Esteban De Alba was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up, he was taught to give back to his community and loves participating in community service and helping those in need. He has participated in programs such as cross age teaching, where he assisted teachers in elementary school classrooms, and worked at urban agriculture farms that provide food to lower income families. He has always been interested in building and designing, and paired with his love for math, that made mechanical engineering the obvious choice for his major.
Ashley Diaz Duenas is from Mableton, Georgia, where she developed a passion for community building. She was a part of her school’s STEAM Academy, where she served as ambassador for diversity outreach and led the Beta Club in volunteering for various education expansion projects. Through volunteer work at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and a project on the manufacturing of menstrual products, she found an interest in the medical field and a desire to improve people’s lives. She is majoring in biomedical engineering with an eye toward medical school and an interest in gynecology.
Deborah Gadri is from Jonesboro, Georgia, where she was a student leader in various school clubs, including the GreenSTEM Initiative and Academic Decathlon. Her interest in biological research was ignited during her time as a genomics summer researcher with the Summer Science Program International, where she investigated the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. As a dual enrollment student at Clayton State University, she also worked as a tutor at the Center of Academic Success. Deborah is majoring in chemical and biomolecular engineering to explore drug delivery systems and develop targeted therapies that enhance efficacy, reduce side effects, and improve patient outcomes.
Joshua Hernandez is from Lilburn, Georgia, where he was the drum major for the marching band, swim team captain, and a track athlete. He was a member of the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team and Student Council. Early on, Joshua discovered a passion for STEM and engineering. This led him to major in civil engineering to help improve infrastructure in growing urban centers just like Atlanta.
Mandolyn Holliday is from Woonsocket, Rhode Island. They are an alumnus of their school’s band and theater programs as well as various community outreach organizations. At heart, they are a logical problem solver who likes to think outside of the box, leading them to study mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech.
Abdullah Mahmood is from Riverdale, Georgia, where he was the captain for his school's Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC), vice president of the National Junior Honor Society, and a point guard for his school's basketball team. He worked to use a deep connection with STEM and community service to benefit the people and places around him. He served as the technician for his local masjid/mosque and taught students at his school how to fly drones. Abdullah is majoring in aerospace engineering to continue his passion for STEM and aerospace.
Janessa Montilla is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she was president of the Humane Society Club and president of the Political Youth Club at her school. Her passion for writing poetry and performing inspired her to become the poetry programming director of the National English Honor Society chapter at her school and become a ukulele and voice tutor for young children, helping to intensify their passion for music. After seeing her grandmother's beloved key lime trees shrivel up due to intense drought, Janessa became interested in combating climate change and promoting sustainability. With the future goal of creating and improving storm tracker systems and water irrigation methods, Janessa is majoring environmental engineering.
Jayson Ndungu is from Snellville, Georgia. Jayson is majoring in computer engineering, a field he is drawn to because of his passion for technology and desire to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. His involvement in the Clark Scholars Program underscores his commitment to academic excellence and leadership within his community.
Caleigh Watson is from Guyton, Georgia, where she was a drum major in her school’s marching band and the president of Beta Club. Passionate about entrepreneurship, she also created a local mathematics tutoring service that she was active in throughout high school. She attended the Savannah Engineering Academy and, after taking several STEM-related courses, realized she wanted to make a difference by developing materials to promote sustainability and reduce pollution. She will be majoring in materials science and engineering.
