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Student Spotlight

Rutgers' Second Ertegun Scholar Goes Medieval

Jonas Tai (SAS/HC 20') is among an exclusive group of scholars worldwide to be accepted into what is formally known as the Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Graduate Scholarship Programme in the Humanities.
Tai, pictured in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, will continue his research, which focuses on historical changes that have faced generations at Oxford.

When COVID-19 caused universities nationwide to shift the spring semester online and send most students living in on-campus housing home for the semester, School of Arts and Sciences senior Jonas Tai packed up his apartment at The Yard on College Avenue and got on a plane to Hong Kong, fairly certain that he had just said goodbye to New Jersey and life at Rutgers as he knew it.

But Tai, who majored in classics, ancient history and medieval studies and will graduate this month with a bachelor of arts degree, has big plans for the next steps in his academic career.  

Rutgers’ 2020 Goldwater Scholars Study Big Ideas on the Small Scale

Tanvi and Noah - Goldwater Scholars 2020
Tanvi Banota presents her research at a conference. Photo courtesy of Tanvi Banota.
Noah Paladino, a Rutgers 2020 Goldwater Scholar. Photo courtesy of Noah Paladino.

Using particle physics to gain a better understanding of the underlying principles of the universe. Researching inflammatory responses in the immune system. As disparate as these ideas seem, they are connected – at least for a moment – by two Honors College researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick with an achievement in common. 

Ritwik Baksi: Why I Give

Ritwik Baksi
Ritwik as a tutor for elementary school children
Senior Ritwik Baksi has spent the last several years making a difference in the lives of others at the HC, Rutgers, and in New Brunswick: "Each time a student engages with the community, we add building blocks to that connection... Service has changed me for the better in countless ways—some of which I haven't fully understood yet." Through service and sustained mentorship, Ritwik has shared his gifts with the HC and beyond.

Congratulations to the Fifth Annual Honors College Changemaker Award Recipients

Assata & Wamia - Honors College Changemaker Award Recipients
Assata (‘21, SAS/HC)
Wamia (‘21 SEBS/HC/DRC)
Each year, the Honors College recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to service—an integral part of our mission. Please join us in congratulating and thanking this year’s outstanding Changemaker Award recipients, who have served in their communities in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and beyond—Assata Davis (L) and Wamia Siddiqui.

Pruning: Grapevines & Life

Student inspecting grapes in a vineyard.
Resilience in the Age of COVID-19, an HC Series. For Jake Rattigan, the disappointments that came one after another over these last several months led him to explore an unexpected and fulfilling summer working in a vineyard. He says, "...I knew that I needed to reflect on what I wanted—and what I needed—to move forward." The vineyard provided him a crucial opportunity to reconnect with nature and reflect on life.

Root Song

Photo of the author of this article standing in front of trees.
Resilience in the Age of COVID-19, an HC Series. For Gavin, the disappointments that came with the pandemic led him to explore nature. He says, "...While human nature determines how we grieve, our human experience determines how we emerge from grief stronger and more resolute. When the pandemic made one summer job unfeasible, I looked towards something else. When the trees couldn’t grow any higher, they grew more leaves..."

Honors College Student Awarded Second Marshall Scholarship

Portrait of Maya Ravichandran, Photo Courtesy of Maya Ravichandran
Maya Ravichandran, an HC student whose extraordinary interdisciplinary undergraduate work set her apart, was one of only 46 students in the nation awarded the postgraduate scholarship. The profound experience of losing her grandfather to leukemia when she was only 5 continues to guide Maya as she pursues a career as a physician-scientist working with artificial intelligence (AI).

Daniel Raser: Why I Give

Student coaching other student football players

Daniel Raser is a first-year Honors College student studying Engineering. Upon entering the Honors College, he had a strong belief in the importance of giving back and joined the Career with Purpose Changemaking Community. His passion for giving back to local communities stems from his experience volunteering for a youth lacrosse program his freshman year of high school. He worked on a team to help create a free camp for youth lacrosse players from Newark.

Mallory Vollbrecht: Why I Give

Photo of Mallory

Honors College student Mallory Vollbrecht (‘21, SAS/HC), a senior majoring in Cell Biology/Neuroscience and Psychology on a pre-med track, currently serves as the Philanthropy and Outreach Lead for the HC Serves Leadership Team. However, her experience with service work dates all the way back to her elementary school days where she first served by helping to care for the gardens surrounding her school.