Meet the Fellows

Fina Dooley is from St. Simons Island, Georgia, and graduated magna cum laude from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Art History. Fina is passionate about exploring how culture, creativity, and community intersect, both inside and outside the classroom. Her academic experiences have strengthened her commitment to fostering meaningful relationships and creating spaces where students feel supported, valued, and empowered to grow.

Throughout her time at Wake Forest, Fina has sought opportunities to invest in the student experience through leadership and service. As a Deacon Camp Director, she oversaw educational programming, mentored student leaders, and helped new Deacs build lasting connections before the academic year began. Fina’s leadership extends across many campus organizations that embrace Pro Humanitate through creativity and collaboration. She served as an Event Coordinator for Wakeville, Wake Forest’s annual interdisciplinary arts festival and as President of Artivists, a collective for socially engaged art on campus and in the Winston-Salem community. As a Team Lead at the WakerSpace, she enjoyed giving workshops to students, faculty, and staff to develop collaborative design projects. She has also held positions in designing merchandise for Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and directing marketing initiatives for DESK as well as been a member of the Interdisciplinary Arts Council, Ceramics Club, and Fiber Arts Club.

She graduated with honors in Spanish, with her thesis merging her passion for learning Spanish with food and cooking. During studies abroad, Fina interned with the Cultural Activities Department at the University of Salamanca. By working alongside museum professionals and living with a Spanish family, she has achieved high proficiency in her Spanish language skills. 

As the Campus Life Fellow, Fina hopes to cultivate a welcoming and engaging community where every student has the opportunity to thrive. She believes that connection and relationships on campus are integral to the college experience and student success. She is excited to help create an environment where students can grow academically, personally, and professionally during their time at Wake Forest.

Sydney Calabrese is from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a 2026 graduate of Wake Forest University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology. Sydney was drawn to Wake Forest for its strong sense of community and commitment to the Pro Humanitate motto, values that shaped her academic, leadership, and service experiences throughout her time on campus. 

At Wake Forest, Sydney was deeply involved in student leadership and campus engagement. She served as a President’s Aide, representing the university at high-level events and engaging directly with senior leadership, strengthening her professionalism and attention to detail. Sydney also played a key role in campus philanthropy as the Entertainment Director for Hit the Bricks, Wake Forest’s largest student-run fundraising event benefiting the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund. In this role, she led outreach efforts, coordinated entertainment logistics, and contributed to creating a high-energy and impactful campus-wide experience. She was also involved in the Pre-Dental Student Association as Philanthropy Chair and Liaison, further demonstrating her commitment to service and community impact. 

Beyond campus, Sydney gained valuable experience in healthcare through over 110 hours of shadowing in hospital operating rooms and dental offices, where she developed a strong understanding of patient care, clinical environments, and professional communication. Sydney’s commitment to service extended beyond her academic and professional roles. She is the founder of Blankets for Blair, a nonprofit organization inspired by her sister’s experience as a premature infant, which provides essential items to neonatal intensive care units. Through this initiative, she has demonstrated long-standing dedication to giving back and supporting vulnerable populations. 

Sydney is honored to serve as a Fellow in the Office of the Board Secretary, where she looks forward to gaining direct exposure to university governance, Board of Trustees operations, and high-level institutional decision-making. She is eager to contribute to Wake Forest’s strategic priorities while further developing her leadership.

Amaya Williams is from Morrisville, North Carolina. She was drawn to Wake Forest University’s commitment to Pro Humanitate and its emphasis on global learning, which aligned with her commitment to both service and cultural understanding. As a Stamps Scholar and Leadership and Character Scholar, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a minor in Bioethics, Humanities, and Medicine on the pre-medical track.

At Wake Forest, Amaya found her passion in leadership centered on student voice and community engagement. As Student Body President, she worked with students, faculty, and senior administrators to advocate for student needs and strengthen campus life. Amaya also served as a President’s Aide in the Office of the President, representing the University at official events and strengthening connections between students and administration. Beyond campus, she served as the North Carolina Social Action Coordinator for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, leading statewide civic engagement initiatives, and remained active in service through Alpha Phi Omega.

Her interest in medicine has been shaped by clinical, research, and global experiences. As a volunteer at the Community Care Clinic, Amaya supported patients during triage, communicated with Spanish-speaking patients to help bridge language barriers, and trained new volunteers. Through Trellis Supportive Care, she provided weekly companionship to hospice patients and shared observations with the care team to support patient-centered care.

Amaya also pursued research at the intersection of science, ethics, and culture. Through Wake Forest’s Center for Bioethics, Health, and Society, she conducted research which culminated in a scoping review accepted for publication in The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy. She also conducted chemistry research on sulfinamide reactivity and presented her work at the Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. She further expanded her perspective through independent research in Taipei, Taiwan, examining the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine.

Amaya is honored to serve as a Fellow in the Office of the CEO at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. She is particularly interested in understanding how health systems make strategic decisions that influence patient access, quality of care, community health outcomes, and how innovative systems can expand their impact locally and globally while advancing equitable care.

Mary Hauser is originally from Kennebunk, Maine. She attended Wake Forest University on a Nancy S. Reynolds Scholarship, one of the University’s merit-based, cost-of-attendance “Signature Scholarships”. She was also a Leadership and Character Scholar and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.

Throughout her undergraduate education, Mary demonstrated her passion for learning through her dedication to her studies and her research. Mary was awarded the Harton Scholarship for Chemical Industry from the Chemistry faculty. During her junior and senior years, Mary enjoyed working as a tutor in the Chemistry Center because of the opportunity it afforded her to help younger students on their academic journeys. As a member of the T. Michael Anderson Lab, Mary studied the ecology of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Mary was awarded funding from the Wake Forest Richter Scholarship, supplemented by summer funding from her Reynolds scholarship, which allowed her to visit the Serengeti twice during her time at Wake Forest.

Reflecting her dedication to the Pro Humanitate motto of Wake Forest, Mary was deeply committed to the Leadership and Character program throughout her time at Wake Forest. As a member of this program, Mary engaged with rigorous coursework, personal reflection, specialized programming, individual mentoring, weekly community service, engagement with distinguished speakers, and global study of leadership and character in Oxford and London.

Mary is committed to working towards the betterment of the communities of which she is a part. She has demonstrated this through service work and leadership roles. She volunteered as a tutor for Syrian refugees as part of the Student Association for the Advancement of Refugees. She also volunteered with the student organization, Elemental Explorers, by teaching chemistry experiments to elementary school students in under-resourced schools. Mary also regularly volunteers with Habitat for Humanity by doing construction work. In her senior year, Mary organized construction service days for both the Signature scholars and the Leadership and Character scholars to foster community engagement. Mary has demonstrated her leadership through her roles as a President’s Aide and member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Panel. She was also a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.

Driven by her desire to uphold the dignity of others, Mary is pursuing a career in medicine. Due to the generosity of the Rusty Johnson Scholarship, she was able to spend her second summer of college working in hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa. This experience confirmed her intention to become a physician because of the fulfillment she derived from serving others coupled with the inspiration she derived from observing the knowledge and compassion of the doctors with whom she worked.

Mary is honored to be the Wake Forest Fellow in the Office of the Dean of the College for this upcoming year. She is eager to learn about the inner workings of the university and excited to work towards the betterment of the institution that she is so grateful to have attended.

Samantha (Sam) Stinson spent her childhood in Shanghai, China, before attending Wake Forest University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Psychology and East Asian Studies, earning Dean’s List recognition for much of her academic career. She was drawn to Wake Forest’s small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and unique standing as both a research institution and a liberal arts school.

On campus, Sam served in leadership positions for multiple cultural organizations,and spent a semester studying psychology in Vienna, Austria, to further broaden her global perspective.

Sam is thrilled to join Information Systems as a Wake Forest Fellow, eager to bring her communication skills and adaptability to a new professional setting while giving back to the university she now calls home.

Alfredo Diaz is from Miami, Florida, and graduated from Wake Forest in 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. He chose Wake Forest for the Program for Leadership and Character, the university’s motto of Pro Humanitate, and the close community he found among students, faculty, and staff.

A Leadership and Character Scholar throughout his four years, Alfredo is the first Scholar to return to the program as a Fellow. As a senior, he served as a student moderator for the Face to Face Speaker Forum, leading the student conversation for former Senator Mitt Romney’s appearance on campus.

As Student Director of LEAP (Leadership, Ethics, and Purpose), the program’s pre-orientation program, he helped welcome a cohort of thirty incoming students to Wake Forest. During his senior year, he also served as a research assistant for the course Commencing Character, studying and analyzing commencement speeches for the practical lessons they offer on how character is formed. In February 2026, he was selected as a Senior Orator and delivered his oration before the university community.

As the Fellow for Programming and Advancement, Alfredo looks forward to contributing to the program that shaped his time as a student. In the years ahead, he hopes to build a business of his own.

Catherine (Lulu) Clark is from Greenwich, Connecticut. In May 2026, Lulu graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Critical and Creative Media and a minor in Marketing Communication. At Wake Forest, Lulu built meaningful connections, gained valuable knowledge, and created lasting memories that have shaped both her personal and professional growth. Lulu attended study abroad programs in London and Oxford, England and Florence, Italy, along with the Summer Management Program through Wake Forest’s School of Business.

When Lulu wasn’t in class she was working as a Student Assistant at Z. Smith Reynolds library where she regulated library resources and aided faculty, students, and members of the community across a variety of needs, including resource search, study room reservation, and general facility use guidance. 

Lulu is a Leadership & Character Ambassador and frequently attended Wednesday Night Dinners, guest lectures, discussion groups, and weekend retreats. She also assisted Dr. Michael Lamb with his research on the correlation between country music and character. 

As President of Wake Studios, Lulu oversaw the production of short films as a producer, managed 10-person sets, scouted locations, created shooting schedules, and assisted with shot lists and script development. She also led their recruitment process and management of over 50+ members across all class years. Before becoming President, she was the Events Coordinator and Social Media Manager. 

Lulu is a member of two honor societies: Lambda Pi Eta National Communication Association Honor Society and Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society. Additionally, Lulu is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Through these communities she has developed meaningful friendships, strengthened her leadership abilities, and cultivated a deep commitment to service and lifelong learning.

Lulu is thrilled to continue her affiliation with Wake and to begin her professional career working as Fellow to incoming President Peter Rodriguez.  She is particularly excited to apply her coursework in marketing and communications to further the goals and objectives of the President’s office to enhance her personal learning and experience in the field of higher education.

Carter Dow is from Chicago, Illinois. In May of 2026, Carter graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Health & Exercise Science and a minor in Chemistry on the pre-medical track. He was drawn to Wake Forest University because it allowed him to build on his previous Montessori education, where he learned the values of kindness, empathy, and respect for the community around him. His time at Wake was guided by Wake Forest’s motto of Pro Humanitate, motivating him to seek meaningful opportunities to lead, serve, and make a positive impact on those around him.

During his time at Wake Forest, Carter made many meaningful connections and contributions through his involvement across campus. He continued his passion for sports by playing Club Baseball all four years where he served as President in his final year with the team. As President, he helped lead the team to a 23-2 record, earning a top-five national ranking. 

Driven by a desire to become a physician, Carter actively sought out opportunities to explore medicine during his time at Wake Forest. In his sophomore year, he was accepted into the American Cancer Society CARES organization where he supported cancer patients in need at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. He will always cherish the small interactions he had with patients and staff because they allowed him to give back to the community that became his home while at Wake. Carter was also selected for a summer research fellowship, where he worked with members of the Wake Forest School of Medicine to detect the true prevalence of workplace violence in hospital care settings. This work culminated in a poster presentation and the submission of an abstract at a regional research conference.

Carter is thrilled to continue his time at Wake Forest, where he will leverage his interpersonal skills and leadership experience to contribute to the academic and strategic initiatives of the Provost’s Office this year. He is honored to be able to learn and work alongside an amazing group of Wake Forest Fellows.

Jane Alexander is a Winston-Salem local who was raised around Wake Forest’s campus. She entered Wake Forest with a presidential scholarship in visual art and graduated with double honors in Studio Art and Mathematics.

In her time at Wake, Jane has been involved with the departments of art and mathematics. After TAing with the math and stats center, she went on the student acquisitions trip in her junior spring semester, a part of a group of students who bought eight works for the University’s Reece Collection. She went abroad to the Venice Biennale in summer 2024 and worked with Hanes Gallery as an intern her senior year. Her math honors thesis focused on Schur functions and representation theory.

Jane has also had close relations with stArt Gallery; she exhibited a solo show, mtf.zip, in January 2024, and an honors show, mommy whats brainrot, in May 2025. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, geometric modeling, and playing in her band SCOBY.

This is her second year as the stArt manager, and she is excited to continue putting on exhibitions and programming with the gallery!

Alaina Wheeler is a Washington, D.C. native and now resides in Waldorf, Maryland. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Bioethics on the pre-med track. During her undergraduate career, she explored her passion for research by coding to analyze axolotl behavior, helping predict their environmental success, and supporting species conservation. Alaina is currently studying for her MCAT and applying to Master’s programs as she pursues her dream of becoming a dermatologist.

Deeply committed to the Winston-Salem community, Alaina has dedicated much of her time to local service and clinical exposure. She served on the executive team for Campus Kitchen through the WFU Office of Civic and Community Engagement during the 2025-2026 school year. She helped manage food distribution and coordinate volunteers to help provide fresh meals to community members in need. Her passion continues where she volunteers at Cancer Services and has shadowed at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Dermatology to learn more about patient communication and advanced bedside manner.

On campus, Alaina has fully immersed herself in all aspects of leadership and student life. She has mentored incoming first-year students for multiple years as a SPARC (Students Promoting Action and Responsibility) Pre-Orientation Leader. Helping students embody the university’s Pro Humanitate motto. Additionally, she is a Spring 2024 Initiate of the Pi Omicron Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., where she served as a Treasurer and Fundraising Committee Chair. She is also an active member of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. She has worked as a student employee at ZSR Library for the past three years, where she also served on the academic library planning committee.

Alaina is thrilled to be the 2026-2027 Wake Forest Downtown Fellow, where she will continue to give back to the place she calls home: Winston-Salem and the Wake Forest community. She is excited to coordinate many STEM outreach programs and service events. Go Deacs forever!

Hannah Reynolds is from Hastings, Nebraska, and graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest with a double major in Theatre and Critical and Creative Media. During her time at Wake, Hannah was heavily involved in both the Theatre and Film departments, utilizing her passions for creativity and community in all of her artistic endeavors. She is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa.

As a Presidential Scholar for Theatre, Hannah frequently played roles both on and off stage in theatrical productions at Wake Forest. During her senior year, she served as the Music Director and played the role of the “Gramophone” in Failure: A Love Story, and had the opportunity to assist the director and designers with incorporating ukulele and percussion music into the show. Hannah has also received widespread recognition for her work as a playwright. She was a winner of the New South Young Playwrights Festival in 2024, and her original play, Roses Fading, received an Honorable Mention at the Region IV American College Theatre Festival. Roses Fading explores how memory loss and grief impact the lives of individuals trapped in a mysterious small town, and Hannah presented a staged reading of the piece in collaboration with other Wake Forest students as her senior honors thesis.

When she wasn’t in the theatre, Hannah could often be seen walking away from Carswell Hall with a camera and a boom microphone, preparing for one of the numerous student film projects she directed and produced. In 2025, Hannah directed a full-length documentary about The 24 Hour Musical Project, and she recently finished work on her original narrative short film, Stargazing. Several of her films have been featured in Wake Screens, Wake Forest’s annual showcase of outstanding student films. 

Hannah is thrilled to be returning to Wake Forest for another year, and cannot wait to help serve the community that has given her so many wonderful opportunities.