Fifth Year Scholars
Established in 1991 to provide distinguished students with an opportunity to pursue a broadened educational experience while continuing to enhance the CMU community, the Fifth Year Scholar program offers students support in their personal and professional growth.
The Fifth Year Scholar program provides a small number of exceptional undergraduate students the opportunity to remain on campus for one full year following the completion of their normal course of study. Scholars are supported with free tuition and a $7,000 fellowship.
Past scholar community impact projects include:
- A business administration major implemented "Summit," a conference-like experience that takes place prior to the opening of the spring semester.
- A computer science major completed a gender studies minor and designed and installed an artistic piece in Margaret Morrison Carnegie Hall that celebrates the accomplishments of women.
- A group of Fifth Year Scholars traveled to Carnegie Mellon Qatar and returned to propose the student exchange program IMPAQT - Initiating Meaningful Pittsburgh and Qatar Ties.
Each scholar builds on a tradition of excellence, and demonstrates a commitment to the Carnegie Mellon community through academic accomplishments and metacurricular involvement. Scholars contribute to the intellectual community in a range of activities including completing undergraduate research, serving as program directors, and participating on college-based advisory councils. The fifth year provides each scholar with an opportunity to pursue scholarly interests in new fields of study. Their individual projects, as well as group activities, continue to impact the university community.
2024-2025 Fifth Year Scholars
Katrina D'Arms
Environmental Engineering
How did you come to choose CMU?
I chose CMU because it had a top ten ranked environmental engineering program, it was three hours from home, Pittsburgh is a lively and beautiful city, and CMU has an active arts program.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
Environmental justice history (historical and indigenous perspectives on the water infrastructure I learned how to design and build in my engineering classes). My own mending skills as well as teaching, design, and professional communication. History and psychology (PEP) and philosophy of literature!
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
“I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.” Kurt Vonnegut.
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I am also a DJ on WRCT Radio!
Gabriel Mendez-Sanders
Chemical Engineering
How did you come to choose CMU?
I wanted to get out of Florida and a chosen family member is an alum from CMU. She told me how cool Pittsburgh was and interdisciplinary the school is. It's also an excellent chemical engineering school, and well ... definitely not Florida.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
This year I am focusing on developing myself as an educator and educational researcher. Specifically I have focused on preparing myself for a career in engineering education research and am learning valuable skills in curriculum development, mentoring, and savoring the simple things in life.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
"Why do we fall, sir? ... So we can learn to pick ourselves back up" - Alfred Pennyworth, Batman Begins
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I once illegally climbed the outside of a SpaceX rocket.
Elizabeth Wigington
Physics
How did you come to choose CMU?
Growing up, I always wanted to be a scientist and an artist. However, most people I knew tried to tell me that those subjects were incompatible; I could only be one or the other. CMU’s strong encouragement and endorsement of interdisciplinary interests and students inspired me to apply. I felt that I would meet people who not only thought that being both was possible but were also accomplishing it in ways I hadn’t considered before. I desired both intellectual support and challenge.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
The Fifth Year Program has allowed me to continue pursuing my medical interests. During this time, I have also rediscovered my passion for reading! I’m taking my first literature-focused courses at CMU while also exploring various local and independent bookstores in various Pittsburgh neighborhoods. I am also taking this time to learn Mandarin Chinese and establish new connections between my family history and personal identity.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
“And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” - Rainer Maria Rilke
What are people surprised to learn about you?
People are surprised to learn that I only started performing theater and improv in college!
Rachel Wilson
Computer Science
How did you come to choose CMU?
I always loved to code, ever since I was introduced in middle school. My high school focused more on liberal arts but I still had amazing math teachers and an inspiring computer science (CS) teacher. When applying to college, I knew I wanted to study computer science, and felt that my high school had provided a strong foundation of humanities for me to explore CS in a conscientious way.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
As a Fifth Year Scholar I have been able to try so many new things, academically and in my project. I took an acting class, learned to sew, tried a salsa class, took chemistry and was a TA for Ethics and Policy in Computing. In my project, I've learned so much about CS education and how to conduct research.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
I love to learn, and school is the place where you can dedicate yourself to that. School should be fun, and that's why I wanted to stay as a Fifth Year Scholar.
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I play table tennis semi-seriously, and joined the CMU women's team this year.
2025-2026 Fifth Year Scholars
Carmen Hagerty
Civil Engineering
How did you come to choose CMU?
I grew up near Pittsburgh and was lucky enough to interact with the CMU community pretty frequently. I was often inspired by the people I met. By coming to CMU, I knew that I would be able to surround myself with interesting people and stay motivated to keep personally growing.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
I love that Fifth Year Scholar allows me to explore my personal interests at CMU. After choosing a major freshman year, it can be hard to find the time to try out other fields while focusing on your own curriculum. I now have a chance to take urban design, fabrication, and psychology classes. I appreciate how my fifth year makes my education feel even more interdisciplinary and that I get an extra year to figure out what I may want to do with my life!
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
"Choosing to learn makes it easy to change."
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I was missing my front tooth for almost all of my sophomore year.
Deya Liao
Computer Science, Film and Visual Media
How did you come to choose CMU?
I chose CMU because of its strength in both its STEM and arts/humanities programs. I was excited to engage in its many interdisciplinary opportunities.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
I’m hoping that this opportunity will allow me to take additional courses in the film, English, and/or history departments and further explore technology’s role in today’s society. Through the community engagement project, I also hope to gain more creative experience directing a documentary––and hopefully meet and learn from many different students in the process.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I used to be a nationally ranked badminton player!
Fifth Year Scholar Alumni
Class of 2024
Martha Spletzer - Chemistry
Class of 2023
Olivia Cunnally - Film, Visual Media, and Art
David Peebles - Music
Class of 2022
Shahmeer Ahmad - Information Systems
Mariyam Amir - Information Systems
kai ell denazen - Student Defined Major
Robin Kuo - Materials Science and Engineering
Carolyn Youstra, Mechanical Engineering
Class of 2021
Nahin Khan - Biological Sciences
Rie Ohta - Computer Sciences
Julia Scherb - Global Studies
Class of 2020
Cory Bird - Biological Sciences
Miranda Mlincek - Biological Sciences
Joyce Wang - Computer Sciences and Art
Class of 2019
Shreya Desikan - Biological Sciences and Psychology
Andrew Edwards - Art
Russell Holbert - Music Performance
Joseph Paetz - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Class of 2018
Aliaa Essameldin - Computer Science
Michael James - Drama
Lauren Valley - Art
Nick Wilson - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Class of 2017
Jamie Earnest - Art
Rachel Freer - Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering
Angela Ng - Civil Engineering
Todd Medema - Technology, Entrepreneurship and Design
Nitsan Shai - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Class of 2016
Jack Montgomery - Information Systems
Erik Pintar - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Minnar Xie - Humanities and Arts
Class of 2015
Josh Claudio - English
Zhijun Huang - Economics and Mathematical Sciences, Statistics and Computational Finance
Sejal Popat - Art, Logic and Computation
Class of 2014
Afnan Fahim - Computer Science Major, Business Administration Minor
Nick Hurt - Business Administration Major, Film and Media Studies Minor
Class of 2013
Class of 2012
Jessica Dickinson Goodman - Ethics, History and Public Policy with Vocal Performance Minor
Rachel Inman - Industrial Design with Business Administration Minor
Class of 2011
Keghani Kouzoujian - Computer Science
Raedun Knutsen - Architecture and History
Luther B. Young III - Industrial Design
Class of 2010
Eric W. Barndollar - Music Composition and Computer Science with Music Technology and Conducting Minors
Bradley Hall - Mechanical Engineering with an Industrial Design Minor
Ryan Woodring - Fine Art with French and Francophone Studies Minors
Class of 2009
Mary Grace DeForest - Operation Research and Statistics
George Diabes - Chemistry, Hispanic Studies, and Business Administration
Class of 2008
Alicia Pompei - Communication Design with a concentration in Business Management
Classes of 1992-2007
2006-2007
Darbi Roberts
Rose Lapka
Mike Sczerban
Clayton Barlow-Wilcox
2005-2006
Nurveen Marwah
Mark Egermann
Diane Loviglio
2004-2005
Tara Gilbreath
Andrew Widdoson
Roger Ma
Ashok Kanagasundram
Carissa Sain
2003-2004
Robin Hewlett
Lara Panis
Rebecca Deustch
2002-2003
Lisa Podgurski
2001-2002
Marcus Louie
Chris Noser
Bill Kofmehl
2000-2001
Jean Vettel (H&SS, Professional Writing)
Anne Ray (H&SS, Creative Writing, History)
Elisabeth Nadolny (MCS, CIT, Biological Science, Chemical Engineering) Ignacio Filipinni (CFA, Industrial Design)
Amanda Kraus (H&SS, Social History)
Paul Jacobs (SIA, Business Administration, History, Policy, & Philosophy)
1999-2000
Andrew Artz (CIT, ECE)
Stacey Jenkins (H&SS, Creative & Professional Writing)
Jason Martin (H&SS, Psychology)
Jessica Phillips-Silver (BHA, Music & Psychology)
Julie Wilson (H&SS, Political Science, Social History, Spanish)
1998-1999
Elin Warn (CFA, Music, MCS, Environmental Science)
1997-1998
Jenny Good (H&SS, English, Spanish)
Adam Klivans (CS)
Ken Kraemer (IM)
Everett Neal (MCS, Chemical & Industrial Management
1996-1997
David Bauer (CIT)
Jill Goodall (H&SS, Psych)
Kerry Hagan (CIT, CFA, Music)
Mike Leonard (MCS, Math)
Denise Soultanian (CFA, Art)
1995-1996
Kate Bazis (CFA, Art)
Aaron Kozbelt (H&SS, Psych)
Larry Mathers (CIT)
Derek Wahila (CS)
1994-1995
Danny Dalal (CS)
Jeff Dorsey (CFA)
Emma Gosden (IM)
1993-1994
Matt Adler
Laura Ahr Larson
Rhonda Stuminger
1992-1993
Jennifer Bourque (H&SS, English)
Nicole Brockmann (CFA, Music)
Jaquelynn Cuccaro (IM, SDS, H&SS, History
Michael Ewedosh (IM)
Russell Lehrer (CIT, Chem E)
Paul Sollimo (CFA, Design)
Ulysses Wu (IM, H&SS, Econ)
1991-1992
Jennifer Arscott (CFA, Art)
Ingrid Bromberg (CFA, Art)
Paul Hachten (H&SS, Psych)
Robert O'Toole (CIT)
Kelli Satterwhite (MCS)