Jivana Nagpal ’25 selected for highly competitive Christianson Fellowship

As a double major in economics and statistics with a minor in Latin American studies, Jivana Nagpal ’25 never struggled to keep herself busy at Carleton. Still, as graduation approached, she found herself wanting to continue expanding her horizons — figuratively and literally. 

That desire led her to work with Marynel Ryan Van Zee, director of student fellowships, who helped her find and apply for the Christianson Fellowship, a highly competitive program run by the InterExchange Foundation. After pitching her project proposal, Nagpal was selected and will receive funding to support her year-long service project in Ecuador.

With the Fellowship’s financial support, Nagpal will be working with CARE, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty. She is excited to apply what she learned in Carleton classrooms and from her senior comps project to her time abroad.

“My main task with them is going to be helping them develop a financial education program for women and small business owners,” she said. “They also have a lot of other projects, so I’m really going to help where they need me. They work a lot in climate vulnerable areas and, since I am staying for a year, I’m hoping to rotate between their three offices, but I do think most of my work will be done in Quito.”

While a year in Ecuador may seem like a large leap from Northfield, Minnesota, this experience naturally builds on Nagpal’s previous work — specifically, her comps project.

“[For my comps], I got funding through the Fellowship office to do research and work with locals in Peru for three weeks over winter break,” she explained. “I was looking at financial inclusion; specifically, where there are gaps in the financial system and who has been left out based on socioeconomic and demographic factors.”

Although she found the project itself rewarding, it also helped to clarify her long-term, professional goals. It was through this experience that Nagpal realized that, while research did interest her, she is generally more drawn to hands-on work.

“I’m hoping this [fellowship year] also helps me explore future careers, because I definitely want to go into the nonprofit sector. I’m excited to learn about what they do on a daily basis and how the systems differ in different countries,” she said.

Nagpal recognizes there will be challenges ahead, as international projects often come with logistical obstacles, cultural adjustments, and personal difficulties. Nevertheless, she is ready for whatever is in store, looking at the opportunity with enthusiasm and an open mind.

“I’m excited to live in a new country. I think it’ll be an adjustment, but I hope that a year gives me enough time to feel settled and build a community there. I’m really excited to see the type of work they do,” she said.

For those interested in the Christianson Fellowship, Nagpal emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with your selected host institution.

“The most important thing with this fellowship is having a good connection with the organization you want to work with,” she said. “I would definitely suggest that Carls look into it and pursue it!”

Nagpal is excited for the opportunity to spend a year working with CARE in Ecuador, bringing with her the knowledge and experiences she has gained at Carleton. While the future is difficult to predict, she looks forward to gaining real-life, hands-on experience, and developing a clearer understanding of her future career goals.