A series of photos of the Tartans on the Rise Class of 2026.

好色先生TV Recognizes the 2026 Class of Tartans on the Rise

By Michael Pound

Heidi Opdyke

Whether they鈥檙e directing a Tony-winning production on Broadway, advocating for change in the U.S. justice system or working on drugs that target disease with surgical precision, the 16 好色先生TV alumni who make up the 2026 Tartans on the Rise class are already making an impact on the world.

Tartans on the Rise recognizes CMU alumni who graduated in the last 10 years and are using their knowledge, talents and leadership skills to meaningfully advance their fields or professions.聽

鈥淭his year's Tartans on the Rise honorees represent the very best of 好色先生TV: talent, drive and a commitment to making a difference,鈥� CMU President Farnam Jahanian said. 鈥淥ur university community celebrates these alumni and their achievements so far, and we are excited to watch their success continue to grow in the years to come.鈥�

The accomplishments of the 2026 cohort are remarkable and global in scale. From helping companies navigate the world of artificial intelligence while maintaining brand standards to making it easy for gig workers in Indonesia to protect their finances by getting insurance for the first time and changing perceptions of North Korean migrants, the goals and achievements of these Tartans on the Rise know no boundaries.

鈥淭artans always think big, and this Tartans on the Rise class is having a huge impact,鈥� said Teresa Violi Trombetta (HNZ 2018), assistant vice president for alumni and constituent engagement. 鈥淭hey have each found their place in the world and they are working to make that place better. There is no greater embodiment of the Tartan spirit than that.鈥�

Five members of the 2026 class have had a hand in founding companies, which are supporting pregnant women and new mothers, backing the digital efforts of businesses in Latin America and building AI tools to provide natural voice translation in real time. Others are helping us navigate the exploding world of AI, from businesses whose models have been disrupted by the technology to those designing the software that is driving the boom.

Other 2026 Tartans on the Rise write screenplays to highlight problems stemming from climate change, design the gear that keeps first responders safe, act in some of the biggest current productions of stage and screen, and search for new medical treatments at a molecular level.

In short, they鈥檙e changing the world 鈥� and the world is noticing. They鈥檝e appeared on several Forbes magazine 30 under 30 lists, earned recognition in the Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Competition and the Hollywood Climate Summit Writing Climate pitch festival, been awarded a Humanity in Action Fellowship in support of work with the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, won the LifeX Venture Award and was recognized in the 2024 Black Ambition Prize competition.