Current Fellows

2020-2021 Cohort

The third cohort of Grace Year Fellows (GY3) arrived in August 2020 and will depart in May 2021. They hail from Shanghai, Rockland County, Eastern and Western Massachusetts, and right here in Dutchess County.

Elinor Qiao

Shuang Elinor Qiao comes from Shanghai, China. She grew up as an only child in a secular household. She travelled to the United States to study at Vassar College, from which she recently graduated with a double major in Philosophy and Music. Elinor is passionate about the humanities and the arts. In college, she participated in various theater and music ensembles. She is excited to spend the year in Millbrook away from big cities, and connect with nature, small communities, and hopefully anchors herself in her own spiritual journey. 

Elinor’s service work is with Oakwood Friends School and the Grace Church Sunday school.

Kira Peterson

Kira Peterson grew up in Watertown, Massachusetts, and graduated from Vassar College in 2020 with a degree in Earth Science and Geography and a minor in Hispanic Studies. Kira is passionate about educating and organizing communities around climate, food, and immigration justice. While at Vassar, Kira was active with SEED (Students for Equitable Environmental Decisions) and the Sunrise Movement. Kira has worked with both the farm crew and the education program at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, and interned at Hudson River Sloop Clearwater in Beacon, NY. They had the amazing opportunity to study ecology with an SIT program in Ecuador for a semester. Kira also loves to sing: she sang with the Vassar College Choir, and currently writes her own music. She is extremely grateful to have the opportunity to focus on personal reflection, service, and intentional community this year.

Kira’s service work is with Grace Immigrant Outreach.

Kayla Agostini

Kayla Agostini comes from Amenia, New York, majors in psychology at SUNY New Paltz. She started as an EPIC member her senior year of high school and is excited to have her service work there! On her days off you can catch her painting, playing a new instrument, and pushing for social change. She is not affiliated with any religion, but she is spiritual and feels connected through nature and people. She is excited to learn as much as she can about herself, her community, and life while here at Grace Year.

Kayla's service work is with Shady Knoll Orchard and Engaging People in Change (EPIC).

Dardan Ukaj

Dardan Ukaj recently graduated from Vassar College with a Bachelors of Arts in Literature. Graduating in the midst of political turmoil and a global pandemic, Dardan joined the Grace cohort because of a desire for spiritual exploration and intentional community amidst chaotic times. A Hudson-Valley native, Dardan grew up across the river in Rockland County with an Islamic-Albanian background. Dardan loves reading, writing, playing saxophone, and taking pictures. 

Dardan's service work is with SUNY New Paltz campus ministry and Angel Food East.

Emma Fraizer

Emma Fraizer is taking some time off before their senior year and has chosen to spend that time doing Grace Year. At some point, they expect to graduate from Vassar College with a degree in International Studies and Education. They've been affiliated with Grace since summer 2019, which they spent working with EPIC (Engaging People in Change), a youth leadership program.  They grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts in the Pioneer Valley (another river valley about two hours east). Raised as a Unitarian Universalist, they've spent the past several years exploring different traditions from Episcopalianism to Jewish Renewal. During their time at Grace Year, they want to make space to listen for God in the world and to be silly. What they do for the world is try to love their people the way they need to be loved, and one of the things that they do for themselves is read a lot. They like frozen blueberries, funky textiles, and bones. Emma is nonbinary, uses they/them pronouns exclusively, and is attempting to grow a bowl cut.

They will continue to work with Enganging People in Change (EPIC) and at Stonewood Farm for their service work.
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