Dean Walston

Area of Study: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: East Lyme, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Krystyna Gielo-Perczak, Biomedical Engineering
Alumni Mentor: Kelly Hennigan (‘97 MS), Voya Financial

Dean is a Biomedical Engineering major who plans to earn a Ph.D. in exercise science and physiology. He is Vice President of the UConn Residence Hall Association (RHA), an organization dedicated to supporting and advocating initiatives that raise the quality of residential living on campus and increase student retention and success rates. As a result of his position in RHA, Dean is also an active member in the TRIAD Leadership Program. In the Spring of 2012, Dean received the David Beecher Hahn Scholarship from the School of Engineering.

Yomarie Diaz

Area of Study: Allied Health Sciences
Hometown: Hartford, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Fany Hannon, Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center
Alumni Mentor: Annette Lombardi (‘76), Department of Social Services

Yomarie is an Allied Health Sciences major with plans to earn a Master’s degree in Nursing and then become a mid-wife or Physician’s Assistant. She is extremely active in the Puerto Rican and Latin American Cultural Center and works as one of the coordinators for PRLACC’s Mentoring, Educating, and Training for Academic Success (METAS) Program which strives to promote retention rates of Latino students. Yomarie is also a member of the Kids and UConn Bridging Education (KUBE) Program and mentors middle school students from Killingly and Windham, CT.

Brandi Stenglein

Area of Study: Elementary Education
Hometown: Ashford, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Leo Lachut, Student Support Services
Alumni Mentor: Marisa Leone (’93), UConn Health Center

Brandi is an elementary education major with a passion for giving back. Brandi served as a First Year Experience (FYE) Mentor in Fall 2011, and now serves as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for the FYE Mentor Program. During the summer, Brandi works at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a summer camp for seriously ill children and their families. In Spring 2012, Brandi studied abroad in South Africa and completed an internship at a local school where she worked as an assistant teacher and provided care for youth who came from low-income families. She hopes to become an elementary school teacher and potentially work in school counseling or school administration.

Andrew Bilich

Area of Study: Natural Resources/Resource Economics
Hometown: San Ramon, CA
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Mark Boyer, Political Science
Alumni Mentor: Peter Graham (‘92), GE Capital

As a Natural Resources and Resource Economics major and Political Science minor, Andy is passionate about environmental issues and sustainable energy. Andy served as a research assistant in studies on environmental policies and initiatives in both Connecticut and California. Recently, Andy was awarded the SHARE award in 2012 for his work with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. He hopes to work for an intergovernmental agency at the international level focusing on energy security and the expansion of renewable energy markets.

Emily Block

Area of Study: Political Science/Human Rights
Hometown: Trumbull, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Christine Sylvester, Political Science
Alumni Mentor: Jeff Ment (‘89), Rome McGuigan, P.C.

Emily is a Political Science and Human Rights double major. She is the co-founder and president of UConn’s Undergraduate Human Rights Discussion Group, which meets to discuss current issues in human rights. Emily was previously the Vice President of Hillel’s community service and social justice group Tzedek, and is currently the president of the Hillel Student Body. Emily’s particular field of interest is humanitarian law and hopes to work in the field of human rights upon graduation.

Jamille Rancourt

Area of Study: Allied Health Sciences
Hometown: Wolcott, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Lawrence Silbart, Allied Health Sciences
Alumni Mentor: Cara Motowidlo (’06), YuMe

As an Allied Health Science major, Jamille hopes to become a Physician’s Assistant in Obstetrics and Gynecology. During the summer she works as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant in a nursing home providing basic care for those who cannot take care of themselves. In 2011, she was named a New England Scholar and has been involved with the Student Union Board of Governors (SUBOG) since her freshman year. Jamille is currently the President of SUBOG and is responsible for all of the major social programming on campus.

Julianne Norton

Area of Study: Transglobal Perspectives
Hometown: Trumbull, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Jill Deans, Office of National Scholarships
Alumni Mentor: Jeff Ment (‘89), Rome McGuigan, P.C.

Julianne is an Honors student pursuing an individualized major in Transglobal Perspectives, a major designed to foster a synthesized exploration and understanding of Anthropology, English, History, Art, and Political Science. In 2012 she founded Everybody Arts—an inclusive art club for all abilities and majors. As a recipient of the 2012 Holster Grant, Julianne spent the summer developing, creating, and completing her grant project "Canvassing Generations: Art through Postmemory" which explored and chronicled the memories of the last four generations of her family with regards to the Holocaust.

Justis Lopez

Area of Study: Education/History
Hometown: Manchester, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Jeffrey Ogbar, Office of the Provost
Alumni Mentor: Richard Twilley (‘96, ‘04 Law), McCarter & English LLP

An Education major interested in raising awareness about the educational achievement gap in the state of Connecticut, Justis is currently working with the Dean of NEAG to recruit more minorities into the field of education. Justis is also a Resident Assistant for the Leadership Learning Community and in 2011 was awarded the Emerging Student Leader Award. As an active member of the UConn Community, Justis has been an Orientation Leader, a Learning Communities Ambassador, and is currently a NASPA Undergraduate Fellow.

Krisela Karaja

Area of Study: English/Spanish
Hometown: Windsor, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Regina Barreca, English
Alumni Mentor: Cara Motowidlo (’06), YuMe

Krisela is an English and Spanish double major and is heavily involved with the Albanian Student Association, currently holding the role of Vice President. She served as Translations Editor and Poetry Panelist for the university’s Long River Review, a literary and art magazine. Krisela is also a Day of Pride Scholar and recipient of the Sophomore Honors Award. She hopes to earn a Ph.D. in English with a focus in ethnic literature and become a university professor and faculty member.

Smit Patel

Area of Study: Biomedical Engineering/Pre-Med
Hometown: Nashua, NH
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Kazem Kazerounian, Engineering
Alumni Mentor: Ben Kehl (99), Kehl Financial

Smit is a Biomedical Engineering major with a concentration in Pre-Med and hopes to become a pediatrician. Additionally, he is interested in researching the water crisis in India where he and his family have lived in the past. He was a proud member of the Leadership Learning Community, and is now a Resident Assistant in Towers Quadrangle. Smit participated in an alternative spring break trip to Atlanta, GA, in 2011 and participated in several community service projects centered on urban poverty and homelessness.

Mary (Molly) Rockett

Area of Study: Political Science
Hometown: Somers, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Virginia Hettinger, Political Science
Alumni Mentor: Richard Twilley (‘96, ‘04 Law), McCarter & English LLP

Molly is an Honors student majoring in Political Science. Last summer she completed an internship in Senator Richard Blumenthal’s office in Washington, D.C. Molly is the President of the UConn College Democrats and in this role she has organized a Political Conference featuring Governor Malloy, Secretary of State Merrill, and Mayor Boughton of Danbury, CT. Molly plans to attend law school and work to progress LGBT rights.

Monica Smith

Area of Study: Mechanical Engineering/German
Hometown: Storrs, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Michael Renfro, Mechanical Engineering
Alumni Mentor: Steve Wolfberg (‘81), Cronin and Company, LLC

As a Mechanical Engineering and German double major, Monica has become involved many engineering groups on campus. She is the co-president and one of the founding members of UConn Engineering Ambassadors, an outreach program developed to inspire younger generations to explore the fields of engineering and to challenge traditional ideas and perceptions about science and engineering fields. Monica is also the Resident Assistant to the Eurotech Learning Community and in the summer of 2012, she successfully completed an internship with Pratt and Whitney’s Additive Manufacturing (3-D Printing) Group.

O’Rayne Clarke

Area of Study: Accounting
Hometown: Bridgeport, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Lawrence Gramling, Business
Alumni Mentor: Steve Rogers (‘73, ‘78 MBA), Subway Development Corp.

As an Accounting major, O’Rayne is interested in pursuing a career in consulting for financial firms. O’Rayne currently serves as the Campus Outreach Chair for the National Association of Black Accountant. He has successfully completed three internships at accounting firms, two at KPMG, a fortune 500 accounting firm, and one with the start-up company CCEI. O’Rayne has also worked as a Student Support Service Peer Advisor, which works to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation of low-income and/or first generation college students at the University of Connecticut. He is a proud member of the Leadership Learning Community and is also a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional Business Fraternity.

Rachel Stewart

Area of Study: Psychology
Hometown: Mansfield Center, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Paula Wilmot, Honors Program
Alumni Mentor: Jen Ryley Welch (‘90), Mitchell College

Rachel is an honors student majoring in Psychology with the hopes of earning a Master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Rachel served as a Student Instructional Specialist for the Honors INTD 1784 Program. Rachel is also a Master Coach in the student mentoring program UConn Connects where she works with students on academic probation and their peer facilitators to ensure the success of their education here at UConn. Additionally, Rachel helped found the student organization Revolution Against Rape (RAR) which educates students on issues involving sexual assault.

Michael Chiluisa

Area of Study: Finance
Hometown: Bridgeport, CT
Faculty/Administrator Mentor: Matthew Farley, Student Activities Community Outreach
Alumni Mentor: Nick Roy (’06), Somnio Financial Group, LLC

Michael is a Finance major with an interest in community service. He has been an integral part of numerous Community Outreach Alternative Break trips, and was also a member of the Community Service Learning Community (CSLC). He organized a donation drive for a local homeless shelter and a book drive to support schools in Connecticut. He was a team leader for two alternative winter break trips, one to Niceville, FL in 2011 and another trip in Birmingham, AL in 2012. Michael also volunteers with the Windham Heights Afterschool Tutoring Program, where he has helped numerous students with their academic work while providing them with inspiration to pursue a college education.