Amal Cheema of Wellesley College and Madhuri Venkateswar of Rice University are among the 2017 Thomas J. Watson Fellows. The 49th annual class of 40 Fellows was announced by the Watson Foundation comes from six countries and 21 states. They will travel to 67 countries exploring topics ranging from pediatric cancer treatment to citizen journalism, from animation to autonomous vehicles, from immigration to island communities, from megacities to wildfire management, the foundation said in a news release.
At the center of the Watson Foundation program are summer internships at leading organizations in New York City and around the world. Fellows go on to attend leading graduate programs, receive national and international scholarships, and become leaders in their organizations and fields.
“We are thrilled to announce the new class,” said Chris Kasabach, executive director of the Watson Foundation. “The fellows’ diverse backgrounds and accomplishments are inspirational. We look forward to welcoming them to the greater Watson community and crafting a three- year experience that grows each of their unique potential.”
