International Fellows Network Dinner in NYC, December 2023: Celebrating a Re-Launch

Dec 15, 2023
International Fellows Network (IFN) group sitting at tables arranged horizontally, smiling at the camera. Fellows sit on either side of the tables with appetizers on the tables and various decorations consisting of jars, holly, and lights that line the right-hand side wall.
IFN was officially relaunched in December 2023 at NYC-based Tortaria.

ProFellow’s International Fellows Network (IFN) is back! On December 5th, the IFN brought aspiring, current, and former fellows together to Tortaria, a Lower Manhattan Mexican restaurant. The group consisted of fellowship coordinators, current graduate students, and fellows pursuing careers in various industries, from law to finance and physics.

The event was organized by IFN interns Max Sano and Anusha Natarajan and facilitated by ProFellow founder Dr. Vicki Johnson. Attendees connected and shared numerous stories about their fellowship experiences while also sharing their current professional work and accomplishments. One member, Swathi, shared her research experiences in childhood health and hunger at UNICEF. Rose and Max reflected on wrapping up their final semesters in their master’s programs and looking forward to future opportunities in 2024. Kathryn and Linda discussed work/life balance and the importance of pursuing purpose-driven careers and balancing personal and professional lives. Naimah discussed the importance of internships in discovering her career pathway with Human Rights Watch. LaToya and Nicole discussed additional fellowship opportunities that other students could potentially consider applying for college and professional development. LaToya also mentioned the different trajectories she had in her career path, moving from dance to physics, and how she is balancing her research and academic work.

Anusha Natarajan, Dr. Vicki Johnson, and Max Sano standing smiling at the camera.
Anusha Natarajan, Dr. Vicki Johnson, and Max Sano comprise the 2023 IFN Team. (From left to right)

We also learned that several of the Fellows in attendance recently announced monumental achievements! The Global Association for Women in Payments nominated Linda for the Rising Star Award. LaToya will present her research on superatomic crystals using first principles at the 2023 National Society of Black Physicists Conference. Samia recently joined the Marketing Leadership Development Program (MLDP) at Cigna. Congrats to all Fellows in the IFN who had exciting accomplishments to share!

International Fellows Network (IFN) members sitting around the restaurant tables with their entrees, smiling at the camera.
IFN community members Jenny Simon, Samia Kemel, Gabrielle Aflord, and Dr. Nicole Nowbahar (From left to right)

December 2023 Attendees:

  • IFN Host, Dr Vicki Johnson – NYC Urban Fellows, German Chancellor Fellowship, Scoville Fellow, Ian Axford Fellow (Fulbright New Zealand), ProFellow Founder
  • IFN Host, Max Sano – Posse Scholar, Udall Scholar, Aspen Future Climate Leader, Riley’s Way Fellow
  • IFN Host, Anusha Natarajan – Killam Fellowship (Fulbright Canada)
  • Andrea Hernandez – NYC Urban Fellow
  • Emily Commer – Director of Alumni Engagement, Cultural Vistas
  • Gabby Alford – Robertson Leadership Fellow at Success Academy
  • LaToya Anderson – AstroCom Fellow, Tweag Open Source Fellow
  • Linda Kugblenu – Fulbright Scholar Uganda, Starting Bloc
  • Jenny Simon – Fulbright ETA Mongolia
  • Kathryn Kushner – Trial Attorney at U.S. Department of Justice
  • Naimah Haikim – Research Fellow, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
  • Dr. Nicole Nowbahar – Director of the Posse Foundation Fellowships, Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow
  • Roosmarijn “Rose” Klopper – VSBfonds Scholar, Master’s student at Columbia
  • Samia Kemal – Global Health Corps Fellow in Rwanda
  • Swathi Manchikanti – Aspen Climate Fellow, Global Health Corps Fellows in Zambia

 

About the International Fellows Network

The International Fellows Network is a professional networking organization of more than 1,800 current and former fellows worldwide. The IFN has held events in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and Berlin, Germany, and hopes to revisit future locations in 2024.

Through the IFN, current and former fellows can connect for socializing, advice, and insights on fellowships, jobs, events, graduate programs, and collaborative opportunities. If you are a current or former fellow and would like to join, please sign up for our fellowships database, and we’ll be in touch by email! Also, feel free to check out the new IFN website for future updates on IFN events.

© 2023 ProFellow, LLC, all rights reserved