Two University of Pennsylvania students have been selected for the inaugural 2026–2027 class of the Lafayette Fellowship, a new program established by Villa Albertine in partnership with France Science and supported by the Albertine Foundation. Paris Rosen, a 2024 graduate of Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences, and Gabrielle Scales, a student at the Perelman School of Medicine, are among 30 fellows chosen nationwide for the program.
Created to mark the 250th anniversary of French-American friendship, the Lafayette Fellowship provides one year of fully funded master’s-level study at leading French universities and grandes écoles. Fellows also participate in a yearlong leadership program that includes mentorship, cultural immersion, and engagement with leaders across academia, government, business, and the arts. The inaugural cohort was selected from a pool of more than 3,400 applicants nationwide.
Rosen earned a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and Design from Penn in 2024. Her background in design and community-centered work has shaped her interest in creating more livable and connected urban environments. As a Lafayette Fellow, she will pursue a Master of Science in Engineering for Smart Cities at Université Côte d’Azur in Nice, France. Her academic interests focus on understanding how data, infrastructure, and emerging technologies can be integrated to improve urban systems and enhance quality of life, with the goal of helping shape urban environments that balance technological advancement with sustainability, equity, and community well-being.
Scales is a student at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. A graduate of Spelman College, where she earned her degree summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, she has served as a leader of the Penn Student National Medical Association and is a founding member of the Penn Black Student Surgical Society. Her research has included work investigating genetic risk factors associated with breast density in women of African ancestry. In addition to her scholarly pursuits, Scales is committed to mentoring and community service. She plans to pursue a general surgery residency and hopes to advocate for equitable care across diverse patient populations.
The fellows will begin their studies in France in 2026. Through graduate education, mentorship, and cultural engagement, the Lafayette Fellowship seeks to cultivate a new generation of leaders committed to strengthening ties between France and the United States and addressing global challenges.
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