Christoforos Kapsalis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Athens University of Economics and Business, where he graduated at the top of his class, and a Master’s in Data Science from the American College of Greece. Growing up in a small agricultural town in western Greece, Christoforos witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by local food producers in reaching broader markets. This experience shaped his ambition to transform the agricultural sector through marketing and technology. His academic and professional journey has centered on the intersection of entrepreneurship, digital marketing, and analytics. He has worked with multiple startup ventures, contributing to digital campaigns, marketing analytics, and communication strategies. His work has spanned from performance marketing to developing data-driven growth strategies. Christoforos is currently part of a marketing intelligence startup, working on analytics solutions for marketing services data. As a Fulbright Scholar, Christoforos aims to pursue graduate studies in Marketing with a focus on digital marketing and marketing communications. Through his studies in the U.S., he hopes to gain hands-on experience, engage in cross-cultural exchange, and return to Greece with the tools and knowledge necessary to empower small-scale farmers and build inclusive agricultural ventures.

Konstantina Kleftogianni is an agronomist with a Master of Science in Crop Science from the Agricultural University of Athens, specializing in Plant Breeding and Biometry. Her academic journey has included international experiences such as a semester abroad at the University of Hohenheim in Germany, a Minor in Coastal Development and Sustainable Maritime Tourism through the EU-CONEXUS alliance, and participation in the Study of the U.S. Institute on Climate Change and Environmental Issues at the University of Nevada, Reno, as a Fulbright scholar in 2022. Her dedication to sustainability and biodiversity has been reflected in hands-on research across Europe, including internships at the Benaki Phytopathological Institute in Athens, the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research in Germany, and the Polytechnic University of Valencia. She has co-authored three peer-reviewed scientific papers in the field of plant breeding, with a focus on crop wild relatives, landraces, and genetic diversity. Konstantina currently works as a Landscaping Manager at a multinational facility management company, where she leads a team of gardeners and technicians and oversees sustainable landscape design and environmental maintenance across a wide range of commercial and industrial sites. As a two-time Fulbright Scholar, she now returns to the U.S. to pursue a Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability Management at Georgetown University. She aims to integrate scientific knowledge with business strategy and environmental policy, in order to promote sustainable development and innovation in Greece and beyond.

Even before beginning his undergraduate studies, Odyssefs Liagkas was determined to creatively merge the fields of biomedicine, informatics, and technology, with the overarching goal of improving human health. He began his academic journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, while simultaneously building a strong foundation in computer science, statistics, and mathematics through both formal and independent learning. Just before graduating, he secured a position as a Research Intern at the National Hellenic Research Foundation, working on structural bioinformatics. After completing his degree, he fulfilled his mandatory military service as a Medical Laboratory Scientist and continued to pursue independent study. His dedication led to being awarded a Scholar Researcher position at the Archimedes Unit of the Athena Research Center, focusing on the implementation of informatics in the biological sciences.

He credits the support and inspiration of many people—undergraduate professors, his thesis and internship supervisors, colleagues, mentors, friends, and family—for helping him reach his dream of attending Cornell University. There, he will pursue an M.Eng. in Biomedical Engineering, with the critical support of the Fulbright Program. Among these influences, the Fulbright Program stands out as the most impactful—both directly, through its generous support, and indirectly, as it was a Fulbright alumnus who inspired him to believe in himself and take the leap. For him, Fulbright is far more than a scholarship program; it is a way of life. He is deeply honored to be part of this community and will be forever grateful.