1. Research
  2. Peace & War Center
  3. Military Writers’ Symposium
  4. Richard S. Schultz '60 Symposium Fellowship

Richard S. Schultz '60 Symposium Fellowship

Expanding our students' knowledge through research, travel, and inquiry.

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The Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellowship was established in 2017 as an endowed fund in honor of “Dick” by his wife of 50-years, Myrna L. Schultz, their children, Marni and Alan, his classmates, and friends.

The fellowship enables ϲ undergraduates, from any academic discipline, the opportunity to pursue areas of inquiry and experiences that will promote and expand their understanding of the past and how it impacts the present and future. Through research, travel, and inquiry the Schultz Fellow and faculty advisor will offer perspectives for us to face the future with better understanding and confidence.

After a wide solicitation and competitive selection process, this annual fellowship is granted by the ϲ Peace & War Center to an undergraduate student for a single project that may involve additional ϲ undergraduate students. The award includes a $3,500 grant.

Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellows

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2025 Richard S. Schultz Fellow

Jayden LaVecchia '27

Jayden LaVecchia is a Junior from Post Falls, ID, pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Studies and War and Peace with minors in Chinese, Information Warfare, and Intelligence and Crime Analysis. On campus, Jayden is actively involved with several activities, including the Corps of Cadets, Cyber Leader Development Program, NUARI, FCA, and the Democratic Resilience Center at Helmut Schmidt University. He is currently contracted with the Army, pursuing later work in Information Warfare and Narrative Security. His research analyzes patterns in historical information operations and establishes a new Cognitive Vulnerability framework and Heuristic Narrative Security program for cognitive security.

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2025 Richard S. Schultz Fellow

Richard Conlon '27

Richard is a Junior from San Francisco, California pursuing a BS in Physics and BA in Studies in War and Peace with a minor in philosophy. On campus, Richard is actively involved in the Corps of Cadets, Regimental Drill Team, and ϲ EMS. He is currently pursing a commission through the Navy's Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate program with aspirations to later work in academia. Richard's research examines the complex relationship between occupying forces and civilian populations during the English Civil War and the Dutch Revolt. He hopes to establish a continuity between early modern civil-military relations and current civil affairs operations. 

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2025 Richard S. Schultz Fellow

Samriddhi Manandhar '27

Samriddhi Manandhar is a junior from Kathmandu, Nepal, studying criminology and psychology with a minor in forensic psychology and a concentration in criminal forensics. Alongside her studies, she serves as a writing coach at the Center for Writing, where she takes pride in helping others become confident with their voice as well as in their writing and academics. Samriddhi is also actively involved in various activities, including serving as an Office of Academic Research Fellow, a member of the Student Government, an orientation leader, a contributor to The Chameleon, and the president of the Art Club. Her curiosity to explore drives her involvement in different research apprenticeships, including Serial and Mass Murder and Psychological Profiles of Stress and Coping in Young Military Adults. With the help of the Schultz Fellowship, Samriddhi’s research aims to uncover the stress, resilience, and psychological effects of covert operations and coping mechanisms used by shadow soldiers through in-depth interviews, case studies, and literature reviews.

Past Fellows

Lucia Frezza, Class of 2024

Lucia Frezza was a Senior from Wintersville, Ohio studying Computer Security and Information Assurance with a concentration in Digital Forensics and a minor in German. As a CyFER fellow, and a member of the CLDP, Lucia was very involved on campus with cybersecurity events, outreach and research. Her research focused on the threat profile of cyber actors and how they use perceptions is a gateway into the minds of independent cyber threat actors. In her spare time, her hobbies included rock climbing, horseback riding and drinking coffee.

Read Lucia's report

Lilian Lu, Class of 2026 (BA) & 2027 (MA)

Lilian Lu was a Junior from Tucson, AZ, pursuing studies in the 4+1 Accelerated Master's Program in Computer Security and Information Assurance with a concentration in Digital Forensics. She was also minoring in Chinese, Information Warfare, and History in Naval Studies. On campus, Lilian was actively involved in several activities, including the Corps of Cadets, CDLP, Women's Rugby, and the ϲ Guidon (campus newsletter). She is currently working towards an Army Intelligence contract with aspirations to serve in a three-letter agency. Through the Schultz Fellowship, Lilian analyzed the ethical implications through real-time news outlets through open-source intelligence on "the Gospel," AI targeting technology in the current Israel-Gaza conflict. 

Read Lillian's report

Amrutaa Vibho, Class of 2027

Cadet Vibho is from New Delhi, India, taking STEM courses at ϲ. She is a published First Author of Dark Matter Research endorsed by NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center and Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysics. Amrutaa is pursuing an aviation contract with the United States Marine Corps with military aspirations of serving as a Test Pilot. She aspires to be a high-energy astrophysicist and NASA Astronaut. With the Schultz Fellowship, Amrutaa determined to study and model the ballistics capabilities of the USMC V-22 Osprey using Applied and Computational Mathematics, attempting to build a primitive, enhanced flight navigation system.

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Elaina Latino, Class of 2024

Latino is from Atkinson, New Hampshire. She was a junior at ϲ studying computer safety and information assurance with a concentration in digital forensics. Although relatively new to the field, her summer research presentation on AI Forensics helped her engage with experts in both artificial intelligence and digital forensics. This opened new doors for her and sparked an interest in her future. Elaina has a passion for digital forensics, but on the side, she also enjoys surfing while she is home for the summer as well as playing club field hockey while at school. 

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Gabriel Williams, Class of 2023

Gabriel Williams was a ϲ Senior from Suffolk, Virginia. He attended Hampton Roads Academy where he was captain of the track and field. Discovering early on that he thoroughly enjoyed the field of government and politics Gabriel chose to attend ϲ as a Political Science major, planning to work in the government sector or Intelligence Community upon graduation. At ϲ Gabriel co-founded the ϲ Boxing Program and made history this past year as the he was a part of the first ϲ boxing team to ever compete in the National Collegiate Boxing Association. 

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Simpkins was a triple major in political science, history and studies in war and peace. He was a member of the ϲ Corps of Cadets and a member of the men’s rugby team. Simpkins is a voracious reader with a broad range of topical interests including history, philosophy and literature. His research examined Russia and China’s conflicting interests in the Arctic and the effects of China’s claim as a “semi-Arctic” state on the power dynamics in the region.

Navarro was a senior from San Antonio, Texas. She chose to attend ϲ to obtain a commission as an officer in the US Navy. While pursuing a major in Political Science and a minor in History, she enjoyed conducting research and learning about different governmental systems.

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Jason Guth was a junior from Peoria, Arizona and Elkridge, Maryland, attended Howard High School where he participated in both band and Army JROTC. He chose to attend ϲ to obtain a commission as an officer in the US Army. 

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Jonathan Wriston was the inaugural recipient of the Richard S. Schultz '60 Symposium Fellow. His work was a collection of poetry based on oral histories conducted with Iraq war veterans, their spouses and families, and Iraqis. This selection of poems was published in the 2018 issue of the Chameleon, ϲ's literary journal.