Chellgren Center Announces Newest Class of 31 Student Fellows

The newest class of 31 Chellgren Students Fellows.
The newest class of 31 Chellgren Student Fellows.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 24, 2020) — The University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence has announced its newest class of 31 Chellgren Student Fellows.  

The Chellgren Center Student Fellows Program aligns with the university’s goal of cultivating undergraduate excellence. By providing experiences that go beyond the classroom, students become prepared for the next phase of their career, whether it be graduate school or a gap year dedicated to service. 

COVID-19 has certainly made for an unprecedented academic year. Students and professors are adhering to mask regulations in the classroom, dining halls are empty and many classes are completely online. In spite of this unexpected turn of events, Philipp Kraemer, Chellgren Chair for Undergraduate Excellence, is hopeful and excited for this 2020 class of Chellgren Fellows. 

“As we struggle to manage our lives during a very challenging moment, working with talented, highly motivated students such as the 2020 Chellgren Student Fellows provides me a welcome uplift,” Kraemer said.

The 2020-2021 Fellows and their majors are:

Jasmine Ahmad, health, society, and populations

Kaitylnn Albers, journalism

Molly Armstrong, neuroscience

Constance Bledsoe, international studies

Madison Boosveld, neuroscience

Cameron Brewer, mechanical engineering

Kennedy Brown, human health sciences

Garrett Demaree, civil engineering

Burke Doud, mechanical engineering

Riley Droppleman, biology

Madilyn Flandermeyer, materials engineering

Sophia Gonzales, biology

Emily Guerrero, neuroscience

Bethany Ison, neuroscience

Mihir Kale, political science

Shauna Kitts, social work

Nevaeh Leachman, neuroscience

Faith Makumbi, physics

Ian Metzgar, biosystems engineering

Alexandra Nolletti, neuroscience

Reagan Parker, linguistics

Jake Patty, chemical engineering

Maryrose Ramsey, chemical engineering

Jennifer Rodriguez, marketing

Marlee Scholten, pre-biomedical engineering

Rachael Snyder, agricultural and medical biotechnology

Josh Thomas, mining engineering

Tori Vestal, foreign language and international economics

Meredith Williams, biology

Sam Wyse, chemical engineering

Gabija Ziemyte, physics

To learn more about the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, please visit www.uky.edu/chellgren/

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.