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Life Beyond the Limestone 2014

Graduate and Professional School (Page 1)

Charlotte Woody ’14

Hometown: Stratham, N.H.

Major(s): Neuroscience

Graduate School: The University of Queensland, Australia

Charlotte will pursue a master’s degree in international public health. 

Campus Activities & Engagement: Equestrian team; Phoenix; Tritons

Internships: Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Mass.

Darcy Benson ’14

Hometown: Wynantskill, N.Y.

Major(s): History

Graduate School: Boston University

Darcy will pursue her master’s degree in history from Boston University.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Kappa Alpha Theta; mock-trial team; Liberty Cap Society; Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Alpha Theta; Alpha Lambda Delta; EmPower

Internships: Musee departemental de la Resistance et de la Deportation in Toulouse, France; New York State Museum (worked with artifacts and helped to research, create and set up exhibitions)

What are some of the defining moments of Darcy’s Dickinson experience?

“Study abroad was one of the defining moments of my years at Dickinson,” she says. “Toulouse, the friends I made there and all of the sites and experiences I had were incredible. My internship proved to be so instrumental because it gave me direction within my field to help me discover what I really wanted to study. I will continue the work I began at the museum while pursuing my master’s degree.”

Rosabeth Link ’14

Hometown: Califon, N.J.

Major(s): Biology

Graduate School: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Rosabeth will pursue her master’s degree in entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Mesrob Yeterian ’14

Hometown: Acton, Mass.

Major(s): Biology & Molecular Biology

Graduate School: Boston University

Mesrob will pursue a master’s degree in medical sciences from Boston University.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Resident advisor and community advisor, Office of Residence Life; computer technician; pre-health society

Internships: Summer research assistant, Dickinson College; intern, Public Health Department of Acton, Mass.

How has Dickinson prepared Mesrob for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“My time at Dickinson prepared me with the knowledge and confidence I need to further my education,” he says. “The experience I’ve gained in classes will be invaluable when planning projects and completing research next year.”

Rae Buhosky ’14

Hometown: Coopersburg, Pa.

Major(s): Biology

Graduate School: University of Pittsburgh

Rae will pursue her master’s degree in prosthetics and orthotics from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Varsity women’s lacrosse; resident advisor; Kappa Kappa Gamma; sports-medicine student assistant

Internships: Valley Prosthetics and Orthotics, Allentown, Pa. (shadowed prosthetists and orthotists; learned about fitting, designing and evaluating)

How has Dickinson prepared Rae for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“My professors were always supportive of my studies and encouraged outside-of-the-box thinking in the classrooms and labs,” she says. “They all push you to be your best self and student. Dickinson has given me the confidence I need to be successful in my field and the passion for pursuing my interests globally.”

What are some of the defining moments of Rae’s Dickinson experience?

“One of my favorite experiences was my time abroad in Norwich, England,” she says. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group of Dickinson students to be with and I loved being able to travel all over Europe. Being a member of the University of East Anglia lacrosse team was probably one of the highlights of my time abroad.”


Noor Akbar limestone photo
Noorjahan Akbar ’14

Hometown: Kabul, Afghanistan

Major(s): Sociology

Graduate School: American University

Noorjahan, an internationally recognized leader in the Afghan gender-equality movement, will pursue a master’s degree in journalism from American University in Washington, D.C.

Among her many accomplishments, Noorjahan has authored books for children in Afghanistan; founded Kabul’s first all-female internet café; and founded the nonprofit organization, Young Women for Change, which is committed to improving the lives of Afghan women. As a sophomore, she was invited to attend The Daily Beast’s Women in the World Summit and did so alongside Hillary . She has written op-eds for The New York Times and has been featured on Fox News and USA Today. She also was featured in Forbes’ annual “Most Powerful Women in the World” issue and speaks regularly with high-school students about her advocacy work. In 2013, Noorjahan was named the Grand Prize Winner in Glamour magazine’s Top 10 College Women competition.

Read more about Noorjahan’s journey. 

Ryan Lane Limestone photo

Ryan Lane ’14

Hometown: Camp Hill, Pa.

Major(s): Physics

Graduate School: University of Oregon

Ryan will pursue his master’s degree in physics from the University of Oregon.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Physics and astronomy clubs (showcased various physics experiments to the Carlisle community and introduced the community to the planetarium and rooftop telescopes).

Internships: Research intern, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, one of 10 Department of Energy Office of Science laboratories (worked with members of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope collaboration to access current models of the interstellar cosmic-ray spectrum)

How has Dickinson prepared Ryan for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson has given me the confidence and passion necessary to pursue my career interests on a global scale,” says Ryan. “I had no such worldly outlook coming to Dickinson and I sincerely doubt that I would have obtained it from many other institutions.”

Brittany Small ’14

Hometown: Colt’s Neck, N.J.

Major(s): International Studies

Graduate School: Lipscomb University

Brittany will pursue her MBA from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn.

Michael Fogler ’14

Hometown: Cherry Hill, N.J.

Major(s): Psychology

Graduate School: University of Notre Dame Law School

Michael will pursue his J.D. or L.L.B. from the Notre Dame Law School, the oldest Roman Catholic law school in the nation. 

Danielle Clausnitzer ’14

Hometown: Wayzata, Minn.

Major(s): Religion; Africana Studies

Graduate School: University of Georgia

Danielle will study religion and Christian studies at The University of Georgia.

How has Dickinson prepared Danielle for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson has taught me who I am and what I want to do with the rest of my life,” she says. “Without having gone to Dickinson, I don’t know if I would’ve ever discovered my love for studying religion and my subsequent desire to be a religion major and a someday, a professor.”

Christine Neville ’14

Hometown: Yorktown, Va.

Major(s): Biology & Molecular Biology

Graduate School: Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Christine will pursue a career in medicine and has been accepted to Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Lynchburg, Va.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Montgomery Service Leaders; Tritons; Pre-Med Society; Microcosm; Alpha Lambda Delta; first-year Drayer Hall community association; Waidner-Spahr Library circulation desk attendant; Dining Services red shirt

Internships: U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense; United Methodist Church Home for Children

How has Dickinson prepared Christine for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson gave me the foundation in science necessary for medical school as well as a liberal-arts perspective, which will allow me to think creatively in my career as a doctor to better serve my patients,” she says.

What are some of the defining moments of Christine’s Dickinson experience?

“Being a part of the Montgomery Service Leaders and having an internship at the United Methodist Church Home for Children exposed me to problems today’s youth and society face,” says Christine.

Drew Kilker limestone photo

Drew Kilker ’14

Hometown:  Sparks, Md.

Majors: Biology

Graduate School: Shippensburg University

Drew will pursue a master’s degree in biology at Shippensburg University. He also has taken a volunteer position with Johns Hopkins Medical Center, where he will assist Ph.D. candidates with fluorescent-imaging experiments centered on the human cardiovascular system. The goal of this research and his participation is to conduct experiments and analyze and determine mitochondrial functions associated with cardiac disease.

Campus Activity and Engagement: NCAA cross country; NCAA indoor track and field; NCAA outdoor track and field

Internships: Johns Hopkins Medical Center, cardiovascular research with Ph.D. candidates

How Has Dickinson prepared Drew for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson has provided me with exceptional life experiences,” says Drew. “Through the School for Field Studies in Turks & Caicos, I got to dive every day while conducting marine biology research and contributing to the local government’s policies on economic development and expansion. I now look forward to applying those experiences and skills to graduate school.”

David Cochrane
David Cochrane ’14

Hometown: South Abington Township, Pa.

Major(s): Music; Russian

Graduate School: University of South Carolina

David, who will holds two distinct firsts at Dickinson—the first music major to concentrate in conducting and the first student conductor to be awarded the Emil R. and Tamar Weiss Prize in the Creative Arts—will pursue his master’s degree in choral conducting at the University of South Carolina.

“After completing my master’s degree, I hope to spend a few years teaching at the high-school level before pursuing my Doctorate of Musical Arts in conducting,” says David.

Campus Activities & Engagement: College choir; Collegium; Liberty Caps Society; student interviewer; director of the Dickinson Campus Liturgical Choir

What are some of the defining moments of David’s Dickinson experience?

“The opportunity to premiere two of my friends' compositions in the Weiss Prize concert while directing a choir and small-chamber orchestra,” he says.

Read more about David

Colin Tripp Colin Tripp '14

Hometown: Columbia, Conn.

Major(s): English

Employer: Denver

Publishing Institute

Colin will attend the Denver Publishing Institute, a four-week program at the University of Denver that trains new talent for the world of book publishing. In 2012, Colin became one of the first two Dickinson students to be accepted into the prestigious Mansfield College Visiting Student Programme at Oxford University, where he spent his full junior year studying.

Campus Activity and Engagement: Belles Lettres Literary Society; Norman M. Eberly Writing Center; Student Advisory Committee, English; Liberty Cap Society

Internships: Dana Research Fellow for associate professor David M. Ball

How has Dickinson Prepared Colin for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson has prepared me to articulate a narrative about my own learning experience to present to employers. I have learned how to critically think, read, write and speak regardless of the topic.”

What are some of the defining moments of Colin’s Dickinson experience?

“Celebrating with my seminar at our professor’s house after handing in our theses was probably one of the most memorable experiences I had at Dickinson,” says Colin. “We were able to relax after working for so long, and could enjoy the bonds we formed throughout the year.”

Sophia Acevedo ’14

Hometown: Sylmar, Calif.

Major(s): Religion; Physics

Graduate School: Carnegie Mellon University

Sophie will pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Learning community coordinator; Devil’s Den cashier; physics evening consultant; physics for life sciences grader; MOB all-college chair

Internships: Engineering undergraduate student at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for summer 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Duties included solar panel dust mitigation strategies research for the Mars 2018 mission, part-integrity investigation for the Mars Science Laboratory, mechanical designer for JPL’s Planetary Testbed facility proposal and mechanical support to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) shakedown test.

How has Dickinson prepared Sophia for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson has allowed me to explore other subjects beyond my field of focus and to learn how to effectively communicate my ideas,” she says. “I am able to engage in conversations and discussions along a wide spectrum of topics because of the exposure that Dickinson has given me. Possessing the ability to communicate findings or engage intellectually with people outside of the field is essential to a progressive scientific community.”

What are some of the defining moments of Sophia’s Dickinson experience?

“Finding out I was accepted to CMU was a defining moment because I was surrounded by my physics community when I received the email,” she says.

Stephen Decker ’14

Hometown: Cherry Hill, N.J.

Major(s): International Studies

Graduate School: The Pennsylvania State University, School of International Affairs

Stephen will pursue a master’s degree in humanitarian response and human rights.

Campus Activities and Engagement: Resident advisor; community advisor; Crescendevils A Capella; Tritons; Jive Turkeys; ultimate frisbee team.

What are some of the defining moments of Stephen’s Dickinson experience?

“My time as a community advisor was extremely rewarding,” he says. “The bonds I developed with my staff and residents were educational and allowed me to grow as a leader and a person alongside others.”

Ann Lemmo ’14

Hometown: Holland, Pa.

Major: Environmental Studies

Graduate School: Pace Law School

Ann will pursue a Juris Doctorate or Bachelor of Laws degree at Pace Law School in White Plains, NY.

Campus activities and engagement: Vice president, Phoenix; Dog house; Liberty Caps Society; climate action task force, pre-law society

Internships: Climate action task force transportation research assistant, W. Atlee Burpee &Co. Fordhook Garden and Trials intern

How has Dickinson prepared you for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“The environmental studies department showed me that the lessons I learned in the classroom were applicable to the concerns in the global community today,” she says.

Robbie Sansevere ’14

Hometown: Whitehouse Station, N.J.

Major(s): Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Graduate School: The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

Robbie will pursue a dental medicine degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Varsity cross country; indoor/outdoor track and field

Internships: Undergraduate research program at The Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C., investigating a novel therapeutic designed to combat oral cancer.

How has Dickinson prepared Robbie for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson has prepared me in so many ways. I will be attending dental school next fall, and I am more than confident that Dickinson has prepared me for the academic demands of graduate-level course work. Here at Dickinson the faculty love learning and they want to share their passion with the students.”

What are some of the defining moments of Robbie’s Dickinson experience?

“Another aspect of my Dickinson experience, which I feel has made a huge impact on my life has been my ability to engage in course work outside my major. My junior year I took American Government with Doug Edlin and this course changed my world. This experience combined with a  background in science changed the way I think about things everyday no matter whether that be a discussion I have in class or with a friend. The last major aspect of my Dickinson experience I would like to mention has been my involvement with varsity cross country and track and field. Competing for Dickinson was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

Aaron Brumbaugh limestone photo
Aaron Brumbaugh ’14

Hometown: Martinsburg, Pa.

Major(s): Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Graduate School: New York Medical College

Aaron will be pursuing a medical degree at the New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y.

Campus Activities & Engagement: College choir; resident advisor; community advisor; learning community coordinator; WDCV DJ, Eco-Rep; Pre-health Society; student researcher; chemistry and biology lab teaching assistant; chemistry tutor

Internships: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Prokaryotic Biology, University of Georgia; Escalante-Semerena Lab, Athens, Ga., research assistant; Dickinson, summer student-faculty research; Dickinson, faculty lab, research assistant

How has Dickinson prepared Aaron for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson gave me the opportunity to work closely with faculty to develop research and critical thinking skills, while also providing me with an environment conducive to pursuing a diverse educational background.”

What is Aaron most anticipating about his post-graduation plans?

“I am excited to being volunteering in La Casita de la Salud, the student-run medical clinic in East Harlem dedicated to treating the local underserved population.”

What are some defining moments of Aaron’s Dickinson experience?

“Being able to attend the National American Chemical Society meeting in New Orleans, was an amazing experience. I was able to interact with other scientists with diverse research interests, and also presented my own work to other researchers and students,” said Aaron, adding “as a result, I learned more than I thought was possible in a three-day period, and left with confidence in my own work and presenting skills.”

John Donley limestone photo
John “Draper” Donley ’14

Hometown: Lutherville, Md.

Major(s): Political Science

Graduate School: L’Academie de Cuisine

Draper calls his post-graduation plans “the adventure of a lifetime.” Before pursuing a degree in culinary arts from L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Md., he will bike across the U.S. for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults and 4k for Cancer. His 70-day, 4,500-mile journey begins on June 1 in Baltimore and concludes on Aug. 9, in San Francisco. He’ll visit more than 70 cities along the way to raise funds for a cause that hits close to home. “I am dedicating this ride to five individuals in my life who have been affected by cancer,” says Draper.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Varsity men’s lacrosse, team captain; off-field service trips working for Second Chance organization in Baltimore and Habitat for Humanity in Franklin, W.Va.; annual “volleyball-a-thon” raising funds for the American Red Cross; Relay for Life, team captain

Internships: Programming intern, Cal Ripkin, Sr., Foundation (organized camps and clinics for underprivileged, inner-city children); administrative intern, Glenridge Healthcare Solutions, Columbia, Md. (data collection and quality assurance)

What are some of the defining moments of Draper’s Dickinson experience?

“Some of the most defining moments were winning the Centennial Conference championship three years in a row and senior seminar, my most difficult class,” says Draper, reflecting on a challenging assignment. “I put in the time and effort on my thesis and it really showed in my final grade. When I saw a grade of 98 on my paper, I was so proud. It showed that as long as I work hard, I can accomplish greatness.”

Read more about Draper

Abbey Carson limestone photo.

Abigail Carson ’14

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Major(s): English

Graduate School: Denver Publishing Institute

Abigail will attend the Denver Publishing Institute, a four-week program at the University of Denver that trains new talent for the world of book publishing.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Kappa Alpha Theta; vice president of Panhel; member of ski club

Internships: Mt. Lebanon Magazine Summer Intern

How has Dickinson prepared Abigail for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Dickinson has taught me the value of being pushed outside of my comfort zone,” says Abigail. “Through Dickinson, I went abroad last fall to England, something that I never thought I would be able to do. My experience abroad really changed my world view.”

What are some of the defining moments of Abigail’s Dickinson experience?

“Studying abroad in England and taking advantage of the programs this school has to offer (visiting writers, alumni and other talented individuals),” she says. 

Allison Charles limestone photo.Allison Charles ’14

Hometown: North East, Md.

Major(s): English

Graduate School: University of Denver Publishing Institute

Allison will attend the Denver Publishing Institute, a four-week program at the University of Denver, that trains new talent for the world of book publishing.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Belles Lettres Literary Society; The Square; Dickinson Science Magazine; WDCV; Yes Please!

Internships: Editorial intern for America in WWII Magazine at 310 Publishing, LLC in Harrisburg, Pa.

What is Allison most anticipating about her post-graduation plans?

“Publishing has been my dream for many years and I’m excited to expand my knowledge of the industry,” she says.

What are some of the defining moments of Allison’s Dickinson experience?

“This year, I was the co-Editor-in-Chief of the Dickinson Review. It was amazing to hold the publication and know that I helped create it.”

Brian Gerney limestone photo.Brian Gerney '14

Hometown: Muncy, Pa.

Major(s): Political Science, Italian Studies

Graduate School: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Brian will pursue a master’s degree in geography with a concentration in location analysis at The University of North Carolina in Charlotte.

Campus Activities & Engagement: Men’s varsity basketball; political science majors’ committee

How has Dickinson prepared Brian for Life Beyond the Limestone?

“Learning how to take in and process information and ideas from across disciplines is something I think is invaluable,” says Brian. “Being able to then organize and use information to back up a decision or a conclusion is something that I think will benefit me in any career for the rest of my life.”

What are some of the defining moments of Brian’s Dickinson experience?

“Definitely my study-abroad experience in Italy and also going to the Elite 8 this year with the basketball team,” he says.