Prateek Samal ’19

Prateek Samal ’19 is an overachiever. What drives Samal to work so hard? “My family history has pushed me. My father is from a poor village in India and lost his father when he was young, but he worked incredibly hard and eventually became a diplomat. If I succeed, it would make all of his sacrifices worth it.”

During his time at Marist, Samal reports that he has had an extremely positive experience. While admitting to being nervous at first about moving to the US, Samal reports that he has always “felt very welcome” at Marist and has formed a special bond with other international students because of their “unique shared experiences.”

Mac Mugabo ’21

Mac Mugabo ’21 has a deep and abiding interest in human rights and social justice, which is not surprising given his background. Mugabo, a double major in economics and political science with a minor in environmental policy, grew up in Rwanda, which suffered the devastating genocide against the Tutsis in the spring of 1994. About one million people were killed. Like most Rwandans, Mugabo’s family was impacted by the genocide: he lost relatives, and his parents were refugees for a time.

Kadeine Campbell Peterson ’09

It’s been a busy time since Kadeine Campbell Peterson ’09 graduated from Marist with a degree in biology. She went on to earn a master’s in genetics at Cornell University and taught science at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut and the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn before accepting a teaching position at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. She is married to fellow Marist alumnus Joshua Peterson ’09, and they are the parents of two sons, Jack Maverick and Kingston. We spoke to Campbell Peterson recently about her career trajectory, how Marist prepared her for success, and the responsibility she feels as a woman of color at an elite boarding school.