Spring 2017 Scholars

Dan Brown '19

Dan is a sophomore at William & Mary pursuing a degree in government, with the intention of continuing on to law school. He conducts research for the Social Networks and Political Psychology (SNaPP) Lab, which he has been involved with since his first semester on campus. He is also a co-captain of Team Blitz, William & Mary’s competitive cross-country club, and went on the Global Medical Brigades mission trip to Nicaragua during the spring of his freshman year. Dan is interested in many aspects of law and government, with a particular emphasis on constitutional law. 

Hannah Cannon ‘17

Hannah is a senior who is very excited to be spending her last undergraduate semester in our nation’s capital! As a Public Policy and Environmental Science & Policy double major, she enjoys looking at the interconnections between levels of government, with a special interest in the local level. On campus, she is the outgoing Vice President of the Substance and Alcohol Safetyand Sensibility branch of the peer health outreach group at William & Mary (HOPE), as well as the Student Assembly Undersecretary of Physical Health and Substance Abuse. Hannah has assisted on multiple research projects, most recently working to collect data on campus sexual assault policies for EROC (End Rape On Campus) through the Public Policy graduate program.This work is very important to her as a Haven volunteer on campus, where she is a confidential advocate for students dealing with relational and sexual abuse. Hannah is lucky to have family in Williamsburg, and loves spending time with her grandparents! After studying in Adelaide (the capital of South Australia) last summer, Hannah is eager to be back in an urban environment for school.

Lindsey Carter ‘18

Lindsey is a junior from Waynesboro, Virginia. A government major and intended gender studies minor, she is peer educator for the Center for Student Diversity and a Branch Out Alternative Breaks site leader. She is also a member of the Homebrew committee of Alma Mater Productions and a staff writer for The Flat Hat, where she writes opinion pieces. For the past two summers, Lindsey has held internships as a research assistant at the Virginia Transportation Research Council. She is interested in social justice issues, especially those involving gender and LGBTQ politics. She is interested in pursuing a law degree and trying to make social progress from a legal perspective. Lindsey is also an avid record collector and concert-attender and always enjoy a good music recommendation to broaden her horizons. She is really excited to be in the capital for the semester and have the chance to meet people pursuing the things that she is interested in.

Evan Dotas ‘19

Evan Dotas is a sophomore at the College. Though originally from Montreal, he lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia. On campus, Evan is a part of the debate and mock trial teams and is a Sharpe Community Scholar. Having argued competitively for over five years, he plans on majoring in government and pursuing a law degree. Evan spends his spare time reading, watching soccer, singing, and failing to start a diet. He is excited to spend a semester in our political capital.

Ghalia Estaiteyeh ‘18

Olivia Gotham ‘18

Olivia is a junior at the College of William & Mary, where she majors in History and is mostinterested in studying how historical research can be used to understand current political andsocial events and inform policy. She is from Medfield, Massachusetts but far prefers Virginiaweather. On campus she enjoys her position as Vice President of the service club StudentsHelping Honduras and also belongs to Delta Gamma sorority. Olivia hopes to pursue a career inlaw, and during her semester in Washington, D.C. she looks forward to investigating the overlap between law and politics, as well as getting to know the city and taking advantage of theprogram’s many learning opportunities.

William Heikkinen ‘18

William is a junior at the College of William & Mary. Majoring in government and a minoring in Hispanic Studies, he hopes to go to law school in a major city, such as DC, New York, or Boston after graduating from William & Mary. He was born in Portland, ME, and has lived in both Maine and Massachusetts throughout his life. He loves travel, and it makes sense as he grew up traveling with his mother who is a flight attendant. He previously studied in Madrid, Spain and taught English to elementary school students. He speaks both English and Spanish fluently, and is currently learning Italian at the College. Two of his favorite places to visit are the Outer Banks and the south of France. He has a younger brother at St. Lawrence University and a sister who is a junior in High School. He is an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan, and loves movies. He is very excited to live in DC during the winter months for the first time!

Ryan Kelley

Evelyn Lawhorn

Evelyn Lawhorn is a junior at William & Mary from Baltimore, Maryland. Evelyn is a government major with a minor in history, and hopes to attend law school after completing her undergraduate studies. Prior to attending WM, she obtained her cosmetology license and associate’s degree in legal studies. Evelyn is a member of the Amnesty International chapter at William & Mary, and her primary interest is constitutional law, particularly as it relates to civil rights. During her time in DC, she hopes to expand her knowledge of law and politics and visit the Museum of Natural History as much as humanly possible. In her free time she enjoys hiking, Ken Burns documentaries, and being frustrated by Baltimore sports teams.

Ava McClain

Alec Mouser

Brian Murphy

Brian Murphy is a sophomore at the College of William & Mary. He is from Atlanta, Georgia and is currently pursuing a double major in Government and Global Studies. In stark contrast to his D.C. Program peers, he plans to attend law school after graduation. On campus, Brian is the acting Ritual Chair of the fraternity Beta Theta Pi, a member of the Conduct and Honor Advisor Program, and a barista at Aroma’s Cafe in Swem Library. Brian spends his free time hiking and camping, enjoying film, music, reading, and photography, playing the guitar, and attempting to learn German. Brian is passionate about government, policy, and international relations, and he is excited to experience these at play in Washington D.C. and learn more about their role within the nation’s judicial system. 

Olutoni Okelana

Quentin Paleo ‘18

Quentin Paleo is a junior from San Antonio, Texas. He is currently studying Government and Environmental Policy at the College of William & Mary. On campus, Quentin is an officer in the Student Environmental Action Coalition and the William & Mary Bike Alliance and is a member of the men's club ultimate Frisbee team. In his free time, Quentin enjoys spending time in nature, hanging out with friends and family, and reading about world history and politics. Quentin looks forward to learning more about how the law and politics intersectin the nation's capital this spring semester.

Sraavya Poonuganti ‘19

Sraavya Poonuganti is a current sophomore at the College, from Herndon, VA. She is majoring in Economics with a prospective minor in Public Health or Computer Science. On campus, she is an active member of the W&M Debate Society, Tribetones A Cappella, and theSouth Asian Student Association. Through debate, she has argued about a variety of issues ranging from international relations, history, and economics. She also spent summers during high school volunteering for various campaign efforts in her community/district. Sraavya is very passionate about using economic/budgeting strategies to analyze policy solutions. Specifically,she wants to focus on injustices regarding marginalization and discrimination, stemming from her experience as both a woman and minority in the U.S. She is hoping her knowledge will facilitate an understanding for how our government functions, and what problems it faces. In her free time, Sraavya enjoys playing tennis, piano, and spending time with her family and friends. She is excited to open a world of opportunities through living in the nation'scapital!

Sue Yifan Su ’19

Sue Su is a sophomore majoring in Government from Shanghai. Planning on going to law school after graduation, she is also interested in Philosophy and Theatre. Her policy interests include international security, criminal justice, and foreign policy. On campus, she is on the debate team, women’s ultimate Frisbee team, and is involved with theatre department’s productions. She is also currently interning at AidData and W&M Policy Review, tracking and coding foreign aid projects, and reviewing journal submissions, respectively. Aside from academics, Sue is engaged in a variety of community service projects, such as being a shift leader at College Partnership for Kids, a pledge in Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, and a member of Branch Out Alternative Breaks. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, travelling, painting, photography, and martial arts.

Allie Thibault ‘19

Allie is a sophomore at William & Mary majoring in Government and minoring in BusinessAnalytics.  Allie is currently involved in the International Relations Club and is directing a historical committee on the League of Nations for the WMHSMUN conference this fall. She is also a member the co-ed business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi, writes for Tribe Attache, and works at the student recreation center as a lifeguard. Between classes and other activities Allie enjoys walking in Colonial Williamsburg, petting dogs, and drinking coffee with friends at the DailyGrind on campus. She is super excited to explore DC and to have the opportunity to study andwork in the nation’s capital.

Reed Timoner ‘19

Reed is a sophomore majoring in Government. He is from Fairfax, VA, and is very excited to essentially be going home to study and work for the semester! Some of his academic interests include studying political media, individual and collective identity, and intersections between pop culture and politics. Outside of school, he loves playing tennis and soccer, skiing, and spending time outdoors. He spent the summer as a camp counselor and outdoor educator, as well as an Orientation Aide for incoming freshmen. He is so excited to be working and learning in our nation’s capital for the semester, especially around the topic of law and politics!