2024 FAIT Fellows
Tommy Allen, born in Austin, Texas, is a first-generation college student and a Mexican American. He holds an Associate of Science in Cybersecurity from Vincennes University. As a FAIT Fellow, Tommy is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Global Policy at Indiana University, where he is also studying the Japanese language.
Born on Long Island, New York, Ana Altman grew up in a bi-cultural household with Argentinian and American parents. She is fluent in Spanish and Russian, and has studied abroad in Tbilisi, Georgia, through the American Council’s Russian Language and Area Studies Program. Ana is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Born in Kinshasa, Congo, and raised in Kigali, Rwanda, Confido Banza speaks and writes English, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Kirundi, and Kiswahili. He holds an Associate of Science in Business Administration Management of Technology from Pima Community College and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Cyber Operations from the University of Arizona. Confido is pursuing a Master of Science in Management Information Systems at the University of Arizona.
Isa Cohen was raised in Idaho in a Venezuelan American household. As a Grand Challenges Scholar, she is dedicated to tackling global issues through innovation. Isa is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Cybersecurity at Arizona State University.
KaMeron Hopkins is a first-generation student, born in Annapolis, Maryland, and raised in Odenton, Maryland. He is a recipient of the competitive Presidential Scholarship at Susquehanna University where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
Dhiraj Lamsal was born in Nepal and immigrated to the United States. He speaks English, Nepali, and Hindi fluently. He holds an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems from Baltimore City Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland Global Campus. As a FAIT Fellow, Dhiraj is pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Born in Hanoi, Vietnam, Le is a first-generation Vietnamese American who immigrated to Maryland with her family. She is bilingual in English and Vietnamese. As a first-generation college student, she is pursuing a combined Bachelor and Master of Science in Computer Science and minoring in Advanced Cybersecurity Experiences for Students at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Astrid Gabriella Tagne Meleu is a first-generation American, having immigrated to the U.S. with her family from the Republic of Cameroon. She is bilingual in French and English and is proficient in Spanish. Astrid is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Science at the University of Maryland and minoring in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
A first-generation college student, John Mercedes is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, minoring in Data Analytics and Portuguese from Rhode Island College. John studied abroad in Portugal as a Gilman Scholar in the summer of 2023, and he speaks Spanish and Portuguese. He is pursuing a Master of Science in Data Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Lousindy Mitton migrated to the United States from Haiti at an early age and grew up in Miami, Florida. She earned an Associate of Arts from Miami Dade Honors College and a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity from Miami Dade College. She is fluent in English, French, and Haitian Creole, and she is currently improving her Spanish speaking skills. Lousindy is pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida.
Ahmed Mohammad is a Palestinian American born and raised on Long Island, New York. He speaks Arabic and is improving his Spanish language skills. Ahmed is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Security & Information Assurance with a concentration in Information Assurance Management at Norwich University. He is minoring in Information Warfare and Leadership Studies.
Andrea Olavarrieta, a second-generation American of Colombian and Salvadoran descent, is a New Jersey native. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and she studied Korean as an exchange student at Yonsei University in South Korea. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology and Informatics with a concentration in Cybersecurity at Rutgers University.
Born in Guam to an Air Force family, Joshua Riley spent part of his childhood in Micronesia and Europe before coming to the United States. He has worked as a full-time religious volunteer in central Ukraine and in Germany, where he further developed his Russian and German language skills. Joshua is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Data Science at Brigham Young University.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in New Jersey, Essence-Jade Springer is a second-generation American whose father immigrated from St. Lucia. She is working on improving her language proficiency in Spanish and plans to learn Arabic and French. Essence-Jade is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
