2028 Fellows

Rylan Ammerman was raised in Bethesda, Maryland, and graduated from Walt Whitman High School. During his junior year, he took Whitman’s journalism class, falling in love with his ability to inform the community, exchange opinions and share his passions with anyone willing to listen. Then in his junior spring semester and senior year, he became a staff writer for the school newspaper, The Black and White, finding success reviewing new film releases, for which he won five Best of SNO awards. Additionally, as a prominent voice on the newspaper’s radio PRESS BOX for baseball, he called multiple games, including the Maryland state quarterfinals. Outside the classroom, he enjoyed running the Whitman Pinball Movie Club and developing rylan_reviews on Instagram and Letterboxd, where he published over 1,200 reviews. He also loved coaching and playing baseball in his local league, thriving off the collaboration the sport provided. Although he’s unsure which path in communications he plans to travel, he’s grateful for and eager to apply his interests within the broad opportunities that the Communications Fellows program presents.

Jordan Armstead comes to Elon University from Laurelton, Queens, in New York. Her 4-year experience at NYC Museum School was focused on the multiple AP classes she took, including AP English Literature and AP European History, and the various leadership positions she took on in her extracurricular activities. She maintained the position of social media manager to her Black Student Union, organizing the Instagram and TikTok accounts that advertise the club and promoted Black excellence across her school community. Jordan was a founding member of her school’s DRIVE committee, its goal being to develop and enhance the inclusion and representation of multiple cultures in the school’s curricula through a student-led board. During the summer of her junior year, Jordan was employed at the Paley Center of Media, a museum that collected media from silent films to early 1900s radio clips. At Paley, Jordan created her own 30-minute podcast about the recent overturning of affirmative action and contributed to the museum weekly newsletter. Jordan’s passion was always investigative journalism and through her high school years, she published multiple articles divided between her school’s newspaper and the Paley Center of Media’s weekly newsletter. Jordan chose a journalism major with the plan of becoming a foreign correspondent focused on documentary-style reports. Jordan appreciates being a Communications Fellow and aims to use all of Elon’s resources to reach her goals.

Ben Barnes was raised in Holly Springs, North Carolina, where he was a magna cum laude honor graduate from Apex Friendship High School. He completed the Academy of Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing four-year high school program, which provided real-world, hands-on experiences in STEM fields. Ben was a member of the National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society. Additionally, he was a four-year letterman and a three-year starter on the Apex Friendship boys’ golf team. As a senior, Ben was selected as captain, earned 4A SWAC all-conference honors, qualified for the NCHSAA state championship and was named most valuable player for his high school varsity team. Outside school he served on the Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church Youth Council and participated in various mission trips, including the Appalachia Service Project, which sent him to West Virginia and Kentucky to repair homes impacted by flooding and lack of resources. When not at school, church or the golf course, he works as a team lead at Panera Bread, where he directs, motivates and trains others in a fast-paced food retail environment. Ben has a special interest in becoming a sports reporter like his father. He enjoys watching all types of sports and immersing himself in the unique stats and stories that shape the sports media world. Ben is honored to be a Communications Fellow and is excited to begin his studies in Sport Management in the fall.

Marissa Bishop grew up in Houston, where she graduated from The Emery/Weiner School. There, she participated in numerous clubs and extracurricular activities, which fostered her love for storytelling and communications. She served as a reporter for her school newspaper, The 9825, since her sophomore year and was given the privilege of serving as editor-in-chief during her junior and senior years, raising paper readership by 80%. Marissa was also an active part of her school’s drama department, both acting in and assistant directing multiple productions throughout her high school career. Her senior year, she was given the opportunity to direct a piece of theatre individually, unlocking a passion for direction and the art of visual storytelling. She was also given the honor of serving multiple leadership roles throughout her high school career, including being the president of her International Thespian Society Troupe, a student ambassador for her school’s admissions team and a student government representative. Marissa is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Communications Fellows cohort and explore all the School of Communications has to offer.

Ruby Burckle was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she attended Montgomery Blair High School as a student in the Communication Arts program. There, she was a member of MBHS stage crew, where she worked on a total of eight shows and served as the head of props her senior year. She also served as president of Blair ProjectLIT, for which she organized and participated in several literature-based service projects, such as community reads, reading to children, and school-wide book drives and free book fairs. Additionally, she was co-editor-in-chief of her school’s award-winning yearbook, Silverlogue, which helped establish her love for journalism and sharing everyday stories. Outside her academics, Ruby enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and listening to music. She plans to major in Journalism and is thankful and excited to begin her time at Elon as a Communications Fellow.

Miranda Burgos grew up in Champaign, Illinois, where she graduated from the University of Illinois Laboratory High School. During her senior year, she served as editor of the school newspaper, The Gargoyle, and brought the previously digital-only paper back to print for the first time in over a decade. She was also leader of the Latino Black Coalition, a peer mentor for four years, an adviser in the Student Advisory Group for Equity and Engagement, and an active member of SPRING Initiative/Habitat Club. Outside school, she is a volunteer staff member with the National Hispanic Institute and a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar. In her free time, she enjoys writing, arts and crafts, and going on bike rides. She is looking forward to being a Communications Fellow and exploring the opportunities available within the field of communications.

Abigail (Abby) Carobrese was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland. Graduating from Archbishop Spalding High School, she excelled in numerous AP and honors courses, while actively participating in extracurricular activities, such as lacrosse, soccer and tennis. Her commitment extended to leadership roles in clubs like the One Love Club, Make Every Day Count Club, National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society, reflecting her dedication to academic excellence and community engagement. Abby looks forward to all of Elon’s opportunities, such as studying abroad and pursuing her Communication Design and Media Analytics degrees. Abby is excited and honored to be a part of Elon’s class of 2028 and a Communications Fellow.

Colin Chisholm was raised in Hingham, Massachusetts, and attended Hingham High School, where he was a member of the hockey, baseball and tennis teams. In addition to his commitment to sports, Colin demonstrated leadership and initiative by founding the Hingham High School Sports Management Club. Responsibilities included chairing bi-weekly meetings, while also setting the goals and mission of the club. Colin also donated his time to the Global Citizens Club and the Freshman Advisory Council. Away from academic life, Colin volunteered as a youth tennis and youth hockey coach, and he participated in many community events to support local veterans. Colin also chose to donate his time to New England World Hunger. Colin is eager to begin his next chapter at Elon, where he will major in Sport Management while being a member of the Communications Fellows program.

Skylar Cook was raised in Portland, Maine, where she attended Waynflete School. During her time at there, she led The Perspective Project, an initiative that created opportunities for students to speak with politicians, civil rights activists, scientists and other changemakers. Skylar also served as a Community Engagement Fellow, helping redesign the school’s community service program and provide comprehensive opportunities for students to complete their community engagement requirements. She was also a team manager for the girls’ varsity soccer and lacrosse teams. In her senior year, both teams won their respective divisional state championships. As a team manager, Skylar furthered her love of sports, interest in game day operations and curiosity about sports’ impact on society. She is an avid New England sports fan. As a Communications Fellow at Elon, Skylar is excited to explore many new opportunities that will allow her to build connections, learn from others and share her love of sports. Skylar plans to major in Sport Management and feels incredibly grateful and honored to be a Communications Fellow at Elon.

Evan Cooper grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He graduated from Northwestern High School, where he participated in Beta Club, National Honor Society, theater and Trojan News Network, his school’s news program. Through theater, Evan developed confidence, stage presence and communication skills, which he looks forward to using in the Fellows program. Through Trojan News Network, Evan found a love for writing and reporting. He is excited to participate in the Fellows program, where this appreciation for journalism will allow him to further his skills and become a better journalist. Evan is looking to major in journalism, with a focus on broadcasting.

Grace Coslet was raised in Millington, New Jersey, and attended Watchung Hills Regional High School. There, she was a member of the Lady Warriors girls’ basketball team, the vice president of the Girls leadership Outreach and Worth club and the peer leadership program. She also was involved in the With Grace Initiative, serving on the kids committee and social media board, volunteered at a special needs baseball program, and created a website to help spread awareness about her little brother’s rare disease. Grace enjoys spending time with her friends and family, playing guitar, and going to the beach. She plans to major in Sport Management and wants to help women’s sports gain popularity. She is most excited to get involved with the WINS program and study aboard. Overall, Grace cannot wait to begin her time at Elon as a Communications Fellow.

Charlie Crum was born and raised in Cartersville, Georgia, where he graduated from Cartersville High School. During his sophomore year, Charlie began a deep dive into the realm of sports cinematography and editing, joining Cartersville High School’s video club, Canes Vision, where he would help run the jumbotron and create other school-related content. Charlie was elected vice president of his school’s SkillsUSA chapter and brought home a state championship in the television commercial category. Throughout his high school career, Charlie fell in love with video and film production. And if that is his first love, music is his second. Charlie began learning guitar in the summer of 2022 and has not stopped playing since. He almost never goes a day without playing and probably knows more rock history than his dad. Charlie hopes to find a way to meld his love for music and film together at Elon in the next four years.

Kaitlyn DiCataldo grew up in Randolph, New Jersey, where she graduated from Randolph High School. Kaitlyn was well-rounded during her four years at RHS, where she was a member of two honor societies, gained a strong relationship with a local non-profit organization through volunteering, and was heavily involved in dance. She devoted many hours to her high school’s media department and found her love for the field of communications while taking the classes of Journalism and Media Production Honors. She produced news packages and fan-favorite segments for her school’s news station, “The Ram Report,” and was a contributing staff reporter of her school’s newspaper, The Rampage, where she enjoyed writing campus life and review articles. Kaitlyn also co-directed a short film called “Writer’s Block,” which received the 2023 International Student World Impact Film Festival honorable mention award and screened at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City. Kaitlyn is not only thrilled to further explore her passions and creativity as a Communications Fellow, but she is also looking forward to becoming involved in the Elon community as a whole.

Julia Donaghy was born and raised in Greenwood, South Carolina, where she graduated from Cambridge Academy. Additionally, she earned over 45 hours of dual-enrollment credit from both Piedmont Technical College and Lander University. In school, she challenged herself academically, graduating valedictorian and finishing summa cum laude in her Certificate of University Studies from PTC. During high school, she dedicated her time to multiple organizations, acting as president of SGA for two years, an officer in National Honor Society, historian of National Beta Club, a member of her club swim team, school’s drama club and varsity soccer team, and the captain of varsity swim for three years. Outside clubs, she committed herself to supporting her community by completing over 550 hours of community service, granting her membership into the SCISA Veritas In Unitate Society. She has volunteered within her church, camps, local organizations and as a co-coach of children on her club swim team. Julia plans to major in Journalism and combine that field of study with Environmental Science. Inspired by her collection of National Geographic magazines, she hopes to pursue her love of writing, biology and photography through a career in multimedia science journalism. Julia is excited for the journey ahead and cannot wait to begin her time at Elon as a Communications Fellow.

Tyler Fleming grew up in Henderson, North Carolina, a small town located an hour north of Raleigh. During his time at Kerr-Vance Academy, he competed on the varsity swim and cross country teams, served as SGA secretary during his sophomore, junior and senior years, was co-valedictorian of his class, and was the head of newsletters for the school’s Journalism department. Outside the classroom, Tyler competed on the Vance Aquatics Club swim team and worked as a lifeguard. During the COVID pandemic, he edited and produced virtual church services for the First United Methodist Church of Henderson to improve the quality of the online worship experience for the congregation while in-person worship was not feasible. Tyler has enjoyed managing his own YouTube channels for the past nine years, gaining experience in filming, editing, producing and promoting content, while sharing his passions of motorsports, theme parks and travel. He has also practiced photography and promotes his work through social media. Tyler has always dreamed of working in communications in the world of car racing, whether it be in front of the camera, behind the camera or through writing. He anticipates possibly majoring in either Cinema and Television Arts or Journalism. Tyler is honored to be a Communications Fellow and looks forward to becoming an Elon student in the fall.

Riley Galvan grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and graduated from Broughton High School in 2024. He discovered his love for writing at a young age and authored several amateur short stories, including one titled “On the River” that won first place in a competition run by the Raleigh Fine Arts Society. When Riley entered high school, he began exploring new opportunities through his school’s Career Academy, where he discovered his passion for sports marketing and promotions. During his time with the program, he spent a year as a media relations intern for Shaw University Athletics, helped organize and promote a Play4Kay basketball game at his school, and partnered with a local food hall to strategize ways to improve business coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to his activities with the academy, Riley was also a member of his school’s varsity football team, National Honor Society and newspaper staff. In his free time, Riley maintains an active social media account with over 2,700 followers that analyzes the NFL draft and issues plaguing collegiate and professional football. He plans to major in Strategic Communications with a minor in Marketing and hopes to have an internship with Elon Athletics or another athletic program down the line. Riley is honored to be a Communications Fellow and excited to begin a new chapter at Elon University on the path toward a career in sports marketing.

Kate Gray is from Silver Spring, Maryland, where she graduated from Montgomery Blair High School as part of the Communication Arts Program. She wrote for the school yearbook in sophomore year and produced articles and videos for the school’s online newspaper, Silver Chips Online, in her junior and senior years. She was a dedicated member of the school’s theater department, acting in every fall play and spring musical starting sophomore year and serving as an assistant director for her final two shows. Kate was also on the varsity swim and dive team, for which she swam all four years and learned to dive senior year. She also worked as a swim coach at a local swim school during the school year. In 2022, a documentary she wrote and produced with two classmates won honorable mention in the C-SPAN Student Cam contest. The documentary detailed the implications of state-level anti-abortion legislation on reproductive rights. Kate hopes to continue using her voice to raise awareness of social issues by studying communications and political science and living in the Paideia LLC.

Ava Grivalski is from Cary, North Carolina. She graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, where she was a varsity dance team member (ranked top 5 in the nation), a school Admissions Ambassador, a Student Leadership Mentor, a Spirit Ambassador, and a member of the National Honor Society and National Honor Society of Dance Arts. In addition to her school involvement, she was selected as the first teen to serve as the co-chair of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, where she was able to help raise awareness and funds to support women with cancer. Most recently, Ava was featured as a “Notable Teen” for her community engagement and charitable efforts with The Blood Connection and the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Ava plans to major in Strategic Communications with a minor in Business/Marketing and is honored to have been selected as a Communications Fellow.

Samantha Hagopian grew up in Fanwood, New Jersey, and graduated with high honors from Union County Vocational-Technical Schools. Throughout high school, she was actively involved in multiple varsity sports and was a dedicated member of her school’s drama club. Additionally, she served as the historian for the National Honor Society. Samantha has been passionate about local theater since childhood, initially drawn to the spotlight on stage, but gradually discovering a deeper interest in behind-the-scenes roles. In the fall of 2019, she took on the role of stage manager for her local community theater and continued to work alongside the director for a kids’ cabaret program during the summer. Inspired by her mother’s experiences as a former MTV and SYFY employee, Samantha developed a keen interest in the arts and a desire to work behind the scenes in television. She is honored to be a Communications Fellow and is excited to explore her passion for television and cinema at Elon University.

Savannah Hameed grew up in Twinsburg, Ohio, and attended Laurel School for Girls in Shaker Heights, Ohio. While in high school, she participated in volleyball, basketball and track and field, a sport she will continue to pursue at Elon. Savannah also was a part of her school’s student government, serving as student body secretary her junior year and senior senator in her last year. Outside school, at the age of 16, Savannah founded her own sports media business, Youth Sports Report (YSR), that provides tangible content, such as post-games interviews, press releases and more that allow high school athletes to build their platforms. YSR was founded with the mission of providing empowerment, support and education to women and women of color with an interest in the sports media industry. One of Savannah’s accomplishments was serving as the regional teen secretary for the Mid-Western Region of Jack and Jill of America Inc. In this position, she chaired the communications committee and managed the region’s social platforms by communicating with all 41 chapters to highlight them properly. She is excited to study broadcast Journalism and is honored to be a Communications Fellow.

Kira Hancuff is from Alpharetta, Georgia, where she graduated with honors from Milton High School. There, she took advantage of several opportunities, both academic and professional. She earned the AP Capstone Diploma for her independent research on the effects of various methods of sex education, as well as passing scores on eight AP exams. Additionally, she served as a copy editor on the school yearbook, was selected as a teacher’s assistant for the AP Statistics class, and was a member of the National Honor Society. Professionally, Kira completed a marketing internship with her local Chamber of Commerce, while also working as a manager at her job. She has a passion for writing, which is reflected in her earning the Dramatic Writing Class Student of the Year Award. A performer since the age of 7, Kira also participated in several school performances, including earning the Outstanding Performer award for her role in the senior-directed one-act. She also nurtured her love for the stage during her four years as a member of the school’s improv troupe, including leading it in her junior and senior years. As a varsity basketball cheerleader, she was named a scholar athlete, as well as rookie of the year. In her four years at Elon, Kira plans to jump at every opportunity to involve and grow herself and is thankful for the Communications Fellowship for bringing her closer to her goals.

Kathryn (Kate) Hartinger grew up in Maryland and graduated from Middletown High School. She danced at her local dance studio from age 4 until her high school graduation. Her involvement in competitive dance began in 2015, and she eventually became a teacher for younger dancers at her studio, a position she loved. Teaching became a passion and reinforced her desire to work with others. Kate has also earned numerous certifications teaching acrobatics. She was active in the Student Government Association at Middletown and held roles including president, vice president and head of public relations. Kate was accepted into the National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society and National ASL Honor Society, and she was the president of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Kate was often seen dancing at school functions as captain of Middletown color guard and dance team. She also participated in many school-sponsored plays and musical productions. Kate is excited to study Strategic Communications and be part of the Communications Fellows program.

Grace Heffley grew up in Kensington, Maryland, where she graduated from Albert Einstein High School. During her time at Einstein, Grace participated in Key Club all four years, where she was vice president for two. Grace was also a National Honor Society member her junior and senior years, during which she helped with many volunteer projects for both the school and the community. She took a class called Leadership her senior year, where she helped plan events for the school, and was a news anchor and camera operator on her school’s morning announcements. Grace has always had a passion for sports and was a varsity starter for her school’s softball team all four years, captaining her last two. Her senior year, she led the team to a division championship for the first time since 2015, eventually making it to the regional championship. Grace was awarded MVP her junior and senior years and she was awarded First Team All-Division and Second Team All-County honors. Grace also started for the varsity basketball team, which she helped lead to the regional championship her junior year. Outside school, Grace was the captain of her year-round travel softball team and has many passions, including cooking, traveling and paddleboarding. Grace is excited and grateful to be a Communications Fellow.

John Houlahan was raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, and graduated from Albemarle High School. John was a member of National Honor Society and the vice president of Albemarle’s German honor society. Throughout his time in these organizations, he helped plan and run fundraisers, such as canned food drives and selling advent calendars, for which all proceeds went toward the Virginia Institute of Autism and to local food pantries and food banks. In all four years at Albemarle, he was the team leader of his broadcast journalism class, where he spent time writing news stories, conducting interviews and editing news segments, which would later be uploaded to the school’s morning announcements. His hands-on experience and love for journalism expanded when he worked as an intern writing and editing news stories at Monticello Media radio station throughout his junior year. This experience for John was invaluable and gave him the skills needed to succeed in his work as a communicator. John was also a three-year member of the boys’ varsity soccer team, which found success in both regional and state tournaments. John is excited to meet new people and to further explore journalism as a Communications Fellow.

Ian Johnson was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he graduated from Millbrook High School. He was a member of the National Honor Society, a student leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and an athlete on the cross country and track and field teams. Since he was a youngster, Ian has always enjoyed running and is a current member of the Elon men’s cross country team. Throughout high school, Ian always had his mind set on working in the sport management area, which is why he is a Communications Fellow. During his time in high school, Ian was asked to be the announcer for the varsity women’s soccer team, which allowed him to develop an interest that he enjoys. When it comes to the classroom, Ian’s dedication to doing the best he can no matter what is astonishing. He is a hardworking, caring and kind young man. Ian will always bring positivity and energy no matter where he goes. He is an outgoing person and is never afraid to try something new. Outside school, Ian loves to spend time with his family and friends, play games, fish and work. Ian is stoked to come to Elon as a Communications Fellow.

Tariq Johnson is from Concord, North Carolina, where he graduated from Jay M. Robinson High School. There, he was features and entertainment editor of his school newspaper for his freshman and sophomore years. During his junior year, he became co-editor and then was named editor in senior year. He thoroughly enjoyed these roles, while working with the staff editors to create meaningful stories. Although his love of journalism and communications stems from childhood when he spent quality time with his grandparents while watching the news, all his aspirations set into place when Tariq attended the Washington Journalism and Media Conference prior to his senior year of high school. Outside the realm of communications, Tariq loves community service and helping others. He was the secretary, then president of the Concord Youth Council, which does community service throughout Concord. He was also secretary of the North Carolina State Youth Council. Additionally, Tariq loves fashion, politics, shopping/thrifting, yoga/Pilates, and music. Tariq will be majoring in Journalism and possibly minoring in Political Science. He is ecstatic to be a Communications Fellow and Odyssey Scholar during his time at Elon.

Zoe Klevens grew up in St. Louis and graduated from Parkway Central High School. She served as the Student Council class president, Jewish Student Union president and Dance Marathon executive director for two years, where she played a pivotal role in raising over $125,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network. Zoe enjoyed the creative and organizational skills she developed as the yearbook editor-in-chief in her junior and senior years. Zoe was selected to participate in the St. Louis Summer Stories, where she worked alongside WeMakeMovies and Apple to document the St. Louis Cardinals alumni and fantasy camp. She spent the fall semester of her junior year in Tzuba, Israel, where she lived, learned and experienced the culture, while continuing her educational studies  at Heller High School. While in Israel, Zoe also interned for the Jewish Telegraph Agency. Upon returning home, she served as a student-to-student leader, working to combat antisemitism by speaking to local high school students. In addition, Zoe served as the first communications intern for the Parkway School District’s Communications Department. She is honored to be selected as an Elon Communications Fellow and looks forward to expanding her skills and knowledge.

Alannah Klingsporn was born and raised in Denver, where she attended Denver South High School. During her time at South, she was a member of the National Honor Society and competed in cheer for all four years. Alannah has always had a love for storytelling, creative writing and writing, in general. She found her love for journalism on a fourth-grade field trip, when she was assigned to be a reporter for the day. After taking political science and completing Elon’s Emerging Journalists Program in her junior year, Alannah pursued an interest in political journalism, shadowing her local news station, as well as the Colorado Supreme Court building. Alannah is planning on majoring in Journalism with a minor in Political Science. She is eager to explore what the School of Communications has to offer and is both excited and honored to be a Communications Fellow.

Ellie Levin was raised in Massachusetts but spent a lot of her time growing up in Miami. She graduated from Westwood High School, where sophomore through senior year she served as founder of the Community Design Club and head of publicity for her school’s community service club. She found a passion for working with others to strategize school campaigns and events, where she continued to use these skills throughout her time as a member of National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society. Ellie also continues to serve on the social media team for the non-profit Brighten A Day Foundation, for which she heads media analytics and outreach. Outside academics, she invests her time into friends and family, catching up on pop culture, attending concerts and traveling. In addition, Ellie’s first language was Russian, which has led her to an interest in learning new languages and cultures. Ellie looks forward to beginning her journey as a strategic communications major and getting the opportunity to be a Communications Fellow.

JoJo Liebreich was born in Takoma Park, Maryland, raised in Seattle, and finished his high school education in Bethesda, Maryland. He graduated from the Washington Waldorf High School, where he developed a love for arts, literature and music. JoJo played varsity baseball all four years of high school and led his senior year team to its first ever tournament championship win. JoJo also played basketball and soccer in high school. Off the field, JoJo performed in his school’s musical in a lead role in the production of “Bye Bye Birdie” and performed in his senior play, “The Matchmaker.” JoJo was the editor of his school’s newspaper, for which he also took photos. JoJo loves to create art and plans to travel the world and follow his photography dreams as a journalist or freelance photographer. JoJo looks forward to Elon and can’t wait to start his college journey.

Ryan Lloyd was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, where he attended Trinity Episcopal School. Ryan has played soccer, baseball and golf throughout his life. During his time in high school, he was able to refine his passion for sports into co-founding a broadcasting network for the school’s athletic association. He took on various roles within the organization, becoming a play-by-play announcer, producer and editor-in-chief. His ability to create and produce content heightened the capabilities of the school by allowing for further promotion of its athletic achievements. In his junior year, Ryan began an internship with his county in the sports and entertainment division, assisting it with all sports tourism endeavors. Ryan is honored to be a Communications Fellow and is majoring in Sport Management. He is excited to begin his journey at Elon.

Gabriela Maldonado was born and raised in Westchester, New York, with her family from Guatemala. She graduated with the highest honors, earning an advanced NYS Regents diploma, the NYS Seal of Biliteracy, and the NYS Seal of Civic Readiness. Gabriela was deeply involved in school clubs and organizations, excelling as the arts and entertainment editor for her school’s newspaper, The Orange, and as the literary and layout editor for the yearbook, The Oracle. This year, her dedication to journalism was recognized with several honors and scholarships, including the Richard Liebson Journalism Scholarship, awarded in memory of the dedicated reporter for The Journal News. Gabriela’s passion for journalism ignited during her sophomore year of high school, further fueled by attending the 2023 immersion workshop of the Emerging Journalists Program at Elon. Outside school, she enjoys watching movies, going to the beach, tutoring students and spending time with her family. Additionally, Gabriela works in an immigration law office, assisting individuals obtain their U.S. residency and citizenship. This experience has sparked her interest in law and business. Gabriela looks forward to being a Communications Fellow at Elon, where she plans to major in Journalism and International Business. As a proud first-generation college student, she is eager to explore the opportunities the School of Communications has to offer.

Lauren McCowan, from Raleigh, North Carolina, plans to double major in Journalism and Cinema & Television Arts. While in high school, Lauren created her school’s first sports newspaper, titled SGHS Sports News. Every week, she interviewed athletes about their games and provided insight into different athletes’ points of view. Her love for writing, reading and storytelling was inspired by her grandmother, a teacher who emphasized the importance of effective communication. This passion for giving others the opportunity to share their stories drives Lauren to pursue her dream of becoming a news reporter. She was also a participant in the 2023 Emerging Journalists Program, which solidified her decision to attend Elon University in the fall of 2024. At Elon, Lauren hopes to develop the skills necessary for a successful career in the communications industry.

Alice Morrissey grew up in Denver, where she graduated from Wheat Ridge High School. Alice was active in her community throughout high school, serving as the student body president, volunteering for non-profits such as Project Sol Flower and the Mile High Lab Rescue, and playing varsity soccer for four years. Alice found ways to express her passion for storytelling and her outgoing personality as editor-in-chief for her school newspaper and by writing several articles for the Denver Museums of Contemporary Arts teen publication, Moxie Magazine. Through these outlets, Alice learned the importance of creating spaces for people’s voices to be heard, which inspired her to pursue a journalism degree. Alice is excited to join the Elon community as a Communications Fellow, where she hopes to continue branching out and finding new outlets for her creativity.

Hannah Nicholls grew up in Massachusetts, where she graduated from Cohasset High School. During her time there, she was a part of the varsity golf team for four years and, after being accepted as a member of the National Honor Society, she helped restore hiking trails around the town’s woodlands. Additionally, Hannah has been an artist since a young age and is constantly beginning new projects from painting and drawing to costume design, ceramics and jewelry making. Entrepreneurship has been in her life since the age of 12, when her love for dogs turned into a pet portrait painting business, which she still runs locally. Hannah discovered her interest in communications when she ran a small business designing, making and selling over 6,000 phone cases. She hopes to grow her passions for entrepreneurship and art. Hannah is excited to be a Communications Fellow and is looking forward to where this path will take her.

Sandy Orozco-Rosaldo is from Burlington, North Carolina, where she grew up on Elon’s campus. At Walter M. Williams High School, she took part in various extracurriculars, including the marching band where she was drum major her senior year. Through her experience as a second photographer/videographer and being a part of the 2023 Elon Freedom Scholars and Dual Enrollment cohorts, she knew early on that Elon would be the place for her. She completed her first documentary during her senior year as part of the COM course sequence while dual enrolled. Also a part of the Odyssey program, Sandy plans to double major in Strategic Communications and Communication Design with a minor in Spanish. She is excited to be a Communications Fellow.

Trista Panagakos is from Staten Island, New York, and graduated from St. Joseph by the Sea High School. During her four years of high school, Trista participated in the spring musicals, debate club, film and TV club, created and was president of the school’s first-ever creative writing club, and was the head script writer for the morning news show, “WSJS.” While in high school, Trista fell in love with the behind-the-scenes work it took to operate a news show. She spent most of her time in the control room writing the script for the show, while also helping in other areas, such as sound and cameras. While at Elon, Trista looks forward to studying abroad and taking part in Elon News Network. Trista is grateful to be a Communications Fellow and is eager to expand her knowledge of journalism while at Elon University.

Qui’Neja Robinson was born and raised in Henderson, North Carolina, where she graduated from Henderson Collegiate High School. During her time there, Qui’Neja was the president and co-founder of the Pride Ambassadors program. In this role, she had the opportunity to talk with inspiring leaders, interview new teachers, organize community service days around Vance County and guide visitors from across North Carolina to discuss the power of quality education in rural and low-income areas. This experience taught Qui’Neja valuable leadership skills and a sense of responsibility toward her school community. Additionally, she served as the Key Club communications officer, where she edited and managed the website for the Kiwanis Club. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she partnered with the non-profit Alternative Learning Center to prepare and deliver free grocery supplies, toiletries and testing packages to families in need. And she has volunteered with with Toys for Tots since 2019. Qui’Neja discovered her love for writing in her AP Language and Composition and AP Literature and Composition classes, and she also actively engaged in speaking roles at school performances, which helped build her confidence in public speaking. Qui’Neja plans to combine her love for English with her entertainment skills to major in Journalism, aspiring to a future career as a broadcast journalist. She is honored to be a Communications Fellow and looks forward to making new connections.

Emily Selikoff is from Livingston, New Jersey, and attended Livingston High School. There, she was the captain of the varsity swim team, a member of the National Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, National English Honor Society, secretary of Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society, president of National Art Honor Society, and a High Honor Roll student for all four years. Outside school, Emily has been a Girl Scout for 13 years and is a lifeguard and swim instructor. Emily has been involved in photography and television production in high school, and she has worked closely with her town’s local news network, LTV, and has worked on countless talk shows, sporting events, parades and concerts. Emily is honored to be a Communications Fellow and excited for her upcoming years at Elon.

Luca Sever is from North Bethesda, Maryland. She graduated from Walter Johnson High School, where she was one of the captains of her poms team during her senior year and was a member of multiple honor societies, including Psi Alpha and Latin Honor Society. She studied abroad in Israel for a full semester during her junior year, connecting with her culture and learning about its history and how to advocate against anti-Semitism. She raised $5,000 through the Jewish National Fund in support of bomb shelters, which house indoor recreation centers for high risk areas, Israel’s fire and rescue services, and many other important causes. She also attended the March for Israel in Washington, D.C., to advocate for Israel’s safety and right to peace. This experience in advocacy and philanthropy has shown her the importance that the field of communications has, further pushing her to pursue a career that makes an impact through communications. Luca is eager to continue her education in the School of Communications as a Communication Design major and a Communications Fellow.

Justin Spencer grew up in Bel Air, Maryland, and graduated from The John Carroll School. There, Justin was a two-sport varsity athlete, playing both volleyball and basketball. He also worked closely with the school’s baseball coach to create the baseball analytics team during his junior year. Sports are a big part of Justin’s life whether he is on or off the court. As a member of the National Honor Society, the French National Honor Society and the Math Honor Society, Justin was an active member in his school community. Volunteering and working at basketball and volleyball camps for kids in the summer are two of Justin’s favorite activities, which allow him share his love for sports with others. Justin is honored to be chosen as a Communications Fellow and is eager to learn more about sport management at Elon.

Sophia Sta. Rosa is from Auburn, Washington, which is part of the greater Seattle area. For her first two years of high school, she attended Renton Preparatory Christian School, a Microsoft Flagship school, during which time she won Renton Prep’s Academic Excellence in STEAM Award, and co-led, choreographed and performed in the annual school-wide dance program. As an upperclassman, she participated in Running Start, a dual-credit program, earning her associate’s degree from Green River College and her diploma from Thomas Jefferson High School. Sophia graduated with Highest Honors, having won the Green River College English Division Award. During her time at Green River, she co-founded the Green River Literary Book Club and worked as a tutor in the college’s Writing and Reading Center. She also volunteered at Vine Maple Place, an organization dedicated to ending the generational cycle of homelessness. Outside school, she enjoys theater, partner dancing and singing. She hopes to pursue her passions for reading and engaging critically with media by double-majoring in Strategic Communications and English, with the goal of one day entering the publishing industry as a book editor. She is thrilled to be a Communications Fellow and is eager to take part in the opportunities and community the program provides.

Daniel Towery grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and attended Apex High School after moving to Cary, North Carolina. In high school, he participated concert band, jazz band and marching band, where he played the trumpet. During his senior year, Daniel was selected to serve as drum major for marching band and earned awards such as Band Homecoming King and “Mr. Marching Band.” Outside school, Daniel has always had a passion for sports, specifically baseball. He interned with the Durham Bulls Triple-A baseball team through the Explorer Post50 program and learned various aspects of sports broadcasting. He spent his first year as a regular member but quickly proved his leadership capabilities enough to become a PIT crew member (leadership team) his second year. The experience sparked his passion for sports broadcasting and, while being inspired by Wes Durham, he dreams of being a play-by-play announcer for a professional baseball, football or basketball team. Daniel also had the opportunity to participate in the Post5 program through WRAL-TV, the oldest communications post in the nation. Daniel will be majoring in Journalism and Sport Management, while also hoping to get involved in Elon Sports Vision. Daniel also enjoys playing pickleball and traveling with family. He looks forward to meeting new people from varied backgrounds and experiencing an amazing college lifestyle at Elon University.

Virginia Vance was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and raised in a suburb of Seattle from the age of 4. While on the west coast, she challenged herself to graduate high school with an associate’s degree, which she received from Bellevue College. During that time, she was also employed by the student newspaper, where she was promoted to the editing team and oversaw the arts & features and sports sections. Now, Virginia returns to her birth state to pursue her passion for journalism at Elon via the Communications Fellows program.

Karsyn Vann grew up in Siler City, North Carolina, and graduated from Jordan-Matthews High School in the top 5% of her class. During her time at JM, she was involved in several extracurriculars, including Beta Club, Link Crew, Quiz Bowl, All Love Club and most notably the arts. She participated in the concert and marching bands, chorus, a cappella club and theater, where she played Donkey in her school’s production of “Shrek the Musical” and Anna in “Frozen.” She joined the yearbook staff her sophomore year and quickly fell in love with it, becoming copy editor and later editor-in-chief. This, along with a digital design class, led to her love for graphic design and journalism. She has also been a part of a dual language Spanish immersion program since kindergarten, where half of her day was taught in English and the other half in Spanish, culminating in her graduation with the Seal of Biliteracy. She plans to double major in Journalism and Spanish and will play in the Fire of the Carolinas Marching Band and wind ensemble. She is honored to be a Communications Fellow and she can’t wait to start her journey at Elon.

Megan Walsh is from Clemmons, North Carolina, and graduated summa cume laude in the top 5% of her class from the Middle College of Forsyth. While in high school, Megan served as a yearbook editor and a staff writer for the school newspaper, leading to her induction into the Quill and Scroll Honor Society. Additionally, Megan served as her school’s chapter president of the National Honor Society and was a member of the North Carolina Crosby Scholars Program graduating class of 2024. Outside school, Megan has been dancing since she was two and currently attends classes and teaches at Juxtaposition Fine Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She plans to continue dancing in college. Megan has loved writing and media production from a young age. Expanding those interests and her knowledge, she was a part of the 2023 cohort of the Emerging Journalists Program at Elon University, funded by the Scripps Howard Foundation. Megan cannot wait to continue that with the Communications Fellows program. She looks forward to exploring everything Elon University, the School of Communications and the Communications Fellows Program have to offer.

Emma Ward grew up in Cary, North Carolina, and graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School as a member of the National Honor Society. During her time at Cardinal Gibbons, Emma was a member of the varsity dance team and organized team events to foster team spirit and greater involvement within the school. Holding leadership roles in several campus clubs, including Admissions Ambassadors, the school coffee shop Holy Grounds, and the spirit organization Green Army, Emma led training sessions, orchestrated new events and effectively communicated and marketed ideas to her peers. Notably, she played a crucial role in revitalizing the school’s newspaper during her junior year, solidifying her passion for writing beyond high school. It was through her involvement in these organizations that Emma found her interest in the communications industry. Beyond her school activities, Emma is passionate about traveling and hopes to study abroad and pursue international business alongside communications. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, attending concerts and dancing in her free time. Emma eagerly anticipates diving into the field of communications at Elon and is honored to be a Communications Fellow.

Sean Woodward is from Kensington, Maryland, and graduated from Albert Einstein High School in the spring. Sean played sports all four years at Einstein, including running cross country in the fall and becoming a captain of the Maryland Class 4A state championship team his senior year. In the winter, Sean swam on the swim team and was a captain both his junior and senior years, also earning the Coaches Award his final year on the team. Sean ran outdoor track in the spring season, also becoming a captain and earning a Coaches Award his senior year. Sean also became intrigued with his journalism class during his senior year, and he wrote and edited articles for the Einstein Nucleus, the school newspaper. In his leadership class, he was an anchor for the morning announcements and helped run events for the school. Sean has been a part of National Honor Society and National English Honor Society since his junior year. Outside school, Sean has shown his love for sports through his involvement in recreational and club soccer teams since he was in first grade, as well as playing on the same recreational basketball team for 13 years. During the summer, Sean has been on the swim team at his neighborhood pool, Kenmont Swim and Tennis Club, for the past 11 years. For the past two years, Sean has been getting even more involved in the community by becoming a junior coach for the team, while also being employed as a lifeguard. Sean is looking forward to being a Sport Management major and a Communications Fellow at Elon.