2025-26 Sanders Scholars
The History Department congratulates the 2025-26 inaugural cohort of Sanders Scholars!
We are so grateful to Ian Sanders ('91) for endowing the Sanders Scholars Program. Professor Robin Bates will lead the program for the second time this fall. We are thrilled to welcome 15 undergraduate students who will gather around the table in the Leopold Room, Harris Hall 108 (for both fall and winter quarters) to engage with big questions, meet major figures in the field, and collaborate with fellow students.
Zacaria Bahojb Nouri
My name is Zacaria Bahojb Nouri and I am currently pursuing degrees in Computer Science and History. As someone who has held long-term interests in deepening my capacity for historical scholarship and research, I hope to expand upon my abilities as a student of History through the Sanders Seminar. Its commitment to hands-on analysis of difficult questions facilitates such growth while strengthening its students' exposure to Historical collaboration. I am excited at the the thought of engaging with the Seminar's tough questions with a similarly curious cohort of students - those who find intrigue in collective historical analysis and debate.
Nate Berman
Hi! My name is Nate, and I'm a rising sophomore studying history. I'm eager to explore the methods historians use to contextualize and interpret the past, and to better understand the responsibilities involved in telling those stories with accuracy and care. I'm especially interested in Early Modern Europe, but open to studying many different regions and time periods. Outside of class, I'm on the NU sailing team. I also love playing pickleball and trying new restaurants.
Linus Bray
Hi! I am Linus Bray, a Class of 2027 student from England. At Northwestern, I am a History and International Studies double-major, and I’m looking to minor in Economics. I am a very passionate sports fan and athlete, so I spend a large part of my free time playing rugby for the Men’s Rugby Club here, keeping up to date with the NFL and Premier League, and playing in the various intramural competitions. In the Sanders Seminar, I am really looking forward to learning more about military history and national defence so that I can further my understanding on how they have influenced historic and contemporary global orders and affairs.
Sophia Cheng
Hello! I'm Sophia, a first-year studying History and Environmental Policy with a minor in Data Science. As a Sanders Scholar, I look forward to collaborating with peers and leaders in the field to grapple with what it means to study history. I am particularly interested by the portrayal of marginalized communities in historical narratives and the effects this has on policy decisions. Outside of the classroom, I'm in Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, Political Union, Menstrual Equity Activists, and The Dolphin Show. In my free time, I like to read (history, essays, memoirs), take long walks, and watch women's basketball.
Tanush Dhingra
I’m Tanush! I’m from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and I will be graduating in June 2027 with a major in Economics and a minor in Music. Throughout my time at Northwestern, I’ve had multiple opportunities to pursue my widespread interests, and history has long been an academic passion of mine. I’m very excited about the Scholars program, as I’ll continue to critically examine events, perspectives, and aspects of history. I especially look forward to building a diverse skillset and a honed mindset that will serve me throughout my time in the program and beyond. Outside of Northwestern academics, music is a big part of my life (I play multiple instruments and sing). I’m also really involved with the Northwestern community. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with friends, and watching sports and science fiction films.
Olivia England
My name is Olivia England, and I am a rising third-year student from Minneapolis, MN. I am a History major with a discipline in the Americas and a Black Studies minor. I am particularly interested in the role that American society has in the exploitation and appropriation of Indigenous and Black cultures. I look forward to working closely with Professor Bates and the other Sander Scholars, learning about their different perspectives, and conducting original research with Northwestern’s History faculty.
Henry Fleck
Hello! My name is Henry Fleck - I am a second-year student majoring in History and Political Science, with a minor in Environmental Policy and Culture. Outside of the classroom, I am a member of Northwestern Model UN, Bridge Northwestern, and the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society, among other groups. My interest in the Sanders Seminar stems from my desire to engage with historical content on a level more collaborative, comprehensive, and extensive than can be facilitated by a traditional ten-week course. I want the freedom to explore a topic in its entirety in a forum that does not force me to curtail my efforts due to temporal limitations; the Seminar is such a forum, and provides an opportunity to learn not only from historical resources but from the work of my peers. I am incredibly excited to do so.
Taylor Hancock
Hi everyone! My name is Taylor Hancock, and I’m a rising junior from Atlanta, GA studying journalism, history and global health. My concentration in global history sparks my interest to engage in diverse conversations with my peers and historical thinkers as a Sanders Scholar. I’m excited to grow alongside other students who are just as curious and committed to asking big, sometimes uncomfortable questions about the past. I’m drawn to history as a way of understanding how people make choices within systems of power and how those choices leave lasting impact on the world. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy crocheting, reading, watching my Celtics and listening to podcasts!
Aster Li
Hello! My name is Aster, and I’m a mathematics major and economics minor in the Class of 2027. While I plan to attend graduate school and eventually work in mathematics or a closely related field, my passion for history—especially Burgundy in the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries—is a huge part of both my academic and personal lives. As a Sanders Scholar, I hope to advance my understanding of the practice of historical research and of history’s enduring impacts on contemporary society. Outside of school, I like to read works of philosophy (as of writing, my favorite author is Montaigne) and to cook (of course, prominent among my repertoire are Burgundian classics and influences).
Jake Lubin
My name is Jake Lubin and I am a junior at Northwestern studying History and International Studies. I am deeply passionate about global history and I am pursuing a career in the entertainment industry where I hope to use my knowledge to tell the kind of stories that engage and wrestle with complex questions about history.
Jessica Near
My name is Jessica, and I am a sophomore at Northwestern University pursuing a double major in History and Science in Human Culture. As a transfer student, I have developed a strong interest in how historical narratives are constructed, contested, and reimagined. I am particularly focused on the ways in which history can help students make sense of contemporary issues. With the goal of becoming a high school history teacher, I am committed to exploring methods of teaching history that are both intellectually rigorous and socially relevant. Through the Sanders Seminar, I hope to deepen my understanding of key debates within the field and further develop my ability to think, write, and speak about history—skills that will directly inform my future work in the classroom.
Ella Poon
My name is Ella Poon, and I'm majoring in Theatre. I'm passionate about applying what I learn in the classroom to real-world challenges and am always looking for opportunities to grow both intellectually and personally. Through the Sanders Scholars Program, I hope to deepen my understanding of history's purpose and role in society while building meaningful connections with my peers and knowledgeable historians. I'm excited to be part of this community and look forward to improving my abilities as a historian.
Xiaotian Shangguan
My name is Xiaotian Shangguan, and I am a member of the class of 2027 studying history, economics, and sometimes data science. I became a history major because I thoroughly enjoyed my history classes in high school and hoped to pursue this area of study in depth at Northwestern. I’ve always loved history because of the way it has always challenged me to reshape the way I see the world and how it really is. When I took Global History 250-2 last winter quarter, it challenged the modern world history I was taught in high school. Through the Sanders Seminar, I hope to continue pursuing my passion for history while challenging my own beliefs and perceptions of the world with other students and faculty who are also as enthusiastic about history.
Joseph Wang
Hi! I'm Joseph, a freshman from Boston, MA, studying journalism and history. I love music, books, and film. I'm excited to get to know everyone and I'm interested in learning more about how history reveals itself in the present, especially with regards to civics and cultural values.