The Caldwell Fellows

08/21/2026

Thinking back to the 2026 Wilderness Expedition with and still pondering the question: "Why do we do hard things?" Partly, we do hard things for moments like these: self-discovery, growth, resilience.
Read more at https://caldwellfellows.ncsu.edu/why-do-we-do-hard-things-a-wilderness-reflection/

08/20/2026

Meet Quinn Weidner, Class of ‘28!

Quinn is our new co-teaching assistant for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle service learning team alongside Jack Proctor! She worked with Inter-Faith Food Farm as a sophomore in service learning last year, where harvesting Scuppernong grapes gave her a deeper appreciation for North Carolina agriculture and the importance of making healthy food accessible to the community. The farm changed the way she understood servant leadership, showing her that meaningful leadership starts with showing up, working alongside others, and meeting people where they are, not simply doling out tasks to subordinates. Now, Quinn is returning as a co-TA to give back to a community that shaped her and help the next cohort find their own connection to service through their time at Inter-Faith Farm. Quinn is “motivated to mentor the next cohort because I want them to have a place that makes them feel connected to their community in a way that gets them outside, involved, engaged in real-world struggles, and collaborating with fellow members of their class.”

06/25/2026

Shout out to Thomas Harris ('16), recently featured on the Yale School of Forestry website. Thomas has been a dedicated member of the Caldwell Wilderness Expedition team and is now serving as an Assistant Professor at the University of the South. Read more about his research here.

Thomas Harris ’26 PhD has spent his career thinking about

06/23/2026

Shout out to Megan Davis Chesser and the wonderful work she is doing to bring education to life through the NC Museum of Natural Sciences! Read more about the Museum's Educators of Excellence Institutes in Watler Magazine.

A unique program allows exemplary teachers from Wake County travel to places like South Africa, Mexico and Yellowstone National Park

05/25/2026

05/20/2026

Celebrating Our Graduates: Emma Norris

Emma embraced every opportunity to grow through her time in the Caldwell Fellows Program, using the support of the community to explore her passions and challenge herself in meaningful ways. During her time at NC State, she published research, presented at conferences, studied abroad in Prague, led an Alternative Service Break in Guatemala, and completed a long-term internship at the Open Door Clinic. Through these experiences, Emma discovered that leadership is rooted in a willingness to serve and learn each day. She is excited to continue her education at Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine as she pursues her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. Before beginning medical school this summer, she is walking Camino Portugués. We are excited to see the impact she will make in the years ahead!

05/13/2026

Celebrating Our Graduates: Josue Avalos Jimenez

Through the Caldwell Fellows Program, Josue found a community that continued to support him even from a distance. The program encouraged him to embrace who he is and gave him confidence in his ability to pursue the life and career he wants for himself. That confidence carried into his work with Nintendo, where he brought creativity and thoughtful design to user research, prototyping, accessibility improvements, and custom web experiences for Nintendo.com. His work supported high-traffic digital experiences while helping strengthen consistency across web properties through scalable design system components. This summer, he is on the Camino Portugués with his peers in the Caldwell Fellows. We are excited to see where his work in design and technology takes him next!

05/09/2026

Much love to our Spring 2026 graduates! We are proud of you and excited to learn all about your next chapter as it unfolds.

05/09/2026

Celebrating Our Graduates: Susannah Weaver

Susannah brought warmth, humor, and deep care for community to every part of her Caldwell experience. Whether hosting classmates at her family home in Greensboro, carrying a couch across campus on a Friday night, or showing up fully herself with a bubble gun and razor scooter in hand, she helped create the kind of belonging that defines the Caldwell community. Through the program, she found lifelong friendships and the confidence to challenge herself, embrace difficult conversations, and pursue experiences that stretched her perspective. Her journey from here will include work as an instructor with Voyageur Outward Bound School, environmental education at the BHI Conservancy, volunteering with the Peace Corps in Nepal, and thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. We cannot wait to see where her adventurous spirit leads her next!

05/05/2026

Olivia Townsend (Class of ‘26) has built her journey on reflection, meaningful relationships, and a commitment to serving others with intention. She looks ahead to a future in academia grounded in authenticity and a desire to ensure people feel seen and heard.

Read the Class of ‘26 Reflection on Olivia here: https://caldwellfellows.ncsu.edu/class-of-26-reflection-olivia-townsend/