Undergraduate Fellowship

Wiliani Alicea 

Wilaini Alicea is pursuing a Criminal Justice and International Affairs double major with a minor in Management. She currently serves as the UC Undergraduate Student Body Vice President. She also serves as the Co-President of the Ohio Innocence Project undergraduate chapter and a Peer Facilitator for the Learning Commons.

Sean Atkinson

Sean Atkinson is from Cleveland, Ohio, and is pursuing degrees in Economics and Political Science. He is a Kautz-Uible Economics Fellow, Cincinnatus Scholar, and an active member of the Economics Society. Beyond the classroom, Sean is a Fellow at the Reagan Presidential Foundation and has interned with the Office of Senator Bernie Moreno and the American Action Forum through the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s Fiscal Internship Program.

Sharvaree Bhalerao

A UHP Global Scholar & an international student from Pune, India, Sharvaree is a senior studying International Affairs & Creative Writing, with a minor in History. Ever since her time at UC, Sharvaree has been involved in Undergraduate Student Government, where she was an A&S Senator before serving for two years as President of Arts & Sciences Tribunal. She's been a research assistant for multiple professors across the College of Arts and Sciences, aiding with diverse research topics such as First Amendment & Policing, Irish Immigration in the 19th century and anti-queer movement in a transnational context. She also interned with the Cincinnati Magazine and is currently the Editorial Assistant at the Cincinnati Review. Sharvaree loves representing her college and serves as the Lead Experience Ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences. With a strong conviction for equitable policies, she has a penchant to combine her love for storytelling with her passion for public policy.

Alexander Caldwell

Alexander is from Newtownards, Northern Ireland. He is majoring in Political Science with a minor in German and is one of two Head Delegates of the Model United Nations team. He is also a University Honors Program scholar. In Summer 2026, Alexander worked for the U.S. Geological Survey.

Joseph Carey

Joseph Carey is a fourth-year History major from Versailles, Kentucky, with certificates in Journalism and Legal Studies. He is an honors student, a Cincinnatus and Ronald E. McNair scholar, and Managing Editor for UC’s student newspaper, The News Record. Joseph serves as Vice President of the Bearcat Buddies Student Association, a volunteer tutoring program serving Cincinnati Public Schools. He has assisted UC faculty research for The Center for the City and The Prosecution Project, and has interned with Fifth Third Bank and the Kentucky Public Protections Cabinet.

Samara Chatrath

Samara Chatrath is a double major in Medical Sciences and Political Sciences from Mason, OH. Samara is a proud Pete Ehrlich Scholar, a Cincinnatus Scholar, and a University Honors Student. Samara is also a co-founder of the Dahyabhai Foundation and conducts Digital Health research in the Merrill Lab within the School for Public and International Affairs. She is passionate about healthcare reform through a policy perspective.

Avery Cook-Porter 

Avery is a third-year Cincinnatus and Governor’s Merit Scholar from Hocking Hills, Ohio. A Political Science and Law & Society double major with a certificate in Journalism, she is engaged across campus as an Honors Ambassador, the Social Media Chair of Kappa Alpha Pi Fraternity, the Marketing Director of HerCampus Cincinnati, and the Director of Media & Communications for RallyCats. Throughout her time at UC, Avery has worked as a news reporter, Supplemental Instructor, and Coder for the Prosecution Project.

Alyssa Embree 

Alyssa is a second-year student from Navarre, Ohio. She is majoring in Business Economics with a minor in Political Science and a certificate in Business Analytics. Alyssa is a Kolodzik Business Scholar, a Kautz-Uible Fellow, and a member of the University Honors Program. On campus, she serves as the VP of Metrics and Impact for Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO) and is active in the Economics Society. Outside of class, Alyssa completed a summer 2026 internship with the State of Maine.

Ananya Enganti 

Ananya Enganti is a Cincinnatus Scholar, University Honors Program student, NEXT Innovation Scholar, and Medical Sciences Ambassador at the University of Cincinnati studying Medical Sciences. Originally from Virginia, Ananya is passionate about advancing healthcare through medicine, research, and innovation. She serves as Safety & Wellness Chair for Midwest Dhamaka, works as a Patient Care Assistant at UC Health, and volunteers at Crossroads Health Center to expand access to compassionate, patient-centered care.

Natalie George, Portman Family Fellow

Natalie is a senior from Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Kautz-Uible Economics Institute Fellow and is the Portman Family Fellow. She is majoring in Business Economics, with minors in Political Science and Business Analytics. This past summer, Natalie worked as a Trade Policy Intern at the American Action Forum in Washington, D.C. Natalie is the first Portman Center Fellow completing the DC work-study semester – a partnership with The Ohio State University – during which she will intern in the office of Senator Chuck Grassley.

Sophie Glenn 

Sophie Glenn is a third-year student from Cincinnati, Ohio, studying International Affairs and English with a minor in Geography. They are a Darwin T. Turner Scholar and serve as the co-director of Turner Ambassadors Diversity and Inclusion Committee alongside their role as the co-chair of Equity and Inclusion for Undergraduate Student Government. They have conducted research with the English Department and the School of Public and International Affairs and have studied abroad in the United Kingdom and Mexico.

Clare Graff 

A Cincinnati native, Clare is a third-year honors student studying International Affairs and German Studies. On campus, she serves organizations including German Club, Model United Nations, and Bravo Bearcats. Clare has had the opportunity to study abroad in Mexico, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and has independently conducted honors research in Mainz, Germany. In summer 2026, she worked as a fellow to Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. Clare is serving as a legislative staffer to EU Parliament in Brussels, Belgium in fall 2026.

Charlie Harker 

Charlie is majoring in Medical Sciences and is deeply committed to community health initiatives. She has experience as a community health worker with the American Heart Association, has served as a research assistant for the HEAL project, and frequently volunteers at student-run free clinics and hospitals. Driven by a strong passion for health policy, Charlie is currently collaborating with Closing the Health Gap to tackle unmet health needs in the Cincinnati area, making a meaningful impact in the community.

Cameron Hawkins

Cameron Hawkins, originally hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana, is a pursuing a double major in Political Science and Law & Society. Cameron is a Darwin T. Turner Scholar and a Warren Bennis Leadership Institute Ambassador. She also serves as the President of the UC undergraduate Women In Law, the Speaker of the undergraduate Student Government Senate, and the Vice President of Professionalism for Kappa Alpha Pi. Beyond her leadership responsibilities, Cameron is also a member of the University Honors Program and the National Society of Leadership and Success.

Tokhirjon Otakhonov

Tokhirjon Otakhonov is a fourth-year student at the University of Cincinnati pursuing dual degrees in Economics and Law & Society. Originally from Uzbekistan, he received the Uzbekistan Presidential Scholarship "El-yurt umidi" and is fluent in English, Russian, and Uzbek. He is also a Kautz-Uible Economics Institute Fellow and a participant in the AEI Summer Honors Program in Washington, DC. Tokhirjon's interests include international trade, AI-driven business opportunities, and global economic integration. He works as an undergraduate research assistant analyzing the world's top 2,000 multinational corporations using Excel and Bloomberg Terminal, and he served as a teaching assistant for a business law course. Tokhirjon aims to pursue a career in market analysis and economic policy research.

Jay Patel, Nelson Schwab, Jr. Fellow

Jay is a fourth-year student from West Chester, Ohio, majoring in Medical Sciences. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Dahyabhai Foundation, where he leads efforts to create sustainable change in rural villages in India. Passionate about global health medicine, Jay hopes to pursue a career that addresses healthcare disparities and improves access to care for underserved communities worldwide by promoting initiatives and policies that decolonize global health.

Vanessa Roth

Vanessa Roth is a second-year student pursuing a technical degree in Mechanical Engineering. She joined the Portman Center fellowship in 2025 and her favorite trip from the year was the DC trip.

Vanessa became interested in the fellowship because of her background in BSA Scouts. She earned her Eagle Scout rank in 2022 and learned a lot about public service and bipartisanship.

Abigail Rubenstein

Abigail is a second-year student raised in Cincinnati. She is majoring in Journalism, and contributes to the student paper, The News Record. Abigail is also a member of the University Honors Program, and a member of the professional pre-law fraternity, Kappa Alpha Pi.

Nathan Shell

Nathan Shell is an Honors student pursuing a double major in Political Science and International Affairs. He is currently serving in his second term as Undergraduate Student Body Treasurer, where he works to strengthen financial accountability and improve Student Government operations. Nathan is also an Army ROTC Cadet focused on commissioning as an Engineer Officer in the United States Army. His passion for military service and veteran advocacy extends beyond the classroom. Through his leadership in the University of Cincinnati Veterans Task Force, Nathan is advocating to establish the Bearcat Veterans Association, a university-wide organization dedicated to serving military-affiliated students, faculty, staff, and alumni. He also recently announced the creation of The James Randolph Fetzer Project, a nonprofit initiative focused on preserving and sharing the stories, records, and history of American veterans and military families. Nathan hopes to build a career centered on military service, public leadership, and preserving the legacy of those who have served.

Zohair Siddiqui

Zohair is from Mason, OH, and is studying Medical Sciences and Business Economics. He currently serves as UC's Undergraduate Student-Body Vice President, and was previously President of Remote Area Medical. Zohair is involved with the Student Alumni Council, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program. Throughout college, Zohair has participated in research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Preston Simon

Preston is a third-year student from Delaware, Ohio, majoring in Finance and Business Economics. He co-founded the Lindner Asset Management Club, serves as Vice President of Finance for the Student Alumni Council, and is the student representative for the Cincinnati Regional Chamber. Preston has completed internships in wealth management, investment banking, asset management, and corporate finance. He is passionate about Cincinnati's economic development, helping veterans achieve their dream of business ownership, and creating more opportunities for students to build their careers in the region.

Jimmy Voiland

Jimmy Voiland is from El Paso, Texas, and is majoring in Accounting with a minor in Political Science. He is a Darwin T. Turner Scholar, University Honors Program student, and Cincinnatus Scholar, and serves as President of the Association of Latino Professionals for America. Jimmy has interned at Ernst & Young, Lauterbach Borschow & Co., and Hospice El Paso. He has served as a PACE Leader in the Lindner College of Business and led his team to the national round of Deloitte's Fantaxtic Case Competition.

Lela Walker

Lela Walker is a fourth-year honors student double majoring in Political Science and Journalism. She is also a first-year graduate student in the Master of Public Administration and Social Justice (4+1) program and a Student Associate within the Graduate College. Lela is a proud Darwin T. Turner Scholar and was the former Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Turner Ambassadors Program. She is the Opinion Editor for UC's student news publication, The News Record, and a former intern with Cincinnati Magazine and the Center for Closing the Health Gap.

Faith Wallace

Faith Wallace is a Class of 2028 Honors student majoring in Sociology on the pre-law track at the University of Cincinnati. She is both a Darwin T. Turner Scholar and Ronald E. McNair Scholar. Faith serves as Outreach Executive for the Arts & Sciences Tribunal, is a member of Black Women in Pre-Law, and is the founder of Radiance Magazine, a publication dedicated to amplifying student voices and perspectives. After graduation, she plans to attend law school and pursue a career as an attorney committed to public service, advocacy, and advancing access to justice.