John Carroll University is proud to announce that Rachel Ciotti ’27 and Philip Zura ’27 have been selected as the 2026-2027 recipients of the Roderick Boyd Porter Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities.
The Porter Scholarship recognizes outstanding students who demonstrate a deep understanding of the humanities and meaningful engagement with disciplines such as arts, classics, history, languages, literature, philosophy, and/or religion, both on campus and in the broader community.
Selected through a competitive application process, Ciotti and Zura were chosen for their academic achievements, leadership, commitment to the humanities, and active participation in the John Carroll community. Each scholar will receive a $7,500 award for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The Porter Scholarship Committee also recognized Sofia Bowman ’28, Max Nadeau ’27, and Grace Mashensic ’28 as honorable mention recipients, each valued at $1,000 for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Established in memory of Rod Porter ’69, the scholarship honors a distinguished John Carroll alumnus whose passion for the humanities shaped both his professional career and service to the Greater Cleveland community. A Classics major at John Carroll, Porter went on to become the founding director of the Cuyahoga County Archives, where he spent a decade preserving the region's historical records and championing historic preservation across Greater Cleveland.
“Serving on the Porter Scholarship committee is a real privilege because we get to meet students like Rachel and Philip,” said Dr. Daniel Kilbride, Chair of the Porter Selection Committee and Professor of History at John Carroll University. “Their example is inspiring, particularly at a time when the number of students majoring in the humanities is declining, and some voices are even questioning the value of the humanities. In a period where the powers of division seem to be ascendant, they remind us that the study of subjects like art, history, literature, and philosophy are essential to helping us appreciate our shared humanity. The Porter Scholarship recognizes leadership in the humanities, and both the winners and the honorable mention recipients have been crucial in making the humanities visible on and off campus. We are deeply grateful to the friends of Rod Porter for endowing this scholarship in his honor.”
About This Year’s Recipients:
Rachel Ciot
ti ’27
Rachel Ciotti is a junior at John Carroll from Erie, PA, majoring in English Literature with minors in Ancient Greek & Roman Studies and Medieval & Renaissance Studies. She serves as the Student Outreach Ambassador for the English Department, where she coordinates the Actors from the London Stage residency, leads the Hopkins Festival of the Arts events, manages department media and marketing, plans monthly literary-themed engagement activities, and serves as a liaison to students and faculty.
In the past year, she has relaunched the English Department Student-Faculty Advisory Board, created the Literary Lounge, and managed a peer-led advising program. She has also served as a counselor for the Young Writers Workshop, worked as a Writing Center Consultant, and became Head Editor of the Visual Arts Committee for The Carroll Review. Ciotti received the Boleslav Draga Povsic Scholarship for Summer Research in Classics, in which she studied the classical influence of Euripides’ Medea on the current U.S. immigration crisis. In the fall, Ciotti presented her paper, “Shakespeare’s Magic and Misogyny in The Tempest,” at the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference, which earned her the Smith Undergraduate Award. Her paper is now under peer review for publication.
Recently, Ciotti traveled to Greece and Italy to deepen her knowledge of classics. One of her favorite accomplishments was directing a student reading group of Macbeth that inspired students across majors to read Shakespeare. This summer, Ciotti will serve as a Colleran-Weaver Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow (SURF) under the mentorship of Dr. Jean Feerick to further her research on Shakespeare and eco-criticism. She will also lead a group of students to Stratford, Ontario, for the Stratford Festival. Next academic year, Ciotti will serve as an intern in the John Carroll Office of Admission and as a Teaching Assistant in the English Department. In her free time, Ciotti enjoys reading at the beach, spending time with friends, and traveling. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school to continue her love of studying Early Modern English while working as a college admissions counselor.
Philip 
Zura ’27
Philip A. Zura is a junior at John Carroll, double-majoring in Philosophy and Political Science, with minors in Leadership Development and Peace, Justice & Human Rights. He is currently leading a large-scale oral history project on anti-authoritarian movements with Dr. Nathan Jun of the Philosophy Department, through which he has conducted and edited over 68 interviews for a forthcoming publication.
On campus, Zura serves as a Peer Resolution Facilitator in the Dean of Students Office, a Statistics Teaching Assistant for Dr. Elizabeth Stiles, and helps organize a philosophy department reading group. In his community, he has volunteered as an English language tutor at the International Newcomers Academy, supported humanitarian aid efforts for Ukraine through MedWish International, and worked on Sean Patrick Brennan's 2024 Ohio state legislative campaign. Zura is a Presidential Scholar, a Colleran-Weaver Undergraduate Research Fellow, and a recipient of the William J. Selhorst Award in Philosophy. He is also an inductee of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society.
