Spring 2024 Scholars

Lexi Hovsepian '25

Lexi is a junior studying government with a minor in military science at the College of William & Mary. She is involved in Alpha Chi Omega, Club Sailing, and the Student Marketing Association. Lexi is focusing on international border and boundary dilemmas under the tutelage of her professor, Rebekah Sterling while researching the current problems of Scotland and England in a post-Brexit United Kingdom. After graduation, Lexi is going to pursue her Masters in Public Policy. She wants to secure a job in the defense and security sector of the government, hoping to work for the Department of Defense.

James Copenhaver '25

James is a junior at William & Mary, scheduled to graduate in Spring of 2025. He is majoring in Economics, with a minor in History. James chose to participate in the William & Mary D.C. Semester Program to further his professional development with an internship in D.C. The internship will be focused on economic policy, with the goal of potentially landing a job in the field of economic policy postgraduation. Additionally, James's other interests include music at William & Mary, with memberships in the Wham Bam Big Band, The William & Mary Pep Band, and the Delta Tau Omicron Music Fraternity.

Ally Swindell '25

Ally Swindell is a junior studying International Relations with a minor in History at William & Mary. After studying abroad at Oxford University for the fall semester, Ally will be spending the spring interning at the U.S. Department of State. On campus, Ally is a campus tour guide for the Undergraduate Admissions Office, a member of the International Relations Club, and an Associate Editor for The Monitor Journal of International Studies. In addition, she was previously a Management Research Assistant for AidData’s Chinese Development Finance Program and is actively involved at the Global Research Institute. Ally looks forward to spending the semester in Washington D.C. and growing as an aspiring professional with the help of the Washington Center.

Aldrin Yashko '25

Aldrin is majoring in international relations with a focus on national security. She is a research assistant at the Global Research Institute's AidData lab and previously served a term on the Undergraduate Honor Council. Aldrin enjoys reading, studying languages, and spending time with her dog.

Akash Barathan '24

Akash Barathan is a senior who is majoring in Government and minoring in Theatre at William and Mary. He is currently pursuing a career in analytics and data science. In his free time, Akash likes to sketch, work on paintings, play chess and tennis, and train Muay Thai.

Felix Tian '25

Felix Tian is a rising senior at William & Mary pursuing a double major in Economics and International Relations. He is currently interning at the Brookings Institution, assisting with research projects on long-term services and supports (LTSS) reforms and private equity in nursing facilities. Felix has been actively involved in various research projects, including the Health Policy Lab and the US-Japan Baseball Diplomacy project. He also served as a research assistant for AidData. Felix is passionate about promoting public policy advancements through policy assessments grounded in data analysis and innovative approaches. Felix looks forward to acquiring a deeper understanding of public policy and the professional world from his DC-Semester internship experience.

Jiexi Lin '26

Jiexi is a sophomore majoring in Economics and Government at William & Mary. She actively engages in research related to US foreign policy, digital economy, and poverty reduction. She is proficient in using both qualitative and quantitative analysis skills to assist policymaking on a global level, assessing countries’ progress on income equality, inclusive economic growth, and gender equality in the context of digitalization. Apart from that, Jiexi has also pursued research on US national security with a focus on US-DRC relations and civil-military relations in Central Africa. In addition, Jiexi is experienced in community engagement outside her involvements in internships and academic research, including but not limited to help promote the impacts of local farmers market and serve as bilingual voter outreach volunteer during elections. In the future, Jiexi plans to pursue a career in international development or political economy research.