2029 Fellows

Isabelle Anderson was born in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She graduated from Reagan High School and was a member of the National Honor Society and Latin Honor Society, as well as the varsity swim and dive team. She discovered her love of digital media at a young age, entertaining family and friends with PowerPoint presentations, and has since shifted to Adobe apps, favoring Illustrator. She participated heavily in the church, leading worship, assisting in administrative tasks, playing the violin and offering media support. During COVID-19, she helped produce and edit virtual services for various churches while in-person fellowship wasn’t possible. The summer before senior year, she was selected to participate in Elon’s Emerging Journalists Program, which furthered her interest in Elon’s School of Communications and increased her love of photography and digital design. In her free time, she is an avid reader, which has inspired her love for creative writing and collecting books. She loves delving into understanding how people interact with each other and the world around them. Isabelle plans to major in Communication Design with a minor in Classical Studies and is honored to have been selected as a Communications Fellow.

Gabriela Angulo was born in Madrid and raised in Mooresville, North Carolina. A first-generation college student and native Spanish speaker, she graduated from South Iredell High School with honors, completing a rigorous curriculum that included multiple AP and IB courses and earning the IB Career-Related Programme certificate in her senior year. A dedicated athlete, Gabriela played both JV and varsity basketball, serving as the varsity team captain during her senior season. In her junior year, she helped lead her team to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, an experience that deepened her passion for sports, leadership and collaboration. Outside athletics, Gabriela completed over 100 hours of community service, volunteering with organizations like Feed NC and participating in clubs such as the Latino Club, S.A.V.E., and Crosby Scholars. She also served as junior vice president of Student Council, where she helped plan events and advocate for her peers. At Elon, Gabriela plans to major in Sport Management, intending to work in communications or operations for a professional basketball team. Her international background and bilingualism have shaped her passion for inclusive storytelling and connecting across cultures. She’s excited to explore the intersection of sports, leadership and media through the Communications Fellows program. She looks forward to studying abroad, hands-on experience and building a strong community at Elon.

Emma Arruda is from Philadelphia, where she graduated from Conestoga High School. There, she participated in numerous clubs and extracurricular activities, which not only created a love for writing but a love for connecting with others through storytelling. She has taken many television arts courses, in which she learned the ins and outs of a television studio, script writing and editing. She has written, acted in and directed multiple short films throughout her high school career and is excited to continue to do so at Elon. Emma also had had the privilege of taking various creative writing courses, which provided her a deeper dive into the art of storytelling through poems, scripts and short stories. During all four years of high school, Emma participated in the theatre program at her school, where she gained a love for public speaking and working as a team on and off the stage. Emma is honored to be a part of the Communications Fellows and the School of Communications, and she is excited to continue learning about what she is most passionate about.

Anderson Bowman was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, where he graduated from North Buncombe High School. Andy’s love for storytelling began at a young age with his involvement in the performing arts. He joined his high school’s broadcast journalism team during his freshman year, when he served as an anchor and reporter for two years and was given the privilege of serving as director his final two years. Andy helped lead his broadcast team to two Tar Heel awards from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was presented with the Curtis Wright Scholarship. He has also been given the honor of serving as the president of his International Thespian Society Troupe 8206 throughout his junior and senior years of high school and has remained an active member in his school’s National Beta Club. Outside his academics, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family, working at Publix and galivanting around onstage. Andy is thrilled for the opportunity to be a part of the Communication Fellows cohort and is excited to explore all that Elon and the School of Communications has to offer.

Sam Burk grew up in Indianapolis and graduated from Culver Military Academy, where he developed strong leadership and teamwork skills in both academics and extracurriculars. At Culver, Sam embraced the school’s emphasis on collaboration and personal growth, taking on several leadership roles within its structured student politics organization. Beyond the classroom, Sam was an active member of his school’s tennis and baseball programs, in which he earned varsity letters for both. In Sam’s free time, he enjoys analyzing films, painting and engaging in other creative hobbies, especially alongside peers. Sam is looking forward to becoming a part of Elon’s community as a Cinema & Television Arts major and as a Communications Fellow this fall.

Logan Davila grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he attended and graduated from Charlotte Christian School. For his last two years, he was an active member of his school’s video production team, for which he produced comedy and promotional pieces for the student body. It was through this time that he opened his team to the world of podcasting and earned an award in digital arts. In addition to his work with this team, Logan participated in his school’s debate club and global awareness committee and was a member of the National Honor Society. Additionally, he was recognized as an honors graduate. During his high school career, he found his connection to the guitar, participating in his church’s youth band during junior year and his school’s praise band in his senior year. Beyond his creative interests, Logan has a particular fondness for studying the Bible, religion and philosophy, interests he discovered when he took a class on Christian theology. Overall, Logan is ecstatic to begin his journey at Elon as a Communications Fellow.

Zoë Davis was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, where they graduated from Trinity Valley School, earning distinction as a National Honor Society member and a Centenary Scholar, completing hundreds of hours of community service during their high school career. Cultivating an interest in theatre production in middle and upper school, Zoë has participated in almost every show since fifth grade. Lighting and set design, sound and lighting board operation, production management, and venue assistance contributed to their understanding of the intricacies of production. In addition to their interest in technical theatre, Zoë has been enamored with photography and film production since their freshman year. Summer enrichment experiences through National Geographic and Rhode Island School of Design developed Zoë’s fascination with storytelling through the camera’s lens and confirmed their avid interest in film and television production. Some of Zoë’s additional interests include competitive horseback riding, painting, brunch with friends, graphic novels, music and exploring new places. At Elon, Zoë plans to major in Cinema & Television Arts and can’t wait to see what they will learn and do as a Communications Fellow.

Nick Grosso grew up in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a suburb outside Philadelphia. He graduated cum laude from both Central Bucks High School South and the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology in 2025. While enrolled at Middle Bucks, Nick studied multimedia technology and developed his skills in filmmaking, photography, Photoshop and video editing. Through the class, Nick has participated in multiple local film festivals, including the Greenfield Youth Film Festival and The Ten-Day Film Challenge, for which his film placed top 25 in the competition. Outside school, Nick enjoys watching and discussing movies with his friends, playing guitar, listening to music, traveling with family and going on walks. He plans on majoring in Cinema and Television Arts and looks forward to getting the chance to collaborate with like-minded peers through the Communications Fellows program.

Alison Haisty was raised in Cary, North Carolina, as a true Tar Heel, where she graduated with honors from Green Hope High School. She was inspired by her junior year English teacher to start a book, which she is currently working on. She was on a competitive rock climbing team for about six years and still climbs today. Her involvement in the sport now totals nine years. In high school, Alison wrote freelance while keeping up with her studies, doing community service work and local government visits with Youth Leadership Cary, and rock climbing. The summer after her junior year, she embarked on a 3-week creative writing study abroad in London, studying various types of writing and meeting established writers. Outside academics, Alison invests her time in finding new tea cafes, running and hanging out with her friends. She will be double majoring in Journalism and Finance to continue her interests in both writing and investing, and she looks forward to connecting with everyone as a Communications Fellow.

Serene Hameed comes to Elon University from Cleveland, where she graduated from Laurel School. A passionate storyteller, Serene plans to double major in Cinema & Television Arts and either Criminal Justice or African American Studies, with a minor in Photography. At Laurel, she founded Photos By Serene, a youth-centered creative business that uses film and photography as tools for self-expression and activism. She also served as the Midwest region communications co-chair for Jack and Jill of America Inc., connecting Black teens across the country and uplifting their stories through digital media. Serene will also be a member of Elon’s Division I dance team, where she will combine her love for movement, discipline and community. Inspired by the intersection of art and advocacy, Serene aims to use film to center underrepresented voices and drive cultural change. She is excited to grow her creative vision as a Communications Fellow and fully embrace the opportunities Elon offers.

Sierra Heller, a Miami native, graduated with honors from Miami Palmetto Senior High School. During her time at Palmetto, she was an active member of the National Honor Society, Art Honor Society, Rho Kappa the Photo Club, for which she served as secretary. Her extracurricular achievements include a District Championship in track and field for the girls long jump and recognition as a finalist in the Junior Orange Bowl Photography Competition. Beyond academics, athletics and photography, Sierra is deeply committed to community inclusion initiatives. She spent several summers as a program aide with the University of Miami Mini Canes Summer Program, a recreational sports camp for children ages 6 to 12. During the school year, she dedicated significant time to supporting individuals with special needs, volunteering with organizations like the We Coach Foundation, which engages adults and children with special needs in meaningful community activities. Sierra’s creativity, passion and dedication have shaped her decision to pursue a major in communications. Honored to be recognized as a Communications Fellow, she is eager to explore Cinema and Television Arts at Elon University.

Gabby Johnson grew up in Apex, North Carolina, and graduated from Holly Springs High School. Stories told through film and the magic of live performances have captivated her from a young age. In high school she explored her creative passions as an active member of the National Art Honor Society, Photography Club and Golden Hawks Theatre Company. She received an AP Capstone diploma, completing seminar, research and literature courses to develop her writing skills. Outside academics, she played basketball and softball at her high school. She enjoys working as an afterschool and summer camp counselor at the YMCA. She plans to major in Cinema and Television Arts, blending her love for visual and performing arts with storytelling. Gabby is excited to join this year’s cohort of Communications Fellows.

Ava Keevey was raised in Wellington, Florida, where she graduated from nationally ranked magnet Suncoast Community High School. During her four rigorous years as a student within the International Baccalaureate program, she excelled in numerous IB, AP, AICE and honors courses. Outside academics, she participated in several extracurricular activities, such as varsity lacrosse for four years, theatre and Taylor Swift Club. Her dedication within her community was showcased through leadership roles in clubs like the National Honor Society, film club and We Are Suncoast News Program, where she served as technical director. Through these experiences, Ava has been privileged to become a more well-rounded, worldly and driven student. Ava looks forward to carrying these lessons and skills into her academic journey and community at Elon University as part of Elon’s Class of 2029. Ava is excited to explore all the opportunities Elon has to offer and is honored to be a Communications Fellow.

Sydney Kirschner attended the Dwight School in New York City, where she consistently made the honor roll and pursued advanced coursework in IB Global Politics and IB Psychology. Passionate about community involvement and social justice, Sydney was a fellow with the Anti-Defamation League, attending the international Never is Now convention and participating in bi-weekly discussions on combating antisemitism. Through this program, she learned how to foster open dialogue on college campuses and promote an environment where everyone can feel safe in expressing their views. She continued on this path as a member of the Allies Against Jewish Hate, which is a student-led club focused on fostering open dialogue and promoting inclusion. Sydney played varsity soccer since ninth grade and served as a team mentor. Her athletic endeavors extended beyond school through her work with the Challenged Athletes Foundation and participation in the JCC Maccabean trip to Israel, where she combined competitive soccer with volunteer service. She has interned with Anchor by Motom, supporting app development and influencer outreach, which has helped her develop her communications skills.

Lily Langbo grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, before moving to London during high school, where she graduated with honors from TASIS England. As a peer mentor leader with a challenging course load that included all honors and AP classes, Lily was fortunate to experience some of her favorite AP Art History pieces in person at London museums. Her passion for the arts began at a young age with a deep love for dance, choir and visual arts. She performed as a member of both the Raleigh Youth Choir and the TASIS England Choir. Lily was the founder and president of The Open Eyes Project, an initiative that uses art expression as a medium to promote kindness and foster an uplifting school community. She also served as president of the Art & Design Club, where she found inspiration in the creativity of her peers. Lily applied her graphic design skills working with the non-profit Students Lifting Students and gained valuable professional experience interning at a company for the past two years. Throughout her experiences, Lily has focused on creating spaces for people to share their voices through artistic media to foster positivity and build a sense of community. She plans to major in Communication Design with a minor in Marketing. Lily is incredibly grateful to be a Communications Fellow and looks forward to collaborating with her peers during this exciting next chapter at Elon University.

Elissa Leka was born and raised in the United Kingdom before moving to Bedford, New York, where she graduated from Fox Lane High School. There, she immersed herself in the arts and academics. She joined the theatre community in sixth grade as an actor and later in high school served as a deck chief backstage. Elissa was also the advertising manager for her school’s Tri-M Music Honor Society and a member of the National Honor Society. A storyteller at heart, she joined the creative writing club early on, serving as treasurer in her sophomore year and co-president both her junior and senior years. Additionally, in her senior year, she interned at local newspaper The Examiner, gaining experience in interviewing, research and journalistic writing. Her second passion – music – began unexpectedly in a music class she was forced to take. The guitar placed in her hands never left her. From then on, she played in her school’s rock ensemble from seventh grade to graduation, and later in high school sang in the a cappella group. Through her school’s four-year Performance Technology course, she learned how to record and mix cover music, which later sparked her love for songwriting and composition. Elissa is excited to pursue a Journalism major and a Music Production minor at Elon and is honored to be a part of the Communications Fellows program.

Emma Luckman, a recent graduate of Cypress Bay High School, grew up in Weston, Florida, where she maintained a 4.6 weighted GPA while pursuing a rigorous AICE and AP curriculum. Her profound passion for broadcast journalism and strategic communications was cultivated through extensive involvement with CBHS TV. Emma was a dedicated member of her school’s highly competitive television program, consistently producing high-quality news stories within just six hours for national production competitions. As a key crew member for “Aftershock,” the school’s TV program, she contributed to the weekly production of news, entertainment and sports segments – a collaboration that notably earned the team an Excellence Award from the Student Television Network. Emma’s practical experience extends to live broadcast management, as she meticulously handled camera setup and simultaneous streaming for Saint Bonaventure Catholic Church. Beyond her media pursuits, Emma initiated and coordinated Empowering Hearts, a community service project through DECA, for which she collected and distributed care kits to empower children in need. The project earned a ninth-place finish AT DECA Internationals. Emma has won a National Student Emmy in Light News, first place at STN three years in a row and other top awards in national and international journalism and leadership competitions. Emma is eager to begin her studies in Journalism and Strategic Communications at Elon University and is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Communications Fellows cohort and explore all the School of Communications has to offer.

Giuliana (Gigi) Maiorana grew up in Middletown New Jersey, where she attended Middletown High School South. Throughout her high school career, she was involved in many extracurricular activities, including serving as president of both the film club and Teded club, for which she helped organize several charity projects, such as collecting over 1,000 holiday cards for kids in hospitals. She was also an active participant in both the fall and spring theatrical productions and ran the theater arts club’s social media accounts. She has screened her work at numerous film festivals, including the Montclair Young Filmmakers Festival, Garden State Film Festival and the FunFest international film/video Festival in Portugal. Gigi is thrilled to be a Communications Fellow and can’t wait to continue to grow her passion for cinema and television while getting involved in the Elon community.

Lilly McFadden was raised in Madison, Connecticut, where she graduated from Daniel Hand High School. There, she was a four-year three-sport varsity athlete and excelled in both AP, honors and UCONN ECE classes. She was a member of the National Honor Society and also held various leadership positions in in her community, such as captain of her soccer team and president of both Uganda Club and Girls Who Code. In middle school, Lilly began to volunteer for The Outreach Program for Soccer, where she had the opportunity to coach and connect with differently abled children. From there, her love for coaching grew and she began coaching youth soccer teams in her area and doing private training sessions to help young girls find their footing in the sports world. Lilly has played soccer her whole life and was a two-time SCC All-Conference and All State, as well as MVP of her high school team her junior and senior years. She has played four years of semi-professional soccer and will continue her career as a member of the Elon women’s soccer team. Outside school and soccer, Lilly enjoys volunteer work with the Madison Historical Society and leading multisport camps and classes. Lilly is excited to join the Elon community as a Communications Fellow and will be studying Sport Management with the goal of one day becoming a soccer coach and joining the growing wave of women in the sports field.

Blair Mitchell was raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and he graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh. With a deep interest in journalism and communications, Blair pursued a multitude of opportunities to gain experience and sharpen his skills in the field. Blair worked as a freelance sports reporter for the Chatham News and Record, covering local high school sporting events, including cross country, lacrosse and basketball. As an avid sports fan, Blair collaborated with his two older brothers to co-found an online sports content platform and YouTube channel, where he wrote articles covering global track and field competitions. As a student at Cardinal Gibbons, Blair served as the editor-in-chief of the online newspaper, for which he wrote and managed a staff of 20 writers. He also anchored the school’s daily broadcast on the Gibbons News Network (GNN), which was played for the entire school community. Similar to his love for writing, Blair has also been a passionate runner for much of his life and was a varsity athlete all four years on the track and field and cross-country teams. He served as a team captain from his sophomore to senior seasons and earned All-Conference honors five times across both sports. As a member of the National Honor Society, Blair strived for excellence in the classroom and thrived in classes that aligned with his affinity for writing, including AP English Language and AP U.S. Government and Politics. Blair is honored and enthusastic for the opportunity to learn and grow as a Communications Fellow at Elon and is eager to contribute to the community.

Abigail (Abby) Monk was raised in Barrington, Illinois. She attended Barrington High School and was part of the girl’s swim team, theater department and RoundUp newsmagazine, for which she served as editor-in-chief. Her news story on a local high school’s new agricultural facility won second place in the state of Illinois, and she looks forward to continuing writing journalistically throughout her academic and professional career. In her free time, Abby also enjoys writing poetry, reading, listening to music and spending time with friends. Abby is excited to be part of Elon’s Class of 2029 as a Communications Fellow and can’t wait for the journey ahead.

Natalie Morgan was born and raised in Pittsburgh, where she graduated from Mount Lebanon High School. There, Natalie was a member of the National Honor Society, served as captain of the Lebo softball club varsity team, secretary of the French Club and head choreographer of the Mount Lebanon High School Choir. Natalie’s admiration for communications came from her three years of journalism classes and two years working on her school’s paper, The Devil’s Advocate. During her time on the paper, she served in three different editor positions, including editor-in-chief. Alongside her school publications, Natalie was published in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle for an article she co-wrote for the Righteous Among the Neighbors project based in the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. Outside academics, she enjoys volunteering with her middle school choir program, acting as a leader in her softball community, reading up on the latest pop culture moment and movements, and spending time with her family and friends. Natalie is honored to be a Communications Fellow and is excited to explore all that Elon’s School of Communications has to offer.

Lily Mosbacher was raised in Roswell, Georgia, where she graduated from Pope High School as a member of the Globalization Academy. There, she was able to participate in events that broadened her global perspective, developed foreign language fluency, and forged strong connections with her cohort of peers. As a part of the academy, she conducted her AP Capstone research on the effects of political propaganda in the news and received the AP research award from the school faculty. Lily had the honor of writing a piece for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which allowed her to discover her passion for telling people’s stories. In addition to excelling in numerous AP-level courses, she was involved in multiple high school clubs and honors societies. Some of her most rewarding experiences included an elementary school tutoring club, where she assisted kindergarten students with literacy and math, and the Spanish national honor society. Outside school, Lily enjoyed being a member of the Academy Dance Company, a pre-professional ballet company. Lily also had the privilege of volunteering with many service organizations, including Make-A-Wish and Camp Jenny, a weekend retreat for underserved elementary school students. In the summers, she has honed her skills in communications and journalism through various hands-on internships. Lily looks forward to joining the Elon community this fall as a Communications Fellow majoring in journalism with a minor in Spanish.

Samantha Noll is from Fort Mill, South Carolina, and graduated from Fort Mill High School. There, she was on the varsity cheer team for four years (serving as a captain her senior year), a member of Beta Club, and a member of Fort Mill’s Honor Choir for two years. Outside school, she competed in all-star cheerleading for 11 years, committing her time, energy and passion to many high-level teams. Her love for sports grew from watching her brothers play football and wrestle and watching the Kansas City Chiefs with her dad from a young age. Samantha enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling to the mountains, working as a lifeguard in the summers, and watching football. As a Communications Fellow at Elon, Samantha is excited to explore many new opportunities, meet new people and further her passion for sports. She plans on majoring in Sport Management, eager to help expand women’s roles in the sports industry. Samantha is honored and enthusiastic to begin her journey at Elon as a Communications Fellow.

Emma Perman was raised in Pittsburgh and graduated with honors from the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School. During high school, she was involved in various extracurriculars, including the Environmental Club, Youth Ambassador Club, Global Education Club and Musical Theater Club. She also served on the prom committee and contributed to the school paper, the PA Cyber Press, as a member of the Newspaper Club, where she wrote, edited and designed content. Emma has always had a passion for storytelling, both on the page and on the stage. She has performed in numerous plays and musicals with her high school and local theater companies. In 2025, she was a Remake Learning Days youth ambassador with Saturday Light Brigade Radio, assistant director for Pittsburgh Performance Society, and a member of the creative team for Youth Shakespeare Society of Pittsburgh. She has earned her Eagle Scout Rank and Girl Scout Gold Award, and she loves being outdoors. Emma fell in love with Elon University while attending the 2024 Emerging Journalists Program and plans to major in Journalism. She is excited to join the Communications Fellows Program and can’t wait to begin her journey at Elon.

Katelyn Ranheim was adopted from China and moved to America when she was 4 years old. She grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she graduated from Leesville Road High School. She enjoyed participating in several honor societies and clubs during her years at Leesville. She was an integral part of the National Achievers Society, for which she served on the advisory board, and was responsible for planning and overseeing a collection drive to a local women’s shelter. She was selected for the Emerging Journalists Program at Elon in the summer of 2024, which solidified her choice to attend Elon University and ignited her passion to pursue journalism. Outside her academics, Katelyn enjoys horseback riding, reading, volunteering in her community and spending time with her family. She is grateful to be a part of the Communications Fellows cohort and looks forward to exploring all that Elon has to offer in the coming years.

Sofia Reiss grew up in Loveland, Ohio, near Cincinnati. She graduated from Ursuline Academy and was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. She also participated in various service activities, went on an abroad trip to Spain, and took honors and AP classes. During her time in Spain, she traveled with other Ursuline Academy students through cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Huesca and Gijón. She also stayed with a host family and learned about the local culture firsthand. She developed a passion for communications through her photography and design classes. Outside academics, Sofia was a member and team captain of Broadway Bound Dance Academy’s dance team. She participated in award-winning dances in various styles, including tap, which is her favorite. She also performed a tap solo for four years. Sofia is proud to have created her own service project called The Dance Closet. She collected gently used dance costumes, tights, shoes and accessories from local studios and donated them to City Gospels’ fine arts program called Princes Ballet. She was able to collect over 800 items for young girls. This project honed her skills to create a communication plan, design, marketing plan and content. She plans to major in Communication Design and is thrilled to be a Communications Fellow at Elon this fall.

Jackson Rippy is a recent graduate of Western Alamance High School in Burlington, North Carolina. Jackson played sports all four years at Western, including football and baseball. His senior year, Jackson received all-conference for baseball, as well as the William J. White Colt Ball Scholarship. Jackson also played on the North Carolina All Star team for two years, where he went to the Colt Ball World Series. Jackson was an inaugural member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, bridging the gap between the students and athletic department. The committee was responsible for forging relationships between the county schools in all athletic programs. He received his award for raising the most money for the school’s Make-A-Wish Club and was also a member of the National Honor Society. Outside school, Jackson was active in recreational sports and community service. Jackson also loves to go to the lake with his friends and family. He also is an avid golfer and loves being outdoors, in general. Jackson is looking forward to starting a new chapter in his life at Elon University and is proud to be a Communications Fellow.

Jackson Schade was raised in Olney, Maryland. A lifelong creative with a passion for storytelling, Jackson has been deeply involved in both music and film. At Sherwood High School, he served as a captain of the varsity cross country and track teams and spent four years performing in Sherwood High School’s Rock N’ Roll Revival, where he played bass guitar and sang lead vocals. Jackson developed a love for bass in middle school when he joined his first band, The Jokers, and he looks forward to connecting with fellow musicians at Elon to continue making music. His primary creative interest is film and television. Ever since he was a little kid, Jackson has always dreamed of being a director. During his senior year, Jackson created an action film with his friends that won first prize in his school’s annual film festival competition. Additionally, Jackson wrote and directed a documentary on his local American Legion post as part of his Eagle Project. As a 2029 Communications Fellow, Jackson is excited to collaborate with other aspiring filmmakers.

Gabriele (Gabi) Schriver was born and raised in Mooresville, North Carolina. She graduated from Lake Norman High School, where she challenged herself academically with AP and honors classes, while also playing varsity tennis and volunteering. Gabi developed a passion for helping others through community service and held leadership roles in Keywanettes and Food for Families. In her senior year, she organized a clothing donation drive in partnership with The Mooresville Christian Mission to support families in need across her community. Gabi is honored to begin her journey at Elon as a Communications Fellow, and she plans to major in Strategic Communications with a minor in Marketing. She looks forward to the opportunities ahead and is excited to be part of Elon’s Class of 2029.

Brianna Seeley, known as Brie, grew up in Newtown, Pennsylvania, and is a proud graduate of Council Rock North High School. During her time at North, Brie was actively involved in a wide range of clubs and extracurricular activities that reflected her diverse interests and leadership skills. She served as the membership officer for Sock n’ Buskin, Council Rock North’s theater program, where she held key roles in various productions, including stage manager, sound technician and sound designer. Her passion for service extended beyond the stage, as Brie was also an officer for SHARE, a nationwide volunteer organization for which she led numerous initiatives, including several in collaboration with Cradles to Crayons. Brie’s leadership extended across academics and school spirit. She was the president of the Chemistry Club and served as a ROCK student ambassador, representing her school with pride. Her commitment to literacy earned her the Reading Olympics award for outstanding performance throughout high school. She is also a member of several honor societies: the French Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society and the International Thespian Society. Brie is honored to be part a Communications Fellow and is excited to explore all the opportunities in the School of Communications.

Jesse Shalev grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, before moving to Cary, North Carolina in 2020. He graduated from Green Hope High school, serving on the school newspaper, the GHFalcon, in his senior year. In his first and only year on the staff, he became a news editor and won a Best of SNO award for his editorial work on the current state of Hollywood. Jesse also took an interest in his school’s drama classes, performing twice in both leading and supporting roles. He has been passionate about writing from a young age, having attempted to write a trilogy of novels in fourth grade. Since then, he has not stopped writing, enjoying both nonfiction and fiction works. He unlocked his love of film upon watching “First Blood” as a high school freshman, and since then he has loved both watching and reviewing movies. In his senior year, he took both film analysis and film production classes, exploring all sides of reviewing, discussing and creating movies. On the side, he works as a project coordinator for a small consulting firm, where he harnesses his additional love for coding to create internal automations and speed up workflows. Jesse is grateful for the opportunity to be a Communications Fellow and can’t wait to dive into everything Elon has to offer.

Annablake Shotwell was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and graduated from Winston-Salem Christian School in 2025. There, she served as a student ambassador, student and house leader, and a social media manager for the mean’s varsity soccer team, as well as being a member of the National Honor Society. She played varsity soccer for three years. Over the past two years on the yearbook staff, she discovered a passion for journalism and storytelling through photography and interviews. Annablake was honored with the 2025 Pepsi Art Award for her graduating class and continues to enjoy art and photography in her free time. She is both excited and grateful to be a Communications Fellow and looks forward to the opportunities and experiences the fellowship will bring.

Jack Smith grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he attended Tuscaloosa Academy. There, he was a member of the football and golf teams, the theatre competition team, the cyber security team, Key Club International, the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and the Tuscaloosa Academy Ambassadors. He was also involved in cycling, competing in mountain bike cross-country races as a member of the Tuscaloosa Mountain Flyers, and volunteering as a trail maintenance worker at local parks. In addition, Jack successfully competed in multiple media competitions and was heavily involved in announcing JV football and JV baseball games for his school. In his spring senior semester, Jack was named Tuscaloosa Academy’s lead announcer and given the opportunity to call varsity baseball games and state qualifiers. Away from school, Jack volunteered as a day camp counselor for the Sawyerville program in Greensboro, Alabama, and also volunteered with Connect, a respite program that serves individuals with memory disorders. Jack has always had a passion for studying athletic statistics, sports journalism and broadcasting. He is looking forward to the many opportunities and learning experiences ahead of him as a Communications Fellow.

Max Spiegel was raised in Cary, North Carolina, and graduated from Green Hope High School. During his sophomore year, he joined his high school newspaper, The Green Hope Falcon, where he prioritized writing movie reviews for the site under his own column titled, “Max at the Movies.” Then in his junior year, he was given the opportunity to co-host a film podcast for the site titled “Falcons on Film,” in which he discussed more in depth new movies and the latest in Hollywood events. Also, he was given the opportunity to interview the directors of the Apple TV+ documentary “Girls State” and write a review for the film, which ended up winning a Best of SNO award. In his senior year, he served as an editor for the features section of the newspaper, editing articles that focused on clubs, events and places that make an impact in the surrounding community. Additionally, Max also interned at a local baseball park in Durham, North Carolina. He mainly worked behind the cameras for the games, adjusting the audio in between commercial breaks and adding in stats for the players. In his free time, Max spends most of his time watching movies and writing reviews of them on Letterboxd. He also spends his time working at AMC Theaters as a crew member. Max is truly honored to be named a Communications Fellow, as he begins his studies in Cinema & Television Arts.

Kaleb Stanley was born and raised in Atlanta and is proud to be a member of the Communication Fellows program. A graduate of North Atlanta High School, Kaleb completed the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education pathway and was an active member of SkillsUSA, where he specialized in both graphic design and audio-video technology and film. His creative interests and talents include videography, photography, video editing, and custom graphic T-shirt design. Kaleb is passionate about visual storytelling and media production, and he is excited to grow alongside fellow creatives in the Communications Fellows community.

Olive Steadman is from Cary, North Carolina. She graduated summa cum laude from Cary High School, where she was a varsity golf team member and team captain for four years (ranked all-conference) and served as the Athletic Advisory Council president. She was also the co-leader for Club Unify, a group that connects students with disabilities and peers through inclusive activities, a school spirit ambassador for sporting events, an active member of Cary Young Life, and a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to her extracurricular activities, she was heavily involved in the competitive golf community, traveling to various golf courses in North Carolina during her time in high school to compete at junior golf tournaments, placing eighth in the PKBGT Masters Tournament. Olive also served as a golf coach for children at her local par-3 course Knights Play, where she took on a leadership and mentorship role, designing and leading drills and lesson plans for group instruction. She is excited to be a Communications Fellow and is driven to engage in mentorship, self-discovery and service at Elon University.

Matthew Steinberg was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and grew up in Atlanta. He graduated with honors from The Weber School, where he also received distinction from The Daniel Zalik Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Design. At Weber, Matthew played multiple roles in theater as an actor, director and stage manager. He served as a student ambassador, senior class representative and a member of the Michael and Andrea Levin Student Philanthropy Board. Additionally, he was a part of the yearbook staff and broadcast daily school-wide announcements. Matthew is a member of the National Honor Society and received the Hadassah Chesed Leadership Award. As a Communications Fellow, he’s excited to explore new opportunities and study abroad.

Mia Torres comes from Antioch, Illinois, a small town located around 45 minutes north of Chicago. She is a high honors cum laude graduate from Antioch Community High School. She found her love for writing her second year of high school when she took a broadcast journalism/film class and was then named executive producer of the class where she would advise students on their documentaries, podcasts and films. She was given the privilege to attend the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in 2022 and 2024 and has produced two documentaries that were accepted into the All American High School Film Festival in New York, which she attended in 2023 and 2024. She also has many other extracurriculars under her belt, such as leader of Link Crew, a program to engage incoming/new students, and National English Honor Society. She was also an avid ice skater, competing at the National Synchronized Skating Championships in 2022 and 2024. Mia is looking forward to pursuing her passion for Journalism as a Communications Fellow and can’t wait to start her journey at Elon.

Jeliannie Vidal was raised in West New York, New Jersey, and graduated from Memorial High School. There, she participated in many positions in her performing arts academy, including performing, stage management and social media marketing. At her school, she served as the secretary for Troupe 7934 of the International Thespian Society. Throughout her high school career, Jeliannie fell in love with film production. She recorded short films using her younger sister as her muse. Jeliannie has always recorded everything throughout her life and edited the content into vlogs, so she can rewatch them in the future. Jeliannie, who spent her senior year working as an assistant teacher, loves to look after children outside of school. Jeliannie enjoys spending time with her friends and family, scrapbooking, and going on walks. Jeliannie hopes to major in Cinema and Television Arts and is honored to be a Communications Fellow.

Lauren West was born and raised in Concord, North Carolina, graduating summa cum laude from Cox Mill High School. Lauren balanced excelling in numerous AP and honors courses with her various extracurricular activities. In high school, Lauren was an active participant in her school’s DECA chapter and was a member of both the National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society her senior year. Additionally, Lauren has been a competitive cheerleader for seven years and is continuing that pursuit with Elon’s cheerleading team. Lauren also has cultivated her leadership abilities as a team/shift leader at the Chick-Fil-A she began working at just before beginning her senior year. For fun, Lauren enjoys reading, crocheting, watching hockey and listening to music. Reading and analyzing the lyricism in the music she listened to got her into the art of storytelling and creating her own engaging voice within her writing. This love of writing led to her interest and excitement in Elon’s School of Communications. Lauren plans to major in Journalism and is excited to take advantage of the vast resources available to her as both a Communications Fellow a member of the Communications Living-Learning Community.

Ashton White comes to Elon University from Fallston, Maryland. Ashton graduated from Loyola Blakefield, a highly prestigious college preparatory school in Towson, Maryland, where he excelled in several AP and honors courses, while actively participating in numerous extracurricular activities. Outside the classroom, Ashton was a pitcher on the school’s varsity baseball team and a member of the varsity squash team, where he went undefeated at the high school nationals. He also served as a captain on both teams. He was an active member of several school clubs, including serving as a student ambassador captain, and was involved in the National Honor Society, Best Buddies and Fantasy Baseball Club. Ashton also took up several leadership opportunities by leading his school’s freshman retreat twice and leading Loyola’s senior retreat, Kairos. He also participated in a summer immersion program through BorderLinks in Tucson, Arizona, where he learned about and helped organize for justice in the borderlands. Ashton is excited to begin his next chapter at Elon, where he will major in Sport Management, and he appreciates the incredible opportunity presented to him as a Communications Fellow.