Welcoming the 2025 incoming Stamps Scholars

Mikhael Cristo-Ezewoko completed his high school studies in Northern Virginia. Mikhael was particularly drawn to Virginia Tech due to its stellar undergraduate engineering program and mission as embodied by its motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), defining characteristics that dually promote academic endeavors and dedication to community service.

Mikhael intends to major in Electrical Engineering, exploring engineering applications in robotics, computation, and technology innovations, applying engineering and scientific principles to affecting change and delivering solutions to problems in areas such as healthcare and energy systems.

Mikhael has used his love for mathematics and sciences to develop his programming and engineering design skills from a young age, leveraging them to lead a competitive robotics team at his high school while learning valuable life and engineering lessons along the way. Yearning to give back to his community, Mikhael became a teaching assistant at a non-profit Brazilian cultural organization ABRACE, serving more than 175 children and their families. His leadership, effective communication, and use of technology tools contributed to ABRACE winning national language awards. Serving his community by also teaching and organizing math and programming curricula through international initiatives and being a project leader in his school’s Science National Honor Society chapter, Mikhael encouraged young students to pursue STEM through interactive activities.

In his leisure time, Mikhael enjoys reading, exploring languages, running, and playing Tetris.

Mikhael recognizes that, as a Stamps Scholar, he works to use his skillset to serve others, and strives to drive global progress with other like-minded scholars and professionals.

Elias Dejene is from Montgomery County, Maryland. Growing up in one of the most diverse areas in the country, he learned early how real change starts close to home. He led the Minority Scholars Program at his high school, where he expanded equity-focused initiatives and organized professional development for teachers on how to better support students of color. That work led to real policy changes and even earned him a recommendation from the county superintendent. He also spoke at a countywide retreat to thousands of students and educators, sharing what it takes to build an inclusive school system.

At Virginia Tech, Elias plans to major in Computer Science, with a focus on artificial intelligence. He’s interested in how AI can be used in healthcare, especially to make access fairer for people in underserved communities. He’s excited to explore the intersection between tech, social impact, and public service.

Outside of academics, Elias makes music, boxes, lifts, and hoops, but he also spends time reflecting and having deep convos about identity, growth, and who he’s becoming.

To him, being a Stamps Scholar means having the space and support to chase big ideas and live with purpose. He’s grateful to be part of a community that holds itself to a high standard and pushes each other to lead with vision and heart.

Natalie Lanter is from Fairfax Station, Virginia. Inspired by her favorite teachers, all proud Hokie alumni, she researched the university and fell in love with the school spirit, values, and business program. What she is most looking forward to about attending Virginia Tech is being in an academic environment that encourages students to explore their different interests. (And the great food!)

Throughout her diverse leadership positions in high school, including president of Future Business Leaders of America, manager of her local pool, play director, captain of her field hockey and lacrosse teams, Natalie has developed a passion for empathetic leadership. She believes kindness and humility are the cornerstones of the most successful leadership endeavors, and she’s excited to bring this philosophy to Virginia Tech.
She’ll be majoring in Cybersecurity Management and Analytics. She’s eager to study the intersection of technology, psychology, communications, and leadership to build a better and more ethical digital world.

Natalie has a deep love for reading and writing, and her lifelong dream is to publish one of her books. She’s written several novel drafts, the common theme being the exploration of characters grappling with mental health issues. Her hope is that her stories will bring comfort to those struggling and facilitate thoughtful conversation surrounding various conditions.

To Natalie, being a Stamps Scholar means using your internal gifts to make external change in the world. She’s incredibly grateful to be part of such a brilliant group of people and will seize all her opportunities to the fullest.

Hannah Lee is from Richmond, Virginia, and is a proud Stamps Scholar who looks forward to pursuing a degree in finance at the Pamplin College of Business. She chose Virginia Tech because the school offers extensive research opportunities. As a Stamps Scholar, she plans to conduct interdisciplinary research abroad through the Presidential Global Scholars program and be involved in various activities through the Honors College.

In previous years, Hannah most enjoyed serving as President of her high school’s DECA chapter and as the Vice President of its Science National Honor Society. She plans to join similar clubs focused on finance and environmental sustainability while at Virginia Tech. Hannah’s favorite pastimes include various art forms, such as music and film, but she is most passionate about dance. She was a member of her school’s dance team, as well as a competitive dancer, winning numerous awards. Hannah has also dedicated her time to sharing financial literacy and spreading climate awareness on her platform.

For Hannah, being a Stamps Scholar is about leading with humility as she uses her privileges to uplift those who lack similar resources. With a constant reminder of David Attenborough’s words that “the fundamental issue is the moral issue,” Hannah hopes to make financial and environmental systems fairer and more accessible. Simultaneously guided by the four pillars of the Stamps Scholars Program and Virginia Tech’s Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Hannah is excited to make a positive impact in her communities and beyond with her fellow Stamps Scholars.

Bahar Malik is from Stafford, Virginia. She plans to study Architecture at Virginia Tech, with the goal of designing sustainable housing for refugee and underserved communities. She’s especially interested in how community-centered design can improve quality of life for people who’ve been displaced or affected by housing inequality.

During high school, Bahar volunteered at her local Islamic Sunday school, where she helped teach younger children and supported their learning in Arabic and Islamic studies. That experience strengthened her patience, leadership skills, and belief in the importance of giving back to her community—values she hopes to carry into her future work as an architect.

Virginia Tech stood out to her during the PATHWAYS program, where she was drawn to the hands-on learning, welcoming environment, and strong culture of service. The motto Ut Prosim—That I May Serve—aligned closely with her goals, and made Virginia Tech feel like the right place to grow both personally and professionally.

Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family—whether it’s sharing a meal, going out, or just catching up. Those moments help her stay motivated.

To Bahar, being a Stamps Scholar means joining a driven, supportive community of learners who care deeply about making a difference. She’s excited to learn from others, explore new opportunities, and use her time at Virginia Tech to help build a better, more inclusive future.

Aradhyaa Mathur, a native of Richmond, Virginia, is an incoming Electrical and Computer Engineering major at Virginia Tech and a proud Stamps Scholar. She graduated from the Center for Engineering at Highland Springs High School, where she nurtured her passion for innovation, interdisciplinary research, and service. Aradhyaa became a Hokies fan in 10th grade when her uncle, a Virginia Tech alumnus, took her to a football game in Blacksburg. She instantly connected with the energy of the campus, the strong sense of community, and the university’s commitment to cutting-edge research.

Aradhyaa plans to minor in Biology and hopes to integrate Onco-biology with artificial intelligence to enhance the early detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, especially among pediatric populations. She envisions developing AI-driven models that personalize cancer care and improve clinical outcomes.

A dedicated researcher, Aradhyaa has served as a research scholar at Virginia Commonwealth University for three years. She designed and presented "A Semi-Quantitative Scoring Model for Histopathological Scoring of Acute Lung Injury in Mice" at the VCU Summer Research Symposium. She is also the lead author of the published paper "Investigating the Correlation Between Patient Education on Web-Based Portal Functionality and the Reduction in 30-Day Hospital Readmission Rates."

Outside of academics, Aradhyaa is an avid singer, lifelong Swiftie, and passionate reader. She enjoys team-based problem-solving, creative innovation, and mentoring others.

For Aradhyaa, being a Stamps Scholar means leading with purpose, collaborating across disciplines, and pursuing excellence. She is excited to grow intellectually and personally at Virginia Tech, and to make a lasting difference in the world around her.

Shariah Warren is from Durham, North Carolina. She first knew Virginia Tech was the place for her after attending the Black College Institute summer program. During her time there, she appreciated how deeply the university took pride in its students, supporting and encouraging them to rise to their fullest potential. That sense of community and commitment spoke to her values of duality and growth, combining the drive for personal success with the responsibility to uplift those around her.

Shariah has always had a deep connection to animals, which led her to volunteer at Paws4Ever and shadow veterinarians in the oncology department at the NC State Veterinary Hospital. She plans to major in Wildlife Conservation with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. In addition to her love for animals, she enjoys traveling and learning from cultures and communities outside of her own. At Virginia Tech, she looks forward to participating in the Presidential Global Scholars program and forming meaningful connections across campus.

Someone once told her, “As you are growing up, the world gives to you, but at some point you must give back to the world.” For Shariah, becoming a Stamps Scholar represents that turning point. It is an opportunity to give back with purpose, to lead by example, and to inspire others to become the best version of themselves by showing them what that looks like through her own journey.

Sophia Watson is from Chester, Virginia, and a proud graduate of Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies. Sophia is majoring in Business at the Pamplin School of Business with an interest in marketing management. Sophia was drawn to Virginia Tech after walking onto the campus for the first time and seeing how welcoming and community-driven the school was. Virginia Tech immediately felt like home, and when she attended a pre-college program the following summer, it further cemented her love for the school.

Additionally, the motto of Ut Prosim is very close to Sophia’s heart as she is a dedicated member of her community, having volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, Chesterfield Food Bank, and an annual neighborhood food drive that she spearheads. She hopes to continue her efforts at the Market at Virginia Tech, where she wants to help fight food insecurity both locally and nationally.

Sophia’s favorite pastime is reading, as she reads approximately 70 books a year. Sophia wishes to travel abroad to assess the connection between food scarcity and literacy rates and develop a business model to combat this issue. Furthermore, she hopes to create reading spaces globally.

To Sophia, being a Stamps Scholar is about opportunity: the ability to collaborate with people from diverse disciplines, engage in a unique approach to problem-solving, learn new perspectives, and contribute to the community, leaving it better than it was found. Sophia is excited to meet the other scholars and start this new chapter.