Undergraduate Fellowship

Luc Balson

Luc is a third-year student from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is majoring in Political Science and Finance, with a certificate in War Peace and Security. He is a delegate in Model United Nations and spent the summer of 2023 studying abroad in the United Kingdom.

Priscilla Caballero

Priscilla is a Spring 2025 graduate from Southgate, Kentucky. A member of the Honors Program, Priscilla majored in Criminal Justice and Psychology while pursuing certificates in Social Science Research and Law & Paralegal Studies. While at UC, Priscilla was actively involved in the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program, the McNair Scholars Program, the UC Pre-Law Club, Women in Law, and Ohio Innocence Project-u. Additionally, she was a member of the CWEST Honorary, Phi Beta Kappa, Senior 100, and the Urban Youth Leadership Academy. Priscilla will be continuing her education at UC's College of Law, working towards earning her JD degree. 

Alexander Caldwell

Alexander is from Newtownards, Northern Ireland. He is majoring in Political Science with a minor in German and is one of two Head delegates of the Model United Nations team. He is also a University Honors Program scholar. In Summer 2024, Alexander contributed to research at UC's Taft Research Center and studied abroad in Leeds.

Leen Ciba

Leen is a UC Global Scholar from Manitoba, Canada. She is pursuing a History major, an Arabic minor, and certificates in Middle Eastern Studies and Business French. Leen is the President of the UC Mock Trial Student Association and the Secretary General/Social Media Director of the UC Model United Nations Club. She is also a Welcome Mentor at the University Honors Program.

Morgan Dalton

Morgan is a fourth year from Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Cincinnatus Scholar and a University Honors Student majoring in Political Science with a War, Peace, and Security certificate. She is the co-founder and Vice President of Plaid for Pops, a peer facilitator for the Learning Commons, and conducts research on voting trends.

Mallika Desai

Mallika is a third-year student from Miamisburg, Ohio. She is a NEXT Innovation Scholar and Cincinnatus Scholar and is majoring in Medical Sciences with a certificate in Innovation and Medical Humanities. She is founder of the nonprofit Parkinson’s Together, President of College Companions, and conducts cardiothoracic surgery research. 

Ingrid Fretz

Ingrid is from Elkhart, Indiana and is a Cincinnatus Scholar at UC. She is majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. Ingrid serves as the Lead Ambassador Student Fellow for the Warren Bennis Leadership Institute. She is also a member of the University of Cincinnati's Swim and Dive Team and a board member of the IEC (Inspire, Equip, Connect) Club for Female Student Athletes. 

Natalie George, Portman Family Fellow

Natalie is from Cleveland, OH and is a Kautz-Uible Economics Institute Fellow and Trailblazer Scholar. She is majoring in Business Economics and Business Law & Ethics. Natalie is a part of the Economics Society and UC Club Softball Team. On campus she is a Resident Advisor, Teaching Assistant, and PACE Leader (Professionalism, Academics, Character, and Engagement  among undergraduate students at Lindner College of Business). Outside of class, Natalie is completing her first rotation as an analyst at AMEND Consulting.

Cameron Hawkins

Hailing from Carmel, Indiana, Cameron is double majoring in Political Science and Law and Society. She is a Darwin T. Turner Scholar and Ambassador, and she serves as the Vice President of the UC undergraduate Women In Law organization. Cameron is a member of the University Honors Program and the Black Feminist Collective. She is also a recipient of the Cincinnatus Century Scholarship and the Buxbaum Workum Scholarship.

Christina Horn

Christina is a third-year student from Findlay, Ohio. She is a Cincinnatus scholar pursuing a major in Political Science with a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Social Justice. She is an off-campus community ambassador for the Center for Community Engagement, a peer leader for the Learning Commons, and an undergraduate student grader for the School of Public and International Affairs. She also volunteers locally as a tutor for students at Hughes STEM High School.

Jacob Lesick

Hailing from Rossford, Ohio, Jacob is a Spring 2025 alumnus of UC’s School for Public and International Affairs (SPIA), graduating with a BA in Political Science, a minor in Economics, and a certificate in War, Peace, and Security. While at UC, Jacob was actively involved with the Bearcat Bands, the Student Band Council, Student Government, Tau Beta Sigma, Pi Sigma Alpha, and Sigma Sigma. Jacob also worked with SPIA’s Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy. Jacob will continue on to the George Washington University to earn his MA in Security Policy Studies.

Tokhirjon Otakhonov

Tokhirjon is a third-year student from Namangan, Uzbekistan. He is pursuing double degrees in Law & Society (BIS) and Economics (BA). Tokhirjon is an International Outreach Scholar at UC and a recipient of the “El-yurt umidi” Foundation scholarship awarded by the government of Uzbekistan.

Since Summer 2024, Tokhirjon has been contributing to a professor’s research project in the School of Public and International Affairs at UC with funding from the UC Taft Research Center, focusing on globalization through the lens of multinational corporations operating across industries. Furthermore, in Fall 2024, he served as a Teaching Assistant for the Business Law 2080 course.

Tokhirjon speaks Uzbek, English, and Russian. He was an English language tutor at Algoritm education center in Namangan, Uzbekistan.

Jay Patel, Nelson Schwab, Jr. Fellow

Jay is a second-year student from West Chester, Ohio. He is a Cincinnatus scholar and is majoring in Medical Sciences and Liberal Arts. He conducts molecular and cancer biology research at the Vontz Center and is the founder and president of the Dahyabhai Foundation.

Emma Spriggs

Emma is a 2025 magma cum laude graduate from North Olmsted Ohio. A member of the Honors Program, Emma earned her degree in Political Science, with a minor in Sports Administration and certificates in Legal Studies and Social Justice. Emma served as Co-President of the College of Arts and Sciences Ambassador Program as well as Vice President of the Ohio Innocence Project-U. While at UC, Emma was a member of the women in law club, CWEST Honorary, phi beta kappa, and Senior 100.

Serene Tarabishi

Serene is a Cincinnatus Scholar at UC and is double majoring in Law & Society and Arabic Language and Culture, with a minor in French and a certificate in Middle Eastern Studies. Within SPIA, she is a member of a research group studying political violence and extremism. Outside of classes, she is an award-winning competitor and treasurer for the UC Model UN Club, a member of the UC Muslim Student Association, and a volunteer at Emerging Sprouts Forest School. 

Louis Weiss

Louis Weiss is a Spring 2025 graduate with a major in political science, a minor in anthropology, and a certificate in legal studies. During his time at the University of Cincinnati, he was the Mock Trial secretary, a delegate at the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference, a Portman Center for Policy Solutions Fellow, and a member of the Honors Program.  

While working towards his undergraduate degree, Louis worked for the Ohio Innocence Project as both a legal and policy intern. He also worked as an Academic Coach Coordinator at the Learning Commons to support students on their college journeys. After graduation, he will be doing a year of service with Americorp Vista at the Center for Employment Opportunities here in Cincinnati. 

Lela Walker

Lela is majoring in Political Science and Journalism. She is a proud Darwin T. Turner Scholar and Mentor and serves as the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Turner Ambassadors Program. Lela is also an Opinion Staff Reporter for the UC News Record and a member of both the UC Feminists and UC Horticulture Club.