Receive our RSS FeedContact Jo Procter, college news director; phone: (413) 597-4279; e-mail Jo.Procter@williams.edu
Williams College Announces Post-Graduate Fellowship Winners
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., December 12, 2007 -- Six Williams College students have won prestigious post-graduate opportunities to continue their education in England next fall. The awardees are Zoia Alexanian of East Windsor, N.J.; William Bruce of Nashville, Tenn.; Marcela Di Blasi of San Antonio, Tex.; Xiang (Jerry) He of Fort Pierce, Fla.; Carrie Plitt of Wenham, Mass.; and Sarah (Sayd) Randle of Arlington, Va.
Chosen by a faculty and alumni selection committee, the fellowships are awarded on the basis of intellectual ability and the promise of original and creative work as demonstrated by attainment in their major field(s) of study.
Five seniors were awarded the Herchel Smith Fellowship for two years of post-graduate study at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. The sixth student was awarded the Martin-Wilson Fellowship for two years of post-graduate study at Worcester College, Oxford University.
The awardees:
Zoia Alexanian was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and moved to New York City when she was five years old. She attended Hunter College High School. A chemistry and English double major at Williams, this year she was awarded the honored Ruchman Student Fellowship for research in the college's Oakley Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences and named a 1960 Scholar in the English department. She also recently was awarded first place in poetry by the intercollegiate magazine Spires. Earlier honors include the CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award. Zoia spent her junior year abroad at St. Catherine's College at Oxford. She will pursue a masters in English studies: culture and criticism at Cambridge University. She is the daughter of Sergei and Victoria Alexanian who live in Hightstown, N.J.
William Bruce attended Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn., before matriculating at Williams. An economics and history double major, he will pursue a M.Phil. in Comparative Social Policy at Oxford University, looking forward to pursuing a career in public service. He has interned in Washington, D.C., for Congressman Jim Cooper of the 5th District in Tennessee. At Williams, he has been awarded the Grosvenor Memorial Cup (given to the junior who has best demonstrated concern for the community), Campus Life's Dedication to Service Award, the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's Community Recognition Award, and Winter All-Academic NESCAC Honors. He is on the men's varsity ice hockey team. William is co-president of the Lehman Service Council for community engagement and student chair of the Honor and Discipline Committee. He is the son of Lois and Bill Bruce of Nashville, Tenn.
Marcela Di Blasi attended Tom C. Clark High School in San Antonio, Texas. An English major at Williams, she was chosen as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellow by the Office of Special Academic Programs and was named a 1960 Scholar in English. This past summer, Marcela researched the Plaza de Mayo Organization in Argentina with the support of a Class of 1945 World Fellowship. She served as a Junior Advisor, is a founder of the Williams College Women's Center and a co-coordinator of the rape and sexual assault network. She will study for a masters of studies in literature at Cambridge University and intends to pursue a doctoral program in English literature at an American university. She is the daughter of Vincent and Clara Di Blasi of San Antonio, Texas.
Xiang (Jerry) He was born in Ning Bo, China and moved to Florida after finishing elementary school. He attended high school at Lincoln Park Academy in Ft. Pierce, Fla. While at Williams, Jerry was a 2006 National Collegiate Mathematics Contest winner and was also awarded student membership in the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. He has researched Quantum Computation with Professor of Physics William Wootters. Jerry's extracurricular activities include the badminton and swing clubs, and he dances with Ritmo Latino. Jerry, a triple major in physics, math and economics, will study for a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Mathematics and a masters of philosophy in economics at Cambridge University. He is the son of Zhenli He of Fort Pierce, Fla., and of Xiaoe Yang of Hang Zhou, China.
Carrie Plitt grew up in Wenham, Mass. and attended Hamilton Wenham Regional High School. At Williams, Plitt is a 1960s Scholar in the English department. Following her junior year when she was a Junior Advisor, she was awarded a Wilmers Travel Fellowship to study the painter Manet in Paris. She sits on the English majors committee, is captain of the track team, a member of the a cappella group Ephoria, and a member of the rape and sexual assault network. A double major in art history and English at Williams, she will pursue a B.A. in Victorian Literature and a master of philosophy in Culture and Criticism at Cambridge University. She is the daughter of Nancy Mann and Larry Plitt of Wenham, Mass.
Sarah (Sayd) Randle attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology in Alexandria, Va. She studied in the Williams in New York Program in the 2006 fall semester and this year is a 1960 Scholar in environmental studies. She has interned at Voice for America and the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women in Boston through the alumni-sponsored internship program. An English major at Williams, she will use her fellowship to study the complexities of environmental and resource management, with a focus on developing nations. Sayd is managing editor of the independent student newspaper The Record and she plans to pursue environmental journalism after receiving masters of philosophy in environment, society and development and in geographical research at Cambridge University. She is the daughter of Russell and Julia Randle of Arlington, Va.
Jody Spooner is director of fellowships at Williams College and Lynn Chick is the fellowships coordinator.
END
Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college's 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student's financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.
To visit the college on the Internet:www.williams.edu
News: Hillary Batchelder
Chosen by a faculty and alumni selection committee, the fellowships are awarded on the basis of intellectual ability and the promise of original and creative work as demonstrated by attainment in their major field(s) of study.
Five seniors were awarded the Herchel Smith Fellowship for two years of post-graduate study at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. The sixth student was awarded the Martin-Wilson Fellowship for two years of post-graduate study at Worcester College, Oxford University.
The awardees:
Zoia Alexanian was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and moved to New York City when she was five years old. She attended Hunter College High School. A chemistry and English double major at Williams, this year she was awarded the honored Ruchman Student Fellowship for research in the college's Oakley Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences and named a 1960 Scholar in the English department. She also recently was awarded first place in poetry by the intercollegiate magazine Spires. Earlier honors include the CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award. Zoia spent her junior year abroad at St. Catherine's College at Oxford. She will pursue a masters in English studies: culture and criticism at Cambridge University. She is the daughter of Sergei and Victoria Alexanian who live in Hightstown, N.J.
William Bruce attended Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn., before matriculating at Williams. An economics and history double major, he will pursue a M.Phil. in Comparative Social Policy at Oxford University, looking forward to pursuing a career in public service. He has interned in Washington, D.C., for Congressman Jim Cooper of the 5th District in Tennessee. At Williams, he has been awarded the Grosvenor Memorial Cup (given to the junior who has best demonstrated concern for the community), Campus Life's Dedication to Service Award, the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's Community Recognition Award, and Winter All-Academic NESCAC Honors. He is on the men's varsity ice hockey team. William is co-president of the Lehman Service Council for community engagement and student chair of the Honor and Discipline Committee. He is the son of Lois and Bill Bruce of Nashville, Tenn.
Marcela Di Blasi attended Tom C. Clark High School in San Antonio, Texas. An English major at Williams, she was chosen as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellow by the Office of Special Academic Programs and was named a 1960 Scholar in English. This past summer, Marcela researched the Plaza de Mayo Organization in Argentina with the support of a Class of 1945 World Fellowship. She served as a Junior Advisor, is a founder of the Williams College Women's Center and a co-coordinator of the rape and sexual assault network. She will study for a masters of studies in literature at Cambridge University and intends to pursue a doctoral program in English literature at an American university. She is the daughter of Vincent and Clara Di Blasi of San Antonio, Texas.
Xiang (Jerry) He was born in Ning Bo, China and moved to Florida after finishing elementary school. He attended high school at Lincoln Park Academy in Ft. Pierce, Fla. While at Williams, Jerry was a 2006 National Collegiate Mathematics Contest winner and was also awarded student membership in the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. He has researched Quantum Computation with Professor of Physics William Wootters. Jerry's extracurricular activities include the badminton and swing clubs, and he dances with Ritmo Latino. Jerry, a triple major in physics, math and economics, will study for a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Mathematics and a masters of philosophy in economics at Cambridge University. He is the son of Zhenli He of Fort Pierce, Fla., and of Xiaoe Yang of Hang Zhou, China.
Carrie Plitt grew up in Wenham, Mass. and attended Hamilton Wenham Regional High School. At Williams, Plitt is a 1960s Scholar in the English department. Following her junior year when she was a Junior Advisor, she was awarded a Wilmers Travel Fellowship to study the painter Manet in Paris. She sits on the English majors committee, is captain of the track team, a member of the a cappella group Ephoria, and a member of the rape and sexual assault network. A double major in art history and English at Williams, she will pursue a B.A. in Victorian Literature and a master of philosophy in Culture and Criticism at Cambridge University. She is the daughter of Nancy Mann and Larry Plitt of Wenham, Mass.
Sarah (Sayd) Randle attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology in Alexandria, Va. She studied in the Williams in New York Program in the 2006 fall semester and this year is a 1960 Scholar in environmental studies. She has interned at Voice for America and the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women in Boston through the alumni-sponsored internship program. An English major at Williams, she will use her fellowship to study the complexities of environmental and resource management, with a focus on developing nations. Sayd is managing editor of the independent student newspaper The Record and she plans to pursue environmental journalism after receiving masters of philosophy in environment, society and development and in geographical research at Cambridge University. She is the daughter of Russell and Julia Randle of Arlington, Va.
Jody Spooner is director of fellowships at Williams College and Lynn Chick is the fellowships coordinator.
END
Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college's 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student's financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.
To visit the college on the Internet:www.williams.edu
News: Hillary Batchelder
top