About Us
March 15, 2022
Announcing the 54th Class of Thomas J. Watson Fellows
New York, New York (March 15th, 2022) – Continuing its tradition of expanding the vision and developing the potential of remarkable young leaders, today the Watson Foundation announced its 54th Class of Thomas J. Watson Fellows. The Watson provides a year of unparalleled international discovery for imaginative and bold graduating college seniors in any discipline. This year’s class comes from 21 states and 8 countries and exhibits a broad range of academic specialties, socio-economic backgrounds, and project diversity.
They will travel to 73 countries pursuing topics ranging from automation to pollination; from architectural heritage to compulsory voting; from community science to youth incarceration; from activist filmmaking to eldercare.
About the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
A Watson Year provides fellows with the opportunity to test their aspirations and abilities through a personal project experienced on an international scale. Since the inaugural class was named in 1969, over 3000 Watson Fellows have been selected.
Watson Fellows are nominated by 41 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.
The Watson Fellow community includes CEOs, college presidents, community organizers, Emmy-, Grammy-, and Oscar-award winners, artists, diplomats, entrepreneurs, faculty, journalists, lawyers, politicians, physicians, researchers, and influential social advocates.
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 works with students to develop 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 with a world view.
2022 THOMAS J. WATSON FELLOWS
Andy Garcia, Bard College
Angus Pritchard, Sewanee: University of the South
Ashley Eugley, Bard College
Bethany Costello, Union College
Brandon Pita, Haverford College
Chibuike Odo, Davidson College
Chloe Ortiz, Pitzer College
Clinton Oshipitan, Amherst College
Crys Moosman, Grinnell College
Dylan Morse, Hamilton College
Edward Tranter, Swarthmore College
Ellie Lipp, Davidson College
Hermione Zhou, Bates College
Hunter McDavid, Berea College
Ilana Svartz, Hendrix College
Jasper White, College of the Atlantic
Jordan McClintock, Colby College
Justin Morande, Middlebury College
Kaitlyn Paulsen, Harvey Mudd College
Kass Wojcik, Bryn Mawr College
Livia Cox, Wesleyan University
Luis Cordero, Davidson College
Maija Hecht, Macalester College
Margaret McGlenn, Lawrence University
Maria A. Hernandez Diaz, Berea College
Mark Diaz, Pomona College
Mary Nzeyimana, Bowdoin College
Maya Sobchuk , Macalester College
Mikayla Purnell, Swarthmore College
Molly Gleydura, Oberlin College
Moriah Prescia,Connecticut College
Olivier Mbabazi, Sewanee: University of the South
Radu Stochita, Bowdoin College
Rinako Sonobe, Wellesley College
Saehui Hwang, California Institute of Technology
Salma Khalaf, Earlham College
Stevie Hoesel, Reed College
Sylvia Adome, Whitman College
Sylvie Alexander, Scripps College
Teodosii Ruskov, Amherst College
Xiao Jiang, Pomona College
Yuanhao Zou, Carleton College
Learn more about the fellows and their projects here.