Student Stories

Caldwell Fellows reflect, in their own words, on the lessons learned from experiential learning made possible through grants offered by the program.
Read more about their experiences below.

Borderless Service and
Endless Friendship:
Reflecting on ASB Thailand

Paige McCullough
Class of 2028
Paige is a junior double majoring in Political Science and History. She is deeply interested in education policy, specifically how those policies are implemented across North Carolina in public schools. Aside from the Caldwell Fellows, she is involved with the pre-law academic fraternity on campus, Kappa Alpha Pi. After graduation, she hopes to take her passion for policy, advocacy, and public interest to law school.

Samantha holds up a sign while snorkeling underwater that says "I Heart Caldwell"

Field Collection of Bluehead Wrasse in the
Florida Keys for Neuroendocrine Research

Samantha Rua
Class of 2028
Samantha Rua is a member of the Class of 2028 at NC State University, where she is majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology. Her academic interests include neurobiology and neuroendocrinology, with a focus on neuroplasticity and hormone signaling in the brain. She is currently involved in a neuroendocrine research lab studying these processes, and she also serves as an Events Coordinator for NC State’s Pre-Health Club, a peer educator with Pack Peers through Campus Health, and a teaching assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Charlie and his fellow FWCB students use a net to collect fish just off the bank of a body of water.

How to Learn the Name of All Things in One Summer

Charlie Lankford
Class of 2029
Charlie Lankford is a rising senior at NC State, studying Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. He loves being outdoors and catching animals, especially salamanders and lizards.

Pricilla spreads her arms aboard the sail boat with the sea behind her.

Abacos, Bahamas; Kiskeedee Charter: A Reflection Blog

Pricilla Ruiz
Class of 2028
Pricilla Ruiz is a sophomore studying horticultural science and landscape architecture. She is extremely passionate about the outdoors and finding ways to call people back to nature. Aside from her academic pursuits, Pricilla is also a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and holds the media officer position for the largest student-run organization at NC State, Ski and Snowboard Club.

Kevin poses with Dr. Brewer and the other fellows on an island in the Abacos.

Smooth Sailing: My Journey Through the Abacos

Kevin Kim
Class of 2028
Kevin Kim is a Civil Engineering major in the Class of 2028, dedicated to his ongoing learning and exploration as a problem solver and leader.

Noell sits on the sailboat next to a fishing rod and looks out at sea.

Coconut: A Journey Built for the Authentic Self

Noell Boling
Class of 2026
Noell Boling (they/them) is a Biology major in the class of 2026 pursuing a degree in Ethnoecology and Sustainability with minors in Plant Biology and Zoology. Their primary academic focuses are environmental justice, nature education, sustainable agriculture, and decolonization.

TK Aniekwensi in front of an Italian building.

Lost in Rome, Found in Purpose

Tochukwu Aniekwensi
Class of 2027
Tochukwu Aniekwensi is fellow in the class of 2027 majoring in Chemical Engineering pursuing dual BS/MS degrees , with a strong interest in renewable energy and sustainability, notably Tochukwu participates in undergraduate research focused on converting industrial waste gas into clean hydrogen.

Not Your Average Conference

Elena Wigglesworth
Class of 2028
Elena Wigglesworth is a member of the Class of 2028. She double majors in Agricultural Business Management and Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management with a concentration in Tourism and Event Planning. She is interested in the intersection between agritourism and wellness and hopes to build a business integrating these concepts.

Megan receives the first-place award at the Plant Science Initiative’s Seed2Grow pitch competition.

Out of the Woods: From the Trail to a Startup

Megan Aljian
Class of 2026
Megan is a senior in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. She’s an avid hiker and plant-nerd. Megan is planning to continue working on her startup, Forest Found Products, after graduation, while also working as a Stream Restoration Engineer, continuing to follow her love for ecological work.

Brayden Kleine poses happily with a group of children in Sierra Leone.

Building More Than Infrastructure: Sierra Leone 2026

Brayden Kleine
Class of 2029
Brayden Kleine is a freshman majoring in Mechanical Engineering at NC State University. He is passionate about using his engineering education to design products that benefit communities in need.

Susannah does the "wolfies" hand gesture with the ASB group that she led in front of the Puerto Rican flag.

ASB Puerto Rico: Rooted in Service. Restoring, Rebuilding, & Reimagining.

Susannah Weaver
Class of 2026
Susannah is a member of the Caldwell Fellows Class of 2026, and is majoring in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management. She is also pursuing minors in Outdoor Leadership, Global Leadership and Team Decision-Making, and Environmental Education. Her academic interests center on experiential education, outdoor leadership, environmental stewardship, and the role of recreation in fostering leadership, personal growth, and meaningful community connection.

Hollis poses with a horse that she worked with at her internship at the equine hospital.

Exploring the World of Equine Reproduction

Hollis Heckler
Class of 2028
Hollis Heckler is an Animal Science major in the Class of 2028. She hopes to continue onto
veterinary school and hopes to become an equine veterinarian. Her academic interests include
the connections between human, animal, and environmental health, as well as the social
responsibility associated with all three sectors.

Eiad's desk at the lab where he conducted research on the
properties of cancer cell nuclei.

There’s No Protocol for Growth

Eiad Yakout
Class of 2028
Eiad Yakout is a sophomore studying Human Biology, with a minor in Global One
Health. With the foundation he builds at NC State, he is passionate about contributing to
the medical field as a future physician.

Emery poses in front of a presentation that introduces the SBMT 2026 Neurotech Convention.

From Los Angeles to NC State: Two Weeks at the Edge of Neurotech

Emery Meyer
Class of 2026
Emery Meyer is in the Caldwell Class of 2026. He studies biochemistry, and his interest lies in neuroscience and neurotechnology.

Elena Wigglesworth in front of a conference poster.

My Week at NETtra

Elena Wigglesworth
Class of 2028
Elena Wigglesworth is a sophomore double majoring in Agricultural Business Management and Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management with a concentration in Tourism and Event Planning. She is interested in agritourism and wellness and hopes to one day found an agriculture-based community wellness center.

Grace Chen overlooking the New York City Skyline.

Coffee Couture

Grace Chen
Class of 2027
Grace is a junior studying Fashion Design at the Wilson College of Textiles. She hopes to pursue couture design and is passionate about implementing traditional Chinese embroidery into her own personal apparel design.

Abigail Commodore standing with two peers under the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, Illinois.

Professional Leadership Through the AFA Food Institute

Abigail Commodore
Class of 2027
Abigail Commodore is a junior majoring in Food Science with minors in Microbiology and Food Safety & Quality. Her academic interests center on food safety systems, quality assurance, and the application of microbiology to real-world food production and regulatory settings.

Abigail Commodore's certification of completion.

Strengthening Food Safety Leadership through HACCP Certification

Adrian Chavarria holding a shovel in front of a water cistern.

Dominican Republic: Serving for Peace

Adrian Chavarria
Class of 2028
Adrian is a second year studying Construction Engineering with a minor in Landscape Architecture.

Austin Burton on a boat in the Boston Harbor.

Austin’s Boston Adventure!

Austin Burton
Class of 2028
Austin Burton is a Class of 2028 Fellow majoring in Civil Engineering. He is interested in transportation and planning in an urban context.

Aligning Stars

Joshua Dodoo
Class of 2027
Joshua Dodoo is a Junior at NC State University studying Applied Mathematics. He is interested in Actuarial Science and has a deep passion for dance.

Israel Mattocks in front of a lighted word sculpture.

一か八か (Ichi ka bachi ka: Sink or Swim)

Israel Mattocks
Class of 2028
Israel (Computer Engineering, World Languages ’28) really, really, really likes language. Learning about how information is conveyed between humans and machines alike has become something of an obsession for him–but when he’s not doing that, you can find him playing table tennis.

ASB Chile: Ag in the Andes

Aaron Painter
Class of 2028
Aaron Painter is a member of the Caldwell class of 2028. He is majoring in Fisheries Wildlife and Conservation Biology with a concentration in Conservation Biology. Aaron wants to work in wetland or estuary ecosystems after college.

Matthew Menon in front of the crowd in Times Square Manhattan at night.

New York City: Navigating the Big Apple

Matthew Menon
Class of 2027
My name is Matthew Menon, and I am a second year student at NC State University double majoring in statistics and environmental science. I am interested in applying statistical methods and data science tools to furthering our understanding of anthropogenic impacts on the environment, particularly through climate change. I hope to utilize this quantitative skillset to provide data-driven solutions to overcome the environmental and economic problems barriers to climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions!

Armaan Raina overlooking the water to the New York City Skyline.

A Weekend in NYC – The Metro, The MET, and the Match

Armaan Raina
Class of 2027
Armaan Raina is from the class of 2027 majoring in computer science and statistics, with an interest in computational neuroscience and neural interfaces.

Ella Murphy on the Top of the Rock with the New York City Skyline in the background.

Caldwell Fellows New York City Trip

Ella Murphy
Class of 2026
Ella Murphy is a fourth year student studying electrical engineering. Originally from Asheville NC, Ella is a part of the Caldwell Fellows class of 2026.

Sam Prescott in front of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Mark Me Present

Sam Prescott
Class of 2028
Sam Prescott is a sophomore in the class of 2028 at NC State University. He is majoring in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation biology with a concentration in wildlife sciences. He has a passion for the outdoors and conservation that leads him to pursue academic interests in forestry, wildlife management, and public relations to inform others of conservation.

Maisy Baker in front of the crowd at Times Square in Manhattan at night.

Only in New York

Maisy Baker
Class of 2028
Maisy Baker is a member of the Caldwell Fellows class of 2028 studying mathematics and math education. She plans on becoming a public high school math teacher.

Simon McNair and the rest of the group in front of the crowd at Times Square in Manhattan at night.

Concrete Jungle Where Dreams are Made of

Simon McNair
Class of 2026
My name is Simon McNair and I am from Asheville, NC. I am a senior in the Caldwell Class of 2026 studying biological and agricultural engineering. I am passionate about sustainability and am interested in pursuing a career in ecosystem restoration.

Lucas Ciscato in front of the New York City Skyline at night.

Finding Stillness in Motion: Reflections from New York City

Lucas Ciscato
Class of 2027
Lucas Ciscato is in his first year of the Master of International Studies, focusing on global educational disparities and how educational reform can serve as an effective form of humanitarian aid and intervention.