Dornsife Scholars exemplify academic distinction with an international perspective

As USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences prepares to celebrate its graduates, 10 exceptional seniors have earned a special place of honor as Dornsife Scholars.

Selected for their successes in educational fields that address both national and global questions of human value and social challenges, the students each will receive $10,000 to be used to continue their studies as graduate students and emerging professionals.

Virginia Bullington
Major: Narrative Studies
Minor: International Relations
GPA: 3.95

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Anthropology Research Fellow at the Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
• Provost Research Fellowship
• Presidential Scholarship
• Dean’s List
• Thematic Option Honors Program
• One-On-One Tutor, USC American Language Institute
• Argentina Project Research Intern, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Latin America Program, Washington, D.C.
• Research Fellow, USC-UNESCO Journal for Global Humanities, Science and Ethical Inquiry
• Inaugural Beth and Arthur Lev Fellow, USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research
• Study Abroad Ambassador
• Trojan Scholar Society
• USC Garden Club
• Secular Student Fellowship
• Environmental Student Assembly
• Rock Music Genre Director, KXSC Radio
• Queer and Allied Student Assembly

“USC Dornsife has prepared me impeccably well to enact meaningful change in the world because as a student in the largest, most diverse school at USC, I have been exposed to a range of perspectives and experiences. I never felt pigeon-holed or confined to one narrow career or academic path, rather USC Dornsife encouraged me to explore. Without having the opportunity to explore, I would not have been able to develop the strong sense of identity and conviction in who I am, what I am compelled by and where I see myself. These convictions will be essential as I seek to continue studying violent conflict and mass atrocity and how to implement solutions, thus maximizing the benefits of my education.”

Gloria Cheng
Major: Health and Human Sciences (pre-med and psychology emphasis)
GPA: 3.80

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Research Assistant, the USC Language Processing Lab and the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine
• Director of ZYGO, USC Dornsife Levan Institute for the Humanities
• Program Assistant, USC Dornsife Joint Educational Project
• Volunteer, California Hospital Medical Center and Chrysalis
• Volunteer, Ghana Global Medical Brigades

“The collective global and local experiences serving underserved populations informed my future aspirations to advocate in the health policy and non-profit sectors as a doctor in organizations such as the World Health Organization.”

Thomas Kim
Major: International Relations
Minor: Environmental Studies
GPA: 3.989

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• USC 2020 Salutatorian
• Trustee Scholar
• Dean’s List (seven semesters)
• Thematic Option Honors
• USC Spanish and Portuguese Achievement Award
• Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
• Problems Without Passports – “Ecological Security and Global Politics”
• President, Delta Phi Epsilon
• Spirit of Troy: USC Trojan Marching Band
• USC Share a Meal

“What made my time as a Dornsife student unique was its experiential learning. From Thematic Option’s interdisciplinary mental gymnastics, I learned how to analyze and synergize complex arguments. My internship with [USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies] inspired me to fight for sustainability and against inequality. The Arctic [Problems Without Passports] left me with a greater appreciation of not only the existential threat of climate change, but also empathy and the importance of mental health. My time as a Global East Asia Scholar in Japan reminded me of the joy of exploring other cultures, despite what others say about rising global populism. Cambridge University as a … study abroad student opened my eyes to the perfect career avenue to make change: international law. And joining undergraduate research with the Arctic policy research team gave me perspective into how narratives are crafted and perpetuated in the international system. Each experience taught me a unique lesson in making a difference. As a senior whose last semester has been interrupted in the most unexpected way, I leave USC into a world changed by a pandemic. However, these lessons will stay with me, informing and keeping me grounded, as I strive forward to accomplish my lifelong goal, and consequently fulfill the Dornsife’s commitment, to save the world.”

Samantha Kosai
Major: Sociology
GPA: 3.94

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Honors Thesis on stigma in the incarcerated reentry process
• Phi Beta Kappa, Epsilon Chapter
• Research Assistant, USC Dornsife Department of Sociology
• Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship
• Mentor Tutor, USC Student Athletic Academic Services
• Residential Assistant, USC Residential Education
• Math Mentor, USC Dornsife Joint Educational Project
• Associates Publicity Director, USC Dornsife Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics
• President, Oriana Women’s Choir

“All of my experiences as a Dornsife student have made me more empathetic, inquisitive, and empowered by the many facets in which I hope to make a difference. After a few years working as a research assistant, I hope to earn a Ph.D. in sociology and begin a career as a professor researching and teaching about social inequality in our carceral, education, and health care systems. My dream is to continue working on studies, like my current honors thesis, that can be used to inform policies that protect our most vulnerable populations. My desire to make a difference in this world has been fostered by all the people I have been privileged to interact with as a Dornsife student; it only feels right that I pass along their kindness and support to the next generation of leaders.”

Rae Lan
Major: Neuroscience
GPA: 4.0

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Trustee Scholarship, 2016–20
• Neuroscience Outstanding Student of the Year 2020
• Global and Discovery Scholar Distinction 2020
• Provost’s Research Fellowship 2019, 2020
• Dean’s List 2016–20
• Phi Beta Kappa 2019
• King’s College, University of London, Fall 2018 Study Abroad – Health and Society Programme
• Somerville College, University of Oxford, Summer 2017
• USC Problems Without Passports – “The Biology of Tropical Diseases”
• Student Athlete, USC Men’s Tennis
• Student Athlete Volunteer, USC Athletics Community Bowl

“Like myself, David Dornsife won national titles as a USC student-athlete, and the Dornsifes have long been a leading supporter of the USC neuroscience program. Moreover, the World Vision humanitarian programs supported by the Dornsifes align with the global health policy proposals and health systems research I carried out abroad. The Dornsife legacy has framed so many of my experiences these past four years. From the tennis court to the lab, from the classroom to the community, from Southern California to England, I will continue to make connections wherever I go and to translate my educational excellence into real-world impact.”

Jenna Mazza
Double Major: International Relations and Spanish
GPA: 3.88

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Phi Beta Kappa
• USC Global Scholar
• Presidential Scholar
• Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellow in Government Service
• Harry A. Miller Spanish Language Scholar
• Del Amo Spanish Immigration Scholar
• Abrams Climate Science Research Fellow
• Dean’s List (all semesters)
• Nonprofits and the Public Sector Grant Competition Winner
• Research Assistant, USC Gould School of Law, Immigrants and Global Migration Initiative
• Summer Intern, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Central Trials 11
• Parliamentary Intern, Office of Jamie Greene MSP, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Research Assistant, Problems Without Passports, Iceland, Norway, Finland
• Director of Finance & Sponsorships, OWN IT Women’s Leadership Summit
• Volunteer Teacher, USC Teaching International Relations Program
• Managing Editor, Global Women’s Narratives Project
• Delta Phi Epsilon International Relations Professional Fraternity
• Group Fitness Instructor, F45
• USC Club Beach Volleyball Team
• Citizenship Class Volunteer, CARECEN-Los Angeles and International Rescue Committee

“From my time with the Global Women’s Narratives Project to Dornsife Study Abroad to working with Los Angeles immigrants as a part of my upper division international relations coursework in forced migration, my Dornsife experience has formulated my life’s commitment to support all women both through one-on-one interactions and policy measures.”

Sameer Nair-Desai
Dual Major: Economics and International Relations (Global Business)
GPA: 3.94/4.0

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• London School of Economics and Political Science
• Research Assistant, USC Dornsife Department of International Relations
• Research Assistant, USC Rossier School of Education
• Research Assistant, USC PERE
• Research Intern, Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Economic Development
• President, USC Omicron Delta Epsilon
• Logistics Coordinator/Student Volunteer, Hult Prize Foundation, London
• Consultant LSE 180 Degrees Consulting, London
• Student Volunteer, USC Dornsife Joint Educational Project
• Student Volunteer, Jumpstart
• London School of Economics First Class Honors
• USC Dornsife Gateway Scholar
• USC Dornsife Easterlin Fellow
• Mortar Board Torch and Tassel
• USC Dornsife Merten J. Mandeville Scholar
• USC Dornsife Dean Joan Schaefer Scholar
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship
• Dean’s List (all semesters)

“As the Dornsifes noted, “To see the results of your efforts improving someone’s life is something you won’t ever forget.” My time at Dornsife has pushed me towards this same realization. Often, those excluded from education are not undeserving, but rather underserved. I strongly believe talent and hard work should dictate life outcomes, not the birth lottery. [USC Dornsife] has motivated, educated and prepared me towards realizing this vision.”

Erin Pineda
Major: International Relations
GPA: 3.905

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Virtual Intern, U.S. Department of State
• Provost Undergraduate Research Fellow
• Webmaster/Correspondent, Glimpse from the Globe
• Research Assistant, Global Policy Institute
• Research Assistant, Centro de Investigación, Universidad del Pacífico, Lima, Peru
• Boren Scholar to study Portuguese in Brazil

“Through scholarships like SOAR [Student Opportunities for Academic Research], the School of International Relations Internship Fund, and the Hovel Scholarship for German Studies, USC Dornsife opened the door to opportunities that helped me discover my passion for immigration issues, which I will use to advocate for immigration reform in the U.S. To accomplish this goal, I will go to law school and later join the Department of Homeland Security to draft policies that are more just and human-rights-oriented than the legislation currently governing the U.S. immigration system. While conducting interviews with Venezuelan immigrants in Peru, I witnessed first-hand the power of public policy to positively impact people’s lives. Because of the well-rounded and globally-oriented education I received as a Dornsife student, I feel well-equipped to apply the lessons learned abroad and the expertise.”

Lisa de Rafols
Double Major: Economics and International Relations
Minor: French
GPA: 3.74

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Fulbright Selectee (ETA Colombia 2020–21)
• Boren Scholar (Brazil 2020–21)
• Stamps Scholar
• Schaeffer Fellow
• Thematic Option Honors Program
• First place, USC Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 2018
• Fellow, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
• Editor, Southern California International Review
• Intern, Egmont Institute for International Relations, Brussels
• Vice President, Delta Phi Epsilon Foreign Service Fraternity
• USC Warren Bennis Scholars Program
• Ambassador, USC Dornsife
• Volunteer, Utopia 56, Paris
• Volunteer, Tapuat Child and Family Support Hub, Lesbos, Greece

“Dornsife gave me a dynamic space to find my academic footing and then the concrete pathways to explore my interests and satiate my curiosity. Having zeroed in on the field I would like to work in after I graduate, my perspective on the subject has been indelibly shaped by my time as a Dornsife student. Beyond the impact of my experiences abroad through USC Dornsife, my time on campus was equally consequential: The critical thinking skills I learned in my Thematic Option courses will allow me to dig deeper when trying to find solutions for climate refugees, my courses on Francophone literature will provide an insight into the connections between refugee and diaspora communities, the econometrics I learned as an economics major will allow me to evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions … the list could go on and on. Ultimately, I am convinced that I will always carry the ethos of USC Dornsife with me long after I leave this campus.”

Megan Smith
Double Major: International Relations (honors) and French
GPA: 3.878/4.0

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

• Magna Cum Laude
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Dean’s List 2016–20
• Harry A. Miller Endowed Scholarship for foreign language study
• IR Honors Thesis: “Spaces for Peace: Subnational Differentiations in Somali Peace Formation”
• USC Paris and Institut Catholique, Fall 2018 Study Abroad
• Sciences Po Paris, Spring 2019 Study Abroad
• Education and Outreach Coordinator, STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
• Intern, USC Shoah Foundation — The Institute for Visual History and Education
• Finance and Fundraising Chair, The Sirens A Cappella
• French Teaching Volunteer, USC Dornsife Joint Educational Project
• Smith, Megan. “Up to the Individual: International Humanitarian Aid During the Rwandan Genocide.” The Scroll, vol. 1, no. 1, 2020, pp. 6-35.
• Smith, Megan. “Addressing Fragility in the DRC.” STAND: The Student-Led Movement Against Mass Atrocities, 3 April 2020.

“The education I have received from USC Dornsife pushed me to be courageous in my learning and gain tools integral to professionalizing my passion. Now, I am emboldened as a global citizen to take risks and trust my voice as I continue my pursuit of forming peace.”

About the program

The Dornsife Scholars program honors Dana and David Dornsife, renowned philanthropists with the highest regard for education. Available exclusively to outstanding graduating seniors whose major courses of study are at USC Dornsife, the program underscores the importance of core academic disciplines of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Recipients demonstrate a commitment to educational excellence and the advances that allow for improving the lives of people and addressing pressing global problems.