Hotchkiss is pleased to announce the second cohort of the MacArthur Fellowship. Created through the generosity of Andrew MacArthur P'23 in honor of his father, Bill MacArthur '59, the Fellowship funds an international gap year opportunity for three Hotchkiss graduates.

Fellows will spend a year outside of their home country engaged in a project that includes, but is not limited to, service, learning, internships, cultural immersion, and adventure. The Fellowship is designed to support ongoing growth and education by instilling competence in goal-setting; developing independence and confidence; enhancing problem-solving skills; supporting greater cultural competency; and helping Fellows gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of what and how they want to learn in their post-secondary studies.

Christian Finlay '20

Cornell University '25

Over the next year, Christian Finlay '20 plans to study the intersection of humanitarian efforts, developmental finance, and public policy to understand the short-term and long-term strategies to foster sustainable peace in post-conflict societies.

Through time spent in Jordan, Kenya, and El Salvador, he will work and volunteer in organizations that approach situations in vastly different manners from one other, aiming to gain an appreciation for the stakeholders at every stage. With the suspension of USAID and foreign spending at large, many humanitarian relief organizations are undergoing a sharp contraction; millions will be affected, and there may be no better time to witness the evolving process of sustainable reconstruction.

Devin Goldstein '21

University College London '25

Over the course of her fellowship year, Devin Goldstein '21 will develop a deeper understanding of China and the broader East Asian region through both language immersion and early career experience. She will begin in mainland China, living with a host family and working as an au pair while studying Mandarin intensively. This phase is meant to strengthen her fluency and give her a grounded understanding of daily life, social dynamics, and local perspectives that aren’t accessible from the outside.

Later in the year, she will be based in Hong Kong, where she plans to explore the region’s financial and investment landscape. Her interests lie at the intersection of emerging markets, development, and capital investing, and she hopes to gain practical exposure to how these systems operate in East Asia. She will build on her academic work in institutional economics and an internship in equity research at Bernstein, while also exploring other opportunities in impact-finance and sustainability-driven investing. She also plans to spend time in Taiwan, and possibly South Korea, to observe how different historical and political trajectories shape economic models across the region.

This year is ultimately about building a base of language, context, and professional insight, all focused on a part of the world to which she is deeply connected.

Olya Sukonrat '21

Columbia University '25

As a writer and multidisciplinary artist, Olya Sukonrat '21 will complete residencies, collaborate with creative collectives, and volunteer with art museums and galleries to expand her understanding of contemporary and local art in a non-American context.

During her fellowship, she plans to spend six months in Europe (Greece and Germany) and six months in Asia (Japan and Indonesia). By dividing her time between both continents, she aims to explore local handicraft traditions and cultural and heritage preservation. Through immersive engagement, she hopes to enrich her own artistic practice and gain a deeper insight into how communities sustain creative lifestyles.

Inaugural Fellows Reflect on Experience

The inaugural MacArthur Fellows—Jack Louchheim '20, Elise Nam '20, and Jacob Zweiback '24—recently returned from their year-long journey and looked back on the experience. They also thanked Andrew MacArthur P'23 and Bill MacArthur '59 for the opportunity.