In the celebratory spirit of graduation season and at the close of another year of leadership learning and reflection, the Hart Leadership Program is delighted to honor the many achievements of our outstanding students.
During Academic Year 2025-2026, students in Hart Leadership summer programs—Service Opportunities in Leadership (SOL), Patman Political Engagement Project, Leadership in Arts Policy Internship (LAPI), Laidlaw Scholars Research and Leadership Program, and the Hart Fellowship—received a range of awards, recognitions, and fellowships in honor and support of their high academic achievement, leadership potential, and care for the common good.
We applaud William Lieber (Patman 2024), a recent Duke alumnus, who was selected for the Rhodes Scholarship based on high academic achievement, personal integrity, leadership potential, and commitment to service. Through the Rhodes Scholarship, Will will pursue master’s study in education, criminology, and criminal justice at the University of Oxford. For his Patman summer, Will worked with a rural health clinic in Macomb, Illinois while conducting research for his senior thesis, which examined how the families of incarcerated people experience reentry programs and systems.
Ariona Cook (SOL 2024) has been named a 2026 Harry S. Truman Scholar representing her home state of Kansas. Awarded to only 55 college students nationwide, this prestigious scholarship supports graduate students for aspiring public servants who demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the non-profit sector, and academic excellence. Ari spent her SOL summer working with You Can Vote (YCV), a non-partisan voter education and advocacy organization in North Carolina.
Anushka Peer (Laidlaw 2026-2027) has been named a 2026 Barry M. Goldwater Scholar. This award recognizes accomplished sophomore and junior researchers who plan to pursue careers in the fields of science, engineering, and mathematics. For her Laidlaw Research Summer, Anushka will travel to the University of Leeds to help lead the design and development of an ion-exchange technology that will contribute to safe drinking water in Tanzania.
Lillian Gessner (Patman 2026)
Jeffrey Broms (LAPI 2025)
Jeffrey Broms (LAPI 2025) and Lillian Gessner (Patman 2026) have been selected as Nakayama Public Service Scholars. Awarded to support students interested in responding to the world’s challenges through careers in public service, the Nakayama Scholarship covers one half of the scholar’s tuition in their senior year. Scholars also engage with Duke faculty and public servants in a variety of fields for mentorship and career exploration. For his LAPI summer, Jeffrey interned with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. This summer, Lilly will complete her Patman internship with Senator Chris Coon’s office on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Annabel Miller (Patman 2025) has been named a James C. Gaither Junior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. One of only 18 winners nationwide recognized for her commitment to international affairs, public purpose, and academic excellence, Annabel will spend a year at the Carnegie Endowment supporting the work of senior scholars at the forefront of domestic and international policy. For her Patman summer, Annabel completed research for her senior thesis exploring the rise of populist sentiments in the United States and the role of status loss in American electoral politics.
Sally Maroa (SOL 2025) and Megan Bonne (SOL 2026) were awarded the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service, 2025-2027. The Voyager Scholarship Program is a two-year leadership development and scholarship program designed to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders and equip them with the tools and resources they need to launch their careers in public service. Sally spent her SOL summer at Reproductive Equity Now (REN) in Boston, MA engaging in research and advocacy. For her SOL summer, Megan will work with the HOME Project in Athens, Greece, supporting community-based programs for refugee and migrant minors.
Ashley Gutierrez-Torres (Laidlaw Scholar 2025-2026) was selected to join the Dinah F.B. Cohen Fellowship Program. Sponsored by Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD), this national leadership program supports college students with disabilities in their professional growth and provides tools and training toward the development of meaningful projects that advance disability inclusion. For her Laidlaw Research Summer, Ashley joined a documentary photography team in Berlin examining how child-centered playground spaces shape environmentally responsible adults.
Amylyn De Paz-De Paz (Laidlaw Scholar 2026-2027) has been selected to join the inaugural cohort of Coleman Family Ventures Fellows at Duke. Designed to prepare undergraduates for meaningful careers in pediatrics and family medicine. CFV Fellows receive funding and professional development opportunities to deepen their commitment to and preparation for leadership in community-centered healthcare. For her Laidlaw Research Summer, Amylyn will work with researchers at the University of Leeds to develop ethical guidelines for arts-based participatory research with survivors of gender-based violence with disabilities.
Victoria Ayodele (Laidlaw Scholar 2025-2026) has been awarded the Winfred Quinton Holton Prize for Educational Research. This award is presented annually by the faculty of the Program in Education to Duke undergraduates with demonstrated interest in Education in recognition of outstanding and innovative projects in education-related fields. In the summer of 2025, Victoria completed her Laidlaw Research Summer at the University of St. Andrews School of Medicine examining evidence-based early diagnosis and how direct-to-consumer screening tests are marketed to asymptomatic people in the UK. For her Laidlaw Leadership-in-Practice Summer, Victoria will be piloting a neuroscience education curriculum and career exploration program in partnership with Durham YouthWorks.
Anika Dugal (Laidlaw Scholar 2025-2026) has received the Young Futures Award from Young Futures, a non-profit working to improve youth well-being by funding and supporting nonprofits and innovators focusing on digital health and teen belonging. In recognition for her work in gender equity and AI, Anika was selected as one of 25 recipients in the inaugural year of this award. For her Laidlaw Research Summer, Anika traveled to Brussels, Paris, and the UK with a team of researchers to study the impacts of AI-generated music on artists’ livelihoods and the future of creative democratic expression.
Please join the Hart Leadership Program and the Duke community in celebrating the accomplishments of our students. These many awards, recognitions, and fellowships speak not only to the intellectual depth and civic commitment of Hart Leadership students but also to their eagerness to continue exploring the art of ethical leadership in public life as their educational and career journeys unfold. To learn more about all of our program offerings, please visit our program overview page.