2026 Aloian Memorial Scholarship Winners Announced

The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) has named Sophia (Fengrui) He ’27 of Leverett House and Jacqueline Metzger ’27 of Quincy House as this year’s David and Mimi Aloian Memorial Scholars.

Each year the Aloian Memorial Scholarship is given to two students who demonstrate thoughtful leadership and who improve the quality of life in Harvard Houses. The award is given by the HAA in honor of David and Mary (Mimi) Aloian, faculty deans of Quincy House from 1981 to 1986. During their time at Harvard, the Aloians helped the Houses create a stronger community by incorporating an environment for social and intellectual growth. David also served as executive director of the HAA from 1978 to 1986. During his time, he transformed the HAA to be a more inclusive place. The Aloian Scholarship is given to commemorate the life and achievements of David and Mimi and to highlight the important community House life creates.

Sophia (Fengrui) He ’27, of Newton, Massachusetts, is an accomplished and trusted leader in the Harvard and Leverett House communities. A double concentrator in history and economics with a secondary in energy and environment, He blends rigorous scholarship with a commitment to service, including as an Army ROTC cadet. As Leverett’s Stein Chair, He has transformed weekly gatherings into vibrant spaces of social and intellectual belonging. He also founded an alumni event series that fosters lasting connections between students and graduates of the college.

Beyond Leverett, He serves as chair of the Boston Intercollegiate Government, leading advocacy and founding the Mental Health Paws initiative to address student stress and isolation. Her faculty deans note, “Long past graduation, alumni will remember Sophia and her influence on their college years. Quite simply, even among Harvard College’s many extraordinary students, Sophia is a standout.”

Jacqueline Metzger ’27, of Washington, D.C., has transformed Quincy House into a true home for her classmates. A history concentrator with a secondary in theater, dance, and media, Metzger brings a historian’s sense of tradition and a performer’s sense of timing to shaping House life. As House Committee co-chair and Festa chair, Metzger leads cornerstone events such as Quinski (a ski-themed party), House Formal, and Housing Day, orchestrating welcoming gatherings that draw together students beyond established friend groups. 

Metzger also sustains the quieter rituals of care that define Quincy’s culture, checking in on peers, running informal meal deliveries, and sharing the comfort of her three-legged rescue cat, Monty. As student chair of Quincy’s “Big Questions” dinner series, she creates space for honest dialogue on philosophical and ethical issues, helping students connect intellectual life with emotional reality. Her faculty deans note, “Everything Jacqueline does runs on 150 percent love for House community.”