PEOPLE OF RALSTON: The 2024–25 Fellows
Ralston College is a community of bold and courageous thinkers committed to intellectual and cultural renewal. This new series—People of Ralston—is dedicated to introducing you to the individuals at the heart of this ambitious educational venture—students, fellows, visitors, faculty, administrators, and alumni—who bring this vision to life. They are the intellectually creative minds and voices building and sustaining the College, drawn from diverse humanistic disciplines and professional backgrounds.
This first installment focuses on a unique group within our community: the Ralston Fellows. These Fellows, selected from recent alumni, pursue ambitious projects in scholarship, the arts, and public engagement, both contributing to the intellectual and communal life of the College and paving the way for their lives in the wider world.
We are delighted to introduce one of our two Ralston Fellows this year, Mari Otsu. Mari’s project spans philosophy, art, and craftsmanship, reflecting the spirit of rigorous inquiry and creative excellence that defines Ralston College.
We hope that, through this series, you enjoy getting to know the people who make Ralston College what it is: a growing community dedicated to truth, freedom, beauty, and fellowship.
Meet Ralston Fellow Mari Otsu
Mari Otsu is a fine arts writer and classical artist with a deep commitment to exploring beauty, form, and creative transformation. She holds a BA in Art History, Psychology, French, and Global Liberal Studies from New York University and completed the rigorous Core Program in Classical Draftsmanship and Oil Painting at Grand Central Atelier. She has held internships at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Harvard's Gilbert Lab, NYU's West and Trope Labs. In 2024, she earned her MA in the Humanities from Ralston College (2024), completed the inaugural Latin Summer School Program, and is honored to return as a Fellow of the College.
This year, Mari’s work centers on the Enneads of the Greek philosopher Plotinus, a foundational text in aesthetic theory that, through Marsilio Ficino’s Renaissance translation into Latin, profoundly influenced figures such as Michelangelo. She is especially interested in how these ideas shaped Michelangelo’s unfinished sculptures and broader artistic traditions. Mari is currently applying for graduate school to pursue a doctorate in art history, with the long-term goal of teaching at a classical institution rooted in tradition.
Beyond her scholarly work, Mari is passionate about the challenges facing young people today—particularly the diminishment of inner life in favor of fleeting trends and external validation. Through writing and public engagement, she seeks to provide insight into these challenges, offering a deeper and more enduring perspective on art, selfhood, and cultural renewal.
Mari recently spoke to an audience of students, alumni, guests, and supporters at our ‘Renewal and Renaissance’ roundtable about how Ralston College changed her life. Her reflections are available in the video above.
Roundtable speakers (left to right): Stephen Blackwood, David Butterfield, James Orr, Samuel Andreyev, Gregg Hurwitz, Jonathan Pageau, Christian Sottile, Joseph Conlon, Mari Otsu, and James Hankins.
ABOUT THE RALSTON FELLOWS PROGRAM: A Year of Intellectual and Creative Pursuit
The Ralston Fellows Program provides recent alumni with the time and support to pursue ambitious, self-directed projects that align with the College’s mission. Some fellows use this time to further their academic careers through research or language study, others devote themselves to artistic, literary, or public service endeavors.
Ralston alumna and fellow, Olivia Jensen, performing with Kristi Bryson Handel’s Lascia ch’io pianga, before Douglas Murray’s lecture at the Telfair Academy following the roundtable on February 1.
As members of the College, Fellows contribute in a variety of ways—through scholarship, mentorship, and participation in academic programs. The Fellowship is designed to foster intellectual and artistic excellence: it offers recipients the space to undertake meaningful work free from the constraints of traditional academic or professional pathways, while providing them with the opportunity to prepare for productive, successful, and fulfilling lives beyond Ralston College.
