The Women’s Advancement Initiative is pleased to announce the 22 recipients of the 2025–26 Dorothy Goodwin Project Grants. These grants support undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students who are conducting innovative research or developing creative and community-centered projects in collaboration with dedicated faculty and staff mentors.
Launched in 2010, Dorothy Goodwin Project Grants were created through the generosity of Dorothy Goodwin. She was an educator, political leader, philanthropist, visionary, and longtime trustee of Hartford College for Women who inspired students to live beyond limitations and realize their full potential. She understood that reaching one’s goals requires challenging opportunities, strong mentors, and financial support. In honor of her leadership and legacy, and with gratitude for the generosity of her friends, The Women’s Advancement Initiative is proud to support these meaningful projects.
Awardees:
Amara Agosto ’26 will investigate how specific plant extracts influence cellular behavior in both liver cancer cells and healthy liver cells, building on previous findings and contributing to future cancer therapy research.
John Bennett ’25 will apply data science techniques to study gene expression in hepatocytes treated with phytochemicals, advancing research that may support liver health and cancer prevention.
Georgia Brown ’27 will design and build an electrical impedance analysis device to better measure fat and water content in the body, contributing to more accurate and inclusive alternatives to traditional BMI assessments.
Katie Casey ’27 will volunteer with medical professionals in Malawi by supporting direct patient care and delivering community health education in a country with significant healthcare shortages.
Paige Edelman ’27 will study the effects of intermittent fasting on Alzheimer’s disease by examining metabolic shifts and changes in beta amyloid and tau expression in a transgenic mouse model.
Jasmin Enriquez ’27 and Peyton Mize ’27 will work together to design a low-cost, disposable biosensor that detects carcinoembryonic antigen, a biomarker associated with pancreatic cancer, using microfluidic and electrochemical testing.
Sofia Ferreira ’27 will develop electrosensitive polypyrrole nanoparticles capable of releasing medicine on demand, supporting future targeted treatments for conditions such as muscle atrophy.
Alexandra Helmke ’27 will study women athletes’ knowledge and perceptions of creatine monohydrate and will develop educational materials to help address misconceptions surrounding sports supplementation.
Mirembe Kirokwa ’26 will launch “Thrive at Hill,” a culturally adapted social emotional learning curriculum for primary school students in Uganda that supports confidence, resilience, and academic success.
Akyedze Kusi ’28 will provide menstrual health education and hygiene resources to girls and young women in underserved communities in Ghana, while learning from local clinics and educators.
Rhiannon Lara ’27 will research how playing musical instruments may increase the risk of carrying Staphylococcus aureus by testing both instruments and musicians for bacterial presence and antibiotic resistance.
Dyani Maldonado ’26 will illustrate the children’s book Mommies Mow the Lawn, collaborating with her mentor to develop empowering visuals that reflect diverse family roles.
Sarah Marcos ’26 will design El Centro de Nueva Vida, a community-focused space in Guatemala that brings together education, healthcare, transitional housing, and social support in a sustainable environment.
Niah Otieno ’27 will expand the INUA Initiative in Kenya by launching Mobile Tutoring Camps that bring academic support, educational supplies, meals, and hygiene kits directly to students in underserved areas.
Natalie Ramos ’27 will create a portable device that alerts users to hazardous noise levels, promoting awareness and early prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.
Kaylie Selleck ’28 will develop a vocal fold on a chip model to study how repeated mechanical vibrations affect vocal fold tissue health, offering insight into the prevention of voice-related injuries.
Joshua Smith ’28 will examine the barriers women face in music production programs and identify best practices that colleges can use to support more equitable participation in the field.
Andrew Stribling ’27 will research how the ketogenic diet may influence Alzheimer’s disease progression by studying inflammation and DNA damage in both healthy and transgenic mice.
Jacqueline Tran ’28 will develop a sustainable chemical recycling process for polylactic acid plastics to produce calcium lactate supplements, offering a new approach to reducing plastic waste and supporting environmental health.
Kendra Walz ’26 will research the resilience of small knitting and fiber arts businesses in the Northeast and how these women-led shops adapt to challenges created by globalization.
Mikaela Williams ’28 will study day-by-day cartilage to bone transformation in growing mice using advanced imaging techniques that may provide insight into long-term osteoarthritis prevention.
We also recognize and thank all faculty and staff mentors who provide exceptional guidance, support, and academic leadership. This year’s mentors include Cindy Thomas Charles, Paola Sacchetti, Adam Silver, Rachel Curcio, Olivia Soliman, Yingcui Li, Takafumi Asaki, Colleen Krause Baladucco, Solaleh Miar, William Richter, Olivia Heui Young Park, Daphne Berry, Brianne DeMarco, Susan Jones, Alex Coury, John Koenig, and Laura Enzor.
Project grantees will present their work at The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s Annual Symposium in Spring 2026. Additional event details will be shared later in the semester.