For some, summer is a time of rest — but during the summer of 2025, Willamette students were busy — unearthing evidence of ancient humans, traveling the world to learn the intricacies of international law, walking the halls of political power in the nation’s capital, crafting narratives from discarded building materials, networking within a new professional field, and more.
Here are just a few of the stories of Willamette students and recent graduates making an impact over the summer.
Agustina Hunziker BA’27 learned the ins and outs of D.C. politics
While countless Willamette students have interned at the Oregon capitol, Agustina Hunziker BA’27 decided to take her political experience to the next level by working in Washington, D.C. as a summer intern for U.S. Senator Ron Wyden.
When it came time to find a D.C. internship, she drew on the guidance of her Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics advisor Professor Melissa Buis and the assistance of the Office of Career Development. “Interning in Washington, D.C. has always been a dream of mine and Willamette University made this opportunity a reality,” Hunziker says. “I cannot thank my Willamette mentors enough.”
Over the summer, Hunziker built connections, attended events on Capitol Hill, and even worked until 1 a.m. during a memorable late-night marathon Senate vote. She also discovered something unexpected: a new sense of openness about her future.
“Before coming to Washington D.C. I thought I was sure about the career I was chasing, but after my internship I am certainly keeping an open mind,” Hunziker says. “I realized that you don’t have to walk a straight line and follow a path that you have set for yourself years down the line. It is so valuable to nurture experiences that will teach you lessons about the world and about yourself.”
As she returns from the nation’s capitol to her home on Willamette’s Salem campus, she’s thinking of pursuing the Peace Corps or a career working in the federal government. She also hopes to help other Willamette students follow their political dreams in D.C.
“I want my peers to know that a D.C. internship is possible and completely worth it.”
Hailey Rose Ceglia BA’26 unearthed ancient indigenous history in the Wyoming plains
Willamette Archaeology students like Hailey Rose Ceglia BA’26 get the opportunity to extend their studies through real-world field experiences. This summer, Ceglia was able to follow her passion for indigenous archaeological research into the field on an excavation project at Hell Gap National Historic Site in Southeast Wyoming.
Home to some of the first people in the Americas dating between 13,000 to 8,000 years ago, the Hell Gap site gave Ceglia the opportunity to learn more about Paleoindigenous history. As a testament to her success in the program, Ceglia was selected in a vote of her peers to spend a day excavating alongside the Wyoming State Archaeologist.
“This field school gave me the hands-on experience that my academic work has been preparing me for,” Ceglia says. “It helped me connect theory to practice and I was able to apply what I’ve learned in archaeology and environmental science classes in a real-world setting.”
Now at the beginning of her senior year at Willamette, Ceglia’s summer work in Wyoming has set her up for success as she pursues a career in archaeology. It also taught her an important lesson about the collaborative nature of archaeological discovery.
“Once you’re out in the field, you have to be open to learning from everyone around you, your instructors, your peers, and especially the land itself,” Ceglia said. “It’s an unforgettable experience that every archaeology student should have.”
Willamette Law students gained new perspective on the law in China
During her first month at Willamette Law School, Maria Julia Lima de Souza Reis JD’27 approached Assistant Professor of Law Sheryl Buske and asked her how soon she could study abroad. For Reis, the opportunity to travel and study internationally while in law school was a key reason why she decided to come to Willamette in the first place.
"She encouraged me to wait until I had just a little more time in law school before studying abroad," Reis said, laughing. "But then we sat down and we had a great conversation about what my interests were."
Soon enough, she, along with Hannah Purdy BA’24, JD’26 and Yongyi “Winnie” Wu JD’27 found the opportunity to spend a month studying at East China University of Political Science and Law’s Shanghai Summer School Program. The three sat in on lectures on a variety of topics — from patents to Chinese opera — and learned alongside students from around the world while making cultural field visits.
The Chinese context was of particular interest to Purdy and Wu, who were both born in China and had not lived there since childhood. They were fascinated by the chance to see the differences and similarities between Chinese and American legal contexts. The contrast became even clearer when the students learned about topics in China that they had previously studied at Willamette.
“It was really interesting to be able to do a little bit of a comparative analysis,” Purdy said. “Having a foundation of an area of law allowed me to pick up on some of the differences.”
The groundwork for the experience was laid by Buske, who has previously led international trips for Willamette Law students to Tanzania and other countries. Buske helped the students with logistical details and even flew to China to meet them at the beginning of the experience.
“Professor Buske did so much background work,” Wu said. “We really appreciate all that she put into it.”
After a month in China, each left with a different perspective on international law, legal education, and their own career goals. For Reis, seeing another country’s legal system helped her see the U.S. legal context with new eyes.
“Having a better perspective on how something works somewhere else (or maybe doesn't work) can give you a better perspective on the legal system where you reside. It gives you more perspective, it opens up your mind,” Reis said. “We all have blind spots, and so taking part in these types of programs or just taking opportunities like this really helps open up those blind spots and gives you a fresh perspective.”
James Groman BA’25 gained career confidence at summer conference on work and stress
When Sociology Major and Business minor James Groman BA’25 was exploring a career in industrial organizational psychology, he reached out to Professor of Human Resources and Organizational Behavior Ashley Nixon for guidance. Nixon encouraged Groman to attend the Work, Stress, and Health conference presented by the Society for Occupational Health Psychology.
“I was fortunate to meet Dr. Nixon and learn more about the field of organizational psychology and occupational health,” Groman said. “She suggested this conference if I wanted to learn more.”
For nearly a week in Seattle, Groman was able to attend fascinating discussions and presentations with workplace health researchers on topics like bullying, healthy relationships, and stress in the workplace. Groman also expanded his professional network, meeting researchers and students from around the world, including Japan, Taiwan, and Sudan. This international perspective gave Groman an important lens to understand issues of health and wellness in the workplace.
“It was both surprising and reassuring to see how, at least in the context of a healthy workplace, our experiences aligned with one another in foundational ways, despite the distance in both geography and cultural norms,” Groman said.
The experience taught Groman about the professional world and gave him confidence moving into his career.
I learned a lot from the conference content,” Groman said. “I also learned a lot from how professionals talked to each other and dealt with conflict.”
Cassie Tompkins MFA’25 crafted Chicago stories through sculpture
For Cassie Tompkins MFA’25, a discarded brick can tell a story. Her recent thesis exhibition, Common as Mud, used materials found in her own Chicago neighborhood like bricks, foraged plants, and cicada shells to help audiences think critically about their surroundings and place.
Thanks to PNCA’s low-residency MFA in Visual Studies program, Cassie was able to remain rooted in the city of Chicago while taking advantage of the mentorship and expertise of the PNCA faculty.
“I was never financially able to place my life on pause for 2–3 years to attend a full-time program,” Tompkins said. “The low-res format allowed me to sustain my freelance graphic design practice while working towards my degree. Meeting with personalized mentor artists during the ‘quiet time’ of our sessions was an enriching addition to my established studio practice.”
When it came time to exhibit her thesis work, she realized she had a challenge on her hands: finishing a series of sculptures in Chicago and then transporting them to Portland for display. Luckily, she was able to utilize the PNCA woodshop to help her get ready for the exhibit.
“Having access to all of these people and places on campus was elemental to installing my show on time,” Tompkins said. “I was really happy with how the installation turned out — it wasn’t until it was complete that I felt like it matched the vision in my mind.”
Bringing together objects found in Chicago with the rich labs, studios, and facilities PNCA had to offer in Portland, Tompkins was able to realize her artistic vision. She’ll bring that experience back to her artistic community in Chicago with an event this fall related to her thesis work on the act of archiving.
“PNCA gave me the confidence to lead events like this and to take my practice into social sculpture and community spaces.”
