2009-2010 Research Assistants
Patrick W. Atwater was born and raised in La Canada, California and went to Clark Magnet and Crescenta Valley High Schools. During high school, he participated in California's Youth and Government program. In his senior year, he was a model Supreme Court attorney and argued in the Sacramento Supreme Court Chambers. Patrick played football at Crescenta Valley High School and now plays for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Patrick wants to do something with math, politics, and economics, and hopes to pursue a career in politics.
Emily A. Forden is from Wellesley, Massachusetts. She is majoring in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) as well as Literature. She is a member of the Claremont Democrats and an officer for the Aspiring Economist Society. Emily has spent her summers working in Massachusetts for a State Representative as well as publishing on the state of nuclear arms in Iran. At the Rose Institute, she has been working on the Business Industry Association’s survey of Coachella and Imperial Counties and has an interest in continued work on surveys as well as Redistricting. In her free time, she enjoys free-water scuba diving and traveling.
Sophia H. Hall is half-American, half-Moroccan, and was born and raised in Rabat, Morocco. She is pursuing a degree in international relations at CMC with a focus on International Business, and wants to continue mastering French and Arabic. She is involved in several organizations on campus, including the Student Alumni Relations Committee, Student Life Committee, and is vice-president of the new 5C international language magazine, Extravaganza. At the Rose Institute, she has worked on a variety of projects including the Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey, some GIS materials, and legal research on initiatives.
Keith R. McCammon was born and raised in Chicago, IL. For years he spent the summers working at a Boy Scout camp in Wisconsin where he taught Astronomy and Bird Study. He is attending Claremont McKenna College on a 4-year scholarship courtesy of your taxpayer dollars and the Army ROTC. At the Rose Institute, Keith is in charge of the Burnweit Database and is currently the Project Manager of the Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey.
Abhi M. Nemani is pursuing a dual major in Mathematics and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). His interest in government began about four years ago when he watched four seasons straight of The West Wing. Now, he is a research assistant at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government, and the president of CMC’s Mock Trial program. He is currently studying political philosophy at Oxford University, and when he returns to CMC and the Rose Institute, he plans to work on fiscal analysis of Southern California and public policy.
Ryan H. Wessels is from San Jose, California and attended Kehillah Jewish High School. Ryan served as student body co-president where he passed an open-campus policy, organized student elections, and planned various other events. He also served on the South Peninsula Jewish Teen Foundation where he helped raise and allocate money to various non-profit organizations. At CMC, Ryan serves as Stark Hall’s dorm jock, participates in the student Senate, and is a member of the Claremont Entrepreneur Society. Ryan also enjoys sports, cards, and movies.
Ilan Wurman is originally from Palo Alto, California. His interests include politics, history, astronomy, music, and foreign languages. In Palo Alto, he worked for Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner when Poizner first ran for State Assembly, and he founded a bipartisan political journal at his high school. Ilan is a government and physics major, and is involved in orchestra, political journalism, and College Republicans. Ilan spent last semester with CMC’s Washington Program and a White House internship. He is currently the editor of the Claremont Independent.
Patrick M. Eagan-Van Meter is from the Washington, D.C. area. He graduated from the International Baccalaureate Program at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, Maryland. Patrick is a senator of the Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College and a proud member of the Claremont Colleges Rugby Football Club. He spent the summer working as an intern at the national office of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization on health care. Patrick plans to major in PP&E or Economics.
Edward T. Zaki is from Washington, D.C. and spent much of high school on the wrestling team, which he captained in his senior year. Edward also traveled widely, studying abroad in Shanghai and returning from his twelfth visit to Egypt this spring. His past two summers were spent studying at Georgetown University and West Point, in addition to a raucous three weeks in Brazil and Argentina. At CMC he hopes to pursue a major in Economics or PPE.
Riley T. Lewis has lived almost his entire life in Claremont and graduated from the Webb School of California. In high school, he was the co-chairman of the school Honor Committee and a member of the cross country team for four years. This summer, Riley competed in the national finals of the AAA Travel Challenge, a geography contest for high school students, and he climbed Denali (Mt. McKinley), the tallest mountain in North America. His major is still undecided, but he plans to study something involving economics and public policy.
John Michael Whatley comes to CMC from Washington, DC. In high school, Mike was a nationally ranked extemporaneous speaker in speech and debate, co-edited his high school’s political magazine, and served as treasurer of the student government. Last summer, Mike interned at the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade association of major foreign and domestic car companies. He wants to be a government major and may dual major in either economics or history.
Jacinth K. Sohi grew up in Madison, WI. In high school she participated heavily in student government, serving as President of the districtwide Madison Student Senate. Jacinth was also involved in policy debate, DECA, theatre, and mock trial. This summer Jacinth earned her Level 1 certification in high-powered rocketry and interned at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. She plans to study Government and Financial Economics.
Helen E. Pollock is from Sacramento, California. She is currently pursuing a degree in international relations with a focus in the Middle East. At the Rose Institute, Helen is involved with redistricting and GIS projects, and is serving as Assistant Project Manager of the Kosmont Survey. In addition to working at the Institute, Helen is the secretary of the Claremont International Relations Society, the president of the Rotaract Club of the Claremont Colleges, and a tutor at the CMC Writing Center. This past summer Helen analyzed pending legislation for the California State Assembly with the Republican Caucus Department of Policy, as well as working at the Rose Institute as a Girard Fellow.
Elizabeth A. Johnson is from Palo Alto, CA. During high school she co-edited the student newspaper and led the Model United Nations club. This past summer, Liz coached a girl’s youth volleyball team. Liz plans to major in Government and to complete a leadership sequence.
Christopher D. Jones made the transcontinental trip to Claremont McKenna from Brooklyn, NY, where he spent all 15 years of primary schooling at the Packer Collegiate Institute. Chris is an economics-accounting major who just hopes to have a job that satisfies his desires to continuously learn and be challenged. Chris is a principal in Financial Institutions Group as part of the Student Investment Fund at the College. He helps out with the Student Alumni Relations Council, and occasionally gives tours to prospective students. Chris also works in the computer labs as a lab technology assistant. This past summer he worked at the Rose Institute on redistricting projects and helped maintain the Rose Report blog.
Jeremy Cheung is from Hong Kong. Born in Pasadena, Jeremy graduated from the Hong Kong International School, where he served as a class officer and in the student senate, in addition to captaining the volleyball team and playing varsity basketball. Jeremy also participated in the Model United Nations club and attended the Presidential Classroom program in Washington D.C. Jeremy spent his summer in Hong Kong working at the Civic Exchange, an independent public-policy think tank, and was selected to the Hong Kong U-18 Volleyball Team. Jeremy plans to double-major in History and Economics at CMC.
Chloe E. Cotton is from Anchorage, Alaska. She was first in her class and captain of her school's state champion tennis team. She spent last spring interning for Mayor Mark Begich of Anchorage and has worked extensively with Anchorage Youth Court, serving on the Board of Directors her senior year. Chloe is currently working on the Kosmont -Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey at the Institute. She plans to major in Government with a focus in constitutional law.
Paul M. Jeffrey is from Orange County, California. He graduated the valedictorian of Mission Viejo High where he was Secretary General of MVHS Model UN, a Varsity tennis player, and an IB full diploma recipient. As a dual citizen with the UK, Paul is extremely interested in international affairs as well as political life in his home state of California. He loves to travel and recently spent two weeks working at a school for handicapped children in Marbella, Spain. He plans to pursue a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics with a Leadership Sequence and is excited to be attending CMC.
Jonathan U. Khil comes to CMC as a transfer from Macalester College in Minnesota. He graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jon is on the Varsity Golf team at CMC. He spent the past summer working at Carlsmith Ball Law Firm under the Tax and Pension department and creating "We Will Ride" -- a youth grassroots campaign, and on the "Tournament Committee" for the Lanikila Pacific "Meals on Wheels" golf tournament which raised $80K. Currently, Jon is in the process of creating 808 Hawaii Youth Sports and "Golf for Economics Majors" program at CMC. Jon will pursue a degree in Econ-Accounting.
Brendan D. McDonald hails from Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, New York where he received the Mentor/Leadership Community Service Award and the Swimming and Diving Team's Dedication Award. Brendan spent this past summer interning at the NAACP New York City ACT-SO, an academic enrichment program for minority high school students. En route to a career in real estate development, Brendan intends to major in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics or Environment, Economics, and Politics.
Emily K. McNab is from Santa Rosa in northern California. She graduated from Sonoma Academy and is now a sophomore at CMC. In high school Emily played basketball and lacrosse all four years, while also serving as a student admissions representative and a teacher's assistant for a freshman seminar. Here at CMC, while she currently a research assistant at the Institute, she is also a Student Career Consultant in the Career Services Office. This past summer Emily had a Kravis-sponsored summer internship working at the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County helping plan community volunteer events. Emily is planning to major in Economics.
David W. Meyer joins the CMC community from the west suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. During high school, Dave was a varsity soccer and volleyball player, as well as an editor of the school newspaper. He placed 3rd in Illinois in debate, was a national qualifier in extemporaneous speaking, and was an Economics Challenge State Champion. Over the summer, Dave interned at PADS Inc., a non-profit charity committed to ending homelessness in Chicago, where he helped the homeless find jobs and write resumés. At CMC, he hopes to dual major in PPE and Religious Studies.
Rishabh R. Parekh is a local student from Anaheim Hills, California. He graduated from the International Baccalaureate program and the nationally ranked tech program at Troy High School in Fullerton, California. During his senior year, he was the president of his temple’s youth committee and an assistant at a private optometrist practice. He also interned at Raytheon where he worked with a programming team on a government project. Though for the most part he is undecided, Rishabh is considering pursuing the Environment, Economics, and Politics major.
Heather A. Siegel comes to Claremont McKenna from Huntington Beach, California. She graduated first in her class from Sage Hill School, where she served as Secretary-General of Model United Nations and Captain of the Academic Decathlon team. Heather also organized the annual used textbook sale her junior and senior years, and was named a "Cool Kid" by ABC 7 Eyewitness News in recognition of her efforts. This past summer, Heather interned at Arch Bay Capital, an investment firm, and taught the Mock Trial and Debate classes at UC Irvine's Gifted Students Academy. At CMC, Heather plans to major in International Relations and French.
