This matching challenge will inspire a new wave of philanthropy and generate up to $3 million in student support.

Randi and Steve Piaker

Rochester Trustee Steve Piaker ’84 and his wife, Randi, have committed $1 million to launch a new scholarship challenge benefiting undergraduates at the University’s Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences and School of Arts & Sciences. The Piaker Family Scholarship Challenge has the potential to generate up to $3 million in financial aid for students with demonstrated need.

The Piaker Challenge is designed to spark generosity and amplify impact through matching gifts—encouraging others to start endowed scholarships of their own. For each new endowed scholarship that qualifies, matching funds will be added to increase the total scholarship value. For example, if a donor contributes $100,000, the Piaker Challenge will contribute an additional $50,000—bringing the fund total to $150,000. Likewise, if a new donor makes a $67,000 commitment, the Piaker Challenge will add $33,000, for a total value of $100,000. Each year, a portion of the fund’s value will be used to provide student aid, ensuring ongoing support, while the principal remains invested to benefit future generations.

“We are grateful to the Piakers for��making this generous gift and��inspiring��others to give too,” says Rob Alexander, vice provost and University dean of enrollment.��“Because of the Piakers’��leadership—and the support of others who will join them—many students will receive the financial aid��they need to access a Rochester��education, now and for years to come.”

“Like so many other alumni, my time at Rochester was truly transformative,” says Steve. “It was—and still is—a special place for me. Randi and I are honored to make this gift knowing it will serve as a force multiplier. Establishing a matching fund is a powerful way to help others maximize the impact of their giving. Together, we can support even more students.”

A legacy of student support

Steve and Randi have a long history of supporting Rochester’s undergraduate students. In 2020, they established an endowed scholarship through the Nataraj Scholarship Challenge, an initiative launched by Rochester Trustee Naveen Nataraj ’97 and his wife, Courtney, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within a year, that challenge raised $2.6 million and created 22 endowed scholarships—illustrating the power of matching challenges. “It’s our hope that this new challenge will have a similar impact,” says Steve.

The Piakers have also supported students through the Brady Scholars Program, established by Elizabeth Pungello Bruno ’89, another Rochester trustee and alumnus as well as a parent of a Rochester graduate. This is one of the University’s premier scholarship programs, providing ongoing financial support and individual academic advising, peer mentoring, and special academic and social opportunities.

“Rochester students share an ethos,” adds Steve. “It’s a real community here, full of young adults with a passion for learning—students who are intellectually curious, socially engaged, and rooting each other on. It’s a privilege to make a gift that adds to this momentum.”

Another inspiration for the couple’s support is Steve’s father. “As a World War II veteran and son of immigrants, he was only able to go to City College in New York because it was free,” says Steve. “He was always grateful for that opportunity and worked so hard to provide for his family and give back to the community supporting innumerable causes. My parents sacrificed a lot to ensure that my brother and I could attend a university of our choice. Attending the Ģ����ý and graduating without a mountain of debt was a privilege. Underwriting this challenge—and providing financial assistance to students over the years—has been a meaningful way for Randi and me to honor my parents while helping students realize their full potential.”

Committed to excellence and education

Steven Piaker is co-founder and managing partner of Ten Coves Capital, a financial technology- focused growth equity firm based in Darien, Connecticut. He has more than 30 years of experience investing at the intersection of technology and financial services. Before forming Ten Coves, he served as co-head of Napier Park Financial Partners, was among the founding partners of Napier Park Global Capital, and served as managing partner at CCP Equity Partners. He also held various investment positions with Conseco Inc., GE Capital’s leveraged buyout division, and Chase Manhattan Bank. Steve received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Rochester and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Steve has served on the University’s board of trustees since May 2024 and is a member of its investment committee. A former trustee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, he serves on the boards of Cassini Systems Limited, Inbox Health Corp., PointPredictive, Inc., and Steeleye Limited. The Piakers are longtime members of the George Eastman Circle, the University’s leadership annual giving society.

The First-Generation Network connects students with alumni who have walked a similar path.

Transitioning to college can be challenging for any student, but those who are the first in their families to attend college face unique hurdles. That’s why Rochester launched the in June 2021. The network serves first-generation alumni, students, families, friends, and supporters, offering mentorship, networking, and community building.

“The college experience can be incredibly isolating and intimidating without a community of those with shared backgrounds,” says Celeste Glasgow Ribbins ’91, a facilitator and consultant who cochairs the network with Doug Austin ’98, ’04S (MBA) and Jessica Colorado ’12, ’20W (MS).

Austin, a health plan operations, finance, and IT specialist echoes Ribbins. “The network provides opportunities for first-generation students to ask questions that they might not be able to ask of their families because—as much as those who are closest to them may want to help and have encouraged them along the way—they haven’t gone through the same experiences.”

Each of the cochairs wishes they’d had more guidance both on their paths to college and once they arrived. “Many high school students don’t even realize college is a possibility or understand the application process,” says Colorado, who grew up in New York City and majored in chemistry. She credits her high school English teacher, Dr. Barbara Rowes—who was awarded the University’s Singer Family Prize for Excellence in Secondary Education in 2012—with helping her navigate applications and better understand her choices.

Colorado faced an additional challenge in that her parents immigrated to the US from Colombia in the 1980s and didn’t know English well. “When they came to campus for orientation and other events, they couldn’t ask questions, and I didn’t know what I should be asking for them,” she says. “They also needed me to translate. It was a lot.”

Colorado has dedicated her career to helping underserved populations. She’s a policy analyst at the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association in Washington, DC, and a member of the University’s Diversity Advisory Council. Earlier in her career, she worked at the University’s David T. Kearns Center.

Ribbins, who is from Cleveland, chose Rochester for its proximity to home, its relatively small size, and its rigorous academics. She sang in the Gospel Choir and in Vocal Point, was a resident advisor, and was a member of the Black Students Union.

Austin grew up in the Catskills, where he says the “cows outnumbered the students.” In addition to his leadership role within the network, he serves as a mentor through his local Chamber of Commerce. He’s also served on many College class reunion committees and is a member of the University’s Diversity Advisory Council.

Claudia De Leon, Rochester’s associate director of affinity networks and equity, diversity, and inclusion programs, was a first-generation student herself. “The First-Generation Network amplifies the voice of first-generation students and alumni by connecting them with those who have already navigated college’s challenges and many of life’s ‘firsts,’” De Leon says.

The cochairs encourage first generation alumni to join the network, and they want current student and recent alumni to know the network is here help them on their paths.

Adds Colorado, “I had to figure out a lot on my own, but I made it to Commencement, and they can, too.”

This optics major, a capella performer, and recipient of the Rick and Terri Rashid Endowed Scholarship in Engineering excels in the classroom and in the campus community

Ethan R. King ’27

What are your academic/career goals? Was there a life experience that sparked your interest in what you’re studying or have planned for a career?

I want to design/invent new products and technologies. As a kid growing up in a very rural area, I often entertained myself by going outside and building structures or contraptions in the woods like catapults and bridges. In my house (much to my mother’s dismay), I would build incredibly complex chain reaction contraptions in my room composed of KNEX, Legos, marbles, cardboard tubes, the fan on my ceiling, and any other creative ways I could transfer energy. As an adult, I knew I wanted to be on the front line of creating groundbreaking technologies, and the rapidly growing field of optics was the best choice.

What are your favorite ways to engage with UR’s campus community outside of the classroom?

I am a member of the Yellowjackets a cappella group and am frequently involved with the chess club and spike ball club. I can often be found practicing my saxophone or singing in the acoustically sealed practice rooms that are provided to us on campus. I was recently elected to be the music director for the Yellowjackets, so I will be spending extra time arranging music and organizing the group in the coming semesters.��

What internship, research project, study abroad, or work opportunities have you been involved in recently? What skills are you taking away from the experience(s)?

For my first optics course (OPT 101), my group and I completed a very professional research poster to wrap up the semester. The poster was based on a lab study we completed with Professor Cotrufo, and demonstrated different light transmission properties of a material as we heated and cooled it.

As the project lead, I learned a great deal about the material on the poster and overcame many of the difficulties associated with working in a group. In the end, my group and I presented a poster that we are very proud of, and I finished with a 4.0 GPA in that class. I’m hoping to do more professional research in the future and am extremely grateful to have had this experience so early on in my college career.

In what ways do you feel scholarship support impacts your experience at the University?

As a student graduating from a high school in a relatively poor rural area, I am incredibly proud to be attending the Ģ����ý and am thoroughly enjoying my college experience so far. I cannot possibly express how appreciative I am of the donors that help fund the scholarships that make it possible for me and other students to afford going to such an amazing school. I feel as though I am getting a versatile and beneficial education for my future, and the Rick and Terri Rashid Endowed Scholarship in Engineering allows the University to continue providing a quality education for engineering majors such as me.

Talent, drive, and donor generosity fuel the ambitions of this scholarship recipient

Budge is the recipient of multiple scholarships, including significant support from the Joyce Osborn Violin Scholarship, made possible through the generosity of Joyce Osborn and the Wegman Family Scholarship Challenge.

By the time Ashni Budge arrived at the , she’d already dedicated most of her life to music. She started playing the violin at just three years old. When she was five, she added the piano to her repertoire.

At about that same time, Budge’s family discovered that she had perfect pitch. Budge attributes that to her grandmother, a professional Chinese opera singer. “She taught my younger brother and me to sing,” says Budge, who grew up outside of Los Angeles. “I have vivid memories of the two of us performing and of me putting on operas for our family.”

In middle school, Budge joined the band and, even though it didn’t have a string section, she wasn’t deterred. That’s when she picked up the clarinet, which she continued playing throughout high school. She joined the choir, too.

When it came time to decide on a college, Budge knew Eastman was for her. She was drawn to its renowned reputation and that it is part of the URochester, a leading private research university with a flexible undergraduate curriculum. She was also excited to travel and live on the other side of the country.

Being a scholarship recipient has made it all possible for Budge. “Without the generosity of others, I couldn’t afford to be here,” she adds. “I can’t believe that people who don’t even know me have provided me with scholarships. Someday, I hope to help others in a similar way.”

Budge and Nicholas Garcia-Hettinger ’24E, a Hamlin Family Scholarship Fund recipient, in the Wolk Atrium, Eastman School of Music

In the meantime, Budge is taking advantage of every opportunity. Not only is she an applied music major studying violin at Eastman, she is also a psychology major and brain and cognitive sciences minor at the University’s School of Arts & Sciences. Along the way, she’s performed in live-to-picture renditions of Danny Elfman’s Batman, cofounded a string quartet with friends, called the Avant Quartet, and earned the prestigious position of concertmaster for the Eastman Philharmonia. Budge has been recognized for her academic achievements, too. She’s on the dean’s list and was inducted into Psi Chi, the International Honor Society for psychology students, as a sophomore.

In 2022, Budge and her quartet participated in what’s become a life-changing experience for her: Eastman-to-Go. This one-semester chamber music course provides select ensembles opportunities to bring music into the Greater Rochester community, with a focus on presenting classical music to new, young audiences. Budge loved it, and so did the people with whom she interacted.

For instance, at the Dr. Charles T. Lunsford School No. 19, one of the schools they visited, Budge’s influence was so significant that she was invited back for the 2023–24 academic year to give violin lessons to fifth graders. “Working with them has been among the best experiences of my life,” says Budge. “We even played a few pieces with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra over the winter holidays, which was a thrill for us all.”

Next up for Budge? In the short term, she’s practicing for a Sibelius violin concerto and a performance of Schubert’s Cello Quintet in C Major. Long term, she hopes to go to graduate school for music. She’s even considering law school someday.

Whatever Budge does, she knows music will always play a part.

Meet Rochester’s new softball coach–a seasoned leader with a history of softball success

Abby Hurley-Martin

In July 2023, Abby Hurley-Martin took the reins as the head coach of the Ģ����ý’s softball program, bringing four years of coaching experience from Trinity University in Texas and another four from Oswego State. Her arrival closely follows the team’s record-breaking 38 wins in 2023, setting the stage for continued success.

“Abby’s experience has prepared her to lead one of the most successful teams in the country,” says George VanderZwaag, executive director of Athletics. “Her leadership style will add strength to our program, and we are excited to welcome her to Rochester.”

Hurley-Martin’s love of sport began in her youth, having played three sports before focusing on softball. Elevated to the junior varsity team in eighth grade, she discovered her knack for pitching. When college beckoned, Monmouth University on the Jersey Shore became her playing ground, where she earned a full scholarship and played Division 1 softball for three years. Hurley-Martin then transferred to SUNY Cortland for her senior year, earning a bachelor’s in kinesiology and exercise science and a master’s in sports management.

Softball remained a constant throughout, guided by her mentor and coach, Hall of Famer Julie Lenhart. Winning championships and competing at a national level fueled her coaching ambitions as well. Coaching provided her with the opportunity to combine all of her interests and skills in a career dedicated to helping young people be the best they could be, both in and out of the classroom.

Drawn to Rochester for its strong reputation and proximity to her hometown of Oswego, Hurley-Martin is gearing up for the spring season, building on the dedication she observed during the team’s 24 fall ball training games. The official schedule kicks off in early March with eight games in Kissimmee, Florida, followed by a weekend of games at the University of Salisbury in Maryland later in the month.

“Everything I’ve seen makes it clear that we have exceptional women and an outstanding team,” she says. “They have so much going for them: speed, skill, great pitching, and great hitting. Most importantly, they have the right attitude and a fantastic commitment to the sport, to their studies, and to each other. They have a fire inside them, which excites me as a coach. They are really well-positioned for another banner year.”

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Ģ����ý one year after the University was founded in 1850, Rochester adopted its motto of Meliora—Latin for “ever better.” Today, that motto, along with symbols like Rocky, Rochester’s Yellowjacket mascot, serve as tributes to the University’s past and emblems of the spirit shared among alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends.

Since its creation in the mid-1920s, Rochester’s Yellowjacket mascot, which is based on the common North American wasp, has been portrayed in a range of styles, from club-wielding to cute. The current version of Rocky debuted in 2008, designed to reflect the strength, character, and competitiveness of Rochester’s Yellowjacket athletes.

Bee Campus USA: This spring, the University was awarded Bee Campus certification status from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, the result of a two-year student effort led by Zoë Bross ’23. The certification comes with another for Bee City USA, from the same organization. These certifications recognize the University’s efforts to protect native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides.

Take the quiz: which kind of Rochester mascot are you?

Learn more about Rochester’s symbols and traditions.

Recipients of the John and Mary Celentano Endowed Scholarship

James Marshall ’21E (MM) and Belle Ra in front of a portrait of John Celentano in the Cominsky Promenade outside Kilburn Hall.

James Marshall, a viola player from Washington, and Belle Ra, a cellist from Texas, love all things music—especially chamber music. Both are pursuing advanced degrees at the : Marshall, his doctorate in music, and Ra, her master’s. For the last two years, they have been part of Eastman’s graduate chamber seminar, which has given them opportunities to learn from great teachers, collaborate with other musicians, and perform recitals in beautiful venues such as the school’s Hatch Hall.

The musicians’ chamber experience has been funded through a scholarship established by John Celentano ’37E, ’41E (MM) and his wife, Mary, who died in 2017. Before his death in 2009, John Celentano was a violinist and professor emeritus of chamber music at Eastman. The
Celentanos were passionate about supporting chamber music and the opportunity for talented musicians to study with world-class faculty.

Marshall and Ra are doing both. As a result of being in the graduate seminar, they have participated in several chamber groups and are now playing together in a piano quartet.
Their instructors coach them, but all the musical decisions are up to them. The foursome plays music by a range of musicians, too, from Debussy, a 19th-century French composer, to contemporary composers like Danny Elfman, who has scored more than 100 feature films.

Chamber music dates back to the late 17th century as a form of classical music composed for a small group of instruments, usually a trio, quartet, or quintet. It started with such greats as Bach, Haydn, and Mozart, and it was usually played in a palace chamber or a large room.

“In a chamber group, there’s no one to cover us, which provides a very different experience than playing in an orchestra,” says Marshall. “I enjoy both types of playing, but in an orchestra, the conductor calls the shots. In the quartet, we do.” Adds Ra, “Playing chamber music complements the experience of being in an orchestra and performing solo, which is rewarding but can be isolating. In our quartet, we work hard and challenge and learn from each other. It has
created such a bond between us.”

It was after a high school performance that Ra knew she wanted to dedicate her life to music. That’s when an audience member told her how moved to tears she was by Ra’s performance. The young musician then realized the impact of music on people’s lives and knew she wanted to
pursue a career in it.

Ra was drawn to Eastman for its reputation and because she wanted to study with one particular instructor: Steven Doane. “He is a great performer and teacher,” says Ra, who is also a recipient of the Lowell and Sally Weitkamp Merit Scholarship Fund. “I play better because of him, and, by
example, he teaches me pedagogical skills.”

Marshall felt similarly called to play music, having fallen in love with the viola’s deep sound during a summer music camp in high school. At Eastman, Marshall studies with Masumi Per Rostad. “I met him at a winter camp in 2019 and was captivated by his performance,” he says.

“Learning from Professor Per Rostad has transformed my playing, given me a new way of thinking about music, and taught me how to play to the audience.” After completing his studies,
Marshall plans to pursue performing and teaching. Because of the Celentano scholarship, Marshall and Ra can focus full-time on their music and do not need to work part-time jobs or take out additional loans. Both are incredibly grateful. “I can attend Eastman because of the support of people like the Celentanos,” says Ra.

Class of 1981 Internship Endowment

Rob McIntyre, an Emmy award-winning supervising sound editor and sound designer, and Grace Stensland ’23 in Gavett Hall’s recording studio.

Grace Stensland ’23, a Syracuse, New York, native, grew up loving movies, photography, and Broadway shows. When it came time to choose a college, she was drawn to Rochester for its open curriculum, which she knew would give her many opportunities to explore her broad interests. Working as an intern in the summer of 2022 helped her hone those interests, too, and find her niche—an experience made possible by the Class of 1981 Internship Endowment.

Stensland found her internship by tapping into her network, which she learned how to do at her work-study job at the . “Working at the Greene Center during my sophomore and junior years gave me insight into the importance of networking, interviewing, and professional communication,” she says. “So, when it came time for me to look for an internship, I reached out to my audio engineering professor, Stephen Roessner. I knew he had a friend in Los Angeles who worked in the entertainment business, and I asked him to connect me, which he did.”

Roessner’s friend is Rob McIntyre, an Emmy Award-winning supervising sound editor who cofounded Sound Rebels, LLC, a Burbank, California-based audio post-production company that provides sound design and mixing services for animated television, movies, and reality TV. McIntyre and his business partner, D.J. Lynch, interviewed Stensland over Zoom and she aced it, securing the summer-long internship.

The internship was a great fit. Every day, she worked on such projects as Nickelodeon’s Middlemost Post, a kids’ comedy series; Paramount+’s Big Nate, a kid’s series created by Nickelodeon; and Netflix’s Inside Job, an adult-oriented science fiction series. Her primary responsibilities included editing sound effects, creating ambient sounds, and maintaining client services.

Sound Rebels even tasked Stensland with a special project: to sound design eight minutes of an episode of Inside Job. “I’ve been a big fan of this show for a long time,” she says. “It was such a thrill to go from watching it to actually creating sound for it, especially for such a big segment within an episode.”

Toward the end of the summer, McIntyre and Lynch approached Stensland about coming on board full-time after graduation as a sound editor. “I loved every minute of my internship, so being offered a full-time job left me speechless,” she says. “I did manage to say yes, though, and I can’t wait to start working there full-time.”

Stensland adds, “Even though many internships pay an hourly rate, it’s often not enough to cover other expenses,” she adds. “That was certainly the case for me. Los Angeles is expensive, and I never would have been able to afford housing and food without the assistance of the Class of 1981 Internship Endowment.”

This experience led to my dream job right out of the gate, which is incredibly rare for people graduating and hoping to work in film and television. The funding support I received gave me a head start on my career, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Learn more about how funded internships open doors to graduate schools, career paths, and personal growth.

Byrd and Eva Waller Scholarship recipient

Fredricka Amoah ’26 studies at one of her favorite spots on campus, the in the Rush Rhees Library

Fredricka Amoah ’26 has always dreamed big. When she was a little girl, she aspired to be a doctor and even the president of the United States—she wanted to do something that would help people and make their lives better. Her mother encouraged her aspirations, often reminding all five of her children to do their best, have far-reaching goals, and never forget where they came from.

Amoah’s roots extend from New York City to West Africa. She was born in the Bronx, where she spent most of her childhood and teenage years. Between the ages of five and nine, though, her family moved to Ghana, where her mother is from and where her aunts, uncles, and grandparents still live. Amoah loved it there and returned often for extended visits.

Over the years, Amoah has heeded her mother’s advice about education. She’s worked hard and consistently earned excellent grades. She was even valedictorian of her high school. When it came time for college, her principal, Liz Runco ’05, told her about Rochester and its rigorous academic program. She liked what she heard.

Amoah is now a first-year student here and the recipient of the Byrd and Eva Waller Scholarship. This is awarded to a deserving student who maintains an excellent academic standing and requires financial assistance. She is planning to major in optics, a field she learned about during a pre-college summer program offered through the University’s Early Connections Opportunity program.

“When I applied to Rochester, I was thinking pre-med or maybe engineering,” she says. “But then I saw an optics demo, which was given by a teaching assistant, and something sparked in me—I never even knew what optics was and now I want to know everything about it.”

During the fall semester, Amoah took classes in calculus, chemistry, writing, and optics–that was her favorite. In her optics lab, she learned how light can affect objects. For instance, in one assignment, Amoah and her classmates used a laser-cutting machine to etch the Meliora symbol onto a glass surface. Experiences like these are affirming Amoah’s career aspirations.

“Someday, I’d like to either build telescopes for NASA or work for Apple designing cameras for iPhones,” she adds. Outside of class, Amoah stays busy. She likes playing pickup games of volleyball with her friends, studying in her secret spot inside Rush Rhees Library, and working on assignments with classmates in the Barbara J. Burger iZone. Amoah is also part of the Optics Student Council and the Pan-African Students Association, which is focused on building and growing a diverse and accepting culture at Rochester. The Office of Minority Student Affairs has been helpful to her, too, providing her with resources as well as a community of like-minded people who support and can relate to her academic and life experiences.

Amoah credits her scholarship for making so much happen for her. “I’m incredibly grateful to Ms. Waller,” Amoah says. “It’s humbling and inspiring knowing that someone who didn’t even know me wanted to invest in my future. Someday, I hope to extend my hand to a student just like she has done for me.”

Photo: Matt Wittmeyer

From computer science to the Korean language, this first-year Black Alumni Network scholarship student is exploring it all

Mervyn Winn ’26

A few years ago at the height of the pandemic, Mervyn Winn ’26—one of the Black Alumni Network’s first two scholarship recipients—was a high school sophomore with some time on his hands. That’s when he started watching Korean prank videos, which are popular on YouTube and social media.

Winn thought these videos were really funny and well done. His appreciation for them prompted a curiosity about the Korean language and culture, one that became so strong that he decided to learn Korean, which he’s been doing completely on his own through self-study.

“The Korean language made sense to me from the beginning,” says Winn, who started piecing together sentences very quickly. “I’m drawn to systems and patterns, like the ones I see in the Korean language. Learning Korean isn’t like studying for me either—it’s just fun.

Language fascination

Winn’s continued learning Korean as a first-year Ģ����ý student. He took one class in the fall and is taking another one right now. He also spends a lot of time at the Language Center within Frederick Douglass Commons, where he practices his Korean with a peer tutor. Some evenings, Winn participates in an online conversation exchange with English and Korean speakers from around the world. Together, they practice their conversational language skills while learning about each other and their cultures.

Winn is fascinated by all sorts of languages, too, including computer language. “There’s a huge intersection between computers and language, and I’m excited to be here at Rochester where I can explore both,” he adds, noting that he’s interested in taking a computational linguistics class. Before starting to learn Korean, Winn even taught himself computer programming, an interest that grew out of a youthful enthusiasm for video games. He’s even considering majoring in it.

Growing up

Winn grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and started gaming when he was about eight years old. “I grew up pretty poor and my neighborhood wasn’t the safest,” he says. “My sister, brother, and I didn’t play outside much. Because of that, my brother and I got really close playing video games together, which is what launched my interest in computer science.”

Everything about gaming fascinated Winn. “When I was 10 years old, I begged my mom to take me to the Barnes & Noble near where she worked,” he says. “I wanted to get this one particular 2D game design book so I could teach myself how to make my own computer games.” Fortunately for Winn, his mom got him that book. After reading it, he made his first mini 2D game, which featured flat graphics, which means that players can typically just move up and down as well as left and right. Winn loved it and wanted to learn more.

As a junior in high school, Winn was accepted into a summer coding program for underrepresented youth hosted by Goldman Sachs, the investment banking company. He and a small group of young, knowledge-hungry, self-motivated students spent five weeks building an expense management app together. “That was such a cool experience,” he says. “And, even though I hadn’t taken any formal classes in coding or computer science up until then,, my interest continued to grow.”

His Rochester experience

When Winn started thinking about college, he knew he wanted to go somewhere that had a strong computer science program. His high school counselor told him about the URochester. Winn liked what he learned about Rochester. He was drawn to its strong computer science program, the variety of language classes offered, the open curriculum, and the number of international students on campus. He wanted to meet people from diverse backgrounds and, now that he’s here, he’s been doing just that. Some of his best friends are from Germany, China, Africa, and, not surprisingly, Korea.

Winn is excited for his future at Rochester. He hopes to pursue undergraduate research, get an internship, and study abroad. In the meantime, he’s taking it all in. When he isn’t in class, studying, online, or honing his Korean, he can be found at the Goergen Athletic Center working out, enjoying a sub from Rocky’s in the Pitt, or doing something fun with friends off-campus. He is also part of the Korean Student Association, a group with whom he enjoys Korean food nights, playing games, and singing karaoke.

With gratitude

Winn is grateful to the Black Alumni Network for its support. “This scholarship is an honor, and it helps make the cost of college less of a burden for me and my mom,” he says. “It’s the first time I’ve been given something like this, too, which is really humbling.” Winn is also grateful to his mother for working hard to make college possible for him. During school breaks, he takes the eight-hour Amtrak train ride home to visit and, every week, he FaceTime’s his mom. “She misses me a lot but is proud and really happy I’m here,” he adds. “So am I.”

Photo: Matt Wittmeyer

Learn about the Black Alumni Network’s other scholarship recipient, Nadia Niyogushima ’26.