News
Class of 2026 Bowden fellows announced
Ransom Everglades announced the ninth class of Dan Leslie Bowden Fellows in the Humanities, introducing seven students who will undertake novel humanities research projects in the United States and at destinations across the globe. Ana Gonzalez '26, Sophia Linfield '26, Alicia Medina '26, Bridget Mestepey '26, Alexandra Russoniello '26, Christopher Tsialas '26 and Jacob Zide '26 will explore a range of topics from the relationship between llamas and farmers in Peru to the emotional journeys of conflict survivors in Colombia and Croatia.
The students earned the fellowships, which will provide financial support and mentorship for their summer research, after a competitive selection process led by program director John A. King, Jr., RE's Associate Head of School. The students will pursue their research this summer, then present their work to the RE community next winter at a culminating Bowden Fellows Gallery Night.
The fellowships are open to juniors and named in honor of Dan Leslie Bowden, the late RE English teacher who wanted students to engage in "the passionate pursuit of what makes us human." The Dan Leslie Bowden Endowment in the Humanities was created in 2016 with a seed donation by Jeffrey Miller '79, a former Bowden student. For information on how to contribute to the Bowden endowment, contact Director of Advancement Vicki Carbonell Williamson '88.
Enjoy a closer look at the fellows' project plans:
Ana Gonzalez '26
From Sacred to Symbolic: The Transformation of Llamas and the Andean Identity
My Bowden fellowship explores the co-evolutionary relationship between llamas and farmers in the Andes mountains, focusing on how daily interactions shape both human and non-human identities within a symbiotic community. Llamas have been integral to Andean culture for centuries, influencing agricultural practices, transportation, and belief systems. Through observation and interviews in the Andean village of Quishuarani, Peru, my research will examine how llamas and farmers adapt to and influence each other, fostering mutual growth and transformation. Through a posthumanist lens, my project aims to challenge anthropocentric perspectives and highlight the significance of interspecies relationships in shaping behavior and identity.
Sophia Linfield '26The fellowships are open to juniors and named in honor of Dan Leslie Bowden, the late RE English teacher who wanted students to engage in "the passionate pursuit of what makes us human." The Dan Leslie Bowden Endowment in the Humanities was created in 2016 with a seed donation by Jeffrey Miller '79, a former Bowden student. For information on how to contribute to the Bowden endowment, contact Director of Advancement Vicki Carbonell Williamson '88.
Enjoy a closer look at the fellows' project plans:
Ana Gonzalez '26
From Sacred to Symbolic: The Transformation of Llamas and the Andean Identity
My Bowden fellowship explores the co-evolutionary relationship between llamas and farmers in the Andes mountains, focusing on how daily interactions shape both human and non-human identities within a symbiotic community. Llamas have been integral to Andean culture for centuries, influencing agricultural practices, transportation, and belief systems. Through observation and interviews in the Andean village of Quishuarani, Peru, my research will examine how llamas and farmers adapt to and influence each other, fostering mutual growth and transformation. Through a posthumanist lens, my project aims to challenge anthropocentric perspectives and highlight the significance of interspecies relationships in shaping behavior and identity.
Navigating Forgiveness: Personal Experiences in the Vukovar Battle
My project investigates the struggle between resentment and forgiveness by survivors of the 1991 Siege of Vukovar. During my fieldwork in this Croatian city, I will conduct interviews with survivors to document their personal experience of the siege and their emotional journey in the decades that followed. I will then use these interviews to create case studies analyzing how survivors' personal histories, identities and other factors shape their perspectives on forgiveness. My research will explore whether forgiveness is a choice, a necessity or even possible after such devastation. Ultimately, I hope to write a research paper that contributes to our understanding of how we process the emotional aftermath of conflict and what this reveals about the human capacity for forgiveness.
Alicia Medina '26
Finding Humanity in Forgiveness: Colombian Women Shaping a Post-FARC Society
My research explores why Colombian women, whose lives were destroyed by the Fuerzas Armadas Revolutionarios de Colombia (FARC), lead reintegration efforts for these ex-combatants in Bogotá, Colombia. In my research, I hope to understand how their motivations reflect the broader process of post-conflict healing and forgiveness. By focusing on Colombian women's personal stories, my project will offer insight into how individuals can overcome deep divisions and foster reconciliation. The goal of my research is to highlight the human capacity for compassion and community rebuilding after extreme violence.
Alexandra Russoniello '26
Christopher Tsialas '26
My Bowden project will cover the history of the Adirondack Florida School. I will travel to the Adirondacks to document and rediscover Ransom Everglades' historical campus. I will recreate the learning experiences there to understand how the Adirondack environment enhanced the students' lives. While there, I will conduct archival research into the school's past.
Bridget Mestepey '26
From Small Town to National Memorials: What Do War Memorials and Their Design Decisions Tell Us about Remembrance, Service and Human Connection?
My project will investigate how war memorials reflect the nation’s history and how we as humans choose to preserve and honor memory. I will research and visit multiple national memorials including the Vietnam Veterans, World War II and World War I memorials, as well as small town memorials in the Adirondack towns Schroon Lake and Bolton Landing to compare and contrast scope and impact. I will use primary sources and conduct interviews to understand public response and how our views of each memorial may have changed over time. I will compare the memorials after my visits to understand what makes each of them effective as a tool for memory. My final product will be a research paper and photo essay. Alexandra Russoniello '26
The French Revolution's 'Reign of Terror': When Revolutionary Violence Undermines Humanity
For my project I will explore how and why revolutionary leaders in France (such as Robespierre and Danton) convinced the population that violence was justified and necessary. Using theories such as Rousseau’s rationales about a social contract, I hope to understand the justification of collective force against individuals in society generally. During my project I will travel to D.C to take a deep dive into the French Revolution archives at the Library of Congress and conduct interviews and visits in the D.C area and potentially Paris.
Christopher Tsialas '26
From Grief to Growth: Philosophical Approaches for Adolescents Facing Loss in the Nuclear Family
This project bridges philosophy and psychology to help adolescents navigate grief within the nuclear family and foster personal growth. Traditional grief support and philosophical concepts – Existentialism, Stoicism and Buddhist Mindfulness – can be challenging to grasp, so this project makes them accessible and actionable for adolescents. Through research, interviews with grief counselors, and hands-on learning at bereavement centers, this project develops presentations that simplify complex ideas into practical tools. By connecting philosophy and psychology with real-world strategies, it empowers young people to process loss, build resilience and find meaning in their experiences.
Jacob Zide '26My Bowden project will cover the history of the Adirondack Florida School. I will travel to the Adirondacks to document and rediscover Ransom Everglades' historical campus. I will recreate the learning experiences there to understand how the Adirondack environment enhanced the students' lives. While there, I will conduct archival research into the school's past.
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.