Current Scholars

First Years

Aisha Baiocchi

Campus: UNC Hometown: New York, New York How do you think you’ll bring transformational change to your communities? I hope to bring as much empathy and patience to my communities as possible. I think change is only possible, and long term, if we take the time to listen and learn about the problems we face…

Anna Seaman

Campus: UNC Hometown: Littleton, Colorado What drew you to the Robertson Scholars? I was drawn to the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program because it offers both the opportunity to improve my leadership skills and the freedom to explore my varied interests. The unique servant leadership ethos of the program pushes scholars to use their passions to…

Atharva Vispute

Campus: UNC Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado What drew you to the Robertson Scholars? The first aspect of the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program that really caught my eye was that the program has a unique focus on reflection about the world around us, the actions we take, our leadership styles, and especially our own behaviors and…

Bryce Jones

Campus: UNC Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania What drew you to the Robertson Scholars? I was drawn to the Robertson Scholarship because of the opportunity to be a part of select group of scholars committed to making a positive impact on our world. The Robertson fundamental program values stood out to me as an accurate representation of…

Danica Bajaj

Campus: Duke Hometown: Princeton, New Jersey What strengths and passions are you bringing to our Robertson community and our campuses? In my religion, Sikhism, one of the foundational values is “seva”–or service—and I’ve been passionate about it from a young age. I’m looking forward to engaging with the greater Chapel Hill and Durham communities as…

Dorian Ho

Campus: UNC Hometown: New Providence, New Jersey What drew you to the Robertson Scholars? Throughout my college search process, I aspired to find an education that was challenging yet encouraging; individualized; community-focused; and affordable. The Robertson satisfied all of those qualities and more, but accepting the scholarship meant more to me than a box-checking exercise.…

Durga Sreenivasan

Campus: Duke Hometown: New York, New York What drew you to the Robertson Scholars? After engaging in advocacy throughout high school around inclusion and representation, the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program looked like the perfect opportunity to tangibly make things better in any community I’m in. Through every summer opportunity and leadership grant, this community is…

Emilio Abelmann

Campus: Duke Hometown: Washington, District of Columbia What drew you to the Robertson Scholars? After spending hours reading through the website’s Scholar Profiles, it was clear to me that the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program offered exactly what I was looking for: a community of equally curious individuals that fostered passionate, empathetic collaboration. Every alumnus I…

Frank Mercer

Campus: Duke Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia What drew you to the Robertson Scholars? I was drawn to the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program because of the summer opportunities, cross-campus engagement, and sense of community. I believe that Summer is an important time for intellectual development. The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program with its community, exploration, and launch…

Jack Morgenstein

Campus: Duke Hometown: Cary, North Carolina What strengths and passions are you bringing to our Robertson community and our campuses? My all encompassing love of learning drives me to constantly seek new knowledge and be flexible in my mindset. I’m excited to become a part of the Robertson, Duke, and UNC communities to be able…

Sophomores

Karen Gonzalez-Palomo

Campus: UNC Hometown: Durham, NC What drew you to the Robertson Program? As a first-generation student, I was drawn to the Robertson program because I wanted to make the most out of my time in college. The program would not only allow me to take advantage of resources at two universities, it would also guide me through…

Mark Kabai

Campus: Duke Hometown: Brooklyn, New York What drew you to the Robertson Program? What really drew me to the Robertson was the community. I’ve always been a big believer in working on things in teams, and having the opportunity where I could engage with some of the world’s most pertinent issues with peers was the biggest draw…

Tarun Amasa

Campus: Duke Hometown: Boulder, Colorado What drew you to the Robertson Program? I was inspired by the diverse and passionate backgrounds of all the scholars in the Robertson Community. It was evident that they all had a clear vision to leave a lasting impact in the world, and I was enamored with the possibility of collaborating and…

Andrew Qin

Campus: Duke Hometown: Houston, Texas What drew you to the Robertson Program? I was drawn by the unparalleled academic and leadership opportunities provided by the program. Rather than imposing a particular series of interests onto its scholars, the Robertson program gives scholars the flexibility to explore and act on their interests through its summer programs and…

Campbell Lindquist

Campus: UNC Hometown: Morganton, North Carolina What drew you to the Robertson Program? Growing up in a house divided—especially during March Madness—I learned to be very diplomatic about which shade of blue I favored. Having the opportunity to attend both Duke and UNC as an undergraduate is something that I never dreamed possible; Robertson made it…

Mackenzie Warren

Campus: Duke Hometown: Houston, Texas What drew you to the Robertson Program? The reason I was drawn to the Robertson Scholars Program was because I wanted the opportunity to enhance my leadership skills by way of interacting and collaborating with other young leaders who are channeling their passions to make a meaningful difference in the world. I…

Lydia Rowen

Campus: UNC Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado What drew you to the Robertson Program? The Robertson Program radiates intellectual, creative, and compassionate energy and I so wanted to be a part of that environment. To be surrounded by peers and mentors who inspire me in a supportive environment is just dreamy.

Johnathan Brown

Campus: UNC Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina What drew you to the Robertson Program? From the moment I found out about the Robertson, I knew that it was a program I had to experience. With the sheer scope of the resources and opportunities available to scholars, our potentials are limitless. The Robertson is truly committed to both individual…

Julia Davis

Campus: Duke Hometown: Newton, Massachusetts What drew you to the Robertson Program? I am drawn to the Robertson Scholars Program because I am excited about collaborating with other scholars who value innovation and leadership. My goal is not only to be challenged to lead and think in distinctive ways, but also to meaningfully contribute to my peers’…

Ayush Garg

Campus: Duke Hometown: Denver, Colorado How will you use your Robertson experience to create transformational change? I resonate most with the Robertson value of Strength of Character… I want to help contribute to and navigate the complex landscape of the future in which technologies like artificial intelligence will fundamentally change how we live. By developing groundbreaking tech…