About Us
March 20, 2020
Announcing the 52nd Class of Thomas J. Watson Fellows
New York, New York (March 20th, 2020) – Continuing its tradition of expanding the vision and developing the potential of remarkable young leaders, today the Watson Foundation announced its 52nd Class of Thomas J. Watson Fellows. The Watson provides a year of unparalleled international discovery for select graduating college seniors in any discipline. This year’s class comes from 20 states and 8 countries and exhibits a broad range of academic specialty, socio-economic background, and project diversity.
About the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
Nearly 3000 Watson Fellows have been named since the inaugural class in 1969. A Watson Year provides fellows with an opportunity to test their aspirations and abilities through a personal project cultivated on an international scale. Watson Fellows have gone on to become leaders in their fields including CEOs of major corporations, college presidents, Emmy, Grammy and Oscar Award winners, Pulitzer Prize awardees, artists, diplomats, doctors, entrepreneurs, faculty, journalists, lawyers, politicians, researchers and inspiring influencers around the world.
Watson Fellows are selected from 40 private colleges and university partners across the United States. They receive $36,000 for twelve months of travel and college loan assistance as needed. Following the year they join a community of peers who provide a lifetime of support and inspiration.
About the Watson Foundation
In 1961, the Watson Foundation was created as a charitable trust in the name of Thomas J. Watson Sr, best known for building IBM. Through one-of-a-kind programs, and over 100 global partnerships, the Foundation provides students with personal, professional and cultural opportunities that expand their vision, test and develop their potential, and build their confidence and perspective to be more humane and effective leaders on a global scale.
2020 THOMAS J. WATSON FELLOWS
Antonia Aguilar Cole, Bryn Mawr College
Tommy Armstrong, Ursinus College
Noor Banihashem Ahmad, Bryn Mawr College
Inayah Bashir, Wesleyan University
Cameron Bechtold, Union College
Adin Becker, Pomona College
Megan Bennett, Earlham College
Garrett Bullock, Ursinus College
Anna Conley, Carleton College
Cameron Conner, Whitman College
Gretel Cuevas Verdin, Bryn Mawr College
Claire Fleming, Hendrix College
Cseca Gazzolo, Wellesley College
Mackenzie Gearin, Hendrix College
Stephanie Gee, Reed College
Kai Greenlees, Vassar College
Helena Gruensteidl, Grinnell College
Maia Hay, Wheaton College
Elizabeth Helmreich, Wheaton College
Maximillian Hill, Grinnell College
Zed Hopkins, Pomona College
Madison Hunter, Davidson College
Eliamani Ismail, Scripps College
Katherine Jacobs, Earlham College
Michael Khuth, Macalester College
Minjoo Kim, Colgate University
Luka Lezhanskyy, Wesleyan University
Isabella Manson, Pitzer College
Victoria Marino, Harvey Mudd College
Wilder McCoy, Sewanee: University of the South
Indiana Nunez Sharer, College of the Atlantic
Stephen Nwaloziri, Berea College
Emily Oleisky, Bowdoin College
Danielle Pinney, Union College
Giorlando Ramirez, Reed College
Aloyce Riziki, Berea College
Jack Romans, Williams College
Evangelos Sarantinos, Whitman College
Maleelo Shambabo, Rhodes College
Sabrina Slipchenko, Bard College
Alesandra Tejeda, Colorado College
Roy Toston, Davidson College
Maimuna Touray, Vassar College
Hattie Wilder Karlstrom, Bard College
Sophia Winkowitsch, Berea College
Hailey Wozniak, Bowdoin College
Yuxi Xia, Wellesley College