Funded by the Marina Keegan ’08 Memorial Fund, the Marina Keegan ’08 Fellowship is an opportunity for Upper School students interested in creating and executing projects they are passionate about. The fellowship is meant to support students’ endeavors and carry on Marina Keegan’s legacy. –Ayana Karthik ’26

Olivia Lee, Alexia Gerogiannis, and Diba Demir (all ’25) were chosen as Marina Keegan fellows this year. As a group, their goal is to bring awarenessto mental health in teenagers and classical music by converting pop songs into classical covers. By using songs familiar to young people, they aim to use classical music for music therapy to improve teen mental health. Through live performances and social media outreach, they hope to merge the worlds of classical music and mental health to change teens’ perspectives.

“We’re changing the perception of classical music in younger generations to use classical renditions to improve mental health,” Olivia said.
“Pop songs feel more accessible to people, and there is a prejudice against classical music in teenagers, so we want to change that perspective,” Diba said.

Carl Chen ’26 was also chosen as a Marina Keegan fellow. His goal is to preserve cherished artifacts and belongings, specifi cally those belonging to immigrants. He plans to do this by 3D scanning these objects and uploading them to a digital archive. As a first-generation American, Carl has seen immigrants, including his dad, cherish the few mementos they have from their place of origin. His digital archive aims to protect priceless items, so, even if they are lost, their importance and significance are everlasting.
“My dad came from China, and he didn’t really have a lot of items, and the things he has he holds close to him. I wanted to create a space where people can share their stories and display the things they have without losing them,” Carl said.