CURRENT STUDENTS

2025 Cohort

Left to right: Lily Schwartz, Emma Rodriguez, Gabe Weikert, Elianna Tenace, Kathryn Brown, Deenah McFadden

Kathryn Brown

Kathryn smiling at the camera. They are sitting in a car and wearing a white blouse.

Kathryn Brown is a Senior at Eckerd College majoring in Psychology and Ancient Studies. They plan to pursue a career as a clinician focusing on the mental health of children. For her discovery plan, Kathryn is focused on promoting transgender visibility on campus and helping students battle anti-trans legislation. On campus, she is an avid shadow cast member and intimacy coordinator of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Eckerd. They are also the current Vice President of the Taylor Swift Society. You can catch them working at the cafeteria, reading Homer, or hanging out with friends. 

Deenah McFadden

Deenah smiling and holding her dog, Echo, a golden retriever with a red service dog vest.

Deenah McFadden (She/Her) is a Senior at Eckerd College, double majoring in Molecular Biology and Anthropology with a minor in Chemistry. She is passionate about medicine, healthcare accessibility, and issues relating to climate change. Deenah is also an ambassador for the Office of Inclusive Excellence, a board member of the Pre-Health Club, a Diversity Leader Scholar, and an Eastman Scholar. For her Eastman Program discovery plan, she wishes to use her leadership skills and culturally sensitive approach to address issues in accessibility to Western emergency medicine. When Deenah’s not in class, you’ll find her doing yoga, at community poetry, drinking tea, swimming, traveling, or playing with her dog, but when she’s home in Cleveland, OH, she spends her time with horses and her little sister! 

Elianna Tenace

Elianna gently smiling at camera. She is wearing a denim jacket with heart patches on it.

Elianna Tenace (‘25) (they/she/he) is a Senior from Colorado Springs, Colorado. They're an alum of Pikes Peak State College, having earned her Associate of Arts in May 2019. At Eckerd College, Elianna majors in Chemistry and the Humanities (Religious Studies). His discovery plan centers on investigating intergenerational connection as a source of social change. In that line, she is co-president of the Intergenerational Book Club; here, they intend to foster connections between Eckerd students and ASPEC members (Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College) via shared, written mediums. In her free time, Elianna likes to rewatch Mad Max: Fury Road and spend time with her loved ones. 

Gabe Weikert

Gabe smiling at a reptile skull in astonishment. He's holding the large, toothed skull in his hands.

Gabe Weikert (He/His) is a Senior at Eckerd College majoring in Biology, with a minor in Chemistry. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Gabe finds his passion in the biology/ecology of reptiles and amphibians. While at Eckerd, Gabe has been involved as the president of the Eckerd Herpetological Society and as a researcher with Dr. Goessling. His work with Dr. Goessling has largely revolved around the re-establishment of an imperiled population of gopher tortoises in southern Alabama. Gabe has also gotten experience interning in the American Museum of Natural History’s herpetological collection during his sophomore year. This experience inspired his discovery plan which aims to examine the relationship between natural history museums and modern colonization. 

Emma Rodríguez

Emma smiling at camera in front of distant mountains. She's wearing her red hair in two braids.

Emma Rodríguez (She/Her) is a Senior at Eckerd College obtaining a major in International Relations and Global Affairs with minors in Spanish and Public Health. She plans to pursue work in global health and development in Latin American countries, researching the politics of health. As an ambassador in the Office of Inclusive Excellence, a board member of the Pre-Health Club, and a member of Latinos Unidos, she is passionate about understanding the power relationships on the policy side of health and helping to educate and share her findings with the Eckerd Community. Outside of class, she enjoys taking care of those she loves, whether that be organizing Sunday morning breakfast for her roommates and neighbors, or writing letters to them with wax stamps, stickers, and dried flowers.

Lily Schwartz

Lily grinning on the deck of a boat in what appears to be open sea.

Lily Schwartz is a Senior at Eckerd College with a double major in Political Science and Environmental Studies, and minoring in Arabic and Leadership Studies. She is a member of Eckerd College’s sailing team and in the past, was a Resident Advisor and Peer Mentor. She is in the Peace Corps prep program and involved in SAAC on campus. Lily is from a small Lake Erie coastal town in Ohio, which gave her the opportunity to sail very affordably from a young age. Her Eastman project goal is to expand accessibility and exposure in the sport of sailing by working with community youth groups. She believes that sailing teaches fundamental life lessons and that everyone should have equal access to both sailing and our local natural resources. When not in class or studying, you can find Lily sailing or swimming in Tampa Bay.