Department of Government

Twenty-eight students in the Class of 2026 have been named valedictorians or salutatorians, Dartmouth's highest undergraduate academic honors. 

To be named valedictorians, the students each earned a cumulative 4.0 grade point average during their Dartmouth academic career. They are Ramsey Walid Alsheikh '26, Hannah Brooks '26, Klara Drees-Gross '26, Gideon M. Gruel '26, John Guerrerio '26, Cooper LaPorte '26, Stella Larson '26, Matthew Marks '26, Benna McDermott '26, Brooke Medley '26, Ava Rosenbaum '26, Sair Shaikh '26, and Simon Sloan '26.

Ava Rosenbaum '26 has been selected to deliver the valedictory address at Commencement by a committee that was convened by Scott Pauls, interim dean of undergraduate education, and included Nina Pavcnik, inaugural dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, representatives from the three divisions of the school (Faculty, Undergraduate Education, and Undergraduate Student Affairs), and the Office of the President.

The Class of 2026 salutatorians each earned at least a 3.99 grade point average. They include Arjun Anand '26, Eli Bailit '26, Alison Blake '26, Caelan Corkery '26, Luke Dehmel '26, Ipek Kendircioglu '26, Levi Konrad-Shankland '26, Daniela Maksin '26, Lucie Morton '26, Vy Hoan Nguyen '26, Noah Prescott '26, Hayley Sciubba '26, Warren Shepard '26, Sofia Isabel Peña Wallace '26, and Bill Zheng '26.

"What impresses me about this year's valedictorians and salutatorians is the depth of their academic achievements across the full range of the liberal arts, from pure mathematics to religious studies, from electrical engineering to ancient history, from computer science to geography," says Pavcnik. "Congratulations to them all for this exceptional accomplishment."

All of the valedictorians and salutatorians are members of Phi Beta Kappa.

Valedictorians

Ramsey Walid Alsheikh '26

Boca Raton, Fla.

Double major in computer science and Middle Eastern studies modified with Jewish studies

For Alsheikh, who plans a career in international policy and global peace-building, the best part of Dartmouth has been "sincere debates with my professors and classmates, whom I have always found uniquely thoughtful and respectful on difficult issues." 

A Mellon Mays Associate Fellow and an Adam Wright '17 International Intern through the John Sloan Dickey Center, Alsheikh was a research assistant for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory; interned with Adalah—The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel; and externed with Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development. He was also a development software engineering intern with Beige Corporation.

Alsheikh participated in the Arabic language study abroad program in Morocco and the computer science exchange program in Budapest, Hungary, and studied Arabic at the Middlebury Summer Language School. 

On-campus, he was opinion editor and columnist for The Dartmouth, a member of the men's volleyball team, an Arabic language drill instructor, a leader for first-year trips, and a Palaeopitus Senior Society delegate. 

Alsheikh plans to complete an intensive Arabic language fellowship at the American University of Cairo before studying law at Stanford University.

Hannah Brooks '26

Port Washington, N.Y.

Double major in linguistics and theater modified with Jewish studies 

Singing with the Dartmouth Decibelles has been "my most meaningful experience at Dartmouth," says Brooks, the a cappella group's music director this year. "I grew as a musician, a leader, a woman, and a friend."

Brooks performed in several Department of Theater, Displaced Theatre Company, and Rude Mechanicals productions; spent a term with the regional theater Northern Stage in White River Junction, Vt.; performed in professional productions at the New London Barn Playhouse; and was a historical interpretation intern at Old Sturbridge Village.

On-campus, she was president of Dartmouth Hillel, student representative for the theater department, an Admissions tour guide, an orientation leader, and a member of Kappa Delta sorority.

She traveled to Berlin on the Jewish studies/German studies foreign study program and to Poland on a Hillel Project Preservation trip. She was a teaching assistant and peer tutor in linguistics, and as a James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar, served as a research assistant on a project that investigated neurolinguistic imaging data of speakers of Tagalog and Arabic.

Post-graduation, Brooks plans to pursue professional theater before applying to graduate school.

Klara Drees-Gross '26

Bethesda, Md.

Double major in mathematics and computer science 

Drees-Gross enjoys studying "how math underlies major technologies such as large language models. I've also appreciated learning about the ethics of AI, including its risks, embedded biases, and strategies for making AI more equitable." 

A Jack Byrne Scholar, she participated in a Girls Who Code-run program in cybersecurity. She also traveled to Paris on a French foreign study program.

On-campus, she served as a French drill instructor and a teaching assistant in computer science, was part of The Dartmouth's data visualization team, and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority, for which she was wellness chair and historian.

Drees-Gross' most meaningful Dartmouth experience came as student director of the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact's Social Impact Nonprofit Consulting Program. "It has been incredibly fulfilling to mentor younger students and support mission-driven work in the Upper Valley," she says. 

She completed internships at Boston-based consulting firm New Markets Advisors and at the New York City office of the Boston Consulting Group, where she will return in August as an associate consultant.

Gideon M. Gruel '26

Martinsburg, W. Va., and Pocatello, Idaho

Double major in ancient history and philosophy 

As a Fellow for Religious Literacy at the Tucker Center, Gruel facilitated conversations across religious traditions. "Those conversations changed how I understood religious difference," he says. "I came to appreciate how much the health of a pluralistic society depends upon people being willing to see others, and to be seen by them in return."

Gruel was co-president of the Latter-day Saints Student Association, senior editor of the Dartmouth Law Journal, a peer mentor for the Dartmouth Scholars Program, a Great Issues Scholar, and a participant in the Rockefeller Global Leadership Program, the Energy Justice Clinic, the Mock Trial Society, and club powerlifting.

He participated in the Classics foreign study program in Rome and studied Arabic at Hebrew University and Latin at the University of Virginia through Leslie Center for the Humanities fellowships.

As a James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar, he assisted Professor Roberta Stewart's study of divination in Roman government. As a Hanlon Scholar, he studied religious tolerance in the ancient world. And a John Robert Lewis Scholarship from the Faith & Politics Institute helped him pursue an oral history project on the religious value of peace in Israel. 

Gruel has interned for New York State Supreme Court Justice Grace Hanlon, served as a litigation case assistant at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP; and was an archaeological field assistant at the Gabii Project in Rome.

Post-graduation, he plans to join the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in Washington, D.C., as a paralegal.

John Guerrerio '26

Baltimore, Md.

Major in computer science; minor in Chinese 

Guerrerio came to Dartmouth expecting to study cybersecurity. But in the lab of Associate Professor of Computer Science Soroush Vosoughi, he became fascinated with bias in large language models—work that earned him a Barry Goldwater Scholarship, led to his honors thesis in computer science, and is propelling him toward an academic career. 

"It's worth stressing how fantastic the mentorship is here. That's why I came to Dartmouth," says Guerrerio, the recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and co-author of six peer-reviewed publications, including two for which he is a first author.

A James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar, he was a research assistant in the Security and Privacy in the Lifecycle of IoT Group with professors Tim Pierson and O. Sami Saydjari and in the Transparent, Reliable, Illustrative & Practical AI Lab with Professor Yaoqing Yang.

He was an executive member of Dartmouth Coder Dojo, a volunteer tutor with the Norwalk Housing Authority Student Success Program, a mentor with the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact SIBs Program, an analyst with the Dartmouth Investment and Philanthropy Program, and a DALI Lab developer and then data mentor on the machine learning track.

He also interned twice with the Analytical Capabilities Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, was an undergraduate research fellow with the Software Quality Group of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a summer research intern with the Biomedical Text Mining Group at the National Institutes of Health, and an analyst for Cornerstone Research.

This fall, he begins a PhD program at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Language and Speech Processing.

Cooper LaPorte '26

Baltimore, Md.

Double major in computer science and mathematics

With interests in theoretical computer science, algorithms, number theory, and probability, after graduation LaPorte plans to join the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab as a full-time researcher, having previously interned in cyber operations.

Much of his undergraduate experience focused on the outdoors. An avid rock climber and skier, he was a member of the Dartmouth Outing Club climbing team, the mountaineering club, and Zeta Psi Fraternity. He twice spent winterim break bouldering in Bishop, Calif., on mountaineering club trips.

He also studied ancient Greek, receiving the Atherton 1883 Greek Prize for his accomplishments.

"Many small moments, from climbing trips, learning ice hockey, ice climbing, skiing, and sunrikes to bonfire and Green Key, and masters, have shaped my Dartmouth experience," he says. (A "sunrike" is a sunrise hike.)

Academically, most important to him has been his work with Deeparnab Chakrabarty, an associate professor of computer science, "on my thesis—actually discovering new algorithms and making significant progress in a rapidly emerging area of a 4,000-year-old field."

Stella Larson '26

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Double major in religion and music 

"I was drawn to Dartmouth for its strong sense of place, and felt its formative impact most in quiet moments: in the rich green of Upper Valley summer, the crisp sunlight of a bright winter day, and living and learning with friends amid the slow turn of the seasons in Hanover," says Larson.

An accomplished musician, she studied classical piano with Professor of Music Sally Pinkas and organ with College Organist Henry Danaher, played in chamber music ensembles, and wrote a senior thesis on the nonreligious performance of Renaissance sacred music in New York City public spaces—a topic that "sits at the intersection of my interests in religion and music," she says.

Larson participated in the music foreign study program in London and was a music department teaching assistant and an usher at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

Through the Rockefeller Center's Judicial Fellowship Program, she interned for Judge Elizabeth Wingo '92 at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She also interned at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, where she plans to return post-graduation as a litigation paralegal before applying to graduate school. 

Matthew Marks '26

Bedford, N.H.

Major in mathematics modified with economics

Drawn to mathematics by a love of problem-solving, Marks—a Jack Byrne Scholar and member of the varsity heavyweight rowing team—is interested in pursuing mathematical finance. 

He completed a research assistantship as a James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar and participated in the Dartmouth Investment and Philanthropy Program. 

After graduation, he will be returning to New York to join Scotiabank as a rotational analyst.

Benna McDermott '26

Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.

Major in geography; minors in environmental studies and Hispanic studies

"Hiking the Fifty with three of my best friends has been my most meaningful experience and accomplishment at Dartmouth," says McDermott of the annual Dartmouth Outing Club hike from the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge to Hanover. "I felt an outpouring of support from my friends and community, developed deep friendships, and gained new appreciation for the nature and wilderness that surrounds our campus."

With interests in sustainability, climate resilience, international development, and immigration, she took full advantage of the outdoors at Dartmouth as a member of ski patrol and a first-year trips leader, and in running, biking, and skiing throughout the Upper Valley.

She also participated in the Dartmouth Leadership, Attitudes, and Behaviors program co-sponsored by the Rockefeller Center and the Office of Student Life, and participated in foreign study programs in Buenos Aires and Vietnam.

She has interned with Energy Saving Trust in London and worked as a trip leader with Apogee Adventures.

This fall, McDermott will be pursuing a master's degree in sustainability management at Columbia University.

Brooke Medley '26

Edmond, Okla.

Major in anthropology modified with Asian societies, cultures, and languages; minor in education 

For Medley, the most meaningful part of her Dartmouth experience "has been meeting so many amazing people from around the world," she says.

She has been editor of the Dartmouth Jack-o-Lantern, a SIBs mentor through the Center for Social Impact, a trip leader with the Dartmouth Outing Club Flora and Fauna group, and a recruitment chair for her Greek house, Epsilon Kappa Theta.

With academic interests in ethnoprimatology, Japanese language, and experiential education, Medley was a camp lead at the Oklahoma City Zoo, participated in the Japanese language study abroad program in Osaka, and traveled to Japan on a research trip for her senior thesis. 

In her spare time, she collects vintage toys (especially My Little Pony), is an avid Dungeons & Dragons player, and enjoys drawing cartoons and writing comedy.

Next year she will participate in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program as an assistant language teacher in Hyogo Prefecture.

Ava Rosenbaum '26

Mercer Island, Wash.

Major in engineering sciences and BE in electrical engineering; minor in music

A cellist who has played with the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra and other chamber music groups on campus, Rosenbaum says one of her most meaningful Dartmouth experiences was the opportunity to tour Italy in December with the DSO in Tuscany. 

"It was incredible getting to learn from and perform alongside Italian conservatory students," says Rosenbaum, who has served as section leader and student manager of the DSO and who was the 2025 and 2026 Grand Prize winner of the Culley Concerto Competition.

She was part of the finalist team for the 2026 NASA Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts—Academic Linkage competition that designed a power grid for the lunar south pole. As a Neukom Scholar, she assisted Geoffroy Hautier, an adjunct professor of engineering, with computational materials engineering for quantum information science applications. 

Rosenbaum was an undergraduate adviser, a member of Chi Delta sorority, and was inducted into Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society. She also hiked the Fifty from Moosilauke to Hanover.

She completed an engineering internship at Rocket Lab and a co-op at STERIS. She plans to join Stratolaunch, a Mojave-Calif.-based aerospace company, as an avionics engineer.

Sair Shaikh '26

Karachi, Pakistan

Major in mathematics; minor in computer science

With academic interests in pure mathematics, especially algebraic geometry, Shaikh participated in the math department's Summer Hybrid Undergraduate Research program over sophomore summer—work that led to the publication of a paper on the strata of toric hyperplane arrangements, for which he was a co-author. He has also published research on theoretical machine learning and expects to publish two more papers based on his senior thesis research in algebraic geometry.

On-campus, he served as a grader and a teaching assistant in math, a teaching assistant in computer science, and was part of the Dartmouth Algebra and Number Theory Lab and the DALI Lab.

As a founding member and an executive of the Dartmouth Pakistani Student Association, he helped organize this spring's Qawwali Night, celebrating a form of Sufi devotional music. "I'm in disbelief to think that we brought this traditional music to Dartmouth," Shaikh says. "The entire day, I was surrounded by friends putting together the event, yapping, laughing, and engrossed in meaningful work."

He was also a leader in Cabin and Trail and a member of the Dartmouth Mathematics Society executive committee.

Shaikh plans to continue studying pure mathematics at the graduate level.

Simon Sloan '26

New York, N.Y.

Major in economics modified with mathematics

For Sloan, the Dartmouth community has had a "uniquely cohesive nature" that has created "an immediate sense of connection—the ability to feel a sense of belonging in so many corners of campus."

Sloan was a member of the lacrosse club, Psi Upsilon fraternity, and the Dartmouth Investment and Philanthropy Program, and was active in Hillel. He served as a teaching assistant and group tutor in the economics department and spent a term at Oxford University through the department's exchange program at Keble College.

He is also a self-taught classical pianist and an avid poker player (he finished fourth out of 418 in the 2025 Wynn Signature Series and 56th out of 1,740 at the 2026 WPT Prime). His longstanding interest in astronomy led him to restore a private observatory.

He interned at Lakeside Software and ACK Asset Management and was a summer analyst at Bank of Montreal Global Markets. Post-graduation, Sloan plans to return to Bank of Montreal Global Markets as an analyst on the equity derivatives desk.

Salutatorians

Arjun Anand '26

Stamford, Conn.

Double major in economics and mathematics 

Eli Bailit '26

Needham, Mass.

Major in cognitive science; minor in Hispanic studies 

Alison Blake '26

Milton, Mass.

Major in history; minor in Spanish

Caelan Corkery '26

Coventry, U.K.

Major in government; minors in English and Hispanic studies

Luke Dehmel '26

Darien, Conn.

Major in economics; minor in psychology 

Ipek Kendircioglu '26

Lexington, Mass.

Major in economics; minor in Hispanic studies 

Levi Konrad-Shankland '26

San Carlos, Calif.

Triple major in environment studies, economics, and biology

Daniela Maksin '26

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Double major in environmental studies and Russian 

Lucie Morton '26

Alexandria, Va.

Major in art history modified with classical languages and literatures; minor in architectural design

Vy Hoan Nguyen '26

Hanoi, Vietnam

Major in economics; minor in Asian societies, cultures, and languages 

Noah Prescott '26

Nevada City, Calif.

Double major in cognitive science and music

Hayley Sciubba '26

Reisterstown, Md.

Major in economics; minor in quantitative social science 

Warren Shepard '26

Middleton, Wisc.

Double major in computer science and mathematics

Sofia Isabel Peña Wallace '26

Aspen Hill, Md.

Major in linguistics; minor in Russian 

Bill Zheng '26

Naperville, Ill.

Double major in computer science and quantitative social science