Jannatul Anika

Area of Study: Secondary Biology Education
Hometown: Waterford, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Dorothea Anagnostopoulos, Neag School of Education
Alumni Mentor: Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis (‘06), Classes 4 Classes

Jannatul is a Secondary Biology Education major. On campus, she is a member of the Leadership in Diversity club. She is also a member of the Elks Scholar Incubation Lab which is a club dedicated to empowering and assisting other Elks Scholars in their projects to create equitable change in local, national, or international communities. After graduating from UConn, Jannatul wants to become a secondary science teacher working in urban school districts and promoting student learning among low-income and disadvantaged students. Later, she plans to pursue a doctorate degree and eventually work in educational administration and/or policy with a focus on ending educational inequities and promoting diverse communities.

Jalyn Brown

Area of Study: Political Science
Hometown: Windsor, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Glenn Mitoma, Department of Human Rights
Alumni Mentor: Jen Ryley-Welsh (’90), Mitchell College

Jalyn is a Political Science major with a minor in Spanish & Human Rights. She serves as the Program Director for the English Language Learners program.  Jalyn is involved with the Windham Heights Tutorial Program as a Day Leader. After graduating from UConn, she wants to become a civil rights attorney and to one day work at the ACLU.

Chris Guzman

Area of Study: Psychology
Hometown: Levant, ME
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Kenny Nienhusser. Department of Educational Leadership
Alumni Mentor: Patrick Adams (’85), Foundation Medicine

Chris is a Psychology major with a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. On campus, Chris is involved with the Community Outreach department serving as the Health Services Student Coordinator and Chair of the Executive Board. After graduating from UConn, he plans to go to medical school to obtain his M.D and a license to practice psychiatry. Eventually, Chris will open his own practice while working towards making sure everyone receives equal access to mental health care.

Musa Hussain

Area of Study: Sociology and Political Science
Hometown: New Haven, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Jennifer Sterling-Folker, Department of Political Science
Alumni Mentor: Rich Twilley (’96, ’04), Athorus, PLLC

Musa is a Sociology and Political Science double major. On campus, Musa is involved with UConn’s Running Club, Bicycle Working Group, and Undergraduate Political Review, as well as Fridays for Future. In the past, Musa has volunteered for the Columbus House Shelter and New Haven Reads. In the future, Musa plans on going to graduate school and pursuing a career in either academia, research counseling, or any field that will allow him to work with other professionals.

Sumeet Kadian

Area of Study: Molecular and Cell Biology; Healthcare and Society (Individualized Major)
Hometown: East Lyme, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Joanne Conover, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology
Alumni Mentor: Nancy Dupont ('85, '10), UConn Health & John Dempsey Hospital 

Sumeet is a Molecular and Cell Biology as well as Healthcare and Society double major, while minoring in Healthcare Management and Insurance Studies. Sumeet is a student representative on the University Senate Delta 2 General Education Task Force, a trip director for Community Outreach-Alternative Breaks, vice president of Medical Minds Matter, and secretary of Special Programs in Medicine/Dental Medicine Board.  He is also the secretary of the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, part of the Werth Innovators Leadership Development Program, and a member of RunUC. In the future, Sumeet intends on becoming a practicing physician. In addition to scientifically based care, Sumeet wants to provide culturally-appropriate care that is cognizant to the populations he is treating.

Richmond Le

Area of Study: Healthcare Management
Hometown: Cheshire, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Kelly Herd, Department of Marketing
Alumni Mentor: Nancy Dupont ('85, '10), UConn Health & John Dempsey Hospital

Richmond is a Healthcare Management major with a minor in Political Science. On campus, Richmond is involved as the president of the Healthcare Management Society, co-president and founder of Club Swift, former treasurer of the Club Swim team and a member of the Business Golf Club. Additionally, Richmond is the founder and chair of the Healthcare Management Committee and a First Year Experience Mentor for the Business Connections Learning Community, a student recruitment guide at the Lodewick Visitors Center, and a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor. In the future, Richmond plans to use his degree to address critical needs of global access to healthcare. He plans to rise into the spaces of policy, project management, supply chain management, and health equity in order to increase efficiency in the delivery of care across multiple facets of the industry.

Sofya Levitina

Area of Study: Physics, Mathematics-Statistics
Hometown: Plantation, FL
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Maria Gordina, Department of Mathematics
Alumni Mentor: Rich Twilley (’96, ’04), Athorus, PLLC

Sofya is a Physics and Mathematics-Statistics double major with a minor in Astrophysics. Sofya is involved in the AI Club, American Institute of Aeronautics Association, CLAS Women’s Collective, and UConn Consulting Group. Sofya has volunteered with the Trevor Project, the Headway Foundation, and “Future Today” Foundation. In the future, Sofya plans on getting a PhD in Astrophysics or Quantum Physics and eventually opening her own tech company.

Nidhi Nair

Area of Study: Economics, Mathematics-Statistics
Hometown: Farmington, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Richard Langlois, Department of Economics
Alumni Mentor: Nick Roy (’06), Somnio Financial Group, LLC 

Nidhi is a double major in Economics and Mathematics-Statistics. On campus, Nidhi is the president of the Economics Society, the treasurer of Women and Minorities in Economics, a radio jockey at WHUS Radio, and works for Reslife as a Residential Assistant. She is also a VITA volunteer. In the future, Nidhi has a goal of working as an Economist at the IMF/ World Bank.

Dwaritha Ramesh

Area of Study: Mechanical Engineering and French
Hometown: Granby, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Reza Sheikhi, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Alumni Mentor: Jeff Larson

Dwaritha is a Mechanical Engineering and French double major with a minor in Mathematics. On campus, Dwaritha is involved with the UConn VII Multiply Your Options (MYO) Conference and is a Workshop Leader. After graduating from UConn, she wants to work in the aerospace and defense industry. Eventually, she will be involved in spacecraft development and astronautics engineering.

Khadija Shaikh

Area of Study: Environmental Studies
Hometown: Collinsville, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Angela Rola, Asian American Cultural Center
Alumni Mentor: Jason Jakubowski

Khadija is an Environmental Studies major and Social Justice Organizing minor. On campus, she is the secretary for the EcoHusky organization. Khadija was also an Islamic Studies and Quran Teacher for her local masjid's Sunday School where she developed and taught lesson plans of Islamic teachings and how to read the Quran to elementary level students to increase their proficiency. In the future, she aspires to be a professor of intersectional environmentalism and radical love who focuses on inclusive leadership to empower students with marginalized identities so that they can feel supported and validated in their dreams. She also wants to pursue her passion and interest in activist art become a mother to children and plants.

Justin Taverna

Area of Study: Economics, Political Science
Hometown: Vernon, CT
Faculty/Staff Mentor: Kimberly Bergendahl, Department of Political Science
Alumni Mentor: Jeff Ment (’89), The Ment Law Group

Justin is an Economics and Political Science double major. On campus, he is a member of the UConn Veterans Student Organization and volunteered at the Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary where he helped with grounds keeping and animal care from 2016-2018. Most recently Justin has joined the Town of Vernon Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter and is currently training towards his Firefighter 1 certification. In the future, he hopes to work as a lawyer focusing on licensing of foreign intellectual properties for use in the United States.