Fall 2024 Scholars

Xunheng Wu is a junior studying International Relations at William & Mary. He is an international student from China who is passionate about learning about history and politics and hopes to pursue a career in international relations.

Nikita Chellani is a junior at W&M studying Government with a focus on American politics, and minoring in Mathematics. She is interested in congressional and state politics, as well as in environmental and social policy. In DC, she hopes to immerse herself in the world of American government while developing her professional skills.

John is a junior pursuing a degree in Government. Originally from the California Bay Area, he attended high school in Charleston, SC before coming to W&M. When he’s not in Virginia, he splits his time between South Carolina, central Texas (visiting his mother), and California. Apart from work and studying, John enjoys Appalachian guitar, weightlifting, Binging TV shows, and quality time with friends/family. After receiving his Bachelor’s, John plans to attend law school.

Benjamin Boateng is a senior at William & Mary from Fredericksburg, VA, currently pursuing a degree in sociology with a concentration in globalization. He is a member of the prestigious Institute for Responsible Citizenship, a national program designed to support high-achieving African-American students through leadership and mentorship programs. On campus as a WMSURE Scholar, Benjamin has been highly active; he previously served as the President of the campus' Black Male Collective, an organization dedicated to providing service to Black male-identifying men within the Williamsburg area. Additionally, he recently concluded his tenure as a founding member of the campus' Black Poets Society, successfully publishing two poetry magazines aptly named The Black Matter Anthology. In general, Benjamin is heavily motivated to serve his community and provide adequate spaces for community growth through legal academic research and legitimate community work. Benjamin has previously interned at the Urban Institute Justice Policy Center in D.C., W&M’s Social Justice Policy Initiative, W&M Law’s Center for Racial and Social Justice, and is currently looking forward to interning at The Public Defender’s Service for D.C. Throughout his senior year, Benjamin will be researching and writing his honors thesis on the impact and understandings of community volunteer police officers within the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington D.C. He will be eagerly anticipating applying to law school and PhD programs over the 2024-2025 school year to further enhance his ability to help others and to create community impact using the law.

Caroline is a rising junior at Middlebury College from Charlottesville, Virginia, participating in William & Mary's DC Semester Program in Fall 2024. She is a history major and a global health minor, and very involved in Middlebury College Democrats and the college's Jewish student organization, Hillel. She loves winter, and is a ski instructor at the Middlebury Snow Bowl. This summer, Caroline has been interning with the clean energy non-profit Generation 180, as well as working as a research assistant at the University of Virginia's Environmental Institute. Last year, she worked as an intern at the UVA Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, and is interested in a range of policy worlds, from climate change to education. In her free time, Caroline enjoys long distance running, watching Cowboys football with her brother, and spending time outside.

Amiyah Wright is a junior at William and Mary and has transferred from Richard Bland College of William and Mary during the 2023 Fall semester. She is currently majoring in History and minoring in Medieval and Renaissance Studies beginning in her second year of college. She has a passion for history and subjects relating to social studies and is a member of the Rho Kappa National Honors Society, which acknowledges students' academic excellence in social studies. She was also part of a second honors society through the ACE Center at Hermitage High School called National Technical Honors Society which celebrates students who possessed a strong initiative to succeed in the workplace. After her first year of college, she joined the Phi Mu Sorority at William and Mary which aids women in achieving leadership abilities but also helps in forming close connections.

Charlie is double majoring in English and Government at William & Mary. His career goal is to work in television. He had the opportunity to work as a digital intern at his local news station, WAVYTV10/Fox. As a digital intern, he wrote and published numerous articles and he also had the opportunity to work in all aspects of the station.

Alanna is a junior studying for a BA in Government at the College of William & Mary and intending to attend law school to become a lawyer.