Seven incoming freshmen make up the third class of students to receive direct admission into Wabash College’s Global Health Initiative (GHI).
Kobby Addo, Wyatt Chisman, Dylan Kemper, Jack Koschnick, Jose Luis Maldonado-Perez, Eli Manship, and Ciaran McIntosh were selected from a competitive group of applicants to comprise this cohort. The group represents three states, as well as five Indiana cities and towns.
This program allows first-year students to engage immediately with the GHI, a Wabash co-curricular program for students interested in global public health. Directly admitted students are guaranteed an immersive travel experience in global health to Peru, South America, as part of the global health class, and a summer internship in public health following their freshman or sophomore years.
The GHI direct admit program is supported by the Kolisek Family Health Innovation Fund.
Addo, from South Bend, Indiana, found interest in the GHI because of the opportunities to learn, help others, travel, and spend time with like-minded people. A graduate of St. Joseph High School, he logged more than 100 community service hours working at a food bank and has a goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Addo has worked as a lab assistant at Notre Dame, played football, and served as team captain. In his spare time, he enjoys ceramics and reading.
Chisman, from Charlestown, Indiana, applied to the program for opportunities to travel and a passion for helping
others. A graduate of Charleston High School, he was an Eagle Scout who built a disabled accessible bridge at a local park as part of his community service. Following college, he hopes to become a surgeon. When not studying, he enjoys spending time outdoors.
Kemper, from Fishers, Indiana, applied to the GHI because it provides opportunities for leadership development, improved communication and professional skills while making a meaningful impact in the community. A graduate of Fishers High School, he has a goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon specializing in upper-extremity reconstruction. He is a certified Emergency Medical Technician and has shadowed a local orthopedic surgeon. He also enjoys playing the electric and upright bass.
Koschnick, from Indianapolis, plans to study biochemistry and play on the volleyball team at Wabash with
aspirations of dental or medical school after college. A graduate of University High School, his long-term goal is to contribute to the science behind finding a cure for dental caries. In his free time, Koschnick enjoys boating, fishing, wakeboarding, and cooking good meals.
Maldonado-Perez, from McAllen, Texas, applied to the GHI with the goal of impacting people’s lives as a college student. The graduate of IDEA College Prep has volunteered at local hospitals and his professional goal of studying the human body and becoming a doctor stems from his childhood experience with a burst appendix. Outside of his studies, Maldonado-Perez enjoys exercising, reading, and playing the electric guitar.
Manship, from Greenfield, Indiana, applied to this program for the global service opportunities, internships, and the
ability to give back to his community. A graduate of East Hancock High School, he was an Eagle Scout who renovated his elementary school playground, improving accessibility, atmosphere, and drainage. Manship has a goal of engaging the natural world after graduation.
McIntosh, from Indianapolis, has a goal of attending medical school after graduation to specialize in emergency medicine. A graduate of Herron-Riverside High School, he hopes the GHI will broaden his knowledge of health and healthcare beyond the hospital setting. Outside of school, McIntosh is an active rock climber.
Students in the GHI direct admit program have a strong interest in community health and the many factors that determine it. This program provides students with community engagement and leadership opportunities, as well as the chance to learn from global public health professionals in local and international contexts.
Jill Rogers, pre-health advisor and program coordinator, and Eric Wetzel, professor of biology and GHI director, look forward to seeing this new group embrace the opportunities the GHI provides locally, regionally, and internationally.
“We are excited to welcome our third cohort of GHI direct admit students,” said Rogers. “The men from the first two years have demonstrated success and growth beyond our expectations and this group promises to do the same. Working with these students keeps us excited about the work we do at Wabash and the Global Health Initiative, providing community-building opportunities for students to learn, contribute, and grow. We continue to be grateful to the Kolisek Innovation Fund for making the GHI direct admit program a reality.”
Benefits of the program include the ability to connect with other community-minded students early in their college career; to develop important skill sets that employers, medical schools, and graduate schools value in their applicants; and to learn about social and environmental determinants of health and help address health disparities in local, regional, and international communities.