Meet The Baker Scholars

Noah Aire was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He is pursuing a major in French with a minor in Business Studies. With a passion for entrepreneurship and a track record of being a unique creator, Noah plans to start his own business. Noah constructed the first VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position for Students of Georgetown, Inc. (The Corp) and has extensive knowledge about the company. Furthermore, Noah built the first anti-racism curriculum for his high school after being asked to be the first anti-racism consultant employed post-graduation. Finally, building up his linguistic skills Noah has become fluent in French, studying abroad in Paris twice and commanding a language with no prior experience or connections to the country. In addition to finding avenues to do business for the common good, Noah enjoys playing volleyball, going to trivia nights, and listening to r&b.

Ethan Fan grew up in Columbia, Maryland and is pursuing a double major in Biology of Global Health and Economics. He is interested in bridging the divide between scientific developments and society through biotech business. Ethan currently works for the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation as a student analyst under the Chief Data Officers Network. He also previously worked at the Center for Global Health Science and Security, documenting COVID governmental policies. Outside of work, Ethan is part of Innovo Consulting where he regularly helps social entrepreneurs and nonprofits develop their business. He has spent time abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark and will talk about it every chance he gets. Last summer, he interned under the Translational Medicine division at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), learning more about patient first outcomes. In his free time, he loves to follow world cup soccer, go for hikes, swim, cook, and watch movies.

Jaida Forbes was born in London, England, but spent most of her childhood in Orlando, Florida. She is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in government and double minoring in business studies and African-American studies. Jaida has a profound passion for the intersection of the public and private sectors and exploring the role of business within social impact initiatives. Outside of the classroom, she leads efforts to create cohesion and community within various organizations as the Co-Chair of the George F. Baker Scholars Program, a member of the Black Leadership Forum, and the President of the Caribbean Culture Circle on Georgetown’s campus. She is also a proud member of the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP). In her free time, you will either find Jaida listening to music, watching video essays about popular tv shows, or daydreaming about spending the day out on the nearest beach.

Whitney Johnson is from Manchester, Massachusetts and is pursuing a major in Political Economy with minors in Religion, Ethics, and World Affairs (REWA) and French. On campus, Whitney is an active member of the H*yas for Choice Advocacy Board and tabling volunteers, and a Sustainable Business Fellow where she attends regular programming and speaker events. She is a 2023 Summer Analyst at RockCreek Group in Washington, DC and studied abroad in Lyon, France at Sciences Po for the Spring 2023 semester. She has also previously interned with the US Coalition on Sustainability as a part of their SustainChain communications team, and with the Mann Deshi Foundation as a Beeck Center GU Impacts Fellow and Davis Fellow where she co-wrote a Public Private Partnership Research Case Study on the Gondavle Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her free time, Whitney loves exploring the outdoors, playing Catan, and listening to podcasts.

Valerie Mallon was born and raised in Mineola on Long Island, New York, and is pursuing an English degree alongside two minors in Environmental Justice and Justice and Peace Studies. Valerie is deeply interested in the future of sustainability in the corporate sphere in addition to the myriad possibilities that come with exploring the nexus of business and social justice. Outside of the classroom, Valerie is a consultant and project manager for Georgetown Eco-Consultants, working to sustainably uplift both local and national businesses as small as vegetable gardeners and as large as nonprofits like The Trust for Public Land. She uses this same passion for environmentalism as an athletics tutor for the Hoyas, specializing in biodiversity and conversation. She is also a founding board member of Georgetown: Survivor, inspired by the hit CBS show of the same name. As Communications Director, she is responsible for building the momentum through PR and outreach to foster a community that will eventually film, produce, and screen Georgetown’s very own student competition series. In her free time, you’ll find Valerie snowboarding in the winter and skateboarding in the summer – and either watching a classic film or playing with her rescued tabby Hillary in-between.

Isabel McHenry is from Lilburn, Georgia and is pursuing a Spanish major and History minor as well as business coursework in management at Georgetown University. On campus, she is a Marketing Chair for the Georgetown Program Board, the Outreach Chair for Catholic Women at Georgetown, and a Catholic Faith Community (CFC) mentor. She is also active in Georgetown’s comedy scene as a writer and performer with the Sketch Comedy Society. She works at the Writing Center and has spent two years as a Program Assistant at Georgetown’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS). In the summer of 2021, she worked as a Girl Scout Camp Counselor after growing up as a Scout for fourteen years. Isabel has a strong passion for education and youth development and, in the past, worked as a tutor and the Outreach Director for B’more Tutoring, a graduation-assistance program for underprivileged students in Baltimore. She is fascinated by the intersection of talent development and workplace equity and has a passion for helping people grow. Outside of the classroom and office, Isabel loves listening to her favorite podcasts, baking birthday cakes, and hiking whenever she gets the chance.

Charlotte Messaris was born in Baltimore, Maryland and is double-majoring in French and Linguistics. As a language student, she is passionate about bridging global communities through business and is interested in strategic communications, marketing, and liaison work between the government and the private sector. Beyond the classroom, she is involved in GU Catholic Ministry, serving as a faith group and retreat leader, and she is the head student organizer of the Mass of Belonging, an annual celebration designed to affirm LGBTQ+ Catholics. She also is a committed member of the GU French Cultural Association (GUFCA) and the GU Language and Linguistics Society (GULLS). In 2022, she won the Thomas P. McTighe Prize and was the student speaker at New Student Convocation. Last summer, she participated in the John Carroll Summer Internship Program and interned in Northern France for La Coupole, a WWII museum. This summer, she will go on to work for the US Department of State, where she will be able to blend her interests in international business, culture, and government. In her free time, Charlotte enjoys playing the Wordle, cooking international dishes, biking around the Potomac, and hosting movie nights with friends.

Leah Smith grew up in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She majors in Art History and minors in Business Studies and English. Growing up around her family’s business, Leah saw how a business could create a basis for the economic growth of an entire community. One of her passions is considering how art can be a tool for social change. Leah is interested in the business of art, entrepreneurship, and the people side of business. She is the Chief Marketing Officer of the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union (GUASFCU), the largest student-run credit union in the United States. In her free time, Leah enjoys reading, baking for her friends and family, playing tennis, and going to the beach.

Maryellen “Ellie” Vogel grew up in Yardley, Pennsylvania. She attended The Lawrenceville School prior to Georgetown. On the Hilltop, she is pursuing a major in Theology and Religious studies with a concentration in Religious Studies, as well as a minor in Business Studies. At Georgetown, she is a member of the DI Varsity Women’s Lacrosse team. When Ellie is not in the classroom or on the field, she can be found working with students in Professor Michael Ryan’s Personal Finance class as a teaching assistant. She may also be seen walking the live Jack the Bulldog around campus or at sporting events as a proud member of Jack Crew. This past summer, Ellie worked as a Human Resources Intern for ICONA Resorts, where she aided in onboarding over 500 employees, processed payroll, and more. During her free time, she enjoys quality time with friends and family, cooking, and the outdoors.

Jaden Cobb is from Douglasville, GA. He is currently pursuing a major in Government, complemented by a minor in Computer Science. On campus, Jaden serves as the Vice-President of the Black Student Alliance. He is also GUSA’s Director of Inclusion and Equity, Hoya Saxa Weekend Events Co-Coordinator, and a member of the chess club. Jaden is a triple-trained employee of the MSB tech center, demonstrating his technical abilities. He is passionate about advocacy and community building. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess, participating in sports, trying new restaurants, and watching films.

Alexis Emery: More information coming…

Blanca Fainé San Agapito was born in Barcelona, Spain, and is double-majoring in Economics and Computer Science with a minor in Business Studies. On campus, she serves as Director of Finance for TEDxGeorgetown and is a programmer for the Google Developer Student Club, where she contributed to the development of an application that aimed to solve one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Goals. She is also active in Georgetown Eco-Consultants, as a consultant, working to formulate sustainable solutions for businesses, both at a local and national scale. Blanca is passionate about environmental management and seeks to enable organizations to reduce their environmental impacts while increasing their operational efficiency. She has a broad perspective on the importance of intercultural connections, having also lived in Beijing, China, where she first developed an interest in other cultures and languages and their ability to create or break down barriers between people. In her free time, Blanca enjoys spending time with her family and friends over dinner, hosting movie nights, and traveling whenever she gets the chance.

Zeenat Gardezi was born and raised in the Bay Area and is pursuing a degree in American Studies alongside two minors in Business Studies and Psychology. Zeenat is the co-leader of GS(cor)P, an affinity group committed to the recruitment, support, and professional development of first-generation, low-income (FGLI) employees in Students of Georgetown, Inc. Additionally, she provides peer mentorship for the broader Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) community, and helps students navigate the university’s disciplinary system through her position at Georgetown’s Student Advocacy Office. Zeenat served as Director of Purchasing for The Midnight MUG during the 2022-2023 term and General Manager of Seasonal Operations during the same period. While she can often be found behind the counter of The Midnight MUG, you can find her in other parts of Lauinger Library, where she has participated in events such as judging for the “Edible Book Festival” and is an active organizer of the “Lattes and Literature” book club.

Robert “Bo” Hopkins was born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, and is currently pursuing a major in Art History. With a particular interest in the intersection between art and literature, he is dedicated to exploring the various ways in which these disciplines continue to complement and enhance one another. On campus, he is a member of Georgetown Collegiate Investors and Alpha Kappa Psi. He has a longstanding interest in finance. Inspired by his grandfather, a neurosurgeon and entrepreneur in medical technology, Bo is passionate about examining the ethical issues arising from the fee-for-service incentive model within the American healthcare system, and hopes to enter a career path by which he can be involved in enacting change. In his spare time, Bo writes and plays his own music on the guitar. He also enjoys skiing, backpacking, and setting up hammocks in unorthodox places. He can often be found relaxing on the LXR rooftop with his friends or staying active through various forms of exercise.

Max Hutter was born and raised in Weston, Massachusetts. He is currently pursuing a major in Economics with minors in Environmental Studies and Business Studies. Outside of the classroom, Max is a member of Georgetown’s NCAA Division I Men’s Golf team. On the Hilltop, he serves as the Director of Outreach & Strategy as well as a Member Service Representative for the Georgetown University Alumni & Student Federal Credit Union (GUASFCU). In these roles, he promotes the growth of GUASFCU’s relationships with local businesses and helps to serve the needs of past and present Hoyas. Additionally, Max volunteers as an education mentor for Grassroots Health which strives to bring nutritional, sexual, and mental health resources to local middle-school students. Max hopes to enter the finance industry to expand his knowledge of the business world and gain professional skills to decide how best to pursue his ambitions of promoting environmental sustainability. In his free time, Max enjoys skiing, pickleball, and spending time with his dog, Bear.

Nurah Kutty was born and raised in New Jersey, and spent her first year of college at Rutgers University. She transferred to Georgetown as a sophomore and is currently pursuing a double major in Economics and Philosophy with a minor in Theology and Religious Studies. Nurah is fascinated by the intersection between finance and social impact. She is actively involved on campus as Project Manager for Hilltop Consultants, where she enjoys helping nonprofit organizations strategize and problem-solve. She also loves ideating creative investments as Junior Desk Head of the Tactical Opportunities Desk in Zeeba Investment Group. Last summer, Nurah interned at Accolade Partners, a DC-based venture capital/growth equity fund of funds, where she specifically enjoyed working with fund managers from underrepresented backgrounds as part of the Empowerment Fund. In her free time, you will find Nurah exploring the DC food scene with friends, reading romance novels, and planning spontaneous trips.

Ritika Mandavilli was born and raised in Hockessin, Delaware. She is currently pursuing a double major in Biology of Global Health and Economics. Outside of the classroom, Ritika is actively involved with Innovo Consulting as a Project Manager, currently working with a client based in Jamaica that aims to mitigate climate change through sustainable ocean farming practices. She is also an employee at The Hilltoss Cafe and is looking forward to being the Director of Personnel at Hilltoss this upcoming fall. In addition, passionate about the healthcare space and helping ameliorate health-related challenges, Ritika is involved with global health policy research at Georgetown. In her free time, Ritika enjoys trying out new restaurants, spending time with friends and family, and playing basketball (recreationally and as a part of the women’s club team!).

Olivia Noreke is from Norwell, Massachusetts. She is pursuing a major in English with minors in Business Studies and Journalism. On the Hilltop, Olivia is actively involved with the Georgetown Marketing Association as a strategy consultant and The Hoya as a copy editor. She dances with the Georgetown University Dance Company, and her role as social media coordinator has helped increase the Georgetown community’s interest and engagement with the company. She has contributed to Professor Julia Watts Belser’s research on the intersection of disability studies and climate change through drafting the stories of people with disabilities to ensure their voices are heard. Olivia’s interest in marketing began when she interned as a content strategist for the Boston marketing agency Hill Holliday, where she continues to work part-time. She is passionate about education equality, particularly ensuring that all girls can receive a quality education. She volunteers with Jumpstart in D.C.’s pre-kindergarten classrooms, and she has worked with the nonprofit organization Jou Nouvo to improve education inequality in Haiti. In her free time, Olivia enjoys reading, skiing, trying new coffee shops, and baking for her friends.

Ava President was born and raised just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing a major in Sociology with minors in Medical Humanities and French on the pre-medical track. On campus, Ava serves as the Director of Alumni Relations for the Black Student Alliance. She is involved as a member of the Georgetown Women of Color Association and served on its speaker board to help organize the organization’s flagship annual “B.R.A.V.E” Summit in 2021. She also serves as a Black Interfaith Fellow with Campus Ministries. She is passionate about social justice initiatives, understanding social inequities, and specifically the pursuit of healthcare equity— she is also a member of Georgetown Students for Health and Medical Equity. She looks forward to beginning her position as a research assistant this summer at Medstar Georgetown Hospital’s oncology department to examine racial disparities in genetic testing for cancer. In her free time, Ava enjoys weightlifting and hot yoga, reading, and binge-watching Netflix.

William “Will” Schmitz was born and raised in Simsbury, Connecticut. At Georgetown he is pursuing majors in Economics and Computer Science with a special interest in the ethics behind innovation and decision making. Through his classes and extracurriculars, he enjoys being able to responsibly create for the benefit of others. He is on the board of TAMID Group, a club that does pro-bono consulting to support the needs of partner startup companies. He is also the Vice President of the Georgetown Men’s Club Soccer team which competes regionally. He helped the team qualify and raise funds to compete at the national championships for the first time in school history this past fall. In his free time, Will enjoys playing soccer, hammocking on the front lawn, and sharing new music with others.

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