If you’re looking for hope in this complicated world, you need look no further than the Class of 2026 in UVM’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). This class is filled with young people whose dreams are big and whose hearts are even bigger. We interviewed eight of them, and one theme kept resurfacing: the desire to make the world a better place for everyone, particularly for those who need help the most.

Here’s the best part: These extraordinary soon-to-be grads have already begun to take action to make vital changes in the world, in areas as varied as cultural understanding, accessibility, music, healthcare access, community building, immigrant rights, art conservation, and environmental stewardship. 

As this chapter of their lives comes to a close, we can’t wait to see what’s next for these CAS grads and all their classmates.

 

Olivia Teare

Majors: Health and Society and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

Hometown: Duxbury, MA

Olivia Teare (pictured at top) has long been troubled by the fact that so many people, particularly women, don’t have access to quality healthcare. So, when she came to UVM, she dove into a variety of public health and women’s studies classes, and they helped shape what Teare has become most passionate about: identifying the barriers women face regarding healthcare access.

Teare’s dream is to help eliminate those barriers through a career in health policy, and she’s already well on her way. “One of the things I’m most proud of is securing an internship this past year as the sole legislative aide with the Public Health Caucus at the Vermont Statehouse,” she says. “Having access to the rooms where health policy is advocated for, shaped, and enacted has been incredible.”

Teare has woven her interest in law into her campus life, too. She is founder and editor-in-chief of the Vermont Undergraduate Law Review and vice president of the Public Health Advocacy Club, and served as secretary for UVM Planned Parenthood Gen Action for two years. She also tutored at the Undergraduate Writing Center.

This summer, Teare will move to Boston to work at a biotech firm for two years before heading to New York City for a master’s program in health policy. And while she’s excited to see what life after school looks like, she knows she’ll leave a little part of herself behind. “I will miss the community I formed at UVM and the amazing outdoor access—having mountains and the lake just moments away has been such a gift.”

 

Young man with blond hair and cropped beard wearing white shirt and standing on campus green

Will Oliver

Majors: Political Science, Spanish, and Economics

Hometown: Andover, CT

A triple-major is a tough feat to accomplish, but for Will Oliver, it has been an important step on the path to achieving his dream: to become an immigration lawyer. “I am passionate about understanding injustice in the world so I can help reduce its impact, raise awareness, and take meaningful action against unjust systems,” he says, “and the coursework in my three majors has deepened my understanding of these issues.”

Oliver has also turned that knowledge into action through internships and advocacy work with organizations like the Community Asylum Seekers Project and the Vermont Afghan Alliance. In addition, he has served as a leader of the Translation & Interpretation Group, which provides interpretation services to local non-profits that support immigrant communities.

But his time at UVM hasn’t been all work. Oliver, who is currently vice president of the Student Alumni Association, has been playing with UVM Club Futsal (futsal is similar to soccer) since his freshman year and is currently an officer for the club. “The club has become a great way for me to build lasting friendships,” he says.

This summer, Oliver will travel extensively, visiting Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Colombia, and a few other destinations. Afterward, he plans to work at a non-profit or law firm dedicated to helping those in need—and eventually go to law school. “I’m looking forward to a lifetime of learning and meeting new people,” he says.

 

Young woman with dark hair, wearing white and black top, smiling and standing in front of brick building

Sabella Ibinyopakaka

Majors: Economics and Japanese

Hometown: San Diego, CA

For Sabella Ibinyopakaka, college has been all about creating community. She has a gift for planning programs, supporting student groups, and generally helping other students feel more at home on campus, and she hasn’t hesitated to put that gift to excellent use. “I’ve poured my energy into building inclusive spaces where students can not only connect with people who share their interests and perspectives but also feel truly comfortable showing up as themselves,” she says. 

Those spaces have included many student-focused events and clubs all across campus. Ibinyopakaka has been director of operations for the UVM Program Board, a tour tier captain for the ADVOCAT Program, a CAS STARS ambassador, president of the Japanese Language and Culture Club, and a member of the UVM Taiko Club. She’s especially proud to have organized the Japanese Spring Festival this past March. “Seeing students come together to explore, appreciate, and enjoy the event was incredibly rewarding,” she says. “It affirmed the importance of creating spaces for cultural exchange at UVM.” 

Ibinyopakaka’s isn’t ready to leave yet, either: This fall, she will enter UVM’s Higher Education and Student Affairs master’s program. “I am excited to continue my journey here for another two years and deepen my understanding of how to support students and shape meaningful, inclusive experiences on this beautiful campus,” she says. 

 

Young woman with long red hair and glasses, in dark flowered dress, standing by railing with campus in background

Ariel Schuck

Majors: Philosophy and English double-major; Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies minor

Hometown: Wausau, WI

Ariel Schuck is a changemaker. Soon after she arrived at UVM, she helped found the Disabled Student’s Union. Then she began to notice a number of issues with inaccessibility and decided to do something about it. She launched a bi-weekly Inaccessibility Newsletter to document the problems and sent it regularly to the University administration. As a direct result, the University repaved the space in front of Royall Tyler Theatre, installed a universal design ramp in the Davis Center Tunnel, and created an email list to notify disabled students about out-of-service elevators, among other things. 

Her passion for systemic reform extends well beyond the campus boundaries. Schuck, an active member of both the Pep Band and the Lawrence Debate Union, has also been involved with SPEAK, an organization that brings debate to people who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to engage with it. “I’ve taught debate at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility for four years and also piloted a program bringing SPEAK into a local homeless shelter,” she says.

The honors thesis Schuck presented earlier this month is another facet of her desire to reveal and correct injustice, and it’s the accomplishment she’s most proud of. “It’s about the ways that intelligence is implicated in society's moral structures, oppressing folks of various marginalized identities,” she says. “After I graduate, I plan to continue to work to address and dismantle systems of oppression like these.”

 

Young woman with long brown hair and green top smiling in front of tree and campus building

Lorelai Treanor

Majors: Chemistry and Art History

Hometown: Chadds Ford, PA

By all accounts, Lorelai Treanor, known to her friends as Rory, is a leader. She has been the Art History School Representative for the School of the Arts, held officer roles in the Boulder Society, FeelGood, and ChemCats, and spoken at Admitted Student Visit Days. But when she first came to UVM, she experienced imposter syndrome, particularly in her chemistry classes. “Now, though, I feel competent explaining complicated topics and understand that I’m capable of whatever I set my mind to,” she says, noting that she’s particularly proud of her growth as a public speaker.

Treanor has also become increasingly interested in contributing to her community, both in her personal life and as she prepares for what comes next. “I grew up with family members who prioritized volunteering, so I was often exposed to the importance of giving back,” she says. Her work with FeelGood—a student-run, non-profit grilled cheese deli that donates its profits to The Hunger Project—illustrates this, as does her interest in working in cultural heritage institutions.

This summer, Treanor will intern at the Barnes Foundation, a non-profit art and culture institution in Philadelphia. She hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree in art conservation or a Ph.D. in chemistry so she can pursue her interest in heritage science. She’ll miss UVM, though. “UVM attracts kind, curious, interesting people,” she says. “I feel a distinct authenticity with people here that I haven’t found anywhere else.”

 

Young man with curly blond hair and striped shirt sitting in front of sound board in studio

Calvin Kellams

Majors: Music Technology and Business major, Film and Television Studies minor

Hometown: Charlottesville, VA

Despite having been immersed in music since he was little, Calvin Kellams was hesitant to major in music at UVM. He worried that doing so might turn his lifelong passion into an obligation—but the opposite happened. “The things I learned in class inspired me to dive head-first into the making of music,” he says. During his college career, Kellams created 17 a cappella arrangements, scored eight short films, composed music for the School of the Arts’ social media, and even produced a full-length album and an EP as an independent artist. He also served as music director and arranger for the campus a cappella group Zest and taught music at two area preschools.

But the accomplishment Kellams is most proud of is the work he did on his senior project, a short film titled Ave Marianne.  He wrote, directed, and co-produced the film last fall, then spent the spring designing the sound and composing the score. “I worked with 11 students across three different schools to get it made,” he says, “and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at UVM.”

After graduation, Kellams is headed to Boston to gain some industry experience, then plans to go to grad school for film scoring, with an eye toward a career composing and producing movie soundtracks. While he knows there may be some bumps in the road, he’s ready for them. “I’ve decided to trust the process and approach the unknown with an open mind,” he says.

 

Young woman with winter hat and striped fleece pullover smiling on snowy mountaintop

Phoebe Swartz

Majors: Environmental Studies, Geosciences

Hometown: Kings Park, NY

People often say that college is a time to explore, and Phoebe Swartz has taken that idea to heart. A Udall Foundation Scholar in the Environmental category, she has devoted herself to exploring ways to positively impact the planet. “At UVM, I’ve been passionate about getting involved in hands-on opportunities to improve my knowledge of the environment and support local communities and natural areas,” she says.

Her work started in earnest sophomore year, when Swartz developed a restoration project for the Carse Wetlands as part of the Fellowship for Restoration Ecologies and Cultures. The following year, she studied abroad in Patagonia through Round River Conservation Studies. This year, she has conducted research in the UVM Dendrochronology Lab, worked at the Proctor Maple Research Center, and interned with the Watershed Alliance. “I’m so thankful for the hands-on experience all these opportunities have given me,” she says.

There have been other explorations as well. Swartz is an AdvoCat tour guide, a member of UVM Club Gymnastics and the Outing Club, and has contributed to Headwaters magazine. To top it all off, she is currently president of the Geo Club.

After graduation, Swartz will head to Colorado to work as a field naturalist with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies before applying to graduate school. “I’m excited to gain experience in my field while getting to live and work in new parts of the country and maybe even the world,” she says.

 

Young woman with long blonde hair and black top in public square with people and old building in background

Stella Sarefield

Majors: Russian and History

Hometown: Fitchburg, MA

Stella Sarefield’s fascination with Eastern Europe began in high school when she first read Russian classics by Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. “I grew up in a family of readers in a Slavic household,” she says, “and once I began reading these novels it became clear what I should study.” Since she came to UVM, Sarefield has been passionate about learning languages and deepening her knowledge of Slavic history and culture.

One way she has done that is by founding a club that meets weekly to drink tea and speak in Russian. “Developing Russia House has helped me become more familiar with Slavic holidays and cuisine,” Sarefield says. She has also been deeply engaged in CAS’s broader history community, serving as a member of both the UVM History Review Editorial Board and the History Honors Society. In addition, she is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Dobro Slovo (the Slavic Honors Society). 

This summer, Sarefield will travel to Daugavpils in Latvia on a Critical Language Scholarship, funded by the U.S. Department of State, to do intensive Russian language training. In the fall, she will begin a Ph.D. program in Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, which has awarded her the Distinguished Graduate College Fellowship of the Humanities and Arts. 

Her crowning achievement at UVM, her senior thesis, explores the changing and evolving depiction of women in Soviet socialist realist literature. “I’m very proud of the scholarship I produced at UVM and look forward to honing my research skills and abilities in grad school,” she says.