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Summer 2023 Advice Column: Using Time Off Productively and Tips on the College Process

The Copy Chiefs, Managing Editors, and Editors-in-Chief of ‘The Science Survey’ are here to answer your questions about summer, college, and more.

Katia Anastas , Sela Emery , Helen Stone , Katrina Tablang , Ethan Weinberg , Felicia Jennings-Brown , Nora Sissenich , Elizabeth Colón , Monica Reilly , and Tiffany Wang | July 21, 2023

Alexander Thorp

Above are the Period 2 Editors in Chief and Copy Chiefs for ‘The Science Survey.’ In the back row from left to right are Felicia Jennings-Brown ’23, Ethan Weinberg ’23, Sela Emery ’23, Katia Anastas ’23, and Nora Sissenich ’23. In the front row from left to right are Elizabeth Colon ’23, Monica Reilly ’24, Tiffany Wang ’24, Helen Stone ’23, and Katrina Tablang ’23.

Hello, Bronx Science!

We, the Copy Chiefs, Managing Editors, and Editors-in-Chief of The Science Survey , are excited to present the Summer 2023 Advice Column, which will tackle lots of questions about the summer and the college process. We hope our insights as graduated seniors will help you greatly, and we wish you all the best for the summer! 

With lots of love,

Katia Anastas ’23, Sela Emery ’23, Helen Stone ’23, Katrina Tablang ’23, Ethan Weinberg ’23, Felicia Jennings-Brown ’23, Nora Sissenich ’23, Elizabeth Colón ’23, Monica Reilly ’24, and Tiffany Wang ’24

Katia Anastas: What should I do over the summer?

First and foremost, recharge. The school year is generally very draining and taking time to relax, doing things you love, and spending time with friends and family is incredibly important for your overall well-being and will allow you to feel refreshed in the fall. For example, I devoted a lot of time to doing things I could not fit into my schedule during the school year, namely visiting childhood friends and exercising more regularly. 

Second, devote some time to some meaningful, more productive activities. Whether you are tutoring at your local middle school, working at a restaurant, completing research, or catching up on reading, it is important to continue accumulating  new experiences, broadening your academic horizons, and of course, adding a few things to your overall résumé. 

If you are a rising senior, it is vital to start working on your college applications over the summer. During the school year, you will not have the same time to truly perfect everything from your common app essay to your activities list. While focusing on your application for your early decision school is important, make sure to work on other applications as well, given that it is very difficult to achieve early entry to many of the nation’s selective schools. 

So, my core advice is to maintain a balance between relaxing and working. Don’t lose sight of your overarching goals, but also don’t be consumed by all-absorbing pursuits.

Nora Sissenich: What makes for a good college essay?

There are many different college essays you will have to write — some prompts are more common (“why this college?”, “why your major?”, “describe a meaningful extracurricular experience”, etc.) while some colleges get a little more unique and creative with their prompts. But in writing any essay for college, there’s a few things you should keep in mind.

First, any college essay (whether it’s the common application essay or a supplement) tells a story about you to admissions officers. Think about the story you want to tell about yourself. Who are you as a student? As a person? How have your experiences shaped who you are and what you want to pursue academically? Admissions counselors want to see how you will bring unique assets to their learning community. Good college essay writers use the various essays they submit to colleges to tell different parts of their story (since you only get so few words!)

In telling a story about their writers, good college essays showcase passion, ambition, devotion, and ability to introspect. This might vary a bit based on the prompt — a “why college” essay is more about showing your passion and genuine interest in a school than introspection — but in answering any prompt you should be looking to showcase who you are as a student and learner. Your passion for your academic interests/chosen path of study should be clear from your essay alone. Incorporating how your experiences with extracurriculars, class, research, reading, family, or in life overall have shaped who you are and what you’re passionate about is a key part of doing this.

Finally, good college essays are well-written and well-edited. While there’s no one way to be a good writer, I would recommend having someone you trust to give constructive and helpful feedback (whether it’s a friend, older student, parent, teacher, or guidance counselor) read over your essays. They can help you to catch any mistakes you may have missed, edit for clarity and conciseness (since those word counts can be tight!) and ensure that you’re portraying the important parts of yourself in the best light. 

Helen Stone: How should I develop my college list?

The typical advice that you’ll receive when you ask this question is that your list should be a good mix of safeties, targets, and reaches —  or in other words, schools that you’re likely to get into and schools you’re less likely to get into. While this is important, the key to developing a strong college list is to really hone in on what you’re looking for and the type of environment that you want. Then, you should build your list with schools that meet this criteria. This may mean that your college list doesn’t look like your friends’, or that you’re applying to different colleges than everybody else —  and that’s okay! Don’t apply to all of the most popular schools just because everybody else is or because they seem like the “best” schools, because they might not be the best fit for you. My goal when applying to college was to apply to schools that other people weren’t applying to because it made me  stand out more.

Maybe you don’t know exactly what you want in a college right now; that’s okay. Start doing research. If you’re interested in a particular field, search what colleges have the best programs in that field. If you want to be in a city, only look at schools that are in cities, for instance. Another important aspect to consider is student life and the student body. For this, I would recommend attending student panel webinars that many schools host on Zoom in order to learn about what types of students go to a given school. You could also reach out to a current student via Instagram or Facebook if you want a less structured way of learning about a school. 

The big takeaway here is to do your research and apply to schools that you’re excited about and that will actually be a good fit for you. The name, prestige, or acceptance rate of the school doesn’t matter – what matters is the type of learning environment that will give you the best experience.

Ethan Weinberg: How can I avoid procrastination over the summer? 

Of course, I don’t recommend that you spend your entire summer preparing for the next school year or working on college applications. However, that doesn’t mean you should completely abandon your academic pursuits for two and a half months.

If you’re an underclassman, prioritize summer assignments and prepare for your classes. Whether it is completing your summer reading for English class or doing pre-readings for AP and honors classes, get ahead wherever you can. Coming into a challenging course with a preexisting base of knowledge is crucial and will give you a leg up in terms of understanding and comprehending material. I suggest doing at least three pre-readings for each of these classes, helping you gain some insight into what you might learn later on. Many people worry about taking AP courses due to the accelerated pace and difficulty, but if you use this strategy and the time over the summer to your advantage, it can feel much easier to navigate.

For upperclassmen (especially rising seniors), you need to be much more conscious of how you allocate your time. College applications open on August 1st, and as someone who just went through this process, I suggest getting started immediately. Work at least an hour each day on applications and essays, and try to have a rough draft of your personal statement completed by the beginning of the school year. Senior year English teachers will dedicate the first few weeks of class to helping you workshop these essays, so coming into class with a draft will make this process much more manageable. If you finish working on that essay, don’t hesitate to get started on supplemental essays unique to each school. You don’t want too many distractions in the fall, which can make the application process more challenging, especially for schools with deadlines on or before November 1st. Having to complete applications alongside your school work and extracurricular commitments can become a strain on your grades that, importantly, get sent to colleges and will factor into their admissions decisions.

If you get started early on these tasks and remain proactive throughout the summer, you should be able to avoid procrastinating, setting you up for a successful school year (and college process) ahead.

Monica Reilly: What are the most important pointers for a successful junior year?

Junior year is often described as being the hardest year of high school, the year when your grades go down the drain and your mental health is challenged. Not only is it described as being one of the more difficult years in a person’s life, but the mental health and grade struggles are seen as inevitable. 

This year will be difficult, but there are ways to alleviate the difficulties so that you can prosper rather than suffer. Time management — as clichéd as it may sound — will be key. You don’t need an aesthetically pleasing journal to manage your time well. Writing down important things, such as upcoming tests or projects, will help keep you on task (I recommend using the school planner for this, which you will receive on the first day of classes in September). Spreading out your workload over a long period of time will help prevent burnout, such as studying for a test 20 minutes everyday for a week instead of staying up until two in the morning the night before. 

Utilize your free time effectively. Do you have to wait a half an hour until your bus arrives? Get started on your math homework, or read a chapter of your book for English class. If you don’t have a lot of homework on a Monday, and you have a project due that Friday, get started so you only have to do a little every day. This will help you maintain a consistent and healthy sleep schedule, which will help you to complete your homework more efficiently, so you will perform better in school. 

Reaching out to your guidance counselor can also mitigate stress you may have about the college process. Ask them for advice — figuring out how to apply to colleges is not supposed to be something you have to deal with on your own, and your guidance counselor is there to guide you and help make your process easier. 

If you see that a current Bronx Science senior is going to your dream school, don’t hesitate to ask them about it. They can help give you advice on what that college is looking for, and how you can improve your chances of getting accepted. 

Junior year can seem foreboding, but there are ways to make it an enjoyable experience instead of a grueling one. Never be afraid to ask for help, and remember that there are so many people in Bronx Science and beyond that are here to help you throughout high school. 

Sela Emery: How can I find good internships?

The first step to finding any good internship is to research your options. Keep in mind that the earlier you do this, the better. Most summer internships have application deadlines months before the program starts, oftentimes way earlier than one might expect. Although you might be searching for a summer opportunity to keep busy in July or August, you will probably have to apply in the very early spring. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the research you do should be specific and guided by a certain field or focus you wish to study. Rather than looking for ‘prestige’ or exclusivity in an internship, gear your search towards a specific category that you know you are interested in. From business to biology, make sure that you stick to one field. 

Doing so entails reaching out to people you know who are studying the same subject. Whether it be an older friend or family member, connections are key. The people you know might inform you about an internship program they are running or one they participated in that they greatly enjoyed. In order to find internships through mere word of mouth, remember to reach out to the people you know. 

Felicia Jennings-Brown: How can I effectively manage my time as a first semester senior?

As a first semester senior, you have a lot of things on your plate that you didn’t have last year. I remember thinking to myself in the spring of junior year that there was no way that high school could get harder than it was then – I don’t say that anymore, but chances are that if you follow these tips, you’ll be able to get through your first semester without too much difficulty.

• Centralize your information . Keep one list or calendar or page of your planner dedicated to the due dates of the various forms and applications you will have to fill out for college. Some college applications close as early as November 1st, while others let you apply as late as August. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be filled out anywhere between October 1st and June 30th. Scholarships often have oddly specific deadlines. Knowing when everything opens and closes is the first step to completing everything as effectively as possible. This will also help you block out time for and stay on top of your regular homework.
• Stay on top of deadlines. Not to state the obvious, but the earlier you complete your applications, the less you have to worry about. On top of that, you’re going to want as much time as possible to revise, correct, and perfect the information that you’re sending to your potential home for the next four years. 
• Take advantage of the resources that are available to you now. Your guidance counselor may not know everything, but they do want to see you get into the college of your dreams. Arrange meetings with them. Chances are, they’ll know a tip or two every step of the way that’ll help make your application process much smoother.
• Block out time for lengthy applications. Personally, submitting my FAFSA took an unexpectedly large amount of time because I had to coordinate getting the information from both of my parents (who are separated) to complete it. Look over your applications, talk to your counselor, and do whatever else you must to figure out which ones might take a while. Plan accordingly, and don’t let writing applications bleed into the time you need to do your other work.
• A tip that professional writers use is that if you’re unable to complete something in the amount of time that you set aside, get down as much as you can and then plan out the rest, so you know what you have left to do later. I used this tip on several of my essays, and they came together very quickly when I came back to what ideas I’d left off. 

Katrina Tablang: What do you wish you knew when you started the college process?

The college process looks a little different for everyone. There are some general steps any rising senior can take to make it easier on themselves, including starting essays early and researching colleges, but beyond that, everyone is going to “market” themselves on their applications in their own ways. 

If you have an interest in a specific field of study, make sure to highlight that in your application somewhere. Your essays and interviews are your best chance to humanize yourself to the admissions committee, but your grades and extracurriculars can still be used to tell a story. I recommend going through all your extracurriculars sometime at the beginning of the application process and searching for links between them that you can leverage in essays and interviews — you might be surprised by what you can come up with! For instance, I realized while writing my application that I could draw a connection between leading A Cappella Club and being an editor for the newspaper since they both revolve around helping develop student voices. Connections like that are great for making your application feel more cohesive.

It’s also important to strike a balance between being idealistic and practical. Apply to any school you can see yourself enjoying your time at because you never know what will happen, but make sure you have a few schools that are likely to be affordable for you, so that you don’t find yourself in a position where all of your college choices are out of your budget. 

Beyond that, remember that the college process isn’t everything — life is bigger than what college you wind up at. You’ll have avenues for improvement no matter where you go, so long as you keep your mind open to them. Don’t waste your senior year in an anxious spiral about college acceptances — there’s only so much you can control about the process. Just do your best and make your peace with whatever comes of it. It’ll be over before you know it!

Elizabeth Colón: What is the best way to start preparing for senior year?

At the end of your junior year, your guidance counselor will schedule a meeting with you to discuss preparing for senior year. You should have already received a colored sheet that lists out the College Process Timeline; make sure you tape it up on your fridge, above your desk, or somewhere else you can always see it! That sheet is going to guide you and help you stay organized through these next couple of months.

One of the best ways to prepare for senior year and make things easier for you in the future  is by doing extensive research on colleges and visiting them whenever possible. There are so many advantages to visiting colleges, even if you only have a remote interest in them. This can easily help you narrow down your college list by finding out what interests you in a college campus and community.

While you’re working on narrowing down your college list, create a Common Application account and start your personal essay. Try to help yourself as much as you can and reduce future stress once your senior year begins by starting early and making at least a rough draft of your personal statement , which all colleges that use the Common App will receive.

Another reason why you want to start narrowing down your college list is to prevent yourself from writing extra supplemental essays beyond what is actually necessary. You should begin drafting your supplemental essays as soon as possible after colleges release their applications in early August . Having to write countless supplemental essays in a few day’s time is less than ideal, so make sure you don’t procrastinate and are absolutely sure you want to spend a good amount of your time writing for each school to which you will be applying.

You should also start thinking about your résumé; many colleges want to see one attached to your application. Think about starting a passion project, and begin applying for any programs you want to be involved in. While colleges want to see that you did something over the summer, like volunteering, an internship, or a job, you should make sure you do something you’re passionate about. Don’t simply do things that you think colleges want to see.

Remember, your counselors have been preparing you for this since your ninth grade year! This is going to be your last summer in high school, so make sure to stay balanced and prepare yourself for senior year while saving some time for yourself and your friends.

Tiffany Wang: How do you cope with stress over the college process?

As the summer advances, many juniors, like myself, are overwhelmed with college applications. How do you start? When do you start? How do you manage stress throughout the process?

I have a few pointers:

Most importantly, use your time wisely. Make sure you start your applications over the summer instead of cramming them in days before the deadline . This way, while everyone else is stressing over juggling their courses, extracurriculars, and college applications, you can solely focus on your courses and extracurriculars. It may not seem like a big difference now, but when the time comes, you will be thankful that you started early. 

With all the college applications, it is easy to find yourself overwhelmed. In those cases, the best thing to do, as simple as it may seem, is to take a well-deserved break. Let your brain cool off before it completely shuts down. Go out with friends, talk about something other than the college application, and release your pent-up stress.

One of the best things about being a Bronx Science student is the vast amount of resources we have, from guidance counselors to teachers. Do not hesitate to ask questions to them, as they would be more than willing to help you. A guidance counselor’s job, as the name suggests, is to provide guidance to students, whether that is personal or academic. Many of them have been guidance counselors for quite a long time, and they are far more experienced at providing college advice than you may think. Do not be afraid to ask and reach out.

Good luck on applications, everyone!

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Katia Anastas is an Editor in Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’ She loves that journalistic writing equally emphasizes creativity and truth, while allowing...

Sela Emery is a Copy Chief for 'The Science Survey.' She focuses on art history, covering relevant art pieces and exhibitions with each issue. In addition...

Helen Stone is the Editor in Chief and Facebook Editor for 'The Science Survey.' She is interested in journalistic writing because she believes that a...

Katrina Tablang is a Copy Chief for 'The Science Survey.' She enjoys journalistic writing because it enables her to explore a wide variety of perspectives...

Ethan Weinberg is an Editor-in-Chief for 'The Science Survey.” Ethan enjoys journalistic writing, as he believes that by making sense of the issues on...

Felicia Jennings-Brown is a Copy Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’ What she appreciates the most about journalistic writing is its use as a channel to...

Nora Sissenich is an Editor-In-Chief for 'The Science Survey,' a role that she values deeply because it allows her to offer guidance and insight through...

Elizabeth Colón is a Copy Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’  Elizabeth finds that the most appealing aspect of journalistic writing is how much...

Monica Reilly is an Editor-in-Chief for ‘The Science Survey.' She has always loved using the art of journalism to educate and connect with people. She...

Tiffany Wang is a Managing Editor and Advisory Editor for ‘The Science Survey.’ As an avid fan of stories, whether they are nonfiction or fiction,...

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Summer Reading 2023

High five! You made it to summer! Tech's English Department hopes that July and August offer you some rest and relaxation, some time to invest in the people and activities you love. We also hope you find a book to enjoy. For this summer assignment, choose any work of fiction or non-fiction that interests and challenges you. You can see our suggestions on the next page, but the choice is up to you.

What do I do over the summer?

• Select a book that you haven't read before from our suggested list or find one on your own. You can check many of these books out digitally from our school library using the Sora app or from a public library. Be thoughtful about your selection. Choose something of personal interest and something that will push you as a reader and thinker. You are free to read from any grade level or even something that isn't on our list.
• Choose one of the options below:
• Option 1: Write a personal response to your chosen book. What did you find relatable / compelling / infuriating / thought-provoking / problematic and why? How do the issues and themes this book raises relate to your life? Dig into some specific ideas and moments that got you thinking. (350-500 words)
• Option 2: Create a piece of visual art that explores an important idea from the book you read. The piece should delve into your response to the book, not just provide an illustration. It may be any size or medium, but it must be your original artwork. Include a caption that explains your intentions and choices. (~150 words)
• Option 3: Compose a letter to the author of your chosen book OR a letter to a character in it. In your letter, bring up the ideas and questions that the book raised for you. Consider offering your personal reactions to specific moments in the book. Write like it's a conversation, not an essay. (350-500 words)
• Two additional guidelines to consider:
• The spirit of this assignment is to encourage curiosity and thoughtfulness about books and the world. Be original, be creative, have fun! Please, please, please don't be boring. We are interested in your opinions, reactions, and responses to the book. No summaries please; we can read those online too.
• Save your work digitally so that you can easily upload your writing/artwork to Google Classroom in the fall by Friday, September 15th .

Come to class in the fall ready to talk to your new classmates and teacher about your book and share your writing/artwork. Your English teacher will provide more details in the first week of school, but plan to submit your work on Google Classroom by Friday, September 15th . EVERY SINGLE TECH STUDENT IS EXPECTED TO COMPLETE A SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT!

For Rising Seniors, Class of 2024:   In addition to the summer reading, all seniors are expected to have a complete draft of an essay that responds to one of the Common Application essay prompts . You may revisit the work you did with your 11th grade English teacher this past spring or start over with a new idea based on what you learned. This essay is also due Friday, September 15th . You will spend some time in the early fall revising this piece.

Alternate Assignments:   Please note that students who are taking the following classes next year have a different summer assignment that they should complete in lieu of this one: AP Capstone Seminar, AP Capstone Research, and AP English Literature . Those assignments are posted below. Also note that juniors taking AP English Language must choose from the list of 11th grade non-fiction options.

What's that you say? You want to read MORE!?

Please join us for the BTHS Summer Reading Challenge Bingo ! Read three books in different categories and win Tech merch! Students, staff, parents and alumni are all invited to participate.

•       10th Grade AP Capstone Seminar - Complete the alternate assignment below called "Summer Reading 2023 AP Capstone Seminar."
•       11th Grade AP English Language & Composition - You MUST choose from the list of suggested 11th grade NON-FICTION works in the general assignment.
•       12th Grade AP English Literature - Complete the alternate assignment below called "Summer Reading 2023 AP English Literature." 
•       12th Grade AP Capstone Research - Complete the alternate assignment below called "Summer Log 2023 AP Capstone Research."

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Moscow Facts & Worksheets

Moscow, russian moskva, is the capital and most populated city of russia, situated in the westward part of the country., search for worksheets, download the moscow facts & worksheets.

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Table of Contents

Moscow , Russian Moskva, is the capital and most populated city of Russia , situated in the westward part of the country. Moscow is not just the political capital city of Russia but also the industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years, Moscow also has been the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church.

See the fact file below for more information on the Moscow or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Moscow worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Description.

• The city area is about 30 km in diameter and the population reaches to almost 10 million people.
• Moscow was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1147, where it played an important role in Russian history.
• The people of Moscow are known as Muscovites.
• Moscow is famous for its architecture, especially its historical buildings such as Saint Basil’s Cathedral .
• Moscow is a city with the most money in Russia and the third biggest budget in the world.
• Moscow began as a medieval city and developed into what was known as the Grand Duchy of Moscow, an administrative region ruled by a prince.
• Moscow is where all Russia’s tensions and inequalities meet to coexist, producing a unique feeling of a city that looks European but feels somewhat Asian in its mood and intensity.
• In 1147 Moscow was called Moskov, which sounds closer to its current name. Moscow was derived from the Moskva river, on which the city is located. The Finno-Ugric tribes, who originally inhabited the territory, named the river Mustajoki, in English: Black River, which was presumably how the name of the city originated.
• Several theories were proposed on the origin of the name of the river however linguists cannot come to any agreement and those theories haven’t been proven yet.
• The first known reference to Moscow dates from 1147 as a meeting place of Yuri Dolgoruky and Sviatoslav Olgovich. Muscovites today consider Prince Yury Dolgoruky their city’s founding father, but it was only recorded that he dined with friends in the town.
• In 1156, led by Knjaz Yury Dolgoruky, the town was barricaded with a timber fence and a moat. In the course of the Mongol invasion of Rus, the Mongols under Batu Khan burned the city to the ground and killed its inhabitants.
• Nevertheless, Moscow was restored and became more important. Yet the Mongols came back in 1382 and burned Moscow City again.
• Still, Moscow shortly recovered and In the 15th century, it probably gained a population of about 50,000. But, unfortunately, in 1571 the Crimean Tatars burned Moscow again.
• By 1712, Tsar Peter the Great decided to move his capital to St. Petersburg from Moscow. With this, Moscow began a period of dissolution. In the 1770s Moscow suffered an outbreak of the bubonic plague. But still, Moscow University was successfully founded in 1755 and at the beginning of the 19th century, Moscow was prospering again.
• Arbat Street at that time was also established. But then, Napoleon invaded Russia. The Muscovites, the retreating party, set their own city on fire by 1812 and it was rebuilt completely at the beginning of the 19th century.
• During 1917 the Communists started a revolution in which they imposed a totalitarian government in Russia. By 1918, Lenin transferred his administration to Moscow.
• After Lenin, the tyrant Josef Stalin governed the city. Under his regime, several historic buildings in the city were destroyed. Nevertheless, the first line of the Metro opened in 1935.
• By June 1941, the Germans had invaded Russia and had arrived on the outskirts of Moscow by December. As they arrived, they suddenly  turned back.
• After the Second World War , Moscow continued prospering even though many nations boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980.
• Fortunately, Communism collapsed in Russia in 1991 and in 1997 Moscow celebrated its 850th anniversary.
• Moscow is situated on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows through the East European Plain in central Russia. Teplostanskaya highland is the city’s highest point at 255 meters (837 feet). The width of Moscow city (not limiting MKAD) from west to east is 39.7 km (24.7 mi), and the length from north to south is 51.8 km (32.2 mi).
• Moscow has a humid continental climate with long, cold winters usually lasting from mid-November through the end of March, and warm summers .
• Moscow is the financial center of Russia and home to the country’s largest banks and many of its largest companies, such as natural gas giant Gazprom.
• The Cherkizovsky marketplace was the largest marketplace in Europe , with a daily turnover of about thirty million dollars and about ten thousand venders from different countries including China and India .
• Many new business centers and office buildings have been built in recent years, but Moscow still experiences shortages in office space.
• With this, many former industrial and research facilities are being reconstructed to become suitable for office use.
• In totality, economic stability has developed in recent years. But, crime and corruption still hinder business growth.
• Saint Basil’s Cathedral is famed as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed amongst the locals. It served as one of the crucial landmarks of Moscow.
• Location: Krasnaya Square, 2, Moscow 109012, Russia
• Moscow Kremlin serves as the home in which all these tourist sites reside. It encompasses almost all the famous sightseeing attractions such as the royal residence of the President of Russia.
• Location: Moscow, Russia
• Red Square separates the royal citadel of Kremlin from the ancient merchant quarter of Kitai-gorod, one of the most interesting places in Moscow. Bearing the weight of Russia’s history to a great extent, Red Square serves not just as an attraction but as the heart, soul, and symbol of the whole country.
• Location: Krasnaya Ploshchad, Moscow, Russia

Moscow Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Moscow across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Moscow worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Moscow, Russian Moskva, which is the capital and most populated city of Russia, situated in the westward part of the country. Moscow is not just the political capital city of Russia but also the industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years, Moscow also has been the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Moscow Facts
• Moscow Breaking News
• Moscow Basic Info
• Moscow’s Significant Events
• Moscow Characteristics
• Populous Cities
• Sports Facts
• Moscow Landmarks
• Symbolization
• Moscow Slogan

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The Moscow Free Library and Reading Room opened in March of 1901 in one room of the Brown Building in downtown Moscow. The library was open two afternoons and two evenings a week and was operated by the Pleiades Club and the Moscow Historical Club. In 1903 members of the two clubs formed a committee to secure funding for a library building from the Andrew Carnegie Library Endowment. The Endowment granted the group $10,000. In 1904 Moscow residents approved a special tax to raise money for the building’s operation. A lot was purchased on the corner of Second and Jefferson Streets and Boise architect Watson Vernon was hired to design the library in the Mission Revival style, unique for northern Idaho. The building was completed in 1906 for just under $9,500, making it one of the last Carnegie libraries funded. The first major building improvement was made in 1931 with an addition that doubled the available space. In 1938 the front steps were rebuilt, replacing the curved stairs which had been a feature of the original architecture. In 1964 the basement was remodeled into a children’s library. Construction started in August 1982 to remodel and add to the original Carnegie building. In April 1983 the building was opened to the public, with the Carol Ryrie Brink Reading Room in the historic Carnegie building designated a special place for the children of the community. This addition more than doubled the space again. The Moscow branch serves as headquarters of the Latah County Library District, housing the administrative, adult services, youth services, access services and technical services departments. The Moscow Carnegie Library was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. More information about the library may be found on the Society of Architectural Historians’ “Archipedia” website.

110 S. Jefferson St. Moscow, ID 83843

Mailing Address: 110 S. Jefferson St. Moscow, ID 83843

208-882-3925

[email protected]

Friends of the Moscow Library

The Friends of the Moscow Library meets regularly to plan their semi-annual book sale held at the Latah County Fairgrounds. Funds raised by the Friends support Moscow programs such as Summer Reading, Everybody Reads, Books for Babies at Gritman Medical Center, and various capital projects.

Moscow Community Resources

Discover the people and organizations working to keep your local community a great place to live.

Moscow Storytimes

Babytime : Come share rhymes and songs, board books, and bell and shaker time at this fun bonding opportunity that helps your baby get ready to read.

Storytime : Join us for picture books, songs, wiggle rhymes and a fun experience that gets kiddos excited about reading.

New on the Shelves in Moscow

New adult books.

New Youth Books

Upcoming Events in Moscow

Moscow – library hour, moscow – tots and tales, moscow – open make, moscow – alphabits storytime, moscow – babes and books, moscow – tuesday teabirds book club, moscow – poetry reading, moscow – teens try it: taste test.

110 S. Jefferson St. Moscow, Idaho 83843

208.882.3925

Digital Library

Events Calendar

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2024 Truman Scholars

The Foundation reviewed 709 files from 285 institutions. Students were nominated by their institution based on their records of leadership, public service, and academic achievement. Our Finalist Selection Committee selected 193 students from 136 institutions to interview with the Foundation’s Regional Review Panels between March 1 and April 4. The complete listing of the 2024 Truman Scholarship Finalists can be found in our News section .

In 2024, we selected 60 outstanding college students from 54 institutions as Truman Scholars. Read more about them in our Press Release . Biographies, provided by the Scholars, appear below.

Kaylyn studies social policy and legal studies and recently returned from Ecuador where she held a Gilman Scholarship. Kaylyn is co-president of the Undergraduate Prison Education Partnership, was selected as a Debarry Civic Scholar, was among GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 LGBTQ+ Activists in 2021, and testified in front of Illinois General Assembly to help unanimously pass a bill to reform sexual assault law. She was appointed by Governor J.B. Pritzker to serve on the Illinois Council on Women and Girls, serves on the advisory board for the National Organization for Victim Advocacy, and serves on the advisory board for The Harbour, a youth homeless shelter. She interned with KAN-WIN, a nonprofit for Asian survivors of domestic violence, and will work for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawai’ians, and Pacific Islanders in spring of 2024. Last summer, Kaylyn worked at the US Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights. She is a Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Resolution Pipeline Fellow and will work in the US Embassy in South Africa this summer. From keynotes to panels, she has spoken across the country about her experiences as a survivor of domestic and sexual violence.    

Daniel Arakawa

Born and raised in the Aloha State of Hawai'i, Daniel is double-majoring in political science and sociology. Inspired by his interest in the criminal justice system and commitment to addressing its inherent disparities, he is dedicated to pursuing a career in public service that allows him to work directly with those affected by these disparities. He intends to pursue a JD focusing on criminal law and prosecutorial experience. While serving in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and subsequently joining the Governor’s Office of Hawai'i, he developed his passion for public service and an understanding of the political process by working closely with and supporting underserved communities. After graduate school, he plans to continue his commitment to service as an Assistant United States Attorney and aspires to serve as a federal judge. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys cooking, lifting weights, and practicing jiu-jitsu (no-Gi, of course).    

Daniel Block

Daniel is pursuing a double-major in environmental studies and American studies, with a minor in legal studies. He plans to pursue a JD/MEM from Yale, focusing on novel greenhouse gas regulations and the Clean Air Act. Currently, Daniel works as the farm and program director at Zumwalt Acres, a leading carbon-negative farm in rural Illinois that is rooted in Jewish values of justice. His role involves fostering consensus among scientists, farmers, and government agencies to equitably transition the Midwest agricultural landscape toward sustainability. Through connecting farmers to Zumwalt Acres' $5 million US Department of Agriculture Climate Smart Commodities Grant, Daniel has seen how federal policy plays a key role in the transition to a carbon-negative society. Motivated by this, he aims to push the administrative state to adopt innovative, just, and market-based regulatory solutions to climate change. Daniel also serves as the senior content editor for the Brandeis Undergraduate Law Journal, where he authored an article on gender affirming care and religious liberty, with another forthcoming on the administrative state and the major questions doctrine. Daniel is an incoming summer intern for the Honorable Judge Lee Rudofsky of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Jackson Boaz

Jackson is completing his studies in communications, legal institutions, economics, and government. After growing up in a small town in rural Northern California, he has spent the last half-decade moving around the country working on campaigns, from city councils to presidential races and everything in between. This work has brought him to California, Iowa (three times!), Georgia, Ohio, Rhode Island, and now Washington, DC. He intends to pursue a JD, with a focus in constitutional law, and has a particular interest in democratizing the federal grantmaking process. More specifically, he is passionate about expanding access to technical assistance for small towns and rural communities that need the most support in discovering and applying for much-needed federal dollars. Jackson currently works in digital communications for Representative Adam Schiff’s campaign for the US Senate, as well as in the Congressman’s official office. Past work includes staff roles on the campaigns of US Senator Jon Ossoff, California Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Iowa State Senator Zach Wahls (IA 13), Congresswoman Cindy Axne, and many more. When he is not working, Jackson is an avid cook and likes to prepare elaborate dinner parties for friends.

Christian Boudreaux

Christian has always been fascinated by the ocean. He is currently majoring in biology and minoring in environmental studies, Spanish, and chemistry. His goal is to work as a marine biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He is a passionate environmental advocate and works to promote environmental service in his community. As a freshman, he started an aquatic conservation organization at his institution and became the leader of a tree-planting organization. From leading efforts to clean Mississippi’s waterways and remove invasive species with Aqua Culture, to maintaining a large tree farm and organizing plantings at various locations in his community, Christian has connected hundreds of volunteers with meaningful projects to make a positive environmental impact across his state and in his hometown of Oxford. Aspiring to earn a PhD exploring the genetic components underlying stress tolerance and survival in marine organisms, he plans to continue empowering communities to care for their marine environments and to create management and conservation strategies that can be implemented into meaningful policy. In his free time, Christian enjoys playing soccer, taking photos, kayaking, camping, SCUBA diving, and anything and everything that has to do with nature. 

Allison Boyd

Originally from Washington, Indiana, Allison is a first-generation college student majoring in aeronautical engineering technology and pursuing airframe and powerplant certifications. Once certified, she can conduct, inspect, and supervise air vehicle inspection and maintenance activities, giving her a unique perspective on aircraft maintenance procedures and publications. She intends to pursue an MS in computational analysis and public policy with the goal of ensuring safe and reliable aviation transportation. In 2022, Allison interned on the Lunar Surface Integration team at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Johnson Space Center, where she developed an interest in policy and its impact on safety regulations. On campus, Allison is devoted to serving her local aviation community. She is president of ATEaM, director of activities for Purdue Aviation Day, an ambassador for the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology, and a member of the Aviation Technology Student Council. As Purdue Aviation Day’s director of activities, Allison created initiatives to lower barriers for students entering the aviation workforce, including creating a scholarship and collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration to increase recruitment opportunities in the Midwest. Her long-term goals are to address aerospace workforce development and tackle aviation safety challenges.

Paul is a student of philosophy and religion. Shaped by his justice-impacted background, he is committed to advocating for marginalized communities, particularly the formerly incarcerated. Paul aspires to a PhD exploring the philosophy of science and cognitive science, with the goal of bridging his research and teaching to influence policy. His seeks to contribute to substantial criminal justice reform through collaboration with prestigious think tanks. Paul honed his research skills in a computational biology summer internship at Princeton University via the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program. He also serves as an instructor with the First Year Rutgers-Camden Experience Program, as well as a member of the Vice Chancellor's External Affairs Program. Beyond his scholarly pursuits, Paul enjoys exercise and fostering connections with his university peers. 

Elizabeth Caldwell

Elizabeth is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in genetics with a minor in biochemistry. Inspired by her lived experience with an understudied genetic disability, she intends to pursue an MD/MPH and bridge the gap between patient care, policy, and rare disease research. On campus, Elizabeth serves as the co-founder and president of Tigers 4 Accessibility, Clemson’s first disability-focused student group, organizes an annual campuswide Accessibility Awareness Week, and serves on the University’s Accessibility Commission to voice the concerns of students with disabilities. Elizabeth has also conducted extensive rare disease research at Clemson and St. Jude in an effort to alleviate the research deficit on such conditions. She is an active volunteer at the local Free Clinic, where she founded and fundraised for its Mobility Aid Program, which provides durable medical equipment to patients with financial need. Elizabeth plans to dedicate her career to advocating for accessible, equitable healthcare for patients, particularly those with disabilities, and seeking greater understanding of understudied genetic disorders.

Anna Dellit

Anna double-majors in legal studies and Black studies, with a minor in Asian American studies and a certificate in civic engagement. She serves as a lead tutor in Chicago's juvenile detention centers, bringing college preparatory materials to incarcerated students while developing her mentorship pedagogy. Additionally, she conducted research with the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching to center minoritized student perspectives at a predominately white institution. She remains involved with her hometown of Portland, Oregon, through work with those experiencing houselessness with Blanchet House of Hospitality, and carries that perspective to her advocacy for affordable housing with Evanston’s Connections for the Homeless. Cognizant of how education, race, and poverty operate in context with one another, Anna intends to pursue a JD with an emphasis on civil rights to uproot mass incarceration as a symptom of poverty and anti-Blackness. After studying abroad in Vietnam as the first person in her family to return since the Fall of Saigon, and interning with the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Anna hopes to bring a transnational lens to her legal and advocacy work and create further space for Black and Asian solidarity. 

Grant Dillivan

Grant studies criminal justice and psychology. Their understanding of the American criminal justice system and the disproportionate imprisonment of the mentally ill have compelled them to focus on a career in correctional psychology. Grant intends to pursue a PsyD in clinical psychology with a concentration in forensic psychology. They are particularly interested in expanding substance abuse treatment available to incarcerated populations. Previously, Grant interned in the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) central office. They also conduct independent research on public perceptions of private prisons, and how education affects these perceptions. Grant has presented his research findings at the University of Wyoming Thyra and Keith Thompson Honors Convocation, the annual American Psychology-Law Society Conference, and the annual Rocky Mountain Psychology Association Conference. Grant enjoys reading and spending time outdoors in the Mountain West. One of Grant’s most interesting facts is meeting convicted serial killer Robert Joseph Silveria, Jr. – AKA “The Boxcar Killer” - during his WDOC internship. 

Juan is a dedicated individual currently pursuing his bachelor's degree in social work and intends to pursue an MSW. Despite facing abuse, foster care, and a period of incarceration in his past, Juan has overcome this adversity and currently serves as a behavioral health case manager and senior peer recovery support specialist, where he provides crucial support to individuals in need. Juan is a first-generation, nontraditional college student, who is passionate about substance abuse awareness. He served as the student representative on the Substance Abuse Coalition at Rose State College, where he organized a panel discussion, shared his story, and gathered professionals to educate students on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Beyond academia, Juan is a dedicated single father of two and an active member of his community, where he coaches soccer and volunteers with youth programs. His commitment to service extends to volunteering at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and aiding post-prison placement. Involved in charitable endeavors like the Oklahoma City Rescue Mission, Juan's journey illustrates the transformative power of resilience and service. His unwavering dedication serves as a beacon of hope, inspiring others to overcome obstacles and effect positive change. 

Alex Drahos

Alex majors in international relations, political science, and urban studies as a Foundation Fellow. He is passionate about reimagining urban systems and structures to better align with human sociology, psychology, and physicality. Alex intends to pursue an MPA focused on urban innovation with the goal of leading a city in implementing equitable policies to improve livability and social connection. This interest prompted him to create a $75 million regional economic development plan with the Center for Advancing Innovation, propose civic infrastructure legislative outreach strategies for a coalition of 100 local nonprofits/governments, and advise a Georgia county commissioner on affordable housing and transportation policies. Leading teams as a University Innovation Fellow, Alex has prototyped smart city technology products, modeled urban economic impact for the National Hockey League, and designed sustainable transportation systems for Delta Airlines. On campus, he researches urban public spaces and hate crimes in post-conflict societies, redesigns class curricula with active learning pedagogy, and helps lead the Georgia Political Review . Alex enjoys backpacking, political history books, playing cello, and board game nights.

Jane Drinkwater

Jane studies political science and digital product (UX) design. Volunteering in low-income communities showed her technology’s vital role in connecting people to government services. Ever since then, she has had a goal to make online government tools more user-friendly so that barriers like disability, digital literacy, age, socioeconomic status, and language do not inhibit Americans’ access to government programs. She is currently a research fellow at the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy and serves as the president of her university’s UX Design Association. In addition to researching the usability of Orem City and Utah County websites, Jane has developed extensive technological experience as the lead UX designer of a software startup (PROPOR) and a language-learning platform (the Missionary Training Center). In the summer of 2024, she will be a user research intern at Vivint. She plans to pursue an MPP/PhD in psychology with a focus on public sector technology. When she has free time, Jane loves to make music and ski in Utah’s beautiful mountains.    

Adelaide Easter

Hailing from Salina, Adelaide studies agricultural economics and global food systems leadership with minors in leadership and international agriculture. Through 4-H, she presented the problem of feeding an estimated 10 billion people by 2050 to the US Department of Agriculture, sparking her passion for food security. Adelaide intends to pursue an MS in food and agriculture law to work at the intersection of policy and development, making agriculture more equitable and addressing the root causes of hunger. Her academic journey is enhanced by her advocacy work. As a Flinchbaugh Food & Agriculture Policy Fellow, she interned at the state and federal levels, including with Kansas Grain Sorghum, National Sorghum Producers, and US Senator Jerry Moran's office (co-founder of the Senate Hunger Caucus), furthering her knowledge of agricultural policy and international food assistance issues. Serving as the basic needs director for student government and a member of the leadership team for Food Security Scholars, Adelaide was motivated to create the Student Basic Needs Coalition to address food insecurity and promote access to resources like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Additionally, Adelaide enjoys supporting K-State sports and spending time with friends at the local coffee shop.

Desaree Edwards

Originally from Mississippi, Desaree is a first-generation college student studying neuroscience and human rights advocacy. After high school, she enlisted in the US Navy as a Nuclear Machinist’s Mate and was handpicked for the initial integration of women into submarines, becoming the first enlisted nuclear-trained female submariner in the Atlantic Fleet. Aboard the USS FLORIDA (SSGN 728), she deployed three times and served as her division leading petty officer and as a sexual assault victim advocate. The challenges she and other female crewmembers faced during the integration motivated her to separate from the Navy and pivot towards a career in advocacy. Combined with her personal experiences, Desaree’s work as a legal assistant for a Judge Advocate General and her internship at a criminal defense firm sharpened her focus towards combatting human trafficking. She seeks to earn a JD with an emphasis on public interest law. Desaree is passionate about advocating for adult survivors of human trafficking by increasing awareness and victim identification, strengthening legal advocacy and support services, and developing survivor-centric policies. In her spare time, she enjoys hosting crawfish boils, making friends with the crows in her neighborhood, and cuddling her lab, Sandy, and pit bull, Ramses.

Ray Epstein

Ray is double-majoring in English (with a concentration in creative writing) and communication and social influence. She has been a committed activist organizing to prevent sexual violence since middle school, and has since become the founding president of Temple University’s chapter of It’s On Us: Student Activists Against Sexual Assault. Through a partnership between her student organization and Uber, Ray secured $350,000 in free rides for Temple students needing to escape vulnerable situations. She currently occupies the first LGBTQ+ Caucus Chair position at It’s On Us National, where she is developing programming to better represent the experiences of queer survivors. As vice president of Planned Parenthood Generation Temple University, she is spearheading an initiative to bring emergency contraceptive vending machines to her campus. She is also an ambassador for Callisto, an encrypted matching system for survivors of sexual violence, and a campus lead for the Every Voice Coalition, where she promotes survivor-based legislation in Pennsylvania. Previously, she interned at Take Back the Night Foundation, Network for Victim Recovery of DC, and Break the Cycle. She intends to pursue a JD and support survivors through further legislative efforts. 

Gavin is an aspiring research meteorologist and climate science communicator. Growing up in rural Southeast Missouri, he was exposed to all types of weather which fascinated him at a young age. He is passionate about the social and economic vulnerabilities exacerbated by extreme weather events, particularly in the American Mid-South. He intends to pursue a PhD in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma focusing on behavioral insights surrounding severe weather preparedness and communication strategies. Gavin intends to inform public policy through the lens of the National Weather Service’s mission to protect life and property in the United States. He has enjoyed volunteering as a SkyWarn Storm Spotter with the National Weather Service and previously interned at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, presenting his research at the American Geophysical Union’s annual fall meeting. Gavin is a first-generation college student at Dartmouth College, where he enjoys fishing, club golf, and taking daily weather observations at the Shattuck Observatory. 

Bitaniya Giday

Bitaniya is a first-generation Ethiopian American residing in Seattle. As a community organizer, she hopes to dismantle internalized carceral logics through storytelling, community care, and healing to incite imaginative capacities for abolition. Her first collection of poems, Motherland , explores her experiences as a first-generation Black woman, reflecting her own family’s path of immigration across the world. As a cultural worker and university student, she works to restore autonomy to history’s originators by researching Black women’s erasure and contradictory relationships to historical geographies. She was heavily involved in the community design and implementation of Restorative Community Pathways a multimillion-dollar juvenile pre-court diversion program based in King County. She also serves as part of Wa Na Wari’s Black Spatial Histories cohort, learning community-based oral history and Black memory work.

Eli Glickman

Eli studies political science and is interested in national security and emerging technologies. As the grandson of a sailor in the US Navy and a mathematician who worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory, he aims to work at the intersection of national security and science and technology. He intends to pursue a master’s degree in security studies with an emphasis on nuclear weapons policy. Eager to expand opportunities for students to engage with national security and foreign policy issues, Eli co-founded and leads the Alexander Hamilton Society at Berkeley and established a fellowship for ROTC and non-ROTC students to bridge the civil-military divide on campus. He was a 2023 Hertog War Studies Scholar at the Institute for the Study of War, interned for both US Senator Tom Cotton and the Coalition Defense of Taiwan Project at the American Enterprise Institute, and is an undergraduate research fellow at the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab. Eli is also an assistant debate coach at the College Preparatory School in Oakland and an Eagle Scout.

Axel Hawkins

Axel is a first-generation college student majoring in history with a minor in political science. Her roots, coming from a family that was lifted out of generational poverty by union jobs in rural, isolated Port Royal, Kentucky, inspired her to pursue a career in the labor movement. She began volunteering with Communications Workers of America (CWA) in 2016, joined as a member herself in 2021, and became a CWA NextGen Lead Activist for Public Sector Workers in 2023. She has also served as both treasurer and vice president of her university’s student government association, and was recently elected president, becoming the first openly LGBT person to win this office. She has also served as a delegate to the 2022 Georgia Democratic Convention, an ex-officio member of the Henry County Democratic Committee, chairwoman of the Young Democrats of Georgia Labor Caucus, and is finishing her second term as president of GCSU Young Democrats. She plans to pursue a JD and work to create pro-union policies to benefit America’s working families. She is also a member of the Delta Gamma fraternity, a devotee of all things “Sex and the City,” a perfume collector, and an avid Dolly Parton fan. 

Lezlie Hilario

Born to Dominican immigrants in Perth Amboy, Lezlie is a first-generation college student pursuing a double-major in political science and global interdisciplinary studies, along with minors in peace and justice and public administration. Lezlie's academic focus is driven by her aspiration to empower low-income communities of color in urban areas through the nonprofit sector. Her policy interests encompass advocating for diversity in K-12 curriculum, expanding college readiness programs, and championing equitable voting laws, particularly within communities of color. At Villanova, Lezlie is actively involved in various leadership roles. She is a cheerleader on the Villanova cheer team, serves as co-president of the Latin American Student Organization, and is a member of the leadership team for BIPOC, a multicultural student-athlete group on campus. Lezlie is an alumna of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, where she worked on Capitol Hill in the US House of Representatives. This summer, she will participate in the Public Policy & International Affairs Program's Junior Summer Institute at Princeton University, further preparing herself for graduate school. Post-graduation, Lezlie aims to pursue an MPA while engaging in community organizing efforts in her hometown. 

Adaure Iwuh

Adaure is a public health honors student in Detroit. Prior to this, she spent several years in Malawi, studying nursing and midwifery at Malamulo College of Health Sciences. Her clinical experiences as a midwife in high-demand, low-resource settings inspired her to pursue systemic work that could improve maternal and child health through policy and institutional reform. Adaure uses her personal, professional, and academic experiences to engage in understanding political institutions and how they interact with sociocultural questions that affect health and societal wellbeing. Adaure was a Mayoral Fellow for the City of Detroit, where she conducted vector and disease surveillance and community health education in the Environmental Health division of the Detroit Health Department. After the fellowship, she continued to work at the Detroit Health Department, where she now pursues outreach efforts in housing, environmental health, and process improvement. She plans to earn an MPH/MPP in community health sciences and health policy to address policy and research gaps at the intersection of housing and maternal health. She is committed to coordinating community-facing activities in Detroit that promote sustainability and efficiency in public health practice.

Rincon Jagarlamudi

As the proud son of two immigrant parents, Rincon majors in biochemistry with minors in medicine, health, and society and data science. On campus, Rincon is the co-president of Next Steps Ambassa’dores, which is the dynamic peer support group for Vanderbilt’s inclusive higher education program for neurodiverse individuals, and serves as the campus policy chair for Active Minds, a group committed to heightening awareness and supporting mental health on college campuses. He founded the flagship ambassador site for the nonprofit Hip Hop Public Health, using hip-hop music and culture to break down cultural barriers to health literacy and equity in Nashville. Rincon intends to enter medical school and earn an MPH degree post-graduation. He aspires to pair his existing role as a disability rights advocate with his eventual status as a physician to care for patients with neurodevelopmental conditions. Outside of advocacy and service, Rincon can be found watching Formula 1 races, singing karaoke, or playing pickup basketball with friends. 

Elijah Kahlenberg

As an aspiring academic and civil servant, Elijah is currently pursuing a degree in government, Middle East studies, and Jewish studies. Elijah intends to specialize in legal, historical, and policy matters impacting conflict de-escalation and conflict resolution in the Middle East. Accordingly, Elijah has undertaken and led various grassroots peace initiatives pertinent to the Middle East. In the summer of 2022, he worked out of a Palestinian farm on behalf of the Roots peace movement, the only organization in the West Bank erecting joint initiatives for mutual understanding and reconciliation between local Jews and Palestinians. For the past two years, Elijah has led Atidna International, an organization establishing joint frameworks for dialogue and peacebuilding between Jewish/Israeli and Arab/Palestinian students on college campuses as the organization’s founder and president. From The Forward to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, Elijah’s peacebuilding initiatives have been heralded in both print and televised media. He also writes extensively about Middle East and North African politics. To prepare for his future endeavors, Elijah hopes to pursue a joint JD/PhD concentrating on international law, Middle East studies, and international security.

Alyssa Kemp

Alyssa is an environmental engineering student with minors in interdisciplinary problem-solving and climate change. Originally from Cavalier, a rural town in northeast North Dakota, she is passionate about improving climate change resilience and economic development in rural communities. Alyssa's career goal is to become an environmental attorney, focusing on securing cleaner, more affordable energy, revitalizing rural areas, and collaborating with environmental justice partners to drive change. On campus, she is currently a Nina Henderson Provost Scholar, where she builds capacity in local workforce development organizations to implement climate transition job training programs. Additionally, Alyssa develops and teaches undergraduate engineering curricula that incorporate social and environmental justice lessons to empower future engineers to advocate for equitable and sustainable solutions in their professional practice. She has conducted research on community-based heat mitigation techniques, the impacts of increased flooding on various social vulnerabilities, and the use of community gardens to promote access to healthy foods, reduce flooding, and improve economic development. In her free time, Alyssa volunteers at a local after-school program, where she introduces high school students to careers in technology. She also enjoys hiking, stargazing, and cooking with friends.    

Lisa Kopelnik

Lisa studies in the politics honors program and double-majors in economics. As a first-generation American born to Ukrainian-Jewish immigrants, she is deeply committed to public service and making change through law and the justice system. She aspires to focus her career on expanding civil rights, promoting restorative justice, and uplifting values aligned with our democracy. She is passionate about facilitating dialogue across difference and civil discourse, believing that seeking common ground and understanding is a necessary starting point to bringing about change. As the chair of the University Judiciary Committee, she adjudicates Standards of Conduct violations with a focus on restorative and educational approaches that promote safety, freedom, and respect for all students. She cultivated her passion for civil rights as an intern with Equal Rights Advocates, a gender justice policy and legal nonprofit organization based in San Francisco. As a legal intern, she worked with attorneys to provide legal aid to women seeking justice and accountability in discrimination cases, and worked on California policy to provide legal and economic support for women. In her free time, she enjoys attending Jewish community events and spending time with her friends and family. 

Aravind Krishnan

The son of Indian immigrants, Aravind studies molecular & cell biology, healthcare management & policy, and statistics. His backgrounds in community health and basic science motivated him to pursue a career focused on addressing health disparities in under-resourced communities through advancing care for infectious diseases, due to their disproportionate impact on these populations. He intends to pursue an MD/PhD focused on immunology and communicable diseases, and subsequently hopes to work with the National Institutes of Health on continuing this research and also translating his findings by implementing community-informed interventions, with the aim of developing his own lab with these foci. Aravind founded ToxiSense, a research organization focused on creating more cost-effective, sustainable, rapid diagnostics for bacterial toxin contamination and infection. He also helps lead the Shelter Health Outreach Program, an organization of over 100 students alleviating health disparities faced by Philadelphians experiencing homelessness and other barriers to care. They do so through city-wide hypertension screening clinics, partnerships with Penn Medicine and Penn Dental to provide on-site care, case management, community health research, and a permanent free clinic in West Philadelphia. Aravind thanks his mom and dad for being his greatest inspirations, and all his other mentors that have supported him along the way.

Pranav Krishnan

Pranav studies political science and economics and is interested in international security, foreign policy, and strategic competition in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape. On campus, he leads the Alexander Hamilton Society for Foreign Policy, is an editor for the Wisconsin International Review , and volunteers with the Missing in Action - Recovery and Identification Project, as well as Service to School. Previously, he worked as an international development researcher for Dane County and interned at the Center for American Progress and the US Department of Defense. He plans to pursue an MSc in international relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science before attending law school and seeking a career in public service to promote principled and prudent American engagement abroad in championing democracy, human rights, and international law.

Kayle Lauck

Kayle studies political science with minors in politics, philosophy, and economics, and education, schooling, and society. She has completed research assistantships focused on rural development, domestic agricultural policy, coastal resiliency, Native American history, and stream ecology. Kayle is passionate about improving rural mental healthcare access and worked with South Dakota State University Extension to distribute mental healthcare vouchers and coordinate suicide prevention training. She also co-founded South Dakota College Connections, an organization dedicated to aiding South Dakota high school students navigate the college admissions process. Kayle's commitment to rural development brought her to Washington for the National Farmers Union Legislative Fly-In, where she advocated for small farmers and sustainable agricultural policies. She continued that work during a 4-month internship with the US House Committee on Agriculture. Kayle has also studied and volunteered in Poland, Israel, and Ireland, to further understand histories of oppression, environmental peacebuilding, and agricultural sustainability. While on campus, Kayle has served as a sustainability co-chair in her student government and co-founded the Agricultural Student Association. Kayle intends to return to South Dakota and work to remedy the diverse issues that harm rural populations throughout her home state.

Julie Ann Laxamana

Born and raised in Guam, Julie is majoring in criminal justice and minoring in biology. She intends to pursue an MPA to further her public service around her region and the national community. On campus, she is currently the student regent member on her university’s Board of Regents, and served as treasurer for the Public Administration and Legal Studies Society Club for three years. She uses these platforms to amplify and address her community needs of homelessness and recidivism. In the local community, she serves as legislative secretary for the 34th Guam Youth Congress, and is a recipient of the 2024 Congressional Gold Medal. Julie will intern at the White House this summer. She strives to foster and promote social justices in the interest of those whose voice have been muted in the participation of policy. Julie’s goal is to grow into an educated individual who is worthy of public trust, and who solves problems with the highest ethical consideration while practicing the principles of democracy. When she is not serving the public, she enjoys watching movies, playing with her cats, and taking pictures.

Reese Lycan

Born and raised in Lexington, Reese is a biochemistry and molecular biology major at the Honors College with minors in computer science and public health. As director of government relations, Reese oversaw the crafting of policy proposals that were presented to city, state, and national officials, based in part on a student insight survey she created. She led a student advocacy mission to Washington, where she championed to White House and Congressional leaders for improved resources for first-generation and immigrant students, stricter legislation regarding sexual assault and hazing, and increased higher education support. Reese’s passion for advocacy intersects with her passion for healthcare. She volunteers weekly in her city’s emergency department and is published in the Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Journal as a member of the Simoska Research Lab, where she researches mechanisms of bacteria that affect immunocompromised patients. These experiences have inspired her pursuit of an MD/MPH for a career in medicine and public health policy. Her goal is to work as a physician for underserved populations to build a foundation to lead healthcare policy reform and advocate for rural Appalachia at the federal level. 

Kelsey Monaghan-Bergson

Kelsey studies behavioral sciences, concentrating in sociology, with a minor in diversity and inclusion. Motivated to capitalize on the unique strength of American diversity to outthink US adversaries, particularly through neurodiversity as a key force multiplier, she aims to reform the US Department of Defense (DOD) accessions and retention policy. Her goal is not only to accept neurodiverse (ND) individuals into the military, but also to break down stereotypes and promote greater acceptance and empowerment in society as a whole. She aspires to pursue a master's in social innovation with a concentration in neurodiversity studies before serving as an information operations officer in the US Air Force (USAF). She plans to continue her joint research on astro psychiatric artificial intelligence and apply her education across the full spectrum of military operations to influence relevant actors' perceptions, behavior, and actions through gray zone tactics. Kelsey is an action officer for the USAF's ND Initiative, a DOD Intellectual Edge Alliance Fellow, and a Certified Professional Innovator from the University of Michigan College of Engineering. Outside of the military, Kelsey loves drawing, hiking, Garfield the Cat, and Pokémon.

Alexandra Mork

Alexandra studies political science and history. On campus, she served as editor-in-chief of the Brown Political Review , the largest political publication in the Ivy League.  Currently, she is conducting research on voter registration in high schools as a fellow for the Taubman Center for American Politics. Motivated by her interests in education, democracy reform, and criminal justice issues, she has interned for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, the Center for American Progress, the Rhode Island Center for Justice, Organize New Hampshire, Public Citizen, and Loyola’s Project for the Innocent. She also serves as a tutor for system-impacted students in Rhode Island and a coach for debate students in California. Particularly passionate about access to legal services for low-income people, she founded the Student Legal Association Supporting Housing, which organizes Brown student volunteers to assist Providence tenants in their eviction proceedings. Alexandra hopes to earn a JD/MPA to pursue her interest in legal justice and ultimately work as a civil rights appellate lawyer. 

Jackson Morris

Born and raised in Omaha, Jackson studies biomedical engineering with a minor in applied math and statistics. His experiences as a disabled student and observation of the lack of representation in STEM professions has led him to advocate for the rights and aspirations of disabled Americans. He is especially interested in improving higher education for disabled students. As part of a Biomedical Engineering Design Team, he is creating a better ventricular catheter for hydrocephalus patients and will be leading his own team next year. Jackson is a Lime Connect Fellow and gratefully serves his peers as vice president of the his university’s student government association, co-chair of its university-wide student advisory body, and chair of advocacy and activism for Advocates for Disability Awareness. After graduation, Jackson plans to pursue a JD with an emphasis in disability law. In his free time, he performs acrobatics, runs, and enjoys hanging out with his friends and Design Team.

Laila Nasher

Born in Aden, Yemen, and raised by a single mother in Detroit, Laila is an immigrant whose experiences push her to fight for impoverished communities like her own. Having grown up beneath the poverty line and as a product of school closures, Laila believes education is a fundamental civil right. She plans to pursue a JD/EdM and aims to protect access to an equitable K-12 education through legal and public office in her home city. Over the past eight years, Laila has dedicated herself to understanding how education inequity differently impacts disparate communities like her own. She bridges the gap between policy and people by both working with local policymakers and mentoring young Detroiters. Laila runs bazaars for Yemeni migrant women and is currently creating a scholarship to encourage Yemeni-American girls to pursue college. At Harvard, she studies history and anthropology, is a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, and acts as a liaison between the campus’s first-generation students and administration. Through this role, Laila has founded some of Harvard’s most impactful first-generation student initiatives. In her free time, you can find her trying new cafes and reading.     

Yudidt Nonthe Sanchez

Originally from Mesa, Yudidt is a first-generation college student studying public service and public policy. She comes from Indigenous descent from the Otomi people from Mexico. After graduating high school, Yudidt interned in Washington, volunteered as a missionary in Brazil, and studied international relations as a US Department of State Gilman Scholar in Sydney, Australia. She served as student body president at Mesa Community College and interned at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and Smithsonian National Zoo. As a community organizer for the Arizona Education Association, Yudidt advocated for higher pay for teachers. She is a former IGNITE National Fellow, Andrew Goodman Ambassador, and Smithsonian Young Ambassador. She intends to pursue a JD at Arizona State University with an emphasis on gender equity and immigration policy. Dedicated to inspiring the next generation of women leaders, she aspires to serve as Mesa’s first Latina mayor. In her spare time, Yudidt likes to visit her friends who live in other countries and regularly volunteers at College Bound AZ, which helps students apply for college. She enjoys practicing yoga and likes to listen to Billie Eilish.

Tej is studying molecular biology, healthcare management & policy, and statistics. Inspired by his experiences as an advocate and volunteer, Tej seeks to make healthcare systems more equitable and cost-effective. Focused on health economics, radiation oncology, and human-algorithm collaboration in clinical care, his research has been published in Nature Medicine , JAMA Health Forum , Journal of National Cancer Institute , IJROBP , and Journal of Clinical Oncology . Tej co-founded the Social Equity Action Lab, a youth-led think tank that brings together students, institutional partners, and policymakers across the country to inform legislation on key issues such as America’s mental health crisis, value-based payment reform, and healthcare decarbonization. On campus, he is the director of the Locust Bioventures group, coordinator for the Netter Center High School Pipeline Program, and policy/outcomes researcher for the Shelter Health Outreach Program. He also interned with the Mongan Institute for Health Policy and Institute for Healthcare Improvement, working on projects covering Medicare Part D policy and alternative payment models. Following graduation, Tej intends to pursue an MD/MPP and leverage insights from medicine and policy to improve nationwide care delivery.

Yadira Paz-Martinez

Originally from Clinton, North Carolina, Yadira is the proud daughter of Mexican blue-collar and farmworker immigrants. She is studying public policy with a minor in history and a certificate in human rights. As a first-generation low-income student, Yadira serves as the Duke Student Government vice president for equity and outreach, addressing equitable fees, aiding DACA students, and advocating for marginalized students. Yadira is also the co-president of Duke Define America, leading a team that supports immigrants at Duke, in Durham, and beyond. Advocating for farmworker justice, she was an Into the Fields intern for Student Action with Farmworkers and currently serves on their theater committee. In the summer of 2023, Yadira worked for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in the office of US Representative Yadira Caraveo and learned about systemic barriers within the agricultural industry. She is also a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, researching the socialization of farmworkers in rural North Carolina based on the influences of geopolitical power that impact their experiences. Yadira aspires earn a JD to advance labor rights for farmworkers and low-wage workers.

CJ Petersen

Born and raised in southwest Iowa, CJ is hard of hearing and grew up using American Sign Language at home. Living at the intersection of the LGBTQ+ and disability communities, CJ strives for inclusion and acceptance for all who want to participate in the political process. Whether he is running for Iowa Senate, leading a rural queer working group, or clerking for Representative Sami Scheetz in the Iowa Legislature, strengthening civic engagement among rural Iowans is the priority for CJ. He is pursuing a degree in political science while serving as communications director for the Iowa Auditor of State, Rob Sand (IA 05). CJ and his husband live on a small farm in rural Audubon County, where they are active members of the Iowa Farmers’ Union and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. CJ is passionate about working toward climate solutions as part of a robust rural economic development agenda.

Jay Philbrick

Jay is passionate about evidence-based policy to promote equitable economic opportunity. He currently studies economics, applied mathematics, and computer science. Growing up in rural Maine, Jay saw firsthand the life-changing impact of public investment in education and defense. Inspired by this, he has interned with the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, the US State Department's Office of Monetary Affairs, and in Maine's Governor's Economic Recovery Committee, helping save Americans nearly $4 billion and guiding $1 billion in effective investments in broadband and workforce development. Jay has also conducted research at Yale Law School, the Federal Reserve, and Brown University, focused on evaluating retirement, rural development, and social safety net policies. He has presented his research to executive and legislative branch policymakers, as well as academics. Jay also stays involved politically, serving on his county and state political party committees, a Maine gubernatorial campaign, and as a presidential elector in 2020. He intends to pursue a JD and a PhD in economics to analyze and implement evidence-based policy as a researcher and policymaker in Maine. In his free time, Jay enjoys playing trivia, promoting inclusion, running, and traveling with friends and family.

Marley Ramon

Raised in Albuquerque, Marley is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science and art, with a minor in English as a National Merit and National Hispanic Scholar. Merging traditional and unconventional backgrounds for a legal occupation, each discipline intertwines to drive her focus on presentation and individual expression within the political world. Leading university groups focused on representing student voices, Marley is passionate about nurturing a sustainable community and does so as her university’s chief editor and Phi Sigma Alpha political science honor society president. Inspired through her work interning with the executive director of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, Marley intends to pursue her JD with concentrations in constitutionality and civil rights. Previously, Marley interned with the Air Force Research Laboratory. Outside of class, Marley enjoys writing creative fiction and poetry, making jewelry, and playing water polo for her university. 

Thomas Riggs

TJ Riggs is a student activist studying political science and Spanish. He has spent his life moving both internationally and around the United States, inspiring his interest in the ways different communities overcome setbacks. His freshman year, he was tasked with reviving Samford University’s chapter of Amnesty International, which served as his introduction to the world of human rights activism. TJ became involved with death penalty advocacy in Alabama and was asked to serve as Amnesty International’s Alabama state death penalty abolition coordinator. In his role, he has worked closely with local legislators, partner organizations, and international human rights groups to advance the fight for abolition in the state. Outside of his activism, TJ is a varsity policy debater for his university’s team and has earned three consecutive bids to the National Debate Tournament. TJ also serves as the head coach of a youth outreach debate program through ImpactAmerica. He intends to pursue a JD and continue his death penalty work through both legislative activism and on-the-ground legal representation. In his free time, TJ enjoys spending time with friends, researching for debate, and visiting local restaurants

Camila Rios-Picorelli

Camila is majoring in secondary education with a concentration in history and social sciences and a minor in human rights studies. Since childhood, she knew she wanted to be a teacher and dreamed of someday opening her own school. Her background in education, combined with her human rights studies, inspires her to work to make a quality education accessible for everyone. Camila intends to pursue a master's degree with an emphasis in educational psychology and learning design. Camila is particularly interested in how people learn, including how best to design curricula, materials, and learning spaces to better support that learning process. As part of her honors thesis, she is creating a manual to guide educators in Puerto Rico to incorporate social-emotional learning in their classrooms. 

Edwin Santos

Edwin, from Northern Virginia, is a first-generation Salvadoran-American majoring in legal studies within the Politics, Policy & Law Scholars Program. He is also in the Community-Based Research Scholars Program and the School of Public Affairs Combined Program concurrently earning his MPA. On campus, he co-founded Latinos En Acción, which is a chapter of United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth network and serves as student body president. Off campus, he is involved in organizations centered around immigration, such as the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), and gained experience in state and federal government. Edwin has been selected for the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship, the Henry Clay College Student Congress, and the Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute at UC-Berkeley. He plans to attend law school to become an attorney and support low-income families at the intersection of criminal and immigration law. Years later, he hopes to serve his community as an elected official dedicated to creating inclusive and representative policies.

Diego Sarmiento

Born and raised in Santa Ana, Diego Antranik is the proud son of Bolivian and Mexican immigrants. From a young age, his mom, dad, and aunt instilled in him the value of public service, education, resilience, and community. Over the past four years, Diego has mobilized thousands of his neighbors to engage and vote in local politics through community organizing. Interning at the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ office, Diego helped push forward an unprecedented homelessness prevention program. The pilot program provides $400 a month to 100 single-parent households and senior citizens on the brink of losing their homes. Diego hopes to continue the fight to give his community a political voice through his “Santanero Voter Initiative,” a program to increase voter turnout among Latino youth. He is committed to a life of public service, believing that politics should be responsive to everybody, not just large corporations, and that every person is entitled to basic needs such as healthcare, housing, and a life of dignity. Diego studies political science and public affairs and intends to pursue a JD/MA in economics.

Isaac Seiler

Isaac is driven by a love for public service and a commitment to community. His career in advocacy began when he organized hundreds of students to protest his former college’s decision to fire a professor for officiating a gay wedding. Isaac organized protests, events, and petitions, working to support and protect queer students along the way. He then pursued a year in politics and government, starting as a congressional campaign intern before being promoted to oversee digital operations and strategy. Isaac played a pivotal role in a landslide victory. At just 20 years old, he went on to direct the creation of a new congressional office and served as communications director, building an entire program from the ground up in a matter of months. Isaac also has substantial formal research experience, writes for student publications, and consults for political campaigns. He is completing his BA in sociology and political science and plans to earn his JD to enforce tax law and drive tax reform. Isaac intends to eventually run for public office, working to represent his community and advocate for positive change.

Albiona Selimi

Albiona is pursuing a major in political science, with minors in justice and women’s studies. As a daughter of Macedonian-Albanian immigrants, she grew up knowing the value of an individual’s vote in America. Her interest in voting rights and civic engagement inspires her to advocate for voting rights in her future legal career. She intends to pursue a JD with an emphasis on public interest and social justice. On campus, Albiona previously served in student government and currently serves the university as student regent on the University of Alaska Board of Regents. In her free time, she loves to read, scrapbook, and listen to podcasts. 

Jahneé Smith

Jahneé is a dedicated community organizer and cultural worker, passionate about empowering youth. Currently a full-time youth organizer at Miami Homes for All, Jahneé mobilizes youth with firsthand experience of housing insecurity. They have organized around homelessness nationwide through internships with organizations like The Bronx Defenders and Causa Justa: Just Cause via the Center of Third World Organizing’s Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program. Committed to combating discrimination based on having a criminal record, Jahneé actively contributes to Beyond the Bars as a member, advocating for fair access to employment and housing. As a 2023 Changemaker with The Alliance for LGBTQ+, they led a banned book and people’s history campaign, establishing little libraries of banned books across Miami-Dade County Public Schools zones. Expressing art and passion through zines and poetry with Art for the People South Florida, Jahneé integrates personal experiences as a homeless, justice-impacted, queer, Latine individual to challenge the status quo. Majoring in global studies and women and gender studies, Jahneé aspires to earn an MPA and a PhD in community well-being.    

Jaiden Stansberry

Growing up in the National Park Service encouraged a dedication to natural resources for Jaiden. She is currently studying forestry with a minor in fire sciences and management and has worked as a wildland firefighter for the National Park Service for the past two years. Her experience inspired her to focus on prescribed fire implementation and challenges. She intends to pursue an MS in natural resources stewardship with a concentration in forest sciences to expand her knowledge of the influence of policy in forest management. Jaiden is particularly interested in designing prescribed fire programs for the National Park Service to support natural disturbances on a landscape while mitigating fuel to protect property and life. She hopes to encourage collaborative efforts between National Parks and local tribes to perform burning in areas with cultural significance. In her free time, Jaiden can be found flyfishing the Blackfoot River and traveling to different National Parks.

Sophia Stewart

Sophia studies political science, foreign area studies, and Japanese. Her background in policy development and personal understanding of sexual crimes has compelled her to focus her undergraduate studies and research on sexual crimes and justice. She intends to pursue an MS in data science. Sophia is focused on data collection and effective prevention education and plans to use her further education to support the development of these goals. Sophia has previously conducted research on sensitive-subject surveying to evaluate the effectiveness of current military sexual crime prevention efforts with the Office of Labor and Economic Analysis, as well as conducting personal and team research projects with both the Academy and Stamps Foundation. Sophia also enjoys Brazilian jiu-jitsu, volunteering with children and young adults with learning disabilities via The Resource Exchange, and supporting the Academy’s Public Affairs projects. 

Anitvir Taunque

Anitvir is currently studying biomedical science and is passionate about health literacy, particularly how it impacts the ability of patients to receive and follow through with prescribed medical care. He founded the Columbus chapter of Red Saree, a nonprofit organization devoted to raising awareness for and decreasing the prevalence of heart disease within ethnically diverse communities. For the last several years, Anitvir has also been an involved volunteer in multiple free clinics and spent a summer abroad in India volunteering at a mission hospital surgical center. He built ServUS, a sustainability start-up devoted to empowering and incentivizing students to engage in service. He is currently pursuing a fellowship through the Asia Foundation’s LeadNEXT ambassadors program focused on global leadership and collaboration. He hopes to pursue a combined MD/MS with a concentration in health policy management to guide health literacy decision making. In his free time, Anitvir enjoys playing basketball, playing chess, and trying all kinds of different food.

Alex Taylor

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Alex is majoring in political science. He serves as vice president of the Columbia Political Union, program coordinator for the Eric H. Holder Jr. Initiative, and justice intern for the Brennan Center for Justice. During his freshman year of college, Alex co-founded "Reachout!" an initiative to empower marginalized high school students with the resources to create competitive college resumes. A current Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar, Alex has a broad interest in movements to end mass incarceration. His background in prison volunteering, interning as an investigator for The Bronx Defenders, and researching death penalty litigation at Columbia Law School inspires him to pursue a career in criminal justice reform. He plans to pursue a JD with an emphasis on progressive prosecution. After graduating, he aspires to work as an assistant district attorney with an emphasis on appeals and helping youth offenders in his hometown. In his free time, Alex enjoys cooking, attending jazz shows, and reading science fiction novels. 

Born in Queens to migrant workers and then living several years in Asia, Wena’s experiences drive her political and legal advocacy for migration labor and diasporic communities as well as an understanding of the uniqueness of transnational identities. A proud first-generation student, Wena studies race & ethnicity studies and history with a specialization in political economy. She is a Laidlaw Scholar and serves as a university senator. Educated in New York City Public Schools, she has served as a director of the educational equity nonprofit IntegrateNYC and been involved in local elections. Inspired by the immigrant street vendors who nourish the hearts of New Yorkers, she has worked since high school with the Urban Justice Center’s Street Vendor Project on policies to accommodate licenses and legal resources for vendors. Her dedication to labor rights has been nourished by experiences as a White House intern, Columbia Law Review DEI director, and a research assistant exploring the legal history of immigration. Wena intends to pursue a JD/MPP to reconcile the gaps in labor law that have historically excluded protections for migrant workers. In her free time, she enjoys writing prose, practicing the Chinese harp, and building intergenerational friendships with street vendors on food crawls around NYC.

Mikayla Tillery

Mikayla majors in urban studies and Black studies and commits her time to housing justice advocacy and racial justice activism. She hopes to pursue a career that makes material differences for those disadvantaged by housing discrimination, neighborhood segregation, and redlining. She has worked to transition Black first-year students to Stanford through New Student Orientation programming, produced policy memos on tenant protections that influence the US Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and other legislators to center frontline, renter communities in the energy transition, and served on the Stanford Board of Trustees to advocate for equitable land use. These experiences teach her that a future where affordable, climate-conscious housing as a human right is within reach. In her free time, she enjoys pottery, reality television, and traveling.

Grace Truslow

Grace is a dedicated honors student majoring in political science and minoring in sustainability. She aspires to earn a JD and to work in the federal government as an environmental lawyer, ensuring equity in land use policy implementation. She is particularly interested in applying lessons from the past to create a future of community-informed infrastructure development during the green energy transition. Originally from Rhode Island, her interest in public service was sparked through environmental work in local advocacy, nonprofit, and research spaces. In Washington, Grace has expanded her policy knowledge in transportation, financial services, energy, and agriculture through a multitude of internship opportunities, including with US Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, US Senator Jack Reed, and former Representative David Cicilline. During the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, she reviewed grant applications for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program and assisted in developing a report on the US Transportation Decarbonization Blueprint. Grace is an active member of her academic community as a leader of the University Honors Peer Advising Program, an editor for the Undergraduate Review , and an undergraduate research assistant. 

Lee Waldman

Lee is pursuing a degree in sociology and the study of women, gender, and sexuality to inform his activism in housing justice. He is a founding member of Ithaca’s Youth Action Board, a group of young people working to fight youth homelessness in their community. Lee, along with his team, won the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program grant, a multimillion-dollar grant dedicated to elevating youth voice in service provision. Lee has been a central force in grant execution, helping found a Temporary Living Project and a Permanent Supportive Housing Project for youth in need of assistance in Tompkins County. He focuses on the safety of LGBTQ+ disabled youth, as protecting marginalized populations is the root of equitable policy. Lee is a community advocate and a member of the Ithaca Continuum of Care, a network of organizations and stakeholders working together to end homelessness. In his role, he uplifts the voices of people with lived experience of homelessness, ensuring that people at the heart of policy are not lost in the discussion. Lee plans to pursue an MSW/MPP with the goal of achieving a radically safe future for his community.

Ella, an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, is from Crookston, Minnesota. She studies public policy. Her community-based advocacy centers around the 15 nuclear missile silos housed on her Tribe’s reservation, which will soon be modernized, generating extensive environmental, public health, and safety concerns. To raise awareness about this injustice, Ella published an investigative podcast series “The Missiles on Our Rez” with Scientific American . She also works for Nuclear Princeton and Princeton’s Program on Science and Global Security, where she investigates nuclear assaults against Tribal communities. Ella previously served on the Minnesota Young Women’s Initiative Cabinet and the National Council of Urban Indian Health Youth Council. Outside the classroom, she aims to grow institutional support for Native students. She served as president of Natives at Princeton and led Princeton’s Indigenous Advocacy Coalition, where she worked with the administration, alumni, and students to hire Native faculty and organize events. She intends to pursue a JD with an emphasis on federal Indian law and environmental justice. After graduating, she will pursue community-engaged policy and journalism to empower Tribes to enact legislation that aligns with their wants and needs.

Trenton White

Trent is a driven first-generation Roan Scholar, majoring in political science with a minor in public administration. Fueled by a deep-seated passion for public service and a keen interest in higher education policy, he aspires to build a career in politics and law. Trent envisions pursuing a JD with a focus on public policy, ultimately aiming to empower underserved individuals in the Appalachian region by providing legal counsel, safeguarding the rights of the marginalized, and helping develop legislation to enrich educational opportunities within rural communities. Trent has worked tirelessly to foster a positive campus environment and provide greater opportunities for students. He founded and currently serves as president of his university’s mock trial team, and is also president of the student government association. He interned with the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce, where he gained insights into the intricate workings of local governance, and served as a constituent services intern for US Senator Bill Hagerty – a role that reflects his commitment to understanding and addressing regional needs at the federal level. Beyond his academic and professional pursuits, Trent enjoys spending quality time with friends and indulging in a shared passion for horror movies.

Mielad Ziaee

Mielad is passionate about eliminating health disparities among racially and economically marginalized communities. Coming from an immigrant family in Texas, he aims to leverage research to inform – and reform – health policies and systems. He conducts health equity research as a National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Scholar and collaborates with hospital leadership at the Kennedy Krieger Institute on food insecurity research as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention John R. Lewis Scholar. Noticing gaps in his research on how large institutions respond to community needs, Mielad advocates at a systemic level, currently serving as Governor Greg Abbott’s appointed student regent of the University of Houston System. He is also the first youth member of the board of directors of the American Red Cross, Houston Chapter. Mielad intends to pursue an MD/PhD with a focus on data-driven health policy and management. He hopes to ensure all Americans can access healthcare regardless of their background. In his free time, Mielad enjoys morning runs, baking, and visiting farmers markets.    

Zane studies sociology, political science, and gender, sexuality & women’s studies. Their interdisciplinary background has helped inform their understanding of social justice and equity. Zane intends to pursue a JD/MA in human rights studies, eventually working in public interest law to protect the interests of queer communities and dismantle the inequity inherent in our current systems. They are putting themself through school and are the first of their siblings to attend college. Zane is currently working on a thesis that investigates and subverts recent legislative attacks on the queer community. In 2023, they were awarded the Brennens Summer Research Fellowship from the University of Vermont in order to study how to make queer history more accessible to demographics impacted by recent legislative bans on it being taught in schools. They are currently interning at the Vermont Statehouse for a state senator, and are a Dru Scholar and a Pedro Zamora Scholar. Zane enjoys yoga, gardening, and curating inclusive social settings.

Some entries have been edited for length or clarity.

A guide to Moscow’s summer festivals

May 26, 2018 • 4 min read

People attend open-air concert during Usadba Jazz festival at the Archangelskoye Estate @ Anton Gvozdikov / Shutterstock

Believe it or not, in summer Moscow usually gets rather hot. It’s also the season when the city is fully awake, with more events happening than at any other time of the year. Almost every weekend a new market, exhibition or festival takes place, making it pretty hard to choose which one to attend.

Of course, the highlight of this summer in the Russian capital will be the celebration of football, as Moscow gets ready to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup (from 14 June to 15 July) along with 10 other cities across the country. Nevertheless, over the years some big annual events have become an integral – and fun – part of Moscow’s summer culture. Here are our top picks.

Usadba Jazz at Arkhangelskoe

This iconic open-air jazz festival has been taking place in Moscow for over a decade, making it one of the city’s favourite outdoor events. The location is always the same – the gorgeous 19th-century  Arkhangelskoe Estate and its surroundings. Apart from some great classical and modern jazz, blues, funk, soul and world music, there’s a new theme each year: in 2017 it was ecology, introducing some local eco-designers and culinary artists to jazz-loving Muscovites.

Dates: 2–3 June 2018

Red Square Book Fest

This year Moscow’s annual book festival will be taking over the historic Red Square for the fourth time. The event celebrates the reading culture, introduces the best local publishing houses, and allows visitors to purchase books, attend masterclasses and listen to some well-known modern Russian writers. The program covers several themes, including fiction, non-fiction, ebooks, children’s and educational literature, antique and secondhand books, as well as Russian regions.  Famous Russian museums present their publishing projects and catalogues, and there are live concerts and performances throughout the festival.

Dates: 3–6 June 2018

Moscow Flower Show

Who knew Moscow could be a rose? Last year a new sort of rose was created just to celebrate the 870th anniversary of the Russian capital. This international garden festival is a paradise for the admirers of landscape design and all things green and blooming. Both recognised and up-and-coming landscape designers present their works and compete for the main prize, awarded by an international jury. And visitors get a chance to release their inner flower child.

Dates: 29 June–8 July 2018

Taste of Moscow

This international food festival   has been around for a long time, covering 19 cities of the world and gaining huge popularity in Moscow. The city’s 30 best restaurants will take part in the program this year, offering visitors their most renowned dishes and products. You can treat yourself to delicacies from one of the exclusive menus created specifically for the festival, attend degustations or learn how to cook from a professional chef. The interactive program will also include concerts, masterclasses, pop-up performances and children’s activities.

Dates: 26–29 July 2018

Much loved by both locals and visitors to the city, the annual Park Live rock festival has achieved international status in its six years of existence, treating the fans with performances from world-famous and local rock stars. Hosting Muse in 2015 has been the highlight in the festival’s history, while Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey, Limp Bizkit and System of a Down have also headlined. In 2018 revellers will have a chance to see David Guetta, Gorillaz and Massive Attack at the vibrant Gorky Park  in the heart of the city.

Dates: 27–29 July 2018

Afisha Picnic

Moscow’s biggest open-air festival is a summer rave for food and music lovers. Organized by Afisha magazine, it’s been expanding year on year, eventually moving from concert halls and stadiums to the vast Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve , a former royal estate and a Unesco World Heritage Site by the Moscow River. The organisers make sure there’s lots going on, so apart from multiple music stages you can find food stalls with local products, a designers’ market, gaming and lecture areas – all with a strict no-alcohol policy.

Dates: 4 August 2018

The Times and Epochs re-enactment of a battle between Polish and Ruthenian archers © Degtyaryov Andrey / Shutterstock

Times and Epochs

The ultimate historical festival in Russia expands with each passing year, taking over Moscow parks, recreational areas and some of the main streets. It brings together the best from the world of historical re-enactment, boasting more than 6000 geeky participants in 2017 (many of them from abroad). Soldiers, merchants, craftsmen, musicians all walk the streets in traditional costumes, performing or teaching the arts, crafts and games of the past. Best of all, the festival is focused on getting the audience involved in the lifestyles of different eras, from the Stone Age to the Soviet times.

Dates: 10–22 August 2018

Moscow City Day

Moscow turned 870 in 2017, and to celebrate the occasion, the city administration decided to host a 10-day festival under the slogan ‘Moscow is a city where history is being made’. With Russian avant-garde the main theme, dozens of events, lectures, performances and street markets celebrated the history of the capital as well as its prominent inhabitants. Plenty of music, food and modern art is always to be expected on the city streets during this time. Don’t miss the magnificent fireworks.

Dates: 1–10 September 2018

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The Russian Student Who Has Become Moscow's New Face Of Dissent

A protester holds a poster reading "Free Yegor Zhukov!" during an August rally in Moscow, after mass police detentions. He was arrested in Moscow on Aug. 1. Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

A protester holds a poster reading "Free Yegor Zhukov!" during an August rally in Moscow, after mass police detentions. He was arrested in Moscow on Aug. 1.

On Aug. 1, Yegor Zhukov posted his last YouTube video , making an impassioned appeal to support anti-government protesters caught up in the wheels of Russia's criminal justice system. Wearing a dark blue button-down shirt, the 21-year-old Moscow political science student leaned into the camera and urged Russians not to be cowed into silence.

"Russia will eventually be free," he said. "But we may not live to see it if we let fear win."

Hours later, law enforcement agents arrested Zhukov and charged him with rioting during an unauthorized rally in downtown Moscow.

Overnight, Zhukov became the human face of a crackdown on political dissent that Amnesty International calls an "unprecedented" attack on Russians' freedom of assembly and expression. At demonstrations ahead of Sept. 8 local elections, police beat dozens of protesters and detained hundreds.

Zhukov's arrest mobilized his fellow students and fueled a petition drive by Russian academics against political reprisals. Oxxxymiron , one of Russia's most successful rappers, even offered to put up a 2 million ruble ($31,000) bond for Zhukov, but a Moscow court turned him down .

Protests broke out this summer after election authorities barred more than a dozen opposition candidates from running for Moscow's City Council, claiming they had not collected enough valid signatures. The opposition seized the opportunity to turn a local election into a battle with President Vladimir Putin, who has held on to power for 20 years.

The Kremlin stood its ground, viewing the legitimization of its opponents as a dangerous precedent — and a slippery slope to sharing power in other regions. The ruling party ended up narrowly retaining control of Moscow's City Council, ceding seats to other parties under the Kremlin's control.

Zhukov briefly made a run as an opposition candidate for the council.

Ilya Novikov, Zhukov's lawyer, speaks at an auction to support political prisoners. Novikov says that even though the charges against Zhukov have changed and he's now under house arrest, the student still faces up to five years in prison. Lucian Kim/NPR hide caption

Ilya Novikov, Zhukov's lawyer, speaks at an auction to support political prisoners. Novikov says that even though the charges against Zhukov have changed and he's now under house arrest, the student still faces up to five years in prison.

"I'm not the most experienced or famous candidate. I have nothing to offer you but energy, commitment and my convictions," he wrote in his campaign pitch . "But I can guarantee three things: I will never deceive you, I will never look down on you, and I will never stop fighting for you."

Zhukov later dropped out of the race, saying he wasn't able to collect enough signatures to launch his candidacy. But he continued analyzing politics on his video blog and attended an opposition rally on July 27 that had been banned by Moscow's mayor, a Putin loyalist.

The police detained more than 1,000 protesters at that demonstration and later charged a dozen of them, including Zhukov, with rioting. Memorial, one of Russia's oldest human rights groups, denounced the criminal cases , saying the protests on that day were overwhelmingly peaceful and that the police, instead of guaranteeing citizens' right to assembly, used force to disperse them.

Zhukov's classmates at Moscow's prestigious Higher School of Economics have rallied to support him, collecting money for his legal defense.

Artyom Tyurin, a 19-year-old political science student, was arrested while demonstrating for Zhukov's release and was jailed for a week.

"Seeing what's happening right now in my country, I understand how much things need to change," Tyurin said. "I want to live in Russia. I think Russia deserves to be free, and its citizens need to get out from under the yoke of Putin and his gang."

Tyurin calls Alexei Navalny , Russia's best-known opposition leader, a hero. The 43-year-old anti-corruption campaigner was a driving force behind the last wave of street protests that started in late 2011. Despite serious handicaps, including limited media coverage, Navalny won 27% of the vote in Moscow mayoral elections in 2013 and ran the only real presidential campaign challenging Putin last year by building a nationwide network of regional offices.

Navalny's investigations into official corruption have sparked anti-government street protests in the past . In this summer's campaign for Moscow City Council, his allies were banned from running and many served repeated jail sentences.

On a recent evening, Khatima Mutayeva, an 18-year-old journalism student, was at a charity auction to raise funds for political prisoners. Mutayeva wore a T-shirt saying "Free Zhukov!" and sold stickers, buttons and T-shirts demanding his release. She laughed at the cliché that young people are only interested in their phones and rap music .

At an auction to support political prisoners in Moscow, two drawings of riot policemen go on the block. They were drawn by Oleg Navalny, the younger brother of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who spent more than three years in prison after a conviction he calls politically motivated. Lucian Kim/NPR hide caption

At an auction to support political prisoners in Moscow, two drawings of riot policemen go on the block. They were drawn by Oleg Navalny, the younger brother of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who spent more than three years in prison after a conviction he calls politically motivated.

"If it weren't for our phones and our rappers, we wouldn't have gotten where we are now. Even Oxxxymiron supported Yegor Zhukov," Mutayeva said. "When smartphones, the Internet and rap appeared , it immediately became clear that politics would take over this space."

Mutayeva said she is well aware of the risks associated with her activism. "I won't lie. Of course it's scary." But she says she doesn't have a choice. "I can't just sit at home. My conscience wouldn't let me."

Student activists celebrated a small victory in early September, when a judge moved Zhukov from jail to house arrest. But as prosecutors' case against him for rioting crumbled, he is now being charged with "extremism," which carries up to five years in prison.

"The danger hasn't passed; it just looks a little different," said Ilya Novikov, a lawyer representing Zhukov. "His situation hasn't radically improved, because he still faces several years in prison."

Novikov says Zhukov is cheerful enough, considering his circumstances. His name has been added to a government blacklist of extremists and terrorists . The terms of his house arrest mean he can't use the Internet or receive visitors; he required special permission to have a barber come and cut his hair.

Zhukov lives with his parents, brother and grandmother; his father has worked in the Russian space program. Zhukov's family is not commenting on the case.

Other protesters detained during opposition rallies have already been sentenced in rushed court proceedings. A blogger, Vladislav Sinitsa, was handed a five-year jail sentence for a tweet that prosecutors said threatened the children of law enforcement officers. A computer programmer, Konstantin Kotov, was given four years for repeatedly taking part in unauthorized rallies .

Shortly before Zhukov was placed under house arrest, he wrote an open letter from his jail cell . In it, Zhukov predicted that a change in Russia's leadership would come as unexpectedly as his own arrest.

"What we once thought impossible will suddenly happen," Zhukov wrote. "And in hindsight, it will appear to have been inevitable."