The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics invites applications from current Santa Clara University sophomores and juniors (rising juniors and seniors) for the Hackworth Fellowships in Applied Ethics.
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics invites applications near the end of the current academic year from Santa Clara University sophomores and juniors for the Hackworth Fellowships in Applied Ethics. Selection of Fellows will be made before the close of the current academic year. Students who are selected as Fellows will serve in the fellowship as juniors and seniors during the following academic year.
The goal of the program is to have Fellows engage more deeply with the application of ethics to a topic of concrete concern, to complete an important project related to that concern, and to grow as an ethical leader. In order to pursue this goal, Fellows are expected either to develop their own programs in an area of interest to them or to work with existing programs at the Ethics Center. These programs can be on as wide a range of topics and use as wide a range of methods as are of interest to each fellow.
The Fellowships are for the full duration of the academic year and fellowship recipients receive a stipend of $4,000.
The Hackworth Fellowships are supported by a gift from Joan and the late Michael Hackworth.
During the course of the Fellowship, Fellows are required to spend four to five hours a week on Fellowship activities including a seminar that meets every other week throughout the academic year. Fellows are also expected to participate in Ethics Center events. Some preparatory work may be required of Fellows during the summer before senior year.
Fellows are required to be enrolled as students at SCU for the fall, winter, and spring quarters of their fellowship year.
During the application period students will need to complete a Hackworth Fellowship Application. More information will be available during the spring quarter for fellowship opportunities for the following academic year.
As part of the application process, students will be asked to provide:
a statement of areas of interest and/or ideas for projects that might be pursued during their year as a Hackworth Fellow.
a transcript. Transfer students will need to provide a transcript from their previous college or university as well as their SCU transcript.
The Markkula Center is committed to offering as many opportunities as possible to students across the university. Consistent with that commitment, the Markkula Center will prioritize applications for fellowships and internships from students who have not previously held a fellowship or internship at the Markkula Center. The Fellowship is open to students from all majors. However, a demonstrated interest in ethics is a factor in favor of an applicant.
This is a wonderful opportunity to do creative work at the intersection of ethics and many different fields of study and work. Fellowship projects might, for instance, engage with other students or with an on-campus organization on an ethical theme of great importance. Or a project might involve working on a topic in ethics with an off-campus organization. Or a project might involve doing a major research paper on a topic in applied ethics. Or a project might involve working closely with an Ethics Center staff member on a project in one of their respective fields (see below). Or a project might be something great that we haven't done before and that you come up with!
Fellowship applicants may propose a project of interest or may express an interest in one of the following areas:
Bioethics and Medical Ethics: An opportunity to explore ethical issues ranging from treatment issues in clinical contexts to the application of AI to medicine to public health.
Leadership Ethics: Perhaps of special interest to students who are in leadership positions in campus organizations.
Business Ethics: An opportunity to do such things as write ethics cases about real-time business ethics dilemmas.
University Mission, Ethics, and DEI: An opportunity to examine and work on materials related to the Catholic and Jesuit ethical foundation of the university's mission and ensuing commitment to DEI.
Immigration and Ethics: An opportunity to work on the ethical dimension of issues that are at the heart of some of the most wrenching issues in our public life.
AI and Ethics: An opportunity to work on the many ethical issues being raised by the rapid and increasing use of AI in many different aspects of life with a special possible focus on AI and ethics and theology.
Media and Ethics: An opportunity to work on the many ethical issues being raised by the changing nature of our media landscape.
Homelessness and Ethics: An opportunity to work on the many ethical issues raised by the historic crisis of homelessness in Silicon Valley and beyond with a possible focus on the clash between “housing first” and “treatment first” visions of responding to homelessness.
Catholic and Religious Ethics: An opportunity to work on a wide range of ethical issues related to such topics as religious nationalism, conscience, and with a possible focus on issues of historical injustice related to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Santa Clara Mission in January 2027.
Meet the 2026-27 Hackworth Fellows
We introduce the 2026–27 Hackworth Fellows by sharing self-selected information about their academic achievements, career pursuits, hobbies, interests, influences, and favorite quotes. The Ethics Center looks forward to working and connecting with this extraordinary group of SCU students during the 2026–27 academic year and beyond.
Caitlin Ast '27
Caitlin Ast is a Political Science major with a Pre-Law emphasis and a minor in Classical Studies. She is honored to be selected as a Hackworth Fellow and grateful to the Markkula Center for the opportunity to explore questions at the intersection of ethics, higher education, and public life. Her project focuses on University Mission, Ethics, and DEI, examining how universities communicate and enact their commitments to inclusion, social justice, and intellectual inquiry during moments of social and political tension. She is particularly interested in how institutional values shape students’ understanding of civic responsibility and ethical engagement.
Through her coursework in political theory, law, sociology, religion, and classical studies, Caitlin has developed a strong interest in the relationship between institutions, public narratives, and moral responsibility. She hopes to pursue a legal career focused on public policy and institutional accountability. Outside of the classroom, she serves as an Undergraduate Ambassador, Peer Educator in Political Philosophy, Miller Center Campus Engagement Intern, Peer Success Coach, and member of Belles Service Organization.
"Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it." - Hannah Arendt
Peyton DeSantis '28
Peyton DeSantis is a junior majoring in Philosophy and Psychology with a minor in Responsible AI. She is especially passionate about the ethics of technology, as well as technology's impact on mental health, autonomy, and youth. This past summer, she worked as a marketing intern for Synaptiq, a consulting firm focused on human-centered AI. She also has experience within federal administration, environmental education, and global nonprofit service. As a Hackworth fellow, Peyton will be focusing on social media ethics. She looks forward to researching and learning alongside Subbu Vincent from the Markkula Center. After graduating from Santa Clara, Peyton plans to pursue a master's degree while continuing to explore her interests in ethics, sustainability, and responsible technology.
“Things! Burn them, burn them! Make a beautiful fire! More room in your heart for love, for the trees! For the birds who own nothing—the reason they can fly.” ―Mary Oliver
Tiffany Kinyua '27
Tiffany Kinyua is a senior majoring in Psychology at Santa Clara University. She is interested in the intersection of neuropsychology, mental health, and ethics, with a focus on how institutions can better support student well-being. Through her experiences in qualitative research and healthcare ethics, Tiffany has become interested in understanding how students navigate mental health care within high-pressure academic environments and how ethical decision-making shapes access to support.
As a Hackworth Fellow, Tiffany will look the ethical responsibilities universities have in supporting student mental health. Using qualitative interviews and ethical frameworks, she hopes to better understand students’ experiences with diagnosis, counseling, and institutional support. Through this work, Tiffany aims to identify opportunities for universities to create more equitable and responsive mental health systems. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and conduct research that improves access to ethical, evidence-based mental health care.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou
Liz Mori '28
Liz Mori is a junior at Santa Clara majoring in Political Science and minoring in Gender Studies! Since high school, she has been very interested in helping the homeless through community service and legal internships. She recently worked at SCU Law's Community Law Clinic in their unhoused division last year as an Ignatian Fellow, helping unhoused individuals be legally represented in the city of San Jose. She hopes to attend law school after undergrad, and hopes to work with marginalized communities like the homeless through the field of law. She's quite excited for the Hackworth Fellowship, as she has not quite researched the ethical implications of certain policies affecting the homeless yet, and is excited to expand her knowledge to further help a population she is passionate in helping!
In her Hackworth Fellowship project, Liz hopes to analyze the ethics of treatment-first vs. housing-first policies, specifically within the Tenderloin district in San Francisco. She believes that this research could be particularly helpful in San Francisco, and hopes that her research extends beyond the fellowship.
"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - Winnie the Pooh
Flavio Olivieri '27
Flavio Olivieri is a senior studying mechanical engineering. Flavio has worked to combine the technical background received from his engineering degree with plenty of experience in leadership and service work to learn how to become the ethical leader that organizations need today.
Flavio is especially passionate about working with the most marginalized and forgotten populations of our civilization. Immigrant or Impoverished groups are left to be more vulnerable to other critical situations like trafficking. Raising awareness about this, Flavio hopes to elevate the quality of life for vulnerable populations.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
Jazmin ArenasRojas '28
Jazmin Arenas Rojas is a junior pursuing a major in Political Science with a pre-law emphasis, and a minor in Real Estate. After completing her undergraduate studies, Rojas plan to attend law school. As a first-generation college student, she is passionate about advocating for vulnerable communities and pursuing work that advances social justice. During her time at Santa Clara University, she has served as a Community Facilitator, worked as a Research Assistant, and supported students through the Basic Needs Program. This summer, Rojas is pursuing a fellowship in Santiago, Chile, working alongside some of that city's most vulnerable communities. Her work focuses specifically on the unhoused population, allowing her to observe how community organizations and local residents come together to address needs that are not fully met by government systems. Through the Hackworth Fellowship, Rojas hopes to use her experiences from Chile to address the ethical implications of how the government is addressing homelessness in the United States. By exploring these different approaches, she aims to deepen my understanding of public policy, social responsibility, and the role of ethics in creating more equitable solutions for vulnerable populations.
"In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it." - Marianne Williamson
Braden Russell '27
Braden is a senior majoring in Accounting with a Religious Studies minor originally from Seattle, WA. He is deeply interested in the intersections between business and Catholic ethics amid the ongoing AI revolution. Specifically, he is interested in exploring how businesses may integrate AI while prioritizing safety, privacy, and limiting job displacement for their clients and employees. On campus, Braden is also a Leavey Ambassador, a Leavey Peer Advisor, and a Research Assistant within the Religious Studies department. Outside of school, Braden is passionate about sports, such as baseball, golf, and football. He is looking forward to a career in public accounting.
"Why not us?" - Russell Wilson
Farrah Tran '27
Farrah is an Economics major with a concentration in Data Analysis and a minor in Business Analytics. Over two years as a Research Assistant in the Business Ethics department, she has developed a strong interest in corporate ethics, particularly at the intersection of gender inequality and business practice, an area she plans to explore through a research project in this fellowship. She also works on the research team for Hydro-System Automation (HA), a product that offers a more cost and resource-efficient irrigation method than alternatives.
Outside the classroom, Farrah works as an Economics tutor, on the Economics Student Association board, as the Recruitment Data Assistant for her sorority, and as Art Editor for the Santa Clara Review, the international creative arts journal on campus. In her free time, she enjoys running to the Rose Garden, reading social science books, altering clothes, and discovering new Bay Area viewpoints.
"You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love." - Jim Carrey
Xavier Vegas '28
Xavier Vegas is a junior from Los Angeles double-majoring in Political Science and History with a minor in Spanish Studies. Throughout his time in college, Xavier has focused his studies on both international relations and American politics, joining Santa Clara’s Model United Nations team and participating in the Washington Semester Program, during which he also interned at the U.S. House of Representatives. As a Hackworth Fellow, he intends to conduct research on the various ways the U.S. government has been applying or intends to apply artificial intelligence, ranging from policing and surveillance to military technology, as well as the ethical or constitutional boundaries these applications may cross.
Aside from academics, Xavier is an Army ROTC Cadet and a member of SCU’s College Catholics leadership team. After graduation and his service commitment, he plans to further his education with a graduate degree in security studies, and hopes to end up working on Capitol Hill. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and backpacking.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt, Citizenship in a Republic
