RALEIGH — Stanford University will welcome several graduate students with North Carolina connections in its 2019 class of Knight-Hennessey Scholars. The prestigious scholarship, named for Philip H. Knight, a Stanford alumnus and co-founder of Nike Inc., and Stanford’s 10th president, John L. Hennessy, is the largest fully endowed graduate fellowship in the world.
The program is supported by a $750 million endowment and is designed to build a multidisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students dedicated to finding creative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. In addition to fully funding scholars’ tuition and living expenses, it also offers leadership development, individualized mentorship and experiential learning opportunities.
The 2019 cohort will be the second class of Knight-Hennessy Scholars and is comprised of 52 percent men and 48 percent women. Over one-third of the students will pursue doctoral degrees, with 22 percent pursuing master’s degrees and 43 percent pursuing professional degrees.
Among the 30 percent of international scholars in the cohort are students with passports from 19 countries. The class includes alumni from 37 different U.S. institutions.
N.C. State and Duke each have two alumni in the 2019 cohort which totals 68 scholars selected from over 4,400 applicants from around the world. The three other members with N.C. ties attended UNC Chapel Hill, Princeton and the U.S. Naval Academy.
Ziad Ali, from Oak Ridge, North Carolina, is pursuing a PhD in electrical engineering at Stanford School of Engineering. At North Carolina State University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and biomedical engineering. Ziad aspires to combine electrical engineering with neuroscience, in order to treat and understand neurological disorders by developing analog circuits and signal processing systems to interface with the brain and mimic its functionality.
Sydney Frankenberg, from Charlotte, North Carolina, is pursuing a master’s degree in international policy at Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. She graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in cyber operations. Sydney’s research interests lie at the intersection of cyber security and public policy. As a squad leader, she was awarded Best in Regiment of 180 individuals, and she is a recipient of the Navy and Marine Corps Association Leadership Award.
Andrew Leon Hanna, from Jacksonville, Florida, is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at Stanford Graduate School of Business. He previously graduated with highest distinction in public policy from Duke University, where he was senior class president, a Robertson Scholar, a Chapel Scholar, and recipient of the Terry Sanford Leadership Award. Andrew aspires to help ensure that all vulnerable people and families, especially in the American South, are treated with equal dignity and provided meaningful socioeconomic opportunity.
Madison Maloney, from Greenville, North Carolina, is pursuing a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford School of Engineering. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. She is a Goldwater Scholar, an Astronaut Scholar, a Coca-Cola Scholar, and a Park Scholar. Madison aspires to contribute to the advancement of space exploration as a researcher, with the ultimate goal of becoming an astronaut.
Kelly McFarlane, from San Francisco, California, is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in public health and a minor in chemistry and is pursuing an MD at Harvard Medical School. Kelly aspires to become a physician who will champion healthcare innovation to improve quality, access and cost.
Eric Mitchell, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is pursuing a PhD in computer science at Stanford School of Engineering. At Princeton University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Eric is committed to the responsible development of artificial intelligence to address economic inequality and deepen our understanding of the human experience. At Princeton, he received the Buff Wohlforth Memorial Award for his contributions to the school’s golf team, and the Outstanding Computer Science Senior Thesis Prize.
Ruby “Lillie” Reed, from Greenville, North Carolina, is pursuing an MD at Stanford School of Medicine. As a B.N. Duke scholar at Duke University, Lillie graduated summa cum laude and with distinction with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and global health. Lillie also completed a post-baccalaureate program at Johns Hopkins University. Lillie aspires to secure access to high-quality, affordable and equitable health care for all by creating innovative health programs that empower local communities across the globe.
