Cohort 5, Class of 2024

Heldana Amenu is a rising junior from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia studying Economics on the Professional track. At Brown, she serves as the Treasurer of Brown Eritrean and Ethiopian Students Association and Vice President of Finances for Black in Business at Brown. She is interested in the role of policies in gender and educational equality in both developed and developing countries. Outside of Brown, she worked with Studio Samuel Foundation as an intern to the research and teaching teams and with Counseling and Test Preparation Ethiopia to provide mentorship and guidance for students applying to colleges in the US. In her free time, she enjoys reading classic fictions, baking, singing and exploring Providence.

Andrew Cabrera is a rising junior from Prince George’s County, Maryland studying Economics and Statistics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) as a scholar in the UMBC Meyerhoff Scholars Program. His previous research experiences include; studying at UMBC investigating Sub-Saharan African literacy rates and primary education- documenting trends and primary school enrollment, as well as studying at the University of Maryland College Park School of Business where his work evaluated defined contribution plans, trends, and assessments of customer change rates in relation to fees. Outside of school, Andrew is a self-proclaimed “foodie”, always trying new foods. He enjoys going on walks, listening to music, playing sports, and hanging out with friends.

Malcolm Certain is a rising junior from Seattle studying Applied Mathematics-Economics and Urban Studies. They are planning to go to graduate school in economics to study education and urban policy. They also work as a teaching assistant in the Math and Economics departments at Brown. Outside of class, they like to unwind by listening to jazz, playing video games, or trying new restaurants.

Natalia Baños Delgado (She/They) is a rising junior from Cartagena, Colombia, concentrating in Social Analysis & Research and International & Public Affairs. At Brown, she is a Junior Coordinator of the International Mentoring Program, as well as a Sexual Health Peer Educator with the Sexual Health Awareness Group. They are also very passionate about their Colombian and Latinx heritage and are an engaged member of these communities, serving as an executive board member for the Colombian Student Association and as a Tech director for Brown’s latinx dance troupe, Mezcla. She also enjoys being a proud member of the a cappella groups Shades of Brown and Harmonic Motion. They are interested in researching about immigration dynamics and the protection of immigrants’ rights, as well as the intersection between ethnicity, gender and sexuality in the shaping ofthe social perception of minorities.

Cole Francis is a rising junior from Chicago, IL, concentrating in economics and environmental studies at Brown University. He plays an integral role on the board of the Brown Concert Agency, bringing Spring Weekend to fruition annually. Cole has also been involved in Black Student Union as Treasurer. During summer 2022, he worked for the Office of the City of Chicago Treasurer on the Investments Team and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team. Previously, Cole worked for Brown Pre-College Programs as a Program Assistant. His on-campus jobs have spanned from The Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice to the John D. Rockefeller Library. On campus, Cole encourages community-building and inclusivity through the programs he engages in. His main interests include bettering the environment and his community, vegetarianism, cycling, thrifting, and DJing on-campus and in Providence.

Zak Hashi is a rising junior from Birmingham, UK who is majoring in Economics and Computer Science. At Brown, Zak is a member of Brown debate and FinTech and is very interested in learning Arabic and French. He is very interested in being able to combining the fields of computer science and economics to find data-driven solutions to the world’s problems.

Ruby Howland is a rising Junior from Providence, Rhode Island. She’s concentrating in Political Science and Sociology but also has a strong interest in education. She’s interested in exploring public policy, the social sciences, and law. This fall, Ruby plans on studying abroad in Athens, Greece. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on runs, and exploring new coffee shops.

Catherine Manning is a rising senior from Hingham, Massachusetts. She is concentrating in History and pursuing a Certificate in Data Fluency. At Brown, she is Co-President of the Brown Opinion Project, a copy editor for the Brown Daily Herald, and a Meiklejohn Peer Advisor. Previously, she worked on a research project for the Cogut Institute on the history of Andrews House, and also likes to spend time volunteering at the John Brown House Museum.

Brianna Paliz is a rising sophomore from Miami, Florida, and planning on concentrating in Political science and Economics. At Brown, she is involved in the Brown Political Review as a staff writer, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, an analyst for the Multilingual Education team in Brown Initiative for Politics, and the student representative on the Public Education Committee. Outside of Brown, she worked at the Rhode Island State House for the RIBLIA Caucus this past semester. She is interested in studying the intersection of politics, economics, and education. During her free time, she enjoys listening to music, reading books, and traveling.

Seth Peiris is a rising junior from Maplewood, New Jersey concentrating in Applied Mathematics-Economics. His interests in economics began with questions about the roots and maintenance of societal inequities— questions that he hopes to continue to explore in his academic career. At Brown, he is an executive board member of the Food Recovery Network, the secretary-treasurer of Shades of Brown A Capella, a music director for Harmonic Motion A Capella, and a Meiklejohn Peer Advisor. He is an avid enjoyer of history, the performing arts, and the outdoors.

Derrick Pennix is a rising senior from Indiana concentrating in Economics on the public policy track and Music. At Brown, he has been an avid teaching assistant for many courses in the music department and is particularly interested in public policy as it relates to human rights and democracy. In his free time, he enjoys animating and performing in the Brown University jazz band and other student bands across campus as a trumpet player.

Mikael Oberlin is a rising senior from Taunton, Massachusetts, concentrating in Political Science and Economics. At Brown, he has been involved in various leadership roles, including routinely serving on the Undergraduate Finance Board and the Political Science Department Undergraduate Group. Furthermore, he holds associate positions on the business boards of the Intercollegiate Finance Journal and Brown Journal of World Affairs. Additionally, Mikael has interned at the National Coalition for Homelessness, conducting research on nationwide civil rights abuses against unhoused individuals, as well as the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Patrick Rourke is a rising senior from North Haven, Connecticut, studying Education Studies and Social Analysis and Research. At Brown, he is leader in the Meiklejohn Peer Advising Program, a leader in the Education Department Undergraduate Group, a member of the UCS Polling Committee, and a member of the Brown Jazz Band. He is interested in exploring how both quantitative and qualitative data can be used to inform policy in public education. In his free time, Patrick enjoys playing pickup basketball and playing the saxophone.

AJ Wu is a rising junior from Rockville, Maryland studying Computer Science and Economics on the Public Policy track. At Brown, AJ is a team lead of Brown Initiative for Policy’s Older Adult team, a writer for post- Magazine, and a teaching assistant in the Computer Science department. They are interested in public health and disparities in healthcare access. In their free time, AJ likes reading, gaming, and practicing aikido.