politics/law, philosophy, and Hispanic studies. Outside of class, Julia enjoys reading, writing, painting, playing piano, and exploring other cultures and perspectives. Julia was introduced to Collegium through its “Socrates on College” preceptorial and its “Food for Thought” modules her freshman year. Through her role as an undergraduate fellow, she engaged deeply in Collegium’s mission of pursuing truth through civil and thoughtful conversation.

Shane Better

Graduated 2024

Shane Better studied Philosophy and Comparative Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. Along with being a Collegium Undergraduate Fellow, he was also a Humanities at Hertog Fellow and the International Business & Development Coordinator for Leadership Initiatives.

Erika Acosta

Graduated 2024

Erika Acosta studied Health and Societies with a concentration in Health Policy and Law and minors in English and Asian American Studies. She was both a Medical Humanities Fellow and a Legal Humanities Fellow, interested in the intersections of healthcare, law, and the humanities. She was also the Mass and Program Coordinator of the St. Agatha-St. James Parish Filipino Youth Ministry, a role that enabled her to help share Filipino Catholicism with the Philadelphia community. In her free time, she enjoys cross-stitching, acting on stage, and engaging in deep conversations.

Class of 2023

Joshua Anumolu

Graduated 2023

Joshua Anumolu studied Physics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Andrew Basile

Graduated 2023

Andrew Basile studied English at the University of Pennsylvania.

Cianan Conefrey-Shinozaki

Graduated 2023

Cianan Conefrey-Shinozaki studied Mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Callista Dyer

Graduated 2023

Callista Dyer studied Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bailey Hanson

Graduated 2023

Bailey Hanson studied Philosophy and Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Esther Lee

Graduated 2023

Esther Lee studied East Asian Languages and Civilizations and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Caroline Magro

Graduated 2023

Caroline Magro studied Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

Wes Matthews

Graduated 2022

Wes Matthews studied Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Layla Murphy

Graduated 2023

Layla Murphy studied Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Tomilola Oyasiji

Graduated 2023

Tomilola Oyasiji studied Health and Societies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Austin Plotica

Graduated 2023

Austin Plotica studied Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sophie Qi

Graduated 2023

Sophie Qi studied Health and Societies and History at the University of Pennsylvania.

Delia Russo

Graduated 2023

Delia Russo studied Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ayana Shirai

Graduated 2023

Ayana Shirai studied Philosophy and Health Care Management at the University of Pennsylvania.

Andrew Sontag

Graduated 2023

Andrew Sontag studied Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Karina Strauch

Graduated 2023

Karina Strauch studied Economics and Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Santiago Velazquez Iannuzzelli

Graduated 2023

Santiago Velazquez Iannuzzelli studied Mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Joshua Weiner

Graduated 2023

Joshua Weiner studied Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Madison Weiss

Graduated 2023

Madison Weiss studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Alex Worrall

Graduated 2023

Alex Worrall studied History and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Joshua Yang

Graduated 2023

Joshua Yang studied International Studies and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Class of 2022

Lisa Eshleman

Graduated 2022

Lisa Eshleman studied Health and Societies and French at the University of Pennsylvania.

Christopher Gaeta

Graduated 2022

Christopher Gaeta studied Neuroscience and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ali Hamandi

Graduated 2022

Ali Hamandi studied Neuroscience with minors in Math and Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania.

Andrew Lowrance

Graduated 2022

Andrew Lowrance studied Physics with a concentration in Business and Technology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ben Zeisloft

Graduated 2022

Ben Zeisloft studied Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Julia Mitchell

Graduated 2022

Julia Mitchell studied Economics and International Studies with a minor in French (Huntsman Program) at the University of Pennsylvania.

Gabriella Thomas

Graduated 2022

Gabriella Thomas studied International Relations with minors in Hispanic Studies and Global Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania.

Kaden Stenger

Graduated 2022

Kaden Stenger studied Economics with a minor in Legal Studies and History at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mateen Tabatabaei

Graduated 2022

Mateen Tabatabaei studied Philosophy and Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania.

Suzanne Carpenter

Graduated 2022

Suzanne Carpenter studied History and Music at the University of Pennsylvania.

Vito Acosta

Graduated 2022

Vito Acosta studied East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania.

Joseph Squillaro

Graduated 2022

Joseph Squillaro studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

William San Pedro

Graduated 2022

William San Pedro studied Diplomatic History and Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mahi Pinho Daugirdas

Graduated 2022

Mahi Pinho Daugirdas studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

Class of 2020

Carolyn Chow

Graduated 2020

Carolyn Chow studied Health and Societies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Theresa Dierkes

Graduated 2020

Theresa Dierkes studied Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania.

Aaron Chen

Graduated 2020

Aaron Chen studied International Relations and Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Gabrielle Ramos

Graduated 2020

Gabrielle Ramos studied Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania.

Roshan Benefo

Graduated 2020

Roshan Benefo studied Robotics, Engineering, and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Puti Cen

Graduated 2020

Puti Cen studied Cognitive Science and Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sydney Gwynn

Graduated 2020

Sydney Gwynn studied Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Tommy Stevens

Graduated 2020

Tommy Stevens studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Vivian Li

Graduated 2020

Vivian Li studied Finance and Statistics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Qiaochu Nova Guo

Graduated 2020

Qiaochu Nova Guo studied Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania.