The Flinn Scholars graduating from Arizona’s public universities this year will be entering graduate and medical schools from Arizona to Oxford and joining the workforce in areas including science communications, consulting, nonprofits, and supply-chain management.
The 20 graduating Scholars are joining an alumni community that now includes more than 600 Flinn Scholars.
The wide range of majors among this graduating class of Scholars included biological sciences, neuroscience and cognitive science, philosophy, political science, economics, astrophysics, global health, innovation in society, ecology and evolutionary biology, and fashion.
The graduating Flinn Scholars include:
Waris Anderson: Will pursue a career in medicine as an OB-GYN.
Elena Boyd: Will continue working at Arizona State University’s Compact Xray Free Electron Laser lab and pursue a doctorate.
Erin Broas: Will pursue a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.
Kelli Alivia Brown: Will work as a program coordinator for Fresh Start Women’s Foundation before pursuing graduate studies.
Lee Chiffelle: Will enter the workforce in the field of science communications.
Nikhil Dave: Will work as a business analyst for McKinsey & Company.
Finley Dutton-Reid: Will join the finance leadership-development rotational program at Siemens.
Hale Anna Maria Espinoza: Will work as a legal assistant for indigent and underserved clients in rural Arizona before attending law school.
Griffin Fletcher: Will continue his role at Exiger advising federal agencies on supply-chain risk.
Troy Dolphus Gilchrist: Will continue working as a Private Wealth Assistant Vice President while pursuing an MBA from the University of Chicago as a Chicago Business Fellow.
Ana Gabriella Grajales: Will attend medical school at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and become an officer in the U.S. Air Force.
Rahul Jayaraman: Will take a gap year to pursue work and apply for law school.
Kyle Kline: Will pursue a Master of Science in environmental change and management at the University of Oxford.
Natasha Santana Loving: Will pursue a Master of Arts in English at the University of Wyoming.
Edgar Ivan Melendrez Varado: Will pursue a Master of Science and attend medical school at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson.
Lauren Paxton: Will enter the workforce before pursuing a graduate degree.
Christopher Hernandez Salinas: Will attend medical school at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix.
Nancy Twishime: Will continue research at Barrow Neurological Institute while applying to medical school.
Lakshimi Laasya Vallabhaneni: Will pursue medical school.
Tissiana Gabriela Menna Vallecillo: Will attend the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.
These 20 Scholars were recognized at the May 7 Flinn Scholars Recognition Luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore along with the 2022 Flinn Scholars and their Distinguished Educators.
Now in its 37th year, the Flinn Scholars Program is supported by the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation in partnership with Arizona’s three state universities. The merit-based scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, mandatory fees, housing, meals, study abroad, and many other exclusive opportunities—a package valued at more than $130,000.
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