The Future Makers

Whether they’re pushing the boundaries of forensic science, diving into cultural anthropology, or taking the stage in New York City, Peddie students in the Signature Experience program aren’t just learning — they’re doing. This immersive program empowers students to turn curiosity into action, transforming their education into real-world impact.

In a forensic science lab at Rutgers University-Camden, Molly Olds ’25 advances DNA identification techniques that could reduce wrongful convictions. Across the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Leena Mirchandani ’25 co-authors a research paper on eosinophilic esophagitis at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Meanwhile, in Boston, Sean Li ’25 analyzes brain water flow patterns at Massachusetts General Hospital to improve traumatic brain injury detection.

Far from the lab, Antonette Uy ’25 treks through the mountains of the Philippines, visiting Indigenous communities and uncovering new perspectives on global development. In Spain, Maggie Blakely ’25 immerses herself in the rhythms of daily life, navigating a new language and culture. And in New York City, Yanelly DeLeon ’25 takes the stage, training with professional actors while falling in love with the energy of the city she hopes to call home some day.

Olds, Mirchandani, Li, Uy, Blakely and DeLeon are just a few of the approximately 75 students who participate in Peddie’s Signature Experience program each year. Students gain practical skills through immersive opportunities in STEM, the arts, computer science, creative writing, modern languages, Asian studies and a design-your-own Summer Signature Experience.

The results often surprise the students themselves.

Uy’s Summer Signature Experience was initially a marine biology project studying thresher sharks in the Philippines. But when a medical condition prevented her from obtaining scuba certification, she had to pivot. Instead, she embarked on a deeply personal journey to explore her Filipino heritage, visiting the Tagbanua, Ifugao and Butbut Indigenous communities.

“I traveled about 6,882 miles by plane, over 600 miles by car, 10 miles by boat, and about nine hours by foot,” Uy recalled. She organized much of the project herself, with her mother helping to make contacts through travel organizations.

The experience fundamentally shifted her perspective. “After seeing how much gentrification and tourism affected everyday lives, I became interested in developmental economies. I want to help marginalized groups thrive,” Uy said. She plans to study anthropology and economics in college, hoping to work in developing countries.

For Blakely, the experience was less about shifting career goals and more about pushing boundaries. For her Modern Language Signature Experience, she spent five weeks in Spain through the School Year Abroad program, living with a host family in Huesca, in the Aragon province. Every weekday, she took Spanish grammar and history classes, followed by extracurricular activities such as art, dance and cooking — all conducted entirely in Spanish.

“One of the rules of the program is that you’re only able to speak Spanish with your host families, even though mine spoke English,” Blakely explained. “So I was super nervous when I first got there, but my host family was so patient with me, and it ended up really improving my Spanish-speaking abilities.”

By the end of her stay, she had gained fluency and a deeper appreciation for cultural immersion. “Towards the end of the program, I felt that I was able to understand not only conversations that I was in but between other members of my host family as well.”

This kind of personal evolution is common among Signature Experience participants.

Mirchandani’s summer at CHOP for her STEM Signature Experience began with an unexpected challenge: a collapsed shower tension rod in her Philadelphia apartment forced her to confront the realities of independent living. “I was like, ‘Things are falling from the sky. What am I supposed to do?’” she remembered. By summer’s end, fixing a shower rod would seem trivial compared to co-authoring a research paper and mastering complex lab protocols.

The path to these transformative experiences isn’t always smooth. When the professor Olds was initially set to work with suddenly went on sabbatical, she had to quickly change course and advocate for herself to secure a new position. Her persistence paid off — she became the first Peddie student to pursue forensic genetics research through the STEM Signature Experience program.

Olds’ passion for forensic science began at home, with a well-worn collection of Patricia Cornwell novels on her mother’s bookshelf. “I read one in three days and thought, ‘I must read another. This is amazing,’” she said. A class in biochemical forensics at Peddie cemented her interest.

Her research focused on genetic identification. “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, if you commit a crime, DNA will get you.’ But in actuality, DNA technology and identification are not as advanced as people think,” she explained. This fall, she’ll take that knowledge and resilience to the University of New Haven, where she’ll major in forensic science.

The program offers some students a preview of the life they hope to lead.

DeLeon spent three weeks at the New York Film Academy’s (NYFA) acting program, staying in Pace University dorms and training with professional actors. To qualify for the Arts Signature Experience program, she had to compete in the Declamation Contest, act in multiple Peddie productions, and complete every available acting elective. Her dedication paid off when she arrived at NYFA with a schedule of six to seven classes daily, culminating in student film productions.

“I had to go in front of 175 kids, and I had to audition by myself,” she recalled. Between classes and performances, she explored the city she hopes to eventually call home, even meeting actor Matthew Modine of “Stranger Things” fame. “I fell in love with the city,” she said. “That’s where I want to go to college. And that’s where I want to live when I get older.”

Li’s Computer Science Summer Signature Experience at Massachusetts General Hospital similarly combined professional and personal growth. As the only high school student in the lab, he learned to set his own research goals while analyzing brain injury data. “I was given this data set, but I wasn’t really told what to do with it. I learned a lot about how to set my own goals and create ideas,” he explained. Graduate students using similar software became unexpected mentors, offering guidance and expertise. Outside the lab, Li navigated Boston’s public transportation and expanded his cooking capabilities — occasionally setting off fire alarms in the process. The lab experience solidified his decision to study electrical engineering at Cornell University, with plans to apply his skills to medical applications.

What sets Peddie’s Signature Experience program apart from traditional coursework is its emphasis on authentic, independent experiences. Students aren’t just observing — they’re doing. Whether it’s Mirchandani earning her colleagues’ trust in a professional research environment, Uy coordinating complex travel logistics or DeLeon auditioning in front of 175 peers, participants face real challenges that demand real solutions.

“I felt truly valued,” said Mirchandani, reflecting on her time at CHOP. It’s a sentiment echoed by her peers, who consistently describe their experiences as transformative.

Each journey is different. Some students uncover unexpected passions, others solidify lifelong ambitions. But all emerge with a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them, ready to take their next bold step.