RJ Anderson

Majors: IMJR- International Development and Human Rights
Hometown: Cheshire, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Cathy Schlund-Vials, Asian American Studies
Alumni Mentor: Jeff Ment (’89), Rome McGuigan, P.C.

Majoring in International Development and Human Rights, RJ is involved with the Rainbow Center, is a mentor in the Humanities House, works as an Undergraduate Assistant at the Dodd Center and the Human Rights Institute and was recently appointed to sit on the President’s Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility. Receiving a SURF (Student Undergraduate Research Fund) grant this past summer, RJ traveled to Geneva, Switzerland and Los Angeles, California to gather interviews with local non-governmental organizations involved in the anti-trafficking movement as part of a documentary he is creating.

Quian Callender

Major: Healthcare Management
Hometown: Middletown, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Lewis Gordon, Psychology
Alumni Mentor: Marisa Leone (’93), UConn Health Center

Quian is an Honors student majoring in Healthcare Management with the hopes of increasing awareness of access and equality issues in healthcare. He is currently the Vice Chair of the Student Union Board of Governors’ Special Events Committee and previously served as the Vice Chair of the Travel Committee. Quian is also involved with Community Outreach, Amnesty International, and the First Year Experience Program. Quian has been an active member of the Honors Program, serving as the student representative on the Honors Board of Associate Directors, the Honors Council, and as a guide in the Honors Initiative for Prospective Students.

Gabriel Castro

Major: Secondary Education, Mathematics
Hometown: Norwalk, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Leo Lachut, School of Business
Alumni Mentor: Dave Pepin (’66, ‘70), Retired

As a Secondary Education major with a concentration in Math, Gabe hopes to be a teacher and mentor. He currently serves as a Teaching Assistant for the First Year Experience Program, where he oversees 12 student mentors. He is a Master Coach with the UConn Connects Program where he helps teach peer-facilitators and also mentor students on academic probation. Gabe also created a video blog called the “UConn Survival Guide” to help ease the transition of first-year students to the University and serves as a student representative to the University’s Retention and Graduation Task Force.

Trayvonn Diaz

Major: Political Science, Philosophy
Hometown: Waterbury, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Josh Newton, UConn Foundation
Alumni Mentor: Nick Roy (’06), Somnio Financial Group, LLC

As a Political Science and Philosophy double major, Trayvonn wants to eventually pursue public office in his hometown of Waterbury. He was elected to a two year term as the Student Director of the UConn Foundation and is an active member of the Student Philanthropy Association. Trayvonn is a Resident Assistant and serves on the Leadership Committee of Alpha Phi Omega (national community service fraternity). He hopes to increase his fraternity’s outreach by extending their service to low-income areas of Connecticut that are in dire need of support.

Kiana Gonzalez

Majors: Art History, Medieval Studies
Hometown: Willimantic, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Joanna Rivera Davis, Student Support Services
Alumni Mentor: Cara Motowidlo (’06), YuMe

Kiana, an Art History and Medieval Studies double major, currently works as a Docent at the Benton Museum. She serves as President for Adventist Christian Fellowship, has been a Resident Assistant for Student Support Service’s Summer Program, and volunteers regularly with the American Red Cross. Additionally, Kiana runs her own Etsy Shop where she sells her various artwork. Kiana wants to use her Art History degree to become an Art Librarian in a museum or higher education institution.

Erin Holden

Major: Elementary Education, History
Hometown: Durham, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Maria Sedotti
Alumni Mentor: Jeff Ment (’89), Rome McGuigan, P.C.

Erin is an Elementary Education major with a concentration in History. She has been an integral leader in the UConn Future Educators organization which is actively engaged in community schools. Erin also works with the Office of Community Outreach organizing tutoring programs and serves as a Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentor. Erin has been an active member of the Orientation team since her freshman year, both as a New Student Orientation Leader and a Parent Staff Orientation Leader.

Victoria Kallsen

Major: Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management
Hometown: Thomaston, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Jon Moore, HuskyTech
Alumni Mentor: Pete Graham (’92), General Electric

A third year Mechanical Engineering major in the Honors Program, Vicki is an active leader on the Student Union Board of Governors (SUBOG) as Travel Chair and Lecture Chair, helping to bring programs and speakers to campus that inspire students to embrace different perspectives. Vicki is a writer with the Daily Campus, and a member of the Society of Women Engineers and the Horse Lincoln improv group. Additionally, as a HuskyTech employee, Vicki serves as a Call Center Lead and has coordinated workshops to educate students about Google Apps.

Andrew Kim

Major: Political Science
Hometown: Manchester, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Dave Ouimette, First Year Programs and Learning Communities
Alumni Mentor: Jen Ryley-Welsh (’90), Mitchell College

Andrew, a Political Science major, serves as a Teaching Assistant for the FYE Mentor Program where he teaches and facilitates discussions with a group of twelve FYE student mentors. Andrew is also actively involved with the Leadership Learning Community, serving as a mentor and as the former President of Alumni Area Council. Although Andrew has interned on several political campaigns, he has been inspired from his work with his peers to pursue a career in Higher Education and Student Affairs after graduating.

Rubby Koomson

Major: Nursing
Hometown: East Hartford, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Jessamy Hoffmann, Honors Program
Alumni Mentor: Ben Kehl (’99), Kehl Financial

Rubby is a Nursing Major and member of the prestigious John and Valerie Rowe Health Professions Scholars Program. On campus, she is a Resident Assistant and an Orientation Leader. Rubby also serves on the Fundraising Committee for Global Medical Brigades and has traveled with them to Ghana where she triaged patients, shadowed health professionals, and used her language skills to educate the community on issues of public health.

Nordia Meggie

Major: Counseling Psychology
Hometown: Hartford, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Maria Martinez, Institute for Student Success
Alumni Mentor: Annette Lombardi (’76), Department of Social Services

Nordia is a Counseling Psychology major working to provide disadvantaged youth with the skills, tools and inspiration they need to lead a fulfilling and productive life. Nordia served as a Teaching Assistant for the First Star Academy summer program and is the Chair of Internal Affairs for Poetic Release. Nordia spends much of her time as a mentor with Kids and UConn Bridging Education (KUBE) and is a Program Coordinator for Pipeline Connect, an initiative out of the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity. In this role, Nordia coordinates and facilitates weekly college readiness and leadership workshops and mentors the high school participants.

Maschal Mohiuddin

Majors: Biological Sciences, Journalism
Hometown: Glastonbury, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Robert Birge, Chemistry
Alumni Mentor: Steve Wolfberg (’81), Cronin & Company, LLC

Maschal, a Biology and Journalism double major in the Honors Program, is a highly involved member of the Office of Community Outreach where she has served as a Coordinator for Health and Human Services and as a Program Director for the Holy Family Shelter. Maschal serves as a Resident Assistant for the Community Service Learning Community, and is involved with the Muslim Student Association. Originally born in Pakistan, Maschal would like to travel as a medical journalist in the future to help educate and improve others’ lives.

Sean O’Briskie

Major: Secondary Education, History
Hometown: Clinton, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Scott Brown, Educational Psychology
Alumni Mentor: Rich Twilley (’96, ’04), McCormick, Paulding & Huber, LLC

A Secondary Education Major, Sean hopes to pursue a career in teaching History. Sean serves as a Resident Assistant, is an active member of HOLDUP! - facilitating leadership development workshops for high school students, and he is a peer facilitator for The Student Leadership Challenge workshop series. As an ex-cadet of the United States Air Force Academy, Sean also collaborates with the Veteran Affairs Office to enhance the awareness and inclusion of veterans to campus.

Sarah Purtill

Majors: Political Science, Psychology, Philosophy
Hometown: Hartford, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Jill Deans, Office of National Scholarships and Endowments
Alumni Mentor: Brooke Zelesnick (‘98), UBS AG

Pursuing three majors - Political Science, Psychology, and Philosophy -Sarah hopes to enhance the community at large through urban education and policy analysis. She studied abroad in England during the fall, 2013 and interned in Guatemala during the summer of 2013 to understand different perspectives of policy issues. Sarah has also presented research on female identity in Ireland at an International Women’s Day event. She is currently serving as a member of HOLDUP!, an Alternative Break Trip Director for Community Outreach and a Girl Scout Troop Leader in Manchester, CT.

Margaret Rowland

Major: Psychology, Physiology & Neurobiology
Hometown: Hamden, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Heather Read, Psychology and Biomedical Engineering
Alumni Mentor: Steve Rogers (’73, ’78), Subway Development Corporation

As a Psychology and PNB double major, Margaret is an Honors student engaged in research focused on neuroscience. As president of the Bioethics Club at UConn, Margaret worked to create The Ethical Biologist, a peer-reviewed, undergraduate, bioethics journal that is entirely written, reviewed, and published by undergraduates. It not only contains work from UConn students but includes submissions from students across the globe. She also serves as a Husky Ambassador, working with the Husky-for-a-Day program to introduce prospective students to UConn.

Emily Stassen

Majors: Molecular and Cell Biology, IMJR – American Sign Language and Deaf Culture
Hometown: Glastonbury, CT
Faculty/Administrative Mentor: Becca Herman, Leadership Office
Alumni Mentor: Kelly Hennigan (’97), Voya Financial

Emily is an Honors student with an individualized major in American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Culture as well as Molecular and Cell Biology. She hopes to combine these disciplines one day by teaching biology at a university for the deaf. Emily serves as president of the American Sign Language Club, is a Trip Director for the alternative spring break to Washington, DC, and is a Corps Member and Volunteer Coordinator for the Jumpstart program. Additionally, she founded Allies for Collaborating TLGBQ for Action and works in a Molecular and Cell Biology lab researching aspects of viral replication.