Ryan Matthews

Home: Beacon Falls, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.A. in History and Political Science
Current Occupation: AmeriCorps VISTA Academic Service-Learning Associate at the University of New Haven in New Haven, Connecticut
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: David Ouimette, Office of First Year Programs
Alumni Mentor: Richard Twilley ('04 Law), McCarter & English, LLP
While at UConn: Member of the Global Leadership Commission and the Pre-Medical Society ~ Husky Ambassador and Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs volunteer ~PATH Mentor ~ Facilitator for the Honors Freshman Seminar ~ Research fellow at a New York Hospital
UConn Memory: Fall afternoons spent putting together service projects, chatting with friends about last Thursday night, eating a burrito from the marketplace, and listening to Pandora in the Community Outreach/Student Activities Office
Favorite Legacy Memory: Falling big, big, BIG time at Land Navigation

Robert Slattery

Area of Study: Economics/Structural Biology and Biophysics
Home: Milford, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. Julie Elkins, Student Affairs
Alumni Mentor: Richard Twilley ('04 Law), McCarter & English, LLP
While at UConn: Served on the Mansfield Downtown Partnership Committee ~ Created an organization to increase student-voter turnout during congressional elections ~ Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis intern ~ Owned his own web-site development company

Rachael Forker

Hometown: Wethersfield, CT
Degrees at UConn: BA: Urban & Community Studies; BA: Political Science
Degrees Elsewhere: MA Cities from King’s College London Urban Development, 2013
Current Occupation: Events & Promotions Coordinator, Onyx Spirits Company East Hartford, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. David Yalof, Political Science
Alumni Mentor: Annette Lombardi (‘76), Dept. of Social Services
While at UConn: Undergraduate Student Government representative~ Husky WOW Leader ~ UConn Connects Facilitator ~ Volunteer work with a number of organizations, including donating her time to Hurricane Katrina relief in New Orleans.
Favorite Legacy Memory: Whitewater Rafting!!!!!

Pratistha Koirala

Home: Storrs, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.S. Biology/Molecular and Cell Biology
Current Occupation: MD PhD Candidate at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. David Goldhamer, Molecular and Cell Biology
Alumni Mentor: Steven Hoffler (‘95), Casey Family Services
While at UConn: Undergraduate research assistant ~ Author of an article that was published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal (2007) ~ Keynote speaker at the Connecticut Science Fair in 2006 ~ Husky Ambassador ~ Freshman Honors Facilitator ~ Staff columnist for the Daily Campus.
Favorite Legacy Memory: My favorite memory of Legacy was when we learned navigation skills by the river. I had to cross the river two times, once over a fallen tree! It was a great bonding experience; I think everyone had a lot of fun. This event made the compass we all received at the end of our experience especially meaningful.

Linda Drozdowicz

Home: Orange, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.S. Molecular and Cell Biology Minor in Physiology and Neurobiology
Degrees Elsewhere: M.D. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 2014
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Lease-Butts, Honors & Office of Undergraduate Research
Alumni Mentor: Stephen Zielinski ('72)
While at UConn: Study abroad in Mexico, Member of the Pre-Medical Society, Rubyfruit (a capella group) ~ Mentor in the Honors Program.
UConn Memory: Senior year, when I was the Musical Director of Rubyfruit...Finding out that Perez Hilton tweeted about Rubyfruit and CDN's a cappella song!
Favorite Legacy Memory: Falling out of the raft during white water rafting ...and surviving
Legacy in your current career: Legacy taught me to interact with leaders from all sorts of fields - business, athletic, etc. Those skills have helped me work with colleagues from many different backgrounds.

Juan Carmona

Area of Study: Resource Economics
Hometown: Norwalk, CT
Current occupation: Account Executive
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. Mayte Perez, Puerto Rican Latin American Cultural Center
Alumni Mentor: Annette Lombardi (‘76), Dept. of Social Services
While at UConn: Community Assistant ~ Active member of several organizations on campus, including First Year Programs~ Eucharistic Minister/Lector at St. Thomas Aquinas (Storrs) ~ Volunteer as a mentor to high school students in nearby East Hartford, CT.

Heeren Makanji

Hometown: Norwalk, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.S. Molecular and Cell Biology, 2009
Degrees Elsewhere: M.D. cum laude-Harvard Medical School, 2013
Current Occupation: Surgical resident: Harvard combined orthopaedic surgery residency program
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. Debra Kendall, Molecular and Cell Biology
Alumni Mentor: Jennifer Ryley Welsh (‘90), Mitchell College
While at UConn: Member of the Global Leadership Commission and the Pre-Medical Society ~ Husky Ambassador and Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs volunteer ~PATH Mentor ~ Facilitator for the Honors Freshman Seminar ~ Research fellow at a New York Hospital.
UConn Memory: Final Four 2009 in Detroit
Favorite Legacy Memory: Whitewater Rafting....amazing
Legacy in your current career: Self-reflection is the key to becoming a better leader, professional, teammate, and person.

Erica Morse

Home: San Francisco, CA
Degrees at UConn: BA in Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology
Current Occupation: Americorps VISTA Community Resource Organizer
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Dr. Jill Deans, Honors Program
Alumni Mentor: Steven Hoffler (‘95), Casey Family Services
While at UConn: Off campus volunteer in the local chapter of the Big Sisters organization ~ Local middle school tutor ~ Participation at the Georgetown University Institute on Philanthropy and Volunteer Service where she participated in their Leadership Scholar Program
UConn Memory: Everything and anything related to Community Outreach
Favorite Legacy Memory: I loved all our weekly dinners!

Camille Patterson

Area of Study: Psychology/Political Science
Home: Bridgeport, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Marie McCain, Institute for Student Success
Alumni Mentor: Richard Twilley ('04 Law), McCarter & English, LLP
While at UConn: Peer mentor in the Peer Leadership Instructor program, working with local middle school students ~ Supporter of Habitat for Humanity in her home town ~ One of the first students to complete the FUTURE Leaders program on campus ~ Building Manager in the Student Union

Daniel Lin

Hometown: East Lyme, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.S. in Finance, 2009
Degrees Elsewhere: Harvard University- Masters in International Education Policy, 2011
Occupation: PREL – Senior Research & Policy Specialist, Honolulu National Geographic Society- Writer/photographer
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. Angela Rola, Asian American Cultural Center
Alumni Mentor: Frank Milone (‘92), Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina LLP
While at UConn: Mentor for middle school children ~ Active member of A-Minor, a University a cappella group ~ Served as an undergraduate representative on the Asian American Cultural Center Advisory Board ~ Undergraduate T.A. ~ Member of the Finance Society ~ Active with Habitat for Humanity, traveling with the organization to New Orleans offering relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina
UConn Memory: Study breaks at Coventry Lake, Involvement with the AsACC
Favorite Legacy Memory: Workshops on failure and perseverance
Legacy in your current career: Sometimes, you have to get lost in order to truly find yourself.

Bryan Banville

Hometown: Topsfield, MA
Degrees at UConn: B.S. Physiology and Neurobiology
Current Occupation: Chief Academic Officer/Provost of Institute for Mastering Success; Professional Actor
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. John Enderle, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Alumni Mentor: Frank Milone (‘92), Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina LLP
While at UConn: Trip director for university sponsored alternative breaks trip ~ Developed and ran his own international service trip to Belize ~ Founding member of a Habitat for Humanity chapter ~ Volunteer for the Red Cross and Special Olympics in his home state ~ Member of the co-ed a capella group, Extreme Measures
UConn Memory: Community Outreach Alternative Break Trips (all of them!); Senior Year; UCONN Football games Favorite Legacy Memory: White water Rafting and being the first person ever to fall out of the boat!
Favorite Legacy Memory: Being the first Legacy Student EVER to fall out of the White Water Raft.
Legacy in your current career: I use my experiences on a daily basis and many have helped inform the lessons I teach in my coursework at the Institute

Alixandra Grasson

Home: Cheshire, CT
Degrees at UConn: B.A. English
Current Occupation: Student
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Dr. Steven Jarvi, Institute for Student Success
Alumni Mentor: Jennifer Ryley Welsh (‘90), Mitchell College
While at UConn: On campus mentor to first year students ~ Undergraduate peer T.A. ~ Summer school teacher ~ Volunteer in an after school tutoring program, as well as in elementary schools in the New Haven/Cheshire area of the state
UConn Memory: Discovering the "hidden gems" as I like to call them, like Diana's pool and Bidwells. Enjoying the campus during the nice weather was always awesome, along with working for the First Year Programs Office!
Favorite Legacy Memory: White water rafting was hands down my favorite Legacy trip, I always tell people about how amazing it was and want to go again soon!