Citizen Leaders Fellowship

Heba Ahmed (she/her) is a fourth-year student from Sterling, Virginia studying Computer Science in the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. Heba plans to gain deeper insight on the underexplored demographic of students who are both international and transfer students by partnering with the International Studies Office. She is excited to collaborate with other Fellows and rediscover her love for art and poetry.

Debbie Atahualpa (she/her) is a third-year student from Long Island, NY studying Public Policy & Leadership in the Batten School and Global Development Studies on the Pre-Law track. During her fellowship, she hopes to create a comprehensive guidebook that helps international students acclimate to UVA and feel supported, welcomed, and empowered throughout their transition. She’s driven by community and energized by cross-cultural connections and any opportunity to uplift others, bringing passion and dedication into everything she does.  

Lillian Barnes is a second-year student from Fort Myers, Florida, studying Applied Statistics with a minor in Psychology. Lillian plans to improve the information and resources available for Year in Wise students. She looks forward to hearing about the projects of other fellows and watching them come into fruition. Go Hoos!

Anya Chang (she/her) is a second-year student from Taiwan studying Applied Statistics in the College of Arts & Sciences. During her fellowship, Anya hopes to create an accessible platform that consolidates scholarship opportunities and resources specifically for international students. Motivated by both her own family’s financial challenges and seeing international friends struggle to find scattered scholarship information, she hopes to turn personal experience into community empowerment and work with other Fellows to make positive change at UVA! 

Grace Craig (she/her) is a second-year student from Louisa, Virginia pursing studies in English in the College of Arts & Sciences and Public Policy and Leadership at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She aims to enhance the social integration of transfer students through the development of a peer mentorship program. Among her many interests, Grace enjoys baking, reading novels and poetry, and spending time with friends on Grounds.

Diego De Leon (he/him) is a fourth-year student from Leesburg, Virginia studying Public Policy and Leadership in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Diego plans to address the lack of a transfer community at UVA with the Orientation and Transition Programs Office. He is excited to meet other transfer students and make a vibrant and welcoming community!

Itzal De Urioste Terrazas, a Citizen Leaders Fellow, is a third-year student born in La Paz, Bolivia and naturalized in Toronto, Canada. Itzal is completing a Physics PhD at the University of Virginia. She plans to address the struggles faced by international students without cars, helping them get the essentials they need when moving to a new country. She loves fibre arts (crocheting, knitting, etc.), is a fan of yoga for mental and physical health, and a huge science nerd.

Olivia Do is a third-year undergraduate studying Economics with a concentration in Financial Economics in the College of Arts & Sciences and a minor in General Business. She hopes to make the transition for international and transfer students feel less overwhelming by proactively guiding them through UVA life and offering collaborative activities to build real community. Outside of class, Olivia loves making matcha and going to watch live League of Legends and Arena of Valor tournaments around the world.

Cameron Honig is a fourth-year student from South Florida majoring in Media Studies with a concentration in Policy and Ethics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Cameron plans to address the importance of celebrating and advocating for diverse learning styles and disabilities by connecting local High School students with student-athletes at UVA. She enjoys discovering new places around Charlottesville and connecting with people who share her sense of adventure.

Aryan Joshi is a third-year student from Haymarket, VA, studying Economics in the College of Arts & Sciences. He hopes to improve the transfer and international student experience by creating structured resources and workshop-style spaces that help students connect with UVA’s culture, values, and opportunities. Aryan brings a perspective shaped by Advaita Vedanta and a commitment to service-driven leadership, and he is excited to serve as a Citizen Leaders Fellow this year!

Maiva Ndjiakou Kaptue is a master’s student in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Virginia, shaped by the honest truth that even the years meant to be our best can be the hardest: filled with fear, loneliness, and the quiet hope of being enough. Through her fellowship, she aims to build a mentorship program that connects current engineering students with incoming graduate students, creating a community where everyone feels seen, supported, and acknowledged. She believes each of us is worthy of being here—that the universe expressed a need for our existence—and hopes every UVA student finds a home where their heart meets others on this shared journey.

Hannaneh Karimi is a third-year Ph.D. student from Tehran, Iran. She is currently a research assistant in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. Hannaneh plans to implement a discussion club for both international and domestic students, where students can share their unique cultures and discuss their experiences of living in the US. She is eager to learn from other fellows and coaches and gain leadership experience through this opportunity.

Adam Mohammed is a third-year graduate student from Ghana, studying PhD in Nursing at the School of Nursing. Adam plans to strengthen the international students' community by organizing international cultural celebrations that bring people together. He believes in the power of community and wants to be involved in building and fostering healthy communities! 

Nkosinobubelo “Nkosi” Ndebele is a third-year PhD Candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Through this fellowship, she aims to establish a campus clothing closet that supports international students and promotes environmental sustainability. Outside of her academic pursuits, Nkosi enjoys family travels and is an adrenaline junkie!

Maghogho (Harriet) Odanibe is a third-year PhD student in the Department of Environmental Science and an international graduate student from Delta State, Nigeria. During her Fellowship with the Contemplative Sciences Center, she hopes to build a peer support group that offers a “family away from family” for international students separated from their spouses and children, nurturing resilience, belonging, and shared growth. When she’s not studying or supporting peers, Harriet loves cooking traditional Nigerian meals and sharing them with anyone who wants a taste of home.

Zahra Rashidi (she/her) is a second-year transfer and first-generation student in the McIntire School of Commerce. Through her fellowship, she seeks to elevate the voices of international and transfer students and, through The Mosaic Project: Stories of Belonging at UVA, illuminate how our differences are not barriers but powerful bridges that strengthen community. Originally from Afghanistan, she is passionate about art, human connection, and creating spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to belong. 

Riley Richardson (she/her) is a fourth-year Media Studies major in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia. She is an international student from Canada, a member of the UVA Women’s Rowing Team, and part of the Citizen Leaders Fellowship. Her project, “Hoos Got Grit,” aims to connect UVA student-athletes with learning disabilities to local Charlottesville elementary school students who share similar experiences. By partnering with UVA SDAC and UVA Athletics, she hopes to empower young learners to see their differences as strengths — not setbacks.

Yiyang Tang (she/her) is a second-year M.A. student in English at the University of Virginia. Her current CLF project is to create a guidebook to UVA’s libraries and academic resources. She hopes to help international and transfer students find their footing within the university’s academic network. She loves reading, cooking, and hiking, and is always happy to connect with fellow students!

Monika Wieliniec (she/her) is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Chemistry at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). Originally from Rybnik, Poland, Monika is passionate about building community and supporting student well-being. Through CLF, she plans to organize workshops that help students develop practical domestic skills—promoting independence, connection, and a spirit of shared learning. Outside of her research, Monika enjoys spending time with her cat, Yuki, and sharing the ever-growing collection of Yuki’s photos with friends.

Eyosias Woldemariam (He/Him) is a third-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying Biology. During this fellowship, Eyosias hopes to expand extracurricular opportunities for incoming transfer students—especially in research, volunteering, and leadership. Outside of academics, he enjoys writing movie scripts and hanging out with friends.