An Olympian, a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, a rare economic honor, and more

Maccolades is a monthly round-up of the most recent accolades and accomplishments earned by members of the Macalester community. Below are highlights from January and February 2026.

Mac grad skates onto Olympic stage

Conor McDermott-Mostowy ’24 won the 1,000-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Team Trials in Milwaukee, earning his spot at the 2026 Winter Olympics. At the Milano Cortina Games in Italy, he placed ninth in the men’s 1,000 meters.

For McDermott-Mostowy, the milestone marks the latest highlight in a skating career that has included World Cup and World Championship competitions while studying neuroscience at Macalester. Watch his qualifying race (beginning at the two-minute mark). 

Mac’s first Mandela Rhodes Scholar

Bobbie Pennington ’24 was named a Mandela Rhodes Scholar—the first Macalester graduate to earn this honor. The prestigious scholarship combines full funding with a leadership development program inspired by Nelson Mandela’s legacy, supporting young African leaders working toward inclusive growth and social change.

Originally from Eswatini, Pennington will study at the University of Cape Town. The scholarship funds up to two years of postgraduate study at a South African university. He will pursue a Master of Philosophy in development studies, focusing on development finance, governance, and building state capacity to support African-led economic growth.

At Macalester, Pennington majored in economics and international studies with a concentration in international development. 

A well-earned title

Timothy Taylor, managing editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives, was named a Distinguished Fellow of the American Economic Association at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Allied Social Science Associations. Taylor has maintained an office at Macalester for over two decades, speaking to classes and hiring students as research assistants. He’s guided the Journal of Economic Perspectives since 1986, working to make economic research accessible to a non-technical audience. 

The Distinguished Fellow award is a significant honor. Since its inception in 1965, only about 200 people have received it.

“This particular award was not one I ever expected would come my way,” Taylor said. “I am more pleased about it than I can easily say.”

The prize citation notes: “Steering the Journal of Economic Perspectives and ensuring continuity in its unique approach and voice has been Taylor’s primary contribution to economics over his four-decade career.”

Horror podcast earns rave reviews

Sophie Nikitas ’14 premiered the newest season of her horror fiction podcast, Out Cold. This season follows a couple who, after a traumatic event rocks their marriage, takes a trip up north to rest and recover. But as they explore the small town they’ve chosen, they start to discover disturbing things about the people and the landscape.  

Two fellow Mac alumni contributed to the season: Ajuwak Kapashesit ’13 co-wrote it, and Alex Galick ’08 starred as Lee, one of the lead roles. The team received a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board to complete the third season, and the show has been nominated for both Minnesota and Toronto Web Fest awards. 

Illuminating French history through art

Macalester graduate Cora Trout ’16 had a show, “Mise en Scène: Illustrating French Interiors” on display in the South Gallery at Columbia Art League in January. The exhibition combined paintings of interior spaces across Île-de-France with historical context and commentary. 

Trout majored in French and classics at Macalester. She created the paintings during a two-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, funded by the John T. Milliken Foreign Travel MFA award from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis. View the show online or explore more of Trout’s work at coratrout.com.

Mac chosen for national storytelling fellowship

Macalester is among seven colleges selected for the inaugural National Civic Story Lab Fellowship cohort from Project Pericles, a consortium of colleges and universities that promotes civic learning within higher education. Supported by the Eugene M. Lang Foundation, the fellowship empowers campus teams of faculty mentors, community partners, and undergraduate students to advance hands-on civic projects and shape local public narratives.

Each team receives a $7,500 grant for the spring 2026 semester. The program aims to showcase the vital role of higher education in democratic renewal. Student fellows will produce original media documenting local grassroots changemaking.

Partnering with the Lake Street Council, Rondo Center of Diverse Expression, and Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Macalester students will develop multimedia storytelling projects that connect historical and contemporary narratives in the Twin Cities.

Fulbright excellence, year after year

Macalester College was recognized as a top-producing institution for Fulbright U.S. students for the fourth consecutive year. Seven Scots were selected this year, teaching and conducting research in Ireland, Spain, Germany, Guatemala, Mexico, Taiwan, and South Korea.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program, providing opportunities for Americans and participants from 160 countries to study, teach, and conduct research abroad.

“We’re incredibly proud that our students put Mac’s values into action by seeking knowledge and building relationships across the globe,” President Suzanne Rivera said. 

A ticket to Montreal

Macalester student Kampe Rushoka ’26 was named a finalist for the prestigious McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill University and will travel to Montreal for final interviews. 

Rushoka is one of 90 finalists selected from more than 700 applicants worldwide. The scholarship—Canada’s largest leadership-based award for master’s and professional studies—provides full funding, a $2,300 monthly living stipend, and mentorship. 

A political science and statistics major, Rushoka has worked with women’s and human rights organizations in Rwanda, the U.S., and Spain.

“Macalester’s emphasis on questioning assumptions, challenging the status quo, and engaging with diverse perspectives has trained me to analyze complex problems and think of tangible solutions,” Rushoka said. “These skills brought me to this point.”

Up to 30 scholars will be selected following final interviews. 

When preparation pays off

Macalester’s mock trial team delivered a standout performance at the Rebel-Trojan Tournament in Las Vegas, finishing the weekend undefeated with an 8–0 record. Facing top programs from across the country, the team defeated several nationally ranked opponents, including Arizona State University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Washington. Ainsley Meyer ’26 earned a 19-rank attorney award. Together, these achievements underscore Macalester’s strength, preparation, and rising prominence on the national mock trial stage.

Leading the law review

Macalester graduate Lola Brown ’23 was selected as editor-in-chief for Volume 111 of the Minnesota Law Review, a prestigious, student-run journal published by the University of Minnesota Law School.

“Her dedication, leadership, and commitment to legal scholarship make her an excellent choice for this role,” the Minnesota Law Review said in the announcement. 

Scholars with big questions

Macalester’s Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship named its 2026–2027 Faculty Fellows. Professor Amy Elkins (English and creative writing) will advance Oblique Strategies in the Archive, a project and exhibition rethinking humanities research. Professor Ernesto Capello (Latin American history) will work on Equator Imagined: Commemorating and Contesting Geodesic Science in the Andes, a book exploring an 18th-century French mission to measure the Earth at the equator and the Indigenous Kichwa responses.

Advancing research on gender-based violence prevention

Vanessa Voller, visiting assistant professor of international studies, was named the 2026-2028 Peace and Conflict Studies Faculty Fellow at the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship. A community-engaged researcher focused on gender-based violence prevention and adolescent sexual and reproductive health, her fellowship will support a research project on the experiences of Bolivian survivor migrants. The award will also enable Voller to attend the 2026 Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum in Thailand and pursue engaged Buddhism training to deepen her teaching, research, and advocacy.

Four decades on the federal bench

Michael J. Davis ’69, senior U.S. District Judge for the District of Minnesota, received the Judicial Recognition Award from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The award honors judges who demonstrate a continuing dedication to protecting democratic principles and the fundamental rights of individuals. For more than 40 years, Judge Davis has presided over difficult and challenging cases. The association praised his “exceptional skill, insight, and dedication to fairness.”

Veils in the ancient world

Susanna Drake, professor of religious studies, published Veiling in the Late Antique World. The book explores how veiling functioned in everyday life and religious practice in the ancient Mediterranean, and how it signaled meanings such as virtue, status, grief, and reverence.

Drake said she relished sharing her research with students, colleagues, and community audiences and traveling to sites such as Roman and Neapolitan catacombs, Herculaneum, and Byzantine churches to study the art of veiling in antiquity firsthand. 

“I’m thrilled that all of this research and wonder is now gathered in a book that is out in the real world,” she said. 

Conversations in her Macalester course, The Veil in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, also helped shape the project.

“Former students such as Lydia Bremer-McCollum, Daniel Picus, and Olivia Dimka supported this book project at pivotal points in its inception and publication,” Drake said. 

A debut poetry collection

Riley Gaikowski ’29 published The Poet’s Preamble. In her debut poetry book, Gaikowski explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and nature. Implementing imagery and rhythm, the collection uses both structured and free verse poetry to take the reader on a journey while reminding them that ultimately, they have the ability to make a difference in their own lives and the greater world.

How to be considered for future Maccolades

If you or someone you know recently earned an award, fellowship, or honor and would like it to be considered for inclusion in next month’s Maccolades, please let Communications & Marketing know by filling out this Maccolades form. For recent book publications, please use this book publication form.