Meet the Fellows

Leanna Bernish grew up in Winston-Salem and Clemmons, North Carolina. As a Stamps Scholar, she graduated magna cum laude with honors in Psychology and a minor in Health and Human Services. She was inducted into the honors society of Omicron Delta Kappa in the spring of her junior year. Her honors thesis in psychology focuses on the predictive validity of post-traumatic growth on mental health and well-being outcomes. 

Wake Forest spoke to Leanna for its emphasis on meaningful dialogue between students, faculty, and staff, something of great value to her during her time as an undergraduate and which she will continue to foster during her time as a Fellow. As someone involved in both the sciences and the arts, Leanna explored her passions for critical thinking, meaning-making, community service, and storytelling through research and her roles in multiple campus organizations. 

In addition to her honors thesis, she studied the roles and perceptions of music within the Wake Forest community during the COVID-19 pandemic with Dr. Donovan Livingston. She examined the uniting language of nature and art across the United States, Austria, and Italy through an original visual art exhibition after her time abroad at the Flow House in Vienna, Austria. As a Leadership and Character Ambassador, she collaborated with fellow students to write a collection of essays, Performing Character: From Stage to Page, on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their identities as artists and their senses of character. As a brother of Alpha Phi Omega and a DJ for Wake Radio throughout her four years at Wake, she met numerous fellow Deacons with whom she connected with over new and shared passions, such as horticulture of the Campus Garden and radio shows on the weekends. She grew in her appreciation and love for dance through her involvement in the Wake Forest Dance Company, classes with the dance faculty, and an original piece for Wakeville 2024 with her Campus Life predecessor, Gretchen Castelloe. 

Leanna’s passion for creating spaces of meaning and connection across Wake Forest’s communities and beyond is what draws her to the Office of Campus Life. She is eager to use this passion, alongside her love of learning and her experience and wisdom from her time as a Wake Forest undergraduate, in her time as a Fellow. She is grateful for the support of her mentors, family, and friends, who have helped her get to where she is now and who continue to challenge and encourage her going forward.

Justin Linden was born in Boston and raised just outside of the city in Natick, MA. As a student interested in pursuing both the pre medical track and a liberal arts curriculum, Justin majored in History and minored in Biology and Chemistry, graduating cum laude. As a history major Justin wrote and successfully defended an honors history thesis concerning the history of medicine in pre modern Europe and the enduring importance of physicians who value both the academic and humanistic sides of medicine.

During his undergraduate career, Justin was a leader both at Wake Forest and within the local Winston Salem community. As an individual who greatly values mentorship, Justin served as a student advisor for incoming Freshmen and transfer students at Wake Forest for three years. His final year as an advisor he joined the Student Advising Leadership Council, utilizing his  experience as an advisor to help lead the student advising program and ensure the successful transition of new students to campus. During his undergraduate career Justin also participated in three years of gastrointestinal research both at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and at the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, being successfully published twice in research related to celiac disease. Away from campus, Justin volunteered within Novant Health medical clinics, working in a variety of roles to support the medical needs of the greater Winston-Salem community. In this position he was able to learn about the state of healthcare in Winston-Salem and build a relationship with the local community, which he looks forward to building upon during his time as a fellow.

As an individual passionate about community building and the humanistic side of medicine, Justin is excited to serve the Winston community and learn from healthcare experts as the Wake Forest Fellow for Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.

Aditi Samavedy is from Knoxville, Tennessee. She was immediately drawn to Wake Forest because she found the ability to explore her academic interests while still incorporating her love for music into her curriculum. She felt that Wake Forest offered her opportunities that helped her grow immensely. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with minors in Politics and International Affairs and Sociology. She is also a member of the psychology honor society Psi Chi.

During her four years at Wake Forest, she partook in several research opportunities. She participated in psychology research related to studying participants’ levels of compassion following the pandemic and coded their responses into themes. Additionally, she was a sociology research assistant, conducting literature reviews discussing alternatives to detention centers and community correction facilities. She then transcribed interviews from participants who engaged in the Black Lives Matter events in North Carolina. In the spring semester of her junior year, she was involved in the Wake Washington program, where she spent the semester in DC and interned at the American Public Health Association. Here, she developed a set of recommendations, teaching community leaders to help vulnerable populations build resiliency when faced with a climate crisis. She then lobbied for the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act on Capitol Hill, advocating for a grant community leaders can use when enacting these recommendations. Furthermore, she conducted a webinar for public health officials on community organizations already addressing this issue. Her internship experience deepened her interest in mental health advocacy, which she hopes to incorporate into her career.

Her experience at Wake Forest extended beyond academics, however. As a Presidential Scholar in Music, she explored opportunities vocally through the Chamber Choir, where she served on the leadership council her senior year, and her acapella group. Additionally, she found the South Asian Student Association an inclusive, diverse organization and served as the campus liaison her sophomore year. Finally, she was a student advisor and tour guide, both roles that fueled her love of guiding others.

Aditi is excited to implement the skills she developed during undergrad to her position in the Dean’s office and looks forward to growing and enhancing her abilities even more.

Ashley Cranford has been a lifelong Deacon, with a parent at the medical school and childhood summer camps spent on campus. She began performing with the university bands and orchestras while still in high school, so the choice to attend Wake for college was an easy decision. Most of her undergraduate career was with the class of 2012, but she withdrew for medical reasons shortly before finishing. 

In the professional world, Ashley has held a variety of positions, primarily in legal marketing and nonprofit management. She has a strong background in events management, data analytics, and a passion for promoting growth in communities. With her educational background in sociology, she’s been able to help clients better understand their market audience, and has proven success in development efforts for nonprofit organizations. Notably, she has helped raise over six figures in grant and donor development funding for multiple nonprofits across the state. She has also spearheaded large-scale conferences, and provided guidance and support for successful marketing campaigns as a consultant. 

After stepping into teaching roles during the pandemic while focusing on her family, Ashley felt led to return to continue her education to grow her skill set. Upon returning to campus, she was impressed by the university’s commitment to excellence and immediately took note of the growth of the campus culture over the years. Building on her experiences as a nontraditional student with a disability, as well as her passion for community service and education, Ashley is excited to transition into a career in university administration. She’s looking forward to working as a university Fellow, and learning about the “other side” of university life. Her goal is to address accessibility and inclusivity issues on campuses, helping Wake identify, capture, and retain talent and ensuring that Wake continues to be a welcoming and supportive environment for the community.

Roscoe Bell is from Jacksonville, Florida, and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Music while on the pre-medicine track.

Roscoe actively contributed to mental health and arts initiatives during his time at Wake Forest University. He helped lead the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Chapter at Wake, working to enhance campus mental health resources. As president of Musical Empowerment, he helped provide free music lessons to underprivileged children in Forsyth County. Roscoe founded Wakeville, a popular student-led festival that became a significant campus event. He also established Songbird Musical Service, offering musical therapy to local dementia residents. Through the Richter Scholarship, he explored self-awareness and well-being in Scandinavia and Vietnam. And his dedication to music and academics was recognized with the Christian Cappelluti Prize in Music.

Though he appreciated these recognitions, Roscoe found real fulfillment in making a difference. This mindset inspired him and his best friend to co-found Noveltor, an innovative mental health startup. Noveltor’s platform collects meaningful patient data between therapy sessions, empowering therapists to better prepare for and maximize the effectiveness of each session.

While the startup helped people, Roscoe’s experiences during his first fellowship year with the Program for Leadership and Character reaffirmed his love for learning, compassion, and desire for direct patient care. Recognizing medicine as a vocation rooted in curiosity, empathy, and creativity, Roscoe aims to pursue an M.D. This path aligns with his belief that true healing comes from marrying knowledge with compassion, and offers a platform to address systemic inequities affecting marginalized communities.

Moving into his second year at Wake Forest, he will serve as a Program Coordinator for the Program for Leadership and Character, mentoring the Fellows Program. Simultaneously, Roscoe will collaborate with the Center for Healthcare Innovation on depression and Alzheimer’s projects, all while applying to medical school.

As a Winston-Salem local, Tatum Pike grew up with Wake Forest in her backyard and is excited to continue her career as a Wake Forest Fellow. When the time came to choose a college, Tatum was attracted by Wake Forest University’s commitment to both liberal arts education and serving the local community. In May 2024, Tatum graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, where she was able to explore the inner workings of society and culture. Additionally, she minored in Anthropology and SES (Schools, Education, and Society), which solidified her interest in working towards the future of higher education. Her academic interests have led her to develop skills in research and project management while giving her the ability to think critically about the complex questions facing Wake Forest University today. 

While on campus, Tatum enjoyed competing as an attorney on the WFU Mock Trial Team, which gave her the opportunity to further develop her public speaking abilities and serve as a role model for younger students. In the 2023-2024 competitive season, she was proud to have served as co-captain of the team as they won their first bid to the American Mock Trial Association’s Opening Round Championship Series in eleven years! Additionally, she served as the Vice President of Inclusion for the Zeta Omicron chapter of Kappa Delta, where she led the Standards Board and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Board. In this role, she addressed conflict resolution situations, managed event safety, and arranged educational programming meant to promote a more inclusive environment. Tatum also worked as a tutor in the WFU Writing Center and found a love for helping and teaching her peers. 

For the first two summers of her undergraduate career, Tatum explored her passion for outdoor education and leadership by working at Teton Valley Ranch Camp as a counselor and Trip Foods Manager. She wholeheartedly believes in the importance of connecting with nature and that spending time outdoors is especially beneficial for children and teenagers. In the summer before her senior year,  Tatum interned at the Forsyth County Public Defender’s Office, where she observed Forsyth County court in action and confirmed her passion for legal advocacy. One day, she hopes to work at the intersection of education and advocacy in order to promote equal educational opportunities for all.

Tatum is excited to start a new chapter in her life as the President’s Office Fellow. She is honored to work towards furthering Pro Humanitate alongside President Wente and the incredible team in the President’s Office. Go Deacs!

Ritt Culbreth, from Harrisonburg, Virginia, grew up in a Wake Forest family, the son of an alumnus and the younger brother of an alumna. He was an undergraduate at Wake from August 2020 to May 2024, when he graduated with a double major in Philosophy and Politics and International Affairs. During his time at Wake, he was closely involved with the Stamps Scholars and Leadership and Character Scholars programs. These programs were very influential on him and afforded him incredible opportunities to explore his interests, such as studying abroad in London and Venice during his undergraduate. Ritt was a member of Theta Chi fraternity, serving as the scholarship chair, as well as the Executive Board of Wake N’ Shake, co-chairing the Local and Community Outreach Committee. Wake N’ Shake is Wake Forest’s largest student philanthropy event and raised $558,000 for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund in just the last two years. 

He was also involved in several campus leadership positions, serving as a President’s Aide, on the Student Activity Fee Committee and Provost’s Student Leadership Advisory Committee, and as the Student Trustee for the 2023-2024 academic year. This last experience was incredibly rewarding, giving him the opportunity to work closely with senior administration and Trustees, and motivated him to work at Wake Forest as a Fellow.  

Ritt was deeply involved with research on campus, completing an independent research project in the summer of 2021 on English public health law, a summer research fellowship with the Program for Leadership and Character, two research assistantships with both Law School and Politics faculty, and a senior honors thesis in both of his majors. These experiences have pushed him to apply for graduate school, which he will be doing in the fall of 2024. He looks forward to being able to spend a year working for Provost Gillespie at his alma mater.

Aarya Deshmukh is from New Albany, Ohio, and graduated from Wake Forest in 2024 with Bachelor’s degrees in both Economics and Philosophy. She is on the Pre-Law track and hopes to pursue a career in corporate law. 

During her undergraduate years, Aarya explored leadership roles in many areas of campus including Student Engagement, Decon Dining, and Residence Life and Housing. Since freshman year, Aarya has served on the Student Organizations Council and was appointed to be chair for her last two years. Through this council, she was able to explore her love for improving student belonging on campus through student organizations. Additionally, she was part of the focus committee that helped in the redesign of the Student Organizations Handbook. During her senior year, she served as the student representative on the board of directors for Harvest Table which helped bring student input into dining decisions made by the school. Lastly, Aarya worked as a resident advisor for sophomores living in Poteat and Kitchin residence halls. She enjoyed bonding with her residents and hosting events to help them find their place on campus.

Outside of leadership roles, Aarya was heavily involved in Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity where she was able to sharpen her professional skills to get her ready for life after college. During her time as an undergraduate student, she enjoyed exploring different parts of campus, forming close connections with her professors and peers, and making memories with her fellow Demon Deacons. She is excited for this next step in her journey at Wake Forest and hopes to learn more about the administration and students of the School of Business.

Maya Whitaker shares a home with Wake Forest University, as she is from our very own Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Some of her earliest and fondest memories involve climbing the magnolias on the lower quad. Her first year of college, she attended Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, but when the pandemic hit, transferring to Wake was in many ways a homecoming. Her Bachelor of Arts is in Sociology with a concentration in Inequality and Social Justice, as well as a double minor in Studio Art and Art History. 

In her time at Wake, Maya was heavily involved in the arts community. She founded the Artivists collective for socially engaged art, which focuses on using art as a tool for social change and community building. In her time, the Artivists successfully executed a show outside of Scales in 2022 and another in the stArt Gallery in 2023. She was also involved with Wakeville, leading in the curation of the artwork and serving on the marketing team. 

Maya is passionate about community service and has dedicated her time to this pursuit. In the summer of 2022, she was an Americorps Vista Intern through the Summer Nonprofit Immersion Program. She was paired with a/perture cinemas and developed season 5 of s/treetside cinema from start to finish. Through SNIP, Maya completed over 300 hours of community service. 

For her involvement in the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem communities, she earned the Sociology department’s Community Engagement Award as well as the distinction of Civic Scholar through the OCCE. Maya is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa and Alpha Kappa Delta honors societies.

Maya spent her time at Wake bringing students and community members together through the arts, a mission that merges seamlessly with that of the stArt gallery. As such, she is eager to continue working in the WFU arts community as the stArt gallery manager.

Erin McCollum grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Erin graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a minor in Spanish while studying on the pre-medicine track.

During her undergraduate years, Erin was a member of the Alpha Phi Omega co-ed community service fraternity on campus in which she helped organize several service events with Habitat for Humanity while serving on the service committee. She also worked and volunteered as a tour guide for the WFU Admissions Office. She participated in the WFU Clinical Internship/Shadowing Program for multiple semesters and appreciated the opportunity to learn more about working in the medical field in the process. Erin volunteered weekly in the comprehensive Cancer Center at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and its sister cancer center in Lexington, NC as a part of Take the Fight to Cancer. As a part of Take the Fight, Erin provided emotional support for cancer patients and their families while also serving in a patient navigator role to help connect patients with transportation, financial, and other resources offered by local community organizations as needed. As a senior, Erin served as the Promotions Chair of Take the Fight, a role in which she headed up the club’s service events cooking and serving dinner to patients and their families staying at the SECU Family House. Erin also performed research on rotavirus at the protein level as a part of Dr. Sarah Esstman’s molecular biology lab at Wake Downtown. She was also part of Women in STEM and the American Sign Language (ASL) Club.

Erin spent spring of her sophomore year studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain on the WFU Spanish Immersion Program. During her time there, Erin had the incredible opportunity to intern with a Spanish-speaking doctor in his primary care and physical therapy clinics. Upon her return, Erin helped start and lead the Medical Spanish Club at Wake as the treasurer. She also spent time volunteering at the Community Care Center, a local free medical clinic.

Erin was part of the Wake Forest Scholars Program and was inducted into the Mortar Board Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi Hispanic Honor Society, and the Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society during spring of her junior year and the Phi Beta Kappa Society during spring of her senior year.

Through her passion for community service, Erin hopes to combine what she has learned in the classroom and through service experiences to make a positive mark on the community and world as an aspiring physician. Erin looks forward to further exploring the overlap between medicine and education through the science outreach programs she will help facilitate as part of her role as the 2024-2025 Wake Downtown Fellow.

Emma Gauthier is from Winston Salem, North Carolina, and is excited to extend her time as a Demon Deacon through the Fellows Program. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Arts, majoring in History and minoring in French Studies. 

During her time as an undergraduate, Emma enjoyed taking classes from a myriad of disciplines—ranging from creative writing and linguistics to chemistry and politics. In the summer of 2023, she was awarded a Richter Scholarship from Wake Forest’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Center (URECA) to study the history of Japanese woodblock prints and the creation of national narratives. She is also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honors society.

Outside of academics, Emma was heavily involved in the Wake Forest chapter of the World Tea Association—an organization focused on fostering community through conversation and participation in international tea culture. As Vice President of the World Tea Association, she managed communications and logistics for the club’s daily programming. She also participated in the 2024 Sam Gladding ZSR writing experience. 

In her free time, Emma likes to read, hike, and to write poetry and short stories. Her favorite kinds of tea are milk oolong and rice pu’er. She is excited and grateful for the opportunity to increase awareness of the library’s many resources, develop new initiatives, and to create a positive student experience—something she would not have had without the ZSR library’s incredible resources, faculty, and staff.