Checking in With Colgate’s Golden Fellows

After graduating from Colgate a semester early, Benjamin Godbout '24 (Sterling, Mass.) joined a lab at UMass Chan Medical School to study how various stress conditions affect cell division. Godbout used Golden Fellowship funding to attend accepted students day at the University of Rochester, where he's now enrolled in medical school.

"The Golden Fellowship played an instrumental role in my success at Colgate and career trajectory," says Godbout, who majored in molecular biology and worked as a research assistant in Associate Professor Priscilla Van Wynsberghe's lab during his time at Colgate. "Following conversations with other Golden Fellows, I felt more prepared and confident when applying to medical school," he says.

Josh Israel '25 (Madison, Conn.) is a molecular biology major who also serves as a captain of the Colgate University Men's Tennis Team. This summer, he is volunteering close to home, aiding doctors and nurses in providing palliative care at Connecticut Hospice. In his community, Israel also works as a private tennis coach, completing applications for medical school in his free time.

"The Golden Fellows program has had a transformative impact on my journey to medical school," says Israel. "MCAT materials and applications are extremely expensive, and the funding GF has provided ensured I could purchase the best materials and apply broadly."

A member of the women's ice hockey team and recipient of the Goldwater Scholarship, Gwen Eichfeld '25 (McLean, Va.) is on the pre-med track, majoring in neuroscience. Last November, the Golden Fellowship funded Eichfeld's attendance at the Society for Neuroscience Conference in Washington, D.C., where she learned about scientific presentation and attended a graduate school career fair. This summer, Eichfeld is part of Harvard's Amgen Scholars Program, studying the genetic underpinnings of autism alongside a team of physicians and scientists.

"The most rewarding part of the Golden Fellowship has been working with my peers and mentors to bring opportunities and inspiration to other students," says Eichfeld, who leveraged the Golden Fellows network to connect with the Masonic Medical Research Institute in Utica, N.Y. Last fall, in partnership with Career Services, Eichfeld hosted an information session for fellow Colgate students about summer opportunities at the institute.

Anki Suri '25 (Princeton, N.J.) has immersed herself in Colgate's artistic scene. As founder and editor in chief of 13 Degrees Magazine - an arts-themed platform for students to express their identities - Suri has amassed a local network of expressive readers and writers. Her double-major in peace and conflict studies and film and media studies has developed her career interest in entertainment law, which she will explore this summer as an intern with NBCUniversal's Standards and Practices team.

"Since joining the Golden Fellows program this past January, I have gained invaluable support from a fantastic cohort of highly motivated students, kind faculty members, and wise alumni," says Suri. "Though I have only been a part of this cohort for a semester, I have already witnessed the beauty of our tight-knit community and how willing each and every member is to genuinely help each other across class years."

Learn more about the John A. Golden '66 Fellowship