Colin Powell Fellowship in
Leadership and Public Service

Alexa, a lively junior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Journalism, has always had a passion for politics since her childhood days of debating with politicians behind the TV screen. Growing up in a vibrant Latino household, fueled by her mother’s Colombian immigrant background, Alexa’s fiery personality was no surprise. As she matured, she empathized with her mother’s struggles adapting to the busy city, sparking her passion for advocating for migrants’ rights. Curious about the current migrant crisis in New York, she delves into researching related events. Post-graduation, Alexa aspires to be a Social Media Strategist, creating engaging content for political organizations or journalism-focused companies to engage younger audiences. This role will furnish her with a solid understanding of public opinion, crucial for her ultimate goal: representing immigrants and marginalized communities in the House of Representatives. 

Alice Murphy is a junior at the Colin Powell School studying Political Science. She is originally from Cape Cod, where along the shores she discovered her passion for environmental justice and industrial decarbonization. Along with her studies, Alice is also actively involved with the theater program at CCNY and home. She is honored to be a member of this year’s cohort and looks forward to learning from all the mentors and other fellows.

Arfath is an undergraduate student in the Sophie Davis/CUNY School of Medicine BS/MD program, majoring in the Biomedical Sciences. She is passionate about the intersections of public service, activism, and medicine to raise awareness of healthcare disparities and advocate for marginalized communities. As a first-generation student, she aims to make medicine more accessible and equitable to improve existing standards of care and serve the South Asian communities she grew up in. Interning at a senior citizen call center fueled her commitment to empowering patients through narrative medicine, valuing patients’ unique voices and diverse stories that exist beyond diagnosis. On campus, she spends time at the Physicians for Human Rights Club, and the American Medical Women’s Association and engaging in rich discussions with her fellow peers. Outside class, she enjoys playing card games with friends, writing letters, and exploring arts and culture at city museums.

Aria Hossain is a sophomore double-majoring in Biochemistry and Digital Design. Aria immigrated with their older siblings from Dhaka, Bangladesh during her high school freshman year. They are passionate about organizing and social justice, particularly for low-income and undocumented immigrant representation in STEAM fields. Outside academics, Aria loves making digital illustrations and hanging out with her neighbor’s cat.

Arnab Joseph Gomes is a Bengali American, New York-based architectural designer, with a knack for creating purposeful, decisive moments that stem from interdisciplinary fields. As a 3rd year architecture student, Arnab strives to design spaces that are not just functional, but also infused with meaning and a sense of purpose. Collaboration lies at the heart of Arnab’s approach to design, as he believes that the most innovative solutions emerge from diverse perspectives and expertise. Drawing inspiration from the intersection of architecture, art, and engineering, he constantly explores new avenues to integrate these disciplines seamlessly into his work. His dedication to creating inclusive spaces extends beyond architectural principles to encompass an understanding of the complexities of policy and its profound impact on the lives of those who inhabit these spaces. Beyond his academic pursuits, Arnab enjoys delving into visual arts, films, and video games, finding inspiration and insight in their interpretations of life.

Crystal Minchala is a second-year student at CCNY. She is majoring in Anthropology and International Studies, and minoring in Women and Gender Studies. Crystal is a first-generation American with ancestral roots in Ecuador and is passionate about community development and activism. Through her work with organizations like Trinity Youth and Catholic Charities NYC, she has found a deep love for youth outreach and aspires to combine her interest in public service and community service to, in the future, create spaces that help foster creative, athletic, and academic outlets for underserved communities in NYC. In her spare time, Crystal likes volunteering at her local soup kitchen, learning the piano, practicing her French, and venturing into new parts of the city.

Fuhad is an empathetic political science student who is passionate about helping others and creating positive change. In his first semester, he joined NYPIRG, where he tirelessly advocated for higher education funding and democracy by lobbying lawmakers in Albany for the New Deal for CUNY bill, and pioneering letter-writing events to increase voter turnout. He also became a senator in Student Government, where he passed resolutions and initiated projects to connect the student government with the student body and organizations like NYPIRG. As a regional campus organizer with Swing Left, he organized voter contact events to mobilize voters in competitive elections, and trained group leaders in NYC campuses to organize on their campus. In Spring 2024, he had an incredible opportunity to intern at the District Office of Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. He also became a Colin Powell and Watson fellow at that time. He is excited about a career in policymaking to lead change from a systematic level while continuing to be a grassroots activist for justice, human rights, and social change. He loves visiting nearby cities with his friends, having conversations with people, journaling, watching cricket, and listening to podcasts, especially about news, and politics.

Hubert Rivas is a junior at CCNY majoring in Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies. Hubert was born and raised in Honduras. He has an effervescent enthusiasm for political and social justice and advocating for immigrants’ rights. He has first-hand experience with the immigration process. He is on his path toward law school. Through the law profession, Hubert wishes to help others who have gone through the same immigration process and advocate for immigration reforms. Hubert has an incredible passion for football and is the vice president of the CCNY soccer club. He loves history and is a film lover. Hubert is also a literature enthusiast, especially for Latin American authors such as Jorge Luis Borges, Ramon Amaya Amador, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Mekhi is a political science major and is in his third year at City College. Starting his college journey in the fall term of 2021, Mekhi was initially an architecture major. It was during his second semester when he took an elective that focused on the built environment of New York City and the policies that shaped or harmed, neglected communities, where his career goals slightly shifted. Once wanting to be an architect who would use his design expertise to combat the legal and built injustices of the communities that resembled his own, Mekhi now is on track to becoming an urban planner to use the profession to bring forth social and economic justice to the communities that are often forgotten.

Roselyn Shuguli-Polanco is a sophomore at The City College of New York majoring in psychology. Born and raised in the Bronx and coming from a Dominican and Ecuadorian background, Roselyn discovered her passion for mental health advocacy early in her adolescence. This passion has only grown stronger throughout the years. She is also passionate about learning and advocating for underrepresented groups. In recent years she has learned about her interest in child advocacy. Roselyn appreciates nature and being outside such as going on walks, or playing tennis, and enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and reading. Roselyn’s positive mindset is essential to her, she believes it is important to remember that the sun will always rise again.

Sofia is a junior at CCNY majoring in political science and double minoring in legal studies and philosophy. Born and raised in El Salvador, Sofia has always been characterized as an observant, curious, and creative individual. Her thirst for knowledge and sense of responsibility to shed light on what is wrong and unjust sparked her desire to become part of the Colin Powell Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service. Sofia is deeply passionate about racial justice, women, and LGBTQIA+ issues and is concerned with how the entrenched roots of systemic and epistemological discrimination continue to harm the lives of many. Sofia strongly believes in advocating for social change through the legal profession and aspires to attend law school to become a civil rights lawyer. During her free time, Sofia enjoys reading philosophy books, novels, and poetry. She also loves music, film, and art. She delights in doing people-watching, especially in a city as diverse as NYC, and is part of a volunteer group where she spends her weekends helping the community.

Tessa Cherian is a second-year student at CCNY in the Sophie Davis program at the CUNY School of Medicine. Tessa’s experiences in public service, especially in the public health sector, have engraved in her one of her greatest passions: a passion for people. As a future physician, she is dedicated to fighting for health equity and giving voices to those who often go unheard in healthcare. Through educating herself and interacting with her community, she hopes to advocate for a healthcare system that sees patients as humans, each with a unique story of their own to share. She believes that every individual deserves access to quality healthcare regardless of any factor. In her free time, Tessa loves to eat several New York City’s delicacies such as halal cart food, spend time with her family, watch Netflix, and play badminton.