Danielle Aira Savellano ’25 has been selected as a data analytics Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) fellow in a competitive national search for the PPIA Junior Summer Institute. As a fellow, she will pursue her dream of integrating her passion for public policy and data to address societal issues.
“I love conducting data-driven research and addressing healthcare issues through my classes and project-based internships. My curricular and career pursuits are largely inspired by my family, upbringing in the Philippines, and commitment to community,” says Savellano, a biology major with minors in computer science and global health.
The fellowship grants fellows a full tuition scholarship and annual stipend to Carnegie Mellon University, where she will attend for an accelerated master’s program in health care analytics and information technology next fall.
She says the Bonner Program and Center for Career and Professional Development at Allegheny College helped her to pursue opportunities that prepared her for the fellowship, including a biostatistics research program at Columbia University.
“Allegheny College was the first place I called home when I came to the United States. Here, I was given the opportunity to get my first job, newfound passions, and a sense of independence,” says Savellano. “In my discussion-based classes, diversity transcended physical attributes and delved into thoughts, beliefs, and lived experiences.”
As a Bonner student, Savellano has been a caretaker at the Tamarack Wildlife Center, a Crawford County Special Olympics coach, and a certified counselor-advocator at Women’s Services. She is also the president of the biology honor society (Beta Beta Beta, a tutor for Meadville Area Senior High School, and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.
Last fall, Savellano represented at the Bonner Congress, where 40 other institutions attended a national gathering. Upon returning, she was inspired to facilitate a workshop among 45+ Bonner students to understand social change at the individual level.
“Savellano has been a clear leader within our Bonner Program at Allegheny College,” says Colin Hurley, associate dean and director of community engagement. “She brings a listening ear, thoughtful critique, and playful creativity to the student-led initiatives she has joined and has consistently juggled many roles on and off campus to promote social good and positive change.”
