2007 Legacy Students | Leadership Legacy Experience

Charlayne McStay

Hometown: Flanders, NJ
Degrees at UConn: B.S. in Chemistry
Degrees Elsewhere: M.D. University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 2013
Current Occupation: Pediatric Resident Physician at Yale-New Haven Hospital
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Dr. Katherine Ratcliff, Sociology
Alumni Mentor: Frank Milone (‘92), Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina LLP
While at UConn: Program Coordinator for the Husky Ambassador Program ~ Member of the Global Leadership Commission, UConn Tap Team, Honors Council, and the Pre-medical society ~ UConn Presidential Scholar and a National Merit Commended Scholar
UConn Memory: Eating chocolate peanut butter ice cream (w/ blue & white sprinkles, of course) on top of Horse Barn Hill
Favorite Legacy Memory: Having a candid and honest conversation about our successes & failures over apple crisp
Legacy in your current career: Leadership Legacy enabled me to hone my leadership skills in a way that I was prepared not simply to lead others but empower individuals to become leaders themselves. This critical education piece has been essential in my career as a future pediatrician as I must provide my patients and their families with the skills and support necessary to make positive changes in their own lives as well as within the community.

Matthew Lin

Area of Study: Molecular and Cell Biology, Physiology and Neurobiology
Home: West Hartford, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Angela Rola, Asian American Cultural Center
Alumni Mentor: Jennifer Ryley Welsh (‘90), Mitchell College
While at UConn: Member of the Men Against Violence Against Women organization, the Asiantation Mentoring Program, and the Asian American Student Association ~ Recognized as an AP Scholar with Honors and Distinction in 2004 and 2005 ~ semi- finalist in the Chemistry Olympiad Regional

Jennifer Elman-Cushman

Home: West Hartford, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.S. in Animal Science/Agriculture and Natural Resources, M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction
Current Occupation: Agriscience Teacher & Head Teacher, Glastonbury Public Schools
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Dr. Michael Darre, Animal Science
Alumni Mentor: Annette Lombardi (‘76), Dept. of Social Services
While at UConn: Influential member of the 4-H society and Sigma Alpha ~ Recipient of the Robert Johnson Scholarship for Dairy Excellence, the York Family Scholarship for Citizenship, and the Kellogg Merit Scholarship

Brendan Bayers

Home: St. Louis Park, MN
Degrees at UConn: Real Estate & Urban Economic Planning
Current Occupation: IT Hardware Consultant at GSGI Global, based out of Minnetonka, MN
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Rebecca Taylor, CPIA
Alumni Mentor: Rosalyn Cama (‘75), Cama, Inc.
While at UConn: Community Service Chair for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee ~ Active member of the Academic Integrity Committee ~ Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society
UConn Memory: Too many to choose just one. But, being a part of the Men's Ice Hockey Team in general was a great experience. I have so many great memories of my teammates and our 4 great seasons together. I miss the camaraderie of being a part of such a competitive team, it's truly something you can't replicate after college
Favorite Legacy Memory: The initial retreat and how we all met for the first time... Not one of us knew what we were getting ourselves into, but it turned out to be such an amazing and inspiring group

Jonathan Sierakowski

Hometown: Manchester, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.S. Business Management Concentration- Entrepreneurship Crash Course in Journalism via The Daily Campus
Occupation: RM Auctions- Automobile Historian/Writer
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Dr. Larry Gramling, Accounting
Alumni Mentor: Rosalyn Cama (‘75), Cama, Inc.
While at UConn: Editor-in-chief of the Daily Campus ~ Chairman and CEO of the UConn Co-op Board of Directors ~ Daring member of the Skydiving Club
UConn memory There are many memories of exceptional experiences at UConn, but I think my favorite was when I had the opportunity to be part of a group of students welcoming the freshman during their orientation. It was an opportunity to speak from the heart and convey what my experiences up to that point meant.
Favorite Legacy Memory My favorite legacy memory was the "what would you do if" discussion involving the pending detonation of a nuclear bomb. There were a variety of interesting, insightful answers given, and no one could ultimately be right or wrong.
Legacy in your current career: One of the most valuable lessons I took away from Legacy was that of perspective. Here we were, a group of individuals that came from completely different backgrounds, all of whom were recognized for having some leadership potential based on a variety of factors. It taught me that it is important to maintain perspective on all levels, and to not only keep an open mind but to keep in mind where the other person is coming from. This has enriched me in both my personal and professional life.

Alyssa Moss

Home: Guilford, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.A. Sociology with a minor in Human Rights
Current Occupation: Clinician at Harbor Health
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Beth Settje, Career Service
Alumni Mentor: Steven Hoffler (‘95), Casey Family Services
While at UConn: Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars ~ Participant in Community Outreach, UConn Relief Core, and Cross Cultural Solutions ~ Volunteer among the Special Olympics, as well as Mississippi, Tanzania, and South Africa
UConn Memory: Spending warm afternoons after class and work laying on the grass with my friends at the Mansfield Hollow Dam
Favorite Legacy Memory: Being able to eat dinner together at our meetings. It was so nice to be able to get everyone together as often as we did. Also, discussions and activities always seem to be more productive when your stomach is full!

David Steuber

Hometown: Loveland, OH
Degrees at UConn: B.S. in Political Science and Economics; B.S. in Philosophy
Current Occupation: Policy Analyst and Press Secretary, Connecticut Senate Majority Caucus
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Dr. JC Beall, Philosophy
Alumni Mentor: Annette Lombardi (‘76), Dept. of Social Services
While at UConn: President of the UConn College Democrats and the UConn International Relations Association ~ Political campaign volunteer
UConn memory: Holding rallies, knocking on dorm doors and organizing the campus for a record 720% increase in student voter turnout. Congressman Courtney is still fighting for lower student loan interest rates because the campus stood up and took a stand. Even in a jaded world, never underestimate the power of the student voice.
Favorite Legacy Memory: Hiking in the woods. BRIIIIOOODY!!!
Legacy in your current career: Legacy taught me the value of learning from the perspectives of people in a wide variety of fields other than your own. That's essential for crafting good government policy. I also learned a lot about accepting failures and growing through them. Sometimes failures can teach you a lot more than your victories.

Samantha Sherwood

Hometown: West Haven, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies
Degrees Elsewhere: M.S. in Education, Lehman College, 2010, M.A. in Education Leadership and Policy, Bank Street College of Education, 2013
Current Occupation: Assistant Principal and Co-Founder of Bronx Arena High School
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Lease-Butts, Honors & Office of Undergraduate Research
Alumni Mentor: Jennifer Ryley Welsh (‘90), Mitchell College
While at UConn: Member of UConn’s Honor Council, the Husky Ambassador Program, the national Collegiate Honors Council Board of Directors and more
UConn Memory: So many to choose from! All of Senior year, Sophomore year Spring Weekend with Guster and OAR coming to UCONN, random gatherings with friends, usually the spontaneous activities are the best ones!
Favorite Legacy Memory: Getting kidnapped and dropped in the woods and having to find our way out was perhaps one of the best memories, but really any time our group had an excuse to all get together and be tormented by Joe was a good time!
Legacy in your current career: It was a real crash course in leadership and both sides of the coin when it comes to leadership. Legacy showed us the good and the bad of leadership and made us reflect on how we viewed ourselves within that paradigm. Prior to the Legacy Experience I would rarely think about the responsibility and challenges that come with leadership. As a college kid, you often get swept up in the romanticized idea of leadership. Legacy helped us see the bigger picture and begin planning for that early on so that now, when I find myself in a true leadership role with staff and students who depend on me I'm able to know my "North" and know my values to help make the difficult decisions.