We are excited to announce the first cohort of Renjen Fellows for Spring/Summer 2025. The Renjen Fellows program is a new, prestigious opportunity for students to work alongside faculty, business and community leaders, and other stakeholders to learn about regional issues and propose revitalization initiatives.
The 2025 Renjen Fellows cohort includes the following students:
Kyra Adamson MBA ‘26, Masters of Business Administration
Samuel Holmes WC ‘27, Computer Science and Data Science
William LaDuca WC ‘26, Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics
Ozias Lapsys PNCA ‘26, Intermedia
Anastasiia Lemesh WC ‘26, International Studies and Economics
Nathaniel Moore PNCA ‘27, Illustration
Brooke Proctor WC ‘26, Environmental Science and Data Science
Aphena Sov PNCA ‘27, Animated Arts
Keegan Stershic WC ‘26, Psychology
Joshua Torres WC ‘27, Psychology and Business
Renjen Fellows will enroll in a new course, Social Impact by Design, which is co-taught by faculty representing three of Willamette’s academic units: Fred Agbo (SCIS), Sarah Chivers (CAS), and Jane Machin (AGSM). This course will expose them to strategies and processes for successful social innovation, and will culminate in the selection of a project to be conducted with local government, nonprofit, and industry partners in Summer 2025. By the conclusion of the program, Renjen Fellows and their faculty and community partners will develop and propose a set of pragmatic, implementable recommendations aimed at revitalizing the city of Portland and our broader region.
The Renjen Fellows program is made possible through the vision and generous gift from Punit and Heather Renjen. Punit Renjen MM’87 is a Willamette alum with a strong passion for merging corporate interests and community good. Renjen grew up in India, and came to the US on a Rotary Foundation scholarship to attend Willamette. After graduating, Punit had a 36-year career with Deloitte culminating in his becoming Global CEO in 2015. During his 8-year tenure, Deloitte experienced extraordinary growth while investing nearly 3% of its net income into local communities.