Annual Report 2014–2015
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THE JOHNSON SCHOLARS PROGRAM
A Year in Review—2014–2015
Santa Clara University is California’s oldest operating higher-education institution. Located in Silicon Valley, as a comprehensive Jesuit Catholic university, it demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. The Johnson Scholars Program is committed to this vision in educating citizens and leaders of competence, conscience, and compassion to build a more humane, just, and sustainable world. Johnson Scholars receive full financial support as well as access to the University Honors and Johnson Leadership Fellows Programs, faculty mentoring, and research experiences. Being a part of this distinctive community opens a wide variety of doors for the scholars during their four years at Santa Clara. This year, the program welcomes the next cohort of 10 new scholars. In the following pages read their stories, review the highlights of the past year, and learn how the program continues to support leaders dedicated to building a better world.
Highlights from the Year The Johnson Scholars enjoy being a part of a distinctive community at Santa Clara. During 2015, the scholars were involved in several special leadership opportunities as described below: The Johnson Scholars: ■■
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organized a book reading of “Touch The Top of the World” and Skype call in March 2015 to discuss leadership with author Erik Weihenmayer, an American adventurer, moti vational speaker, and the only blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest; met with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright during her campus visit in May 2015; attended a leadership retreat at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area near San Francisco in October 2015;
Harshitha Mogallapalli ’18 and Hannah Kortbawi ’18 assisted Dr. Leilani Miller in her SCU cell research lab throughout the summer.
assisted in the selection process for the next class of Johnson Scholars by hosting finalists on campus and holding a parent Q&A session; welcomed the Class of 2019 scholars at an end-of-the-year dinner in June and back-to-school meeting in September; and volunteered together over two weekends at Julian Street Inn, a homeless shelter in San Jose, through the Santa Clara Community Action Program.
The Johnson Scholars Class of 2018 enjoyed meeting with Rupert and Maryellie Johnson for an end of the school year dinner celebration.
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Josie Warren ’17 interned over the summer with construction company PCL on the site of the new Harry Potter World at Universal Studios, Hollywood.
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Introducing the Class of 2019 Johnson Scholars
Phillip Barber Phillip Barber was the senior class treasurer, Spanish Club president, and a valedictorian of the class of 2015 at Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle. Phillip says that being a leader is an important goal of his and he strives to make an impact on the world around him. He started a neighborhood sports camp in 2009 and enjoys volunteering at Kiwanis Camp Casey, a summer camp for children who have physical disabilities. Phillip says that the most appealing aspect of the Santa Clara University vision is the education of leaders. He hopes to parlay his leadership skills and get involved in programs at SCU like the California Program for Entrepreneurship.
High School: Bishop Blanchet High School Hometown: Bellevue, Wash. Major: Business
Liah D’sa High School: Chandler Preparatory Academy Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz. Major: Public Health
Liah D’sa exemplified strength, fortitude, scholarship, and purpose throughout her high school career at Chandler Preparatory Academy in Chandler, Ariz. She was forced to give up traditional school days during her sophomore and junior years to overcome a major medical hurdle but still managed to outperform her peers through a home study program. She has an unparalleled level of self-motivation, discipline, and maturity beyond her years that has driven her to excel in her studies. She likens youth to clay that needs to be molded and says she looks forward to being shaped by the Jesuit experience at SCU.
Andrew Descourouez High School: Bellarmine College Preparatory Hometown: Los Altos, Calif. Major: Arts & Sciences Undeclared
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Andrew Descourouez had multiple leadership roles in high school, including serving as student body president of Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose and on the youth advisory committee of Free the Children, with whom he traveled to Kenya and China. He is the founder of Bellarmine’s Free the Children Club, working to inspire others to make a difference in the world. Andrew has a passion for social justice and says that education driven by values and vision makes him feel like he’s part of something bigger than himself.
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Rachel Goldstein High School: Lowell High School Hometown: San Francisco, Calif. Major: Engineering
Rachel Goldstein embodies strength in leadership and speaks up for what she believes in. As a senior at Lowell High School in San Francisco, she was a member of the leadership team at the California Academy of Sciences, where she volunteered for hundreds of hours to bring science to the community in innovative and engaging ways. Rachel played for her school’s league-winning varsity tennis team and founded the tennis club at Lowell to provide a space for students to learn to play the sport. She is passionate about her Spanish studies because it allows her to connect to a wide variety of people. She has participated in an immersion program in Spain and is recognized for her service as a member of the Spanish Honors Society, where she helped to raise money for Casa de Las Madres and a disaster relief program.
Varsha Kalavar High School: Jesuit High School Hometown: Portland, Ore. Major: Biochemistry
Varsha Kalavar was on the swim team at Jesuit High School in Portland, a teacher at the Anjali School of Indian Dance, and a Girl Scout Gold Award winner. She has done research at Oregon Health and Science University and was deemed the head student lab researcher at the hematology and oncology labs. Varsha received the Girl Scout Gold Award for her work on getting laptops to a rural school in India where students had never seen or used such devices. She also helped raise $3,000 for another rural Indian school. Varsha believes attending Santa Clara University will help her achieve her goal of helping grant the gift of education to children all over the world. She is interested in building sustainable solutions to the world’s problems.
Maria Khouri-Haddad High School: Saint Francis High School Hometown: Los Altos, Calif. Major: French and Francophone Studies
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Maria Khouri-Haddad was the president of the Foreign Language Honor Society, an Associated Student Body leader, and founder of the Glee Club at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View. Maria is a dual citizen of the United States and Lebanon and is fluent in four languages. She is strongly inspired by her family’s roots in Lebanon and the warmth and support of the culture. Maria hopes to bring that same welcoming spirit to SCU and looks forward to developing close friendships and ties at Santa Clara University.
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Introducing the Class of 2019 Johnson Scholars Eoin Lyons Eoin Lyons was the student body president at Saint Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco. He recently went to Uganda on an immersion trip and was inspired by the people he met— people whose lives had been turned upside down by war and who had so little materially but who exemplified so much love and selflessness. Eoin believes a Santa Clara education will help him have the conscience and compassion to become a force of positive change in the world. Eoin is also the Johnson Scholars Program’s first Santa Clara LEAD Scholar, a four-year program for first-generation college students.
High School: Saint Ignatius College Prep Hometown: San Francisco, Calif. Major: Business
Cooper Scherr High School: Saint Francis Central Coast Catholic High School Hometown: San Juan Bautista, Calif. Major: History
Cooper Scherr was a National Merit Scholar, National Honor Society President and Valedictorian of St. Francis High School’s Class of 2015. He was a co-captain of the varsity basketball team and founder of the chess and hacky sack clubs. Cooper also devotes his time to musical theater, church, and community service. Cooper participated in the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine and is inspired to empower people through a career as a physician, like his father. Cooper is attracted to Santa Clara’s mission to mold competent, conscientious, and compassionate leaders.
Vanessa Shin Vanessa Shin was co-valedictorian in her class at Iolani School in Honolulu and was recognized as Top Student in biology, U.S. government, and calculus in her senior year. In high school, she was a captain on the Science Olympiad team, played varsity tennis, was a co-chair for her school’s annual fair, and enjoyed tutoring students. She also led many community service clubs and utilized her photography to promote the annual Oncology on Canvas event held on Oahu. Vanessa obtained her Girl Scout Gold Award by working with children to build environmental sustainability awareness and to educate them on the benefits of composting.
High School: Iolani School Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii Major: Biology
Jon Tuttle Jon Tuttle is a student who values unity in diversity. Born on a Navajo reservation, and having spent time with students from all over the world at Hebron Academy in Hebron, Maine, Jon has seen how much people have in common despite their different backgrounds. One of his main goals after attending Santa Clara University is to join the Peace Corps and to serve the world around him. Jon was drawn to SCU after learning about the global opportunities in study abroad programs, Ignatian immersions, and the University’s dedication to service. He would like to earn a political science degree with a concentration in international relations.
High School: Hebron Academy Hometown: Minot, Maine Major: Political Science
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Selection of the Class of 2019 Scholars: Facts and Figures ■■
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Through early and regular admission applications, 231 semifinalists were admitted to Santa Clara and identified for the Class of 2019 Johnson Scholar selection process. Semifinalists were asked to submit an essay reflecting on what it means for Santa Clara University to remember the 25th Anniversary of the Jesuit and lay martyrs of the University of Central America in El Salvador. After reviewing the essays, a selection committee composed of faculty and staff identified 60 finalists who were invited for a one-day, on-campus selection process, coupled with SCU’s annual Preview Day for admitted students. 45 finalists attended the selection-day activities, from which the current 10 Johnson Scholars were selected. The Class of 2019 Johnson Scholars ~Come to SCU from 6 states ~50% social science majors ~30% science majors ~20% business majors The 2014–2015 Johnson Scholars cohort has an average ~ High school GPA of 3.93 compared to the class average of 3.67 ~ SAT score in math and critical reading of more than 1,400 compared to the class average of 1,245 ~ Composite ACT score of 34 compared to the class average of 30
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The Annual Johnson Scholars Leadership Retreat Strengthening Community Over a weekend in October 2015, scholars attended the annual Johnson Scholars Fall Leadership Retreat at the NatureBridge Conference Center in Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The scholars discussed ways to develop as leaders in the Johnson Scholars Program and suggested activities for the year, including a
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mentorship program, service projects, and professional development workshops. In addition, the first-year cohort reflected on their goals for the year, and the second- and third-year scholars met with faculty Maitreya Badami and Leilani Miller to hear more about fellowship and internship opportunities. Saturday evening, all the scholars participated in a passing of the candle activity to commemorate
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the start of a new academic quarter, as each person shared something they were excited about as a Johnson Scholar for the year. The fall retreat is a great opportunity for the scholars to get away from campus and re-connect with one another after the summer as well as welcome in the new cohort and share advice about being a student at SCU.
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2015 Johnson Leadership Retreat Reflections Taylor Tagawa Johnson Scholar – Class of 2018 “The annual retreat has always been something that I look forward to and enjoy. It is motivating to be around such driven and bright peers. It is also comforting to be surrounded by people who genuinely care about each other. I love that this program provides not only a scholarship, but also a closeknit community in which we lift each other up and constantly motivate each other. The retreat was a great opportunity for us to strengthen this community and find ways to improve
Cooper Scherr Johnson Scholar – Class of 2019
it in the future.”
“The fall retreat was very productive and rewarding. During our stay at NatureBridge, we were able to set goals for the program and ourselves, and also contemplate the responsibilities we possess as Johnson Scholars. We all recognize what a blessing it is to be part of such an amazing program, and we want to help foster its growth in the coming years. Thanks to the fall retreat, the Johnson Scholars are closer than ever, and set on a path towards success.”
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Building a Comprehensive Four Year Experience As the Johnson Scholars Program continues to mature, more faculty across campus are becoming directly involved in the program. These faculty are:
Maitreya Badami Director of Campus Programs
Bill Mains Leadership Coordinator
Maitreya is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley. Maitreya’s love for students and their holistic development brought her to become the director of campus programs for the Johnson Scholars Program. In this role she designs, coordinates, and assesses a comprehensive student activities program. Maitreya also works at SCU as an assistant clinical professor in the Law School and an assistant legal director for the Northern California Innocence Project, and is a faculty director in residence for the Xavier residential learning community.
As leadership coordinator, Bill researches and assesses campus leadership programs across the United States to design and implement curriculum and an activity schedule to match the mission of the University Johnson Scholars Program. In addition to his role with the Johnson Scholars, he is the director of sustainability and leadership development for the Business School’s Undergraduate Business Programs office. A graduate in counseling from Kent State University in Ohio and in ethics and social theory at The Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, Bill won the 2014 Staff Innovation Award for his work incorporating new perspectives and new approaches to the workplace.
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The 2015 Johnson Leadership Fellows The Johnson Leadership Fellows Program provides a summer stipend to create a self-tailored enrichment experience designed to enhance learning, cultivate leadership, and build ethical decision-making skills. The program is open to undergraduates who have completed their second year at Santa Clara and will focus on Johnson Scholars in future years. Experiences may include internships, independent research, and cultural immersion travel. Collin Baker ’17 Major: Psychology and Economics Project Title: Learning and Memory Processes: Developing a Model of Aging in Pigeons
Since I began psychology research two years ago, conducting a study of my own has been an exciting prospect for me, and the Leadership stipend has allowed me to fulfill that goal. Throughout the last six months, I’ve planned broad strategies for the project and executed more specific tasks, both of which have enhanced my leadership abilities. The stipend also allowed me to dedicate more time to coordinating and planning the project over the summer than I otherwise could have.
Michael Gavrilovic ’16 Major: Biology Project Title: Child Family Health International (CFHI): Hospital Medicine in Latin America
The entire hospital experience taught me that the best way to be a leader is to lead on equal footing with others, and that a leader should respect others just as much as they are respected themselves. My main goal for the next few years is to go to medical school and become an ER physician. My experiences due to the scholarship enabled me to experience working with its equivalent in Argentina, and really cemented my desire to go into medicine.
Corinne Grainger ’16 Major: Environmental Science Project Title: Clinton Foundation Haiti Team
My project taught me a lot about the balance needed between analysis and action, especially in an environmental organization. We are living in a world where things are changing quickly and we must learn to work efficiently and effectively. It is so easy to get caught up in the weeds of environmental issues, but there is a much bigger picture that needs to be identified and become the focus. Finding that balance between detail and the bigger picture will allow us to be more effective leaders in change.
Jack Huber ’17 Of all the lab techniques and data processing skills I learned, the most important lesson I took in was that consistency is key, especially when you have no idea what results to expect. I definitely want to continue working on this project through this school year and into the summer. It also gives me an idea of what it’s like to work in a laboratory and if I would like to explore that opportunity after my time at Santa Clara.
Major: Bioengineering Project Title: Peptoid Association Kinetics
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Mariam Khan ’16 Major: Public Health Science Project Title: Inclusive Community Solutions
This stipend experience has contributed tremendously towards my growth as a leader. I have learned that a leader is one who recognizes and affirms the needs of the community and works to address those needs for the public’s benefit. The Johnson fellowship has given me the opportunity to better understand and empathize with the stories of my classmates. Moreover, the fellowship has enabled me to become well-versed in the communityparticipatory research model, which calls for community action through grassroots leadership. Ultimately, this stipend experience has made me a better leader by teaching me to be a better listener.
Hayley Raquer ’16 Major: Biology Project Title: Analysis of Phosphorylation of the C. Elegans Transcription Factor LIN-31 During Cell Signaling
After Santa Clara, I am intending to pursue graduate school for a PhD in molecular and cellular biology. I am going to use this degree to find innovative solutions and medical strategies for diseases that have not received a lot of attention from the medical/scientific community. I also want to continue my outreach, with the hopes of encouraging other young scientists to seek a better global future through innovation and scientific investigation. Without the Johnson summer fellowship, I would not have had the opportunity to take on so many new and exciting leadership roles this summer.
Sean Reilly ’16 Major: Environmental Science and Biology Project Title: Disentangling Alaska Range Uplift: Global Cooling and Glaciation During the Last 8 Million Years
This research independence forced me to grow as a scientist. I now feel much more prepared for wherever my research goals might take me. Without the Johnson stipend, I would not have been able to travel to the Scripps Oceanographic Institute in San Diego and participate in an experience available to few undergraduate students.
Farid Tadros ’15 Major: Biology Project Title: Tracking Changes in Antibiotic Resistance and Diversity of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae in California and Baltimore
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The first time I had a successful sequencing run for our two genes, I remember jumping up and down and skipping around the lab. It took me over four months to get it. Overall though, there’s a lot of great memories from this project and the time I spent with my incredibly intelligent and passionate labmates during down times learning about them, their families, and their great stories.
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Developing Leaders with a Global Perspective In summer 2015, current Johnson Scholars Alaina Boyle and Ray Whelan used their leadership stipends to fund trips to The Gambia and India through the Leavey School of Business’ Global Fellows program. Their time abroad focused on expanding their knowledge of global citizenship and what it means to be a leader in the 21st century.
Ray Whelan ’17 Hyderabad, India Ray spent eight weeks working at Franklin Templeton Investments in the International Business Development Group in India. He worked with the team responsible for the oversight and support of Franklin Templeton’s international advisory services and mutual fund products performing financial analyses about developing markets. He also worked as the liaison for communicating with company headquarters in the Bay Area and helping coordinate business activities.
Alaina Boyle ’17 The Gambia, Africa
“From a leadership perspective, this placement has allowed me to develop cross-cultural communication skills, which are increasingly important as business becomes more and more globalized. This will make me a much better citizen of the world and give me skills and experiences to bring back to the Santa Clara community.”
Alaina spent two months in The Gambia teaching teenage girls in an after-school program called Starfish International. She taught her class of 17 girls how to be teachers in order to help spread their knowledge to other children in the community. The first half of her summer was spent building her students’ basic math and English skills, and in the second half she equipped them with specific teaching skills such as classroom management, lesson-planning, and specialized reading methods. She also taught a weekly poetry and “My project turned out better than I ever could public speaking have anticipated. My students were some of master class to the most intelligent and hardworking individthe entire school uals I had ever encountered and they truly of about 70 girls. took everything I taught them to heart. The goal of my class was to empower and equip my students to be teachers themselves so that I would not only teach my 17 students, but also by teaching them, would teach the whole community. I can’t wait to see how my students continue to change the lives of others going forward.”
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2014–2015 Immersion Experience During spring break 2014–2015, seven Johnson Scholars visited Tucson, Arizona to study immigration issues through BorderLinks, a nonprofit, education-focused organization and long-standing partner of the Ignatian Center in providing immersion experiences. The immersion participants met with many groups and individuals, such as the Sierra Club,
lawyers, and medics, to learn from the experiences of people with various perspectives. Marli Dunn ’18 found the trip to be insightful, humbling, and thought-provoking. International and national immersion trips will be available to Johnson Scholars each year as a component of the program to prepare them for a life of leadership and service for the common good.
Santa Clara University’s Johnson Scholars Program recognizes, rewards, and challenges exceptionally well-qualified students to explore their personal potential and develop deep leadership skills while attaining the highest levels of academic achievement.
Read full profiles of the Johnson Scholars and Leadership Fellows and learn more about their activities and projects at www.scu.edu/jscommunity. For more information about the Johnson Scholars Program, please visit www.scu.edu/johnsonscholars, or contact: Amy Shachter, Ph.D. Senior Associate Provost for Research and Faculty Affairs Santa Clara University 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053 408-551-7041
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ashachter@scu.edu