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Emerging Leaders in their Disciplines

Learn more about the career journeys and achievements of several ���ϲ����� alumni who graduated within the past decade from the Honors Program.

Benjamin Bridges ’17 (He/Him)

Benjamin Bridges ’17, as assistant professor of folklore and environmental humanities at UNC-Chapel Hill, explores the cultural dimensions of climate change. He earned two master’s degrees and a dual PhD from Indiana University where he conducted 14 months of fieldwork in Southeast Alaska. That research now forms the basis of a forthcoming book. Bridges says ���ϲ����� played a key role in shaping his path through opportunities to travel, research, and build lasting faculty relationships. “I cherish the relationships I fostered with friends and professors, especially those that formed through the Honors Fellows program,” Bridges says. “In my role as a college professor, I draw from my experiences at ���ϲ����� to inform the way I teach, mentor, and cultivate community among students in my classes and department.”

Michael Dryzer ’19 (He/Him)

Michael Dryzer ’19 is a postdoctoral fellow in the Vikram Chib Neuroeconomics Lab at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He’s the founder and co-chair of Sci’more Podcast, a popular science podcast to “discuss and break down complex scientific topics and principles for the members of the Baltimore community.” His journey began at ���ϲ�����, where he designed his own independent major and conducted undergraduate research through the Honors and Lumen Prize programs. “That self-guided experience with a mentor sparked my love for academic research and led me to where I am now,” he says. It also provided a head start on understanding the ins and outs of the research and publishing pipeline.

Kathleen Hupfeld ’16 (She/Her)

A senior principal systems engineer at Northrop Grumman and a Forbes “30 Under 30 Science” honoree, Kathleen Hupfeld ’16 works on a classified program focused on the development of novel radar technologies. She earned a PhD from the University of Florida and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University through awards from the National Science Foundation and National Institute on Aging, and during her doctoral studies, she participated in groundbreaking research on brain changes after spaceflight. Her work includes publication of 40+ papers and nearly $900,000 in grant funding and achievement awards. Hupfeld credits ���ϲ�����’s Honors Fellows and Lumen Scholar programs for her early foundation in research and leadership, with personal mentorship and real-world experiences that inspired her path. “���ϲ����� prepared me phenomenally well for my scientific career,” she says.

Bethany Lake King ’18 (She/Her)

As a strategic contracting manager at ViiV Healthcare – a joint venture between GSK, Pfizer, and Shionogi and the only pharmaceutical company solely focused on HIV – Bethany Lake King ’18 helps build strategies with government and commercial payers that ensure patients have access to life-changing medications. She graduated with a double major in public health and statistics before earning an Executive STEM MBA from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and early career growth through GSK’s Future Leaders Program. King has combined business, public health, and compassion into a meaningful path and says the Honors Program taught her to think critically, communicate clearly, and approach problems from multiple perspectives. “The ability to understand conflicting viewpoints and present complex ideas simply has been invaluable,” King says.

Alex Lewis ’16 (He/Him)

As social media art director for Hollister at Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Alex Lewis blends storytelling, strategy, and style. He’s led award-winning campaigns for Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, launched the viral kindness movement Car Window Poetry, and writes the Substack newsletter Feels Like Home for over 2,000 subscribers. ���ϲ����� shaped his critical thinking, compassion, and creative drive. “I’m a more compassionate, empathic person because of my time at ���ϲ�����,” he says. “I learned how to put my ideas into action and collaborate with good people. ���ϲ����� helped foster and encourage me in my creativity. From publishing essays to being retweeted by Kid Cudi, Lewis credits classmates and faculty mentors for shaping his path. ���ϲ����� holds another special place in his heart: it’s where he met his now-wife, a fellow strategic communications major, without whom “I wouldn’t be where I am.”

Joseph Brian Meko ’17 (He/Him)

With a dual master’s in global environmental policy and an MBA from American University, Joseph Brian Meko ’17 is forging a career at the intersection of sustainability, food systems, and equity. His journey includes teaching in Thailand and Argentina, two years of AmeriCorps VISTA service, and fellowships with the Environmental Defense Fund and the White House Council on Environmental Quality. At ���ϲ�����, he found both direction and community—through study abroad, Loy Farm, and lifelong friendships. “Opportunities at ���ϲ�����, particularly studying abroad in Denmark and Turkey, allowed me to indulge and cement a lifelong curiosity for exploration of different cultures and ideas,” says Meko, who recently moved to Michigan and has started service on the Washtenaw Food Policy Council. “Similarly, ���ϲ����� challenged me to identify what my interests and values were as a person while creating a space to explore how I could integrate those with my individual interests.”

Emma Sonricker ’16 (She/Her)

As a production manager with the NBA’s live production and entertainment department, and a theatrical stage manager in between NBA contracts, Emma Sonricker ’16 has built a dynamic career in live entertainment. From cruise ships to Broadway stages to global NBA events, she’s managed productions across 15-plus countries, including Scotland’s Fringe Festival and traveling with the NBA to locations like Abu Dhabi for its Global Exhibition Games. “The work ethic I built at ���ϲ����� has carried me farther than I ever imagined,” Sonricker says. “It gave me life long friendships that remain, to this day, many of the closest people in my life.”

 

Charlie Trinco ’20 (She/Her)

Charlie Trinco ’20 leads strategic HR initiatives at Yahoo! as PMO team lead and interim chief of staff to the Chief People Officer. Her career has spanned roles in finance, tech, and organizational strategy at MetLife, Coinbase, and Yahoo!, supported by a master’s in the management of IT from the University of Virginia. At ���ϲ�����, the Honors Program shaped Trinco’s ability to think across disciplines and tackle challenges from multiple angles. “My ���ϲ����� professors have remained invaluable resources after I graduated, providing me with sound advice and highlighting new career opportunities based on their understanding of my interests and strengths in the classroom,” Trinco says. “The ���ϲ����� community, both alumni and faculty, has played a key role in shaping my career trajectory.”

Sean Wilson ’16 (He/Him)

Sean Wilson ’16 is blending a passion for education, public service, and the legal profession inspired by his philosophy and political science studies at ���ϲ�����. After graduating from ���ϲ�����, Wilson worked for Peacehaven Community Farm, then earned a master’s in teaching from Duke University and taught social studies and English for four years in Durham Public Schools before his move to Duke Law School. As a law student, he’s interned with the North Carolina Solicitor General and a federal magistrate judge. Strong mentorship and hands-on experiences at ���ϲ����� sparked his love of teaching and refined his writing. “The legal profession is all about writing,” he says, “and the foundation I gained at ���ϲ����� still serves me every day.”