commencement Ryan Yu: Living Life on His Own Terms While Ryan Yu has made a lasting impact on The Student, what’s most notable about him is his unwavering commitment to finding his own path.
commencement Troy Colleran: Quietly Setting the Standard Despite a humble, understated presence, Troy Colleran has made an enormous impact in his two key areas: on the track and field team and in the chemistry lab.
commencement Shikha Jha: Leading Through Dance In her four years at the college, Shikha Jha has played crucial leadership roles for both Dance and Step at Amherst College and the Asian Students Association. Along the way, she’s found time to rethink her goals and find a path that’s right for her.
commencement Kalidas Shanti: Finding Joy and Meaning Through Writing Despite his understated presentation, those who know Kalidas Shanti know him to be a deep thinker and compassionate friend who has spent his time at Amherst exploring a wide range of interests.
commencement Anna Smith: An Archivist’s Journey Through Amherst Through exploring the Amherst archives, Anna Smith has uncovered Amherst’s deep rooted connection with slavery.
commencement Sophie Koh: A Drive for Inclusion in Intellectual Spaces Sophie Koh pursues her intellectual passions with a higher purpose. Her commitment to cultivating inclusivity encourages us all to contribute to meaningful change in the spaces we occupy.
commencement Sage Innerarity: Creating Community and Championing Change Throughout her time at Amherst, Sage Innerarity has made a name for herself through her ability to bring people together and raise the voices of others.
commencement Teo Ruskov: From Religion Major to World Traveler Teo Ruskov conveys passion and dedication for religious studies, earning the prestigious Watson Fellowship and winning multiple accolades for his thesis on Buddhism.
commencement Ella Peterson: A Community Builder With a Love for Democracy Ella Peterson has used her time at Amherst to avidly pursue her interest in the political sphere, effecting positive change and building community along the way.
commencement Jorge Rodriguez: Learning and Teaching “the Art of Living” Prioritizing self-discipline, service, and faith, Jorge Rodriguez has all the necessary tools to achieve his ultimate goal: living a beautiful life.
commencement Angelina Han: AAS President and Extracurricular Extraordinaire A double major in geology and economics, former AAS president Angelina Han had a busy four years at Amherst. Her commitments to public service and helping others shine through everything she says and does.
commencement Scott Brasesco: Seeking an Understanding of Humanity Scott Brasesco has always had a passion for the history of humanity and society. At Amherst, he has pursued that passion in every way he could — always with unending calm, constant brilliance, and a mug of tea to start the morning.
commencement Juanita Jaramillo: A Track Star With a Passion for Policy Juanita Jaramillo came to Amherst as a track recruit, but her time on campus has been about far more: She found a passion for policy-related research, which she will pursue as a predoctoral fellow at MIT.
commencement Arzoo Rajpar: Crafting Art, Empowerment, and Agency Arzoo Rajpar has created intersections between her passion for design and her interest in creating community-based solutions, uplifting herself and those around her.
commencement Abner Aldarondo: Creating a Community of Love Through Culture With an abundant amount of charisma, Abner Aldarondo invites love into his life constantly, whether it is in his academic, artistic, or community-based work.
commencement Lauren Kisare: Critical Language Scholar With a Future in Publishing A natural community builder, Lauren Kisare’s time at Amherst has seen her excel at everything from journalism to studying Korean — all while bringing joy to the people around her.
commencement Cole Graber-Mitchell: Making His Voice Heard Cole Graber-Mitchell is committed to civic engagement, whether it be as an AAS senator or an opinion columnist. The Marshall Scholar’s world revolves around three principles: persistence, community, and joy.
commencement Jiajia Zhang: Teaching, Telling, Painting Asian American History While Jiajia Zhang is on her way to becoming an Asian American studies scholar, her life has encompassed so much more: art, activism, and even social media management for a Belarusian rock band.
commencement Alexis Scalese: Asserting Indigeneity at Amherst and Beyond A dedicated researcher, thoughtful friend, and driven activist, Alexis Scalese has been an instrumental force in the creation of an assertive Native American presence on campus.
commencement German Giammattei: A Legend on and off the Pitch Though perhaps the best player in the history of Amherst men’s soccer, German Giammattei is better described as a humble teammate and a phenomenal friend.
commencement Joelle Crichlow: Leading the Charge to Make Change Guided by a passion for changemaking and a commitment to making Amherst a better place, Joelle Crichlow has done just that — and she will continue to effect positive change wherever her path takes her.
commencement Audrey Rosevear: Leaping to Topology, Theater, and Transitioning Audrey Rosevear has spent her time at Amherst devoted to her passions of mathematics and theater, all while embarking on a personal journey to come out as trans.
commencement Sebastian Son: Storytelling Through Song Whether he’s performing onstage, writing behind the scenes, or simply being a steadfast friend, Sebastian Son has made innumerable contributions to the Amherst arts community.
commencement Rebecca Picciotto: Stewarding Stories With Care and Perspective Rebecca Picciotto has a deep passion for connecting with people through journalism. But she also understands just where journalism can fall short.
News Students Rally for Reproductive Justice Following Leaked Supreme Court Opinion At 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, approximately 400 Amherst college students participated in a class walkout and protest on the Amherst Town Common in response to a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion poised to overturn the 1973 landmark decision Roe v. Wade.