Class of 2029
Note: Prior to Fall 2025, the FUSE Program was known as the Sorin Scholars Honors Program.
Ada Duru Ak is a Global Affairs major with a minor in European Studies and a Corde Scholar. Her research explores the intersection of democratic resilience, geopolitical risk, and the European Union. She currently serves as a Research Assistant at Johns Hopkins University, conducting data analysis on health disparities, and works alongside Professor Aníbal S. Pérez Liñan on a democracy and disproportionality Project. Ada has previously conducted research within International Political Economy (IPE), specifically analyzing transatlantic trade relations and market volatility following global shock events. On campus, she is a Staff Writer for The Observer, an international student ambassador, a Sustainability in Action Fellow, and an Ethics Research Fellow. Following graduation, Ada plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Political Science, specializing in Comparative Politics.
Victor Emanuel Barbosa N. Silva is a Science Pre-Professional (Pre-Medical Studies) major with a minor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Originally from São Francisco, Minas Gerais, Brazil, he attended the New Mexico Military Institute, where he graduated as valedictorian and served as Battalion S-3 (Operations Officer), leading operations for over 300 cadets. At Notre Dame, Victor is a Mary E. Galvin Science and Engineering Scholars Program, QuestBridge Scholar, TLP Scholar, and FUSE Fellow. He conducts research as an undergraduate assistant at the Museum of Biodiversity and has also conducted research through the Harvard Undergraduate Summer Research Institute, focusing on non-coding RNAs in Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond academics, he is the founder and president of the Núcleo de Estudos Avançados (NEA), a nonprofit that connects low-income Brazilian students to mentorship and scientific olympiad training. On campus, he serves as a manager at North Dining Hall and is involved in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club and BRASA. Victor aspires to become a physician-scientist and contribute to advancing medical research while expanding access to high-level education in Brazil.
Thea Bendaly is a Political Science and French student from Carmel, IN. Her research interests include barriers to reentry after incarceration and prison reform initiatives to reduce harm created by mass incarceration. Her research experience includes examining different prison-education programs’ educational philosophies, efficacy at reducing recidivism, and impact on incarcerated students. On campus, Thea serves as a co-lead for Student Policy Network’s (SPN) Incarceration Rights project. Thea is an active member of Notre Dame’s Student Government, serving on both the Committee on the Constitution and the Department of South Bend Engagement. In her free time, Thea enjoys writing for The Observer and arranging for/singing with Halftime a cappella.
Leo Brinkley is double majoring in Political Science and Spanish in the School of Arts and Letters. He is also an undergraduate fellow at the Notre Dame International Security Center. With an interest in International Relations and Law Enforcement, Leo hopes to research the cooperation and coordination between global law enforcement organizations. On campus, Leo is a member of clubs such as FightND, Kesem, and BridgeND. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and tennis, and watching Survivor.
Gabriel da Silva Marques is a Computer Engineering major with a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from São Paulo, Brazil. His research interests lie at the intersection of intelligent software and physical systems, exploring how machine learning and embedded hardware can be deployed to improve quality of life, particularly for underserved communities. At Notre Dame, Gabriel is the co-founder of Sype AI, a hackathon award-winning academic productivity platform, and is involved in Domer Rover and a competitive DARPA Lift Challenge team. He is a scholar of the Transformational Leadership Program and a Professional Analyst for the Brazilian Student Association (BRASA). Before Notre Dame, he impacted over 12,000 teenagers across Brazil through educational initiatives focused on disruptive technology. After graduation, Gabriel plans to return to Brazil to develop socially impactful technology ventures that expand opportunity for marginalized populations.
Davis Dietzen is a double major in Medieval Studies and Classics from just south of San Francisco, California. His interests lie in Byzantine Studies and the broader medieval East Mediterranean. In particular, his research has focused on examining the relationship between religion and intellectualism in the Byzantine world, as well as medieval and early modern attempts at synthesizing Christian theology with Greco-Roman literature and philosophy. Following graduation, he hopes to pursue graduate degrees in theology, philology, and history. Outside of Hesburgh library, Davis enjoys spending time in nature, cooking, and chatting—although not very well—in spoken Ancient Greek and Latin.
Anna Daniella “Dani” Endaya is studying Finance, Chinese, and Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Originally from Manila, Philippines, Dani is currently based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and spent nine years growing up in Singapore. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of finance and global affairs, particularly in how business, policy, and cross-cultural understanding can shape economic opportunity across international contexts. At Notre Dame, Dani proudly lives in Farley Hall and serves as Treasurer of the Filipino American Student Organization. She is also an Economics teaching assistant for Professor Forrest Spence and has been involved with the Student International Business Council, Student Policy Network, and Smart Woman Securities. Outside of academics, Dani is a member of Outing Club and enjoys running, live music, and doing food reviews.
Carter Kenny is a History major from Dallas, TX with a minor in Business Economics. His research interests include both economic history and human rights protection. Currently, he works under Professor William Donahue, researching memory culture–how cultures develop a collective memory of state-sanctioned crime. Outside of class, Carter is a Transformation Ministries tutor and mentor, Kellogg Developing Researcher, and member of the Keenan Hall St. Andre committee. He enjoys working out, rock climbing, and watch collecting and hopes to pursue a career in public policy after graduating from Notre Dame.
Lucy Loes is a Global Affairs and Environmental Science double major from Minneapolis, Minnesota, pursuing a minor in Energy Studies. Driven by a passion for climate justice and international policy, Lucy is currently a research assistant for two faculty projects. Her work focuses on navigating the complexities of a just energy transition and exploring environmental peacebuilding through urban regenerative practices. On campus, Lucy is a news writer for The Observer, a member of the Environmental Science Student Leadership Committee, and an active participant in the Outing Club. Lucy is particularly interested in how imperialism and development shape contemporary climate challenges, especially within Indigenous and marginalized communities. In the future, Lucy plans to pursue graduate studies in Global Affairs, Political Ecology, or Environmental Policy, with the goal of working at the intersection of international development and climate justice.
Jordan Marshall is a Strategic Management major and Sustainability minor with an interest in sustainable consumer behavior and socio-environmental dynamics. She currently serves as Co-President for GreeND, a student-centered sustainability club, and interns with Notre Dame’s Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative, contributing to international projects centered on interdisciplinary and justice-focused approaches to climate solutions. She is also an active member of Student International Business Council and competes for the Notre Dame Club Running Team. Outside of classes, she loves to bake, sing at Cavanaugh Hall dorm masses, try new coffee shops, and learn new languages.
Morgan McLean is an Architecture major pursuing a minor in Resiliency and Sustainability of Engineering Systems. She is most eager to explore the intersection between regenerative architecture and traditional design. Along these lines, her research pursuits and interests extend to analyzing the context-dependent nature of sustainable solutions and
Not Pictured: Isabel Stadthagen
Simon Yan is a Neuroscience major in the College of Science with a minor in Science/Patient Advocacy. Born in Wenzhou, China, he grew up in Spokane, WA, and currently resides in Keough Hall. Simon is an aspiring physician dedicated to advancing the accessibility of preventative medicine. He serves as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in Dr. Hsueh-Chia Chang’s lab, where he optimizes microfluidic systems to detect disease biomarkers at the femtomolar scale. Beyond the lab, Simon is an active member of Enable ND, a club that engineers prosthetic devices for local children with limb differences. Simon is a pianist and guitarist, active in Music is Medicine, a club that performs for residents in local nursing homes. In his free time, Simon enjoys running, swimming, walking his dogs, playing music, and hiking in national parks. After graduation, Simon plans to pursue an MD or MD/MPH program followed by an Internal Medicine residency and a fellowship in Cardiology or Oncology/Hematology.
Lauren Yu is a Neuroscience and Behavior major with a passion for the intersection between the brain and biomedical engineering. Her current research experience involves managing induced pluripotent stem cells for the development of cerebral brian organoids in the Hanjaya-Putra lab. She is looking forward to leading an independent project over the summer through the Harper Cancer Research Institute, where she will investigate the uptake of temozolomide-loaded liposome nanoparticles by tumor-infected brain organoids. At Notre Dame, Lauren is a proud member of Lewis Hall and is involved in iGEM, student government, and Korean Student Association (KSA). She is originally from the mountains of North Carolina and in her free time she enjoys playing soccer, camping, and cooking.