Get to know our scholars
Learn their experiences. See their work. Achieve like them.








Hear From Our Scholars
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Maria Clara Rocha, Summer 2023 Scholar, attending Harvard University
Paper Title: "Building Safe Havens: Proposing Strategies for Increasing the Effectiveness of Public Policies Aimed at Combating Violence in Brazilian Public Schools After the Covid-19 Pandemic.”
“Alpha Scholars is the kind of academic experience that is so fascinating that you start thinking every high school student should have the opportunity to experience it in their school life! Alpha Scholars was very important in my academic journey because, in addition to learning from the best possible instructors about social science research, I had the opportunity to connect with my mentor and learn from his experiences in college how to write an excellent paper.”
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La’Mia C. (USA), Summer 2021 Scholar, attending Washington University in St. Louis
“My favorite thing about Alpha Scholars is the community and support that I was given. Throughout my months of research, I was able to communicate with others and ask for help with no issue. Furthermore, the excitement to help made me excited to learn, allowing it to be an overall enjoyable experience.”
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Diamy W. (USA), Summer 2021 Scholar, attending the University of Pennsylvania
“Alpha Scholars helped me delve further into my interests in Asian-American studies and history, and I’m excited to explore those areas in college.”
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Maria M. (Brazil), Fall 2021 Scholar, attending the University of São Paulo (USP)
“Alpha Scholars allowed me to discover the importance of scientific research. My favorite thing in the program was the teaching method utilized by our instructors, who always broke down information into more manageable pieces, which I found to be incredibly efficient. Plus, it was great to interact with mentors who were just as enthusiastic as I was in our discussions and weekly encounters”
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Desanka Malinović, Fall/Winter 2023-2024 Scholar, attending The University of Chicago
Paper Title: "Post-war Posts: An Exploration Into How Instagram May Aid in Relearning the History of the Yugoslavian Civil War”
“The most beneficial part about the alpha scholars program is the fact that it has the perfect balance between structured support and student independence. It provides just enough room for the students to start thinking about what their interests are, to learn how to navigate research on their own, and think for themselves, while also providing them the resources and the support to learn from others and not feel helpless when things get confusing or difficult. They made the whole process of writing my first research paper remain exciting without ever feeling overwhelming because things were confusing or unfamiliar.”
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Matthew W. (China), Summer 2021 Scholar, attending Brown University
“What I liked most about Alpha Scholars was being able to boost my research and academic writing skills under the guidance of top-notch scholars.”
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Jimin Li (South Korea), Summer 2022 Scholar, attending University of Rochester
“I absolutely loved the mentor meetings as well as weekly workshops and seminars. Through the mentor meetings, I learned from getting direct feedback about my research ideas and paper, which have taught me attention to detail and how I could best share my research. The weekly workshops and seminars have taught me in depth about research in general. I enjoyed the breakout rooms to discuss opinions and topics with fellow scholars!”
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Priyanka P. (USA), Summer 2022 Scholar
“My favorite part of Alpha Scholars was learning how to write an academic research paper properly with support from my mentor and everyone else.”
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Ashwin Subramaniam, Summer 2024 Scholar, attending Memphis University High School
Paper title: "Poverty, Police, and Lessons from Other Cities: Addressing the Gun Violence Issue in Memphis”
"Alpha Scholars allowed me to pursue my interests and learn how to write an academic paper. I was able to improve my writing and and research skills with guidance from my mentor and teachers."
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Eva Ma, Summer 2023 Scholar, attending New York University
Paper title: "The Untold Story: Male Victims in Sex Trafficking Industries”
“My favorite thing about Alpha Scholars is definitely the seminar times. I love listening to people share their own point of views and ideas that I could not probably think of. The workshops are super fun and informative, too! I learned a lot from them, like A LOT.”
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Tristan Laanait, Fall/Winter 2023-2024 Scholar, attending Fulton Science Academy
Paper Titles: “An Analysis of the Barriers Facing the Implementation of Duckweed Wastewater Phytoremediation Systems in Low-Income Developing Countries”
“Alpha Scholars supported my personal and academic interests, taught me essential research skills, and cultivated an environment of passionate learning that continues to inspires me.”
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Kiara Aguirre, Summer 2024 Scholar, currently on gap
Paper Title: “Unveiling the Peruvian Coca Leaf Trade: A Comparative Study of the Impact of the National Coca Enterprise in the VRAEM vs La Convencion”
“Alpha Scholars is not only a place for learning but a community where you can feel comfortable when starting to delve into research. Whether I was working on my research paper, participating in workshops, or engaging in discussions, Alpha Scholars fostered a sense of belonging and encouraged me to pursue intellectual growth.”
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Joao Lucas Oliveira Silva, Fall/Winter 2023-2024 Scholar, attending Harvard University
Paper Title: "Education as an Ephemeral Dream: Exploring the Intrinsic Relationship Between Socioeconomic Inequalities in Latin America Along With Early School Dropouts and Learning Imbalance After the COVID-19 Pandemic”
“Alpha Scholars was a changemaker program in my life! With the program, I could be part of an engaged community, be connected with Harvard students, and deeply understand the problems surrounding me. I am so thankful to the AS team for supporting me every time and for making possible the publication of my first paper in an international newspaper.”
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Ian Born, Summer 2022 Scholar, attending Swarthmore College
Paper title: “Success Factors for Desalination: Qualitative Case Studies of Desalination Around the World”
“[My favorite thing about Alpha Scholars was] having the guidance of an extremely helpful college mentor to write an advanced college level paper as a high schooler.”
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Lindsey Huahuamullo, Summer 2023 Scholar, attending University of Pennsylvania
Paper Title: “Towards Education Equality: An Examination of the Factors That Influenced Parental Engagement in Latin America During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
“My favorite thing about Alpha Scholars is how it encourages us to dive deep into meaningful research, exploring complex social issues while growing alongside a community of curious and driven individuals. You are never alone in this journey; there’s always support and collaboration every step of the way.”
Read the papers our past scholars have written!
