What are ambassadors and mobilizers?
Ambassadors and Mobilizers act as campus representatives for the invited schools. Ambassadors are responsible for communication with Princeton's Directors of Logistics on the progress of local conference engagement. They act as a liaison between the Mobilizer and Princeton. Mobilizers are responsible for on-campus outreach, marketing, and selection of conference attendees. They also work with administration to organize all related conference attendee logistics (eg. transportation, health forms, etc). These two positions are interdependent, and in some cases, both roles are filled by the same person.
You can find the 2019 1vyG Ambassador and Mobilizer for your campus below.
Natalie De Rosa is a sophomore at Amherst College studying history. She is passionate about the intersection between educational equity and journalism. She is excited to connect with other students from similar backgrounds at this year's 1vyG conference. Natalie also enjoys listening to NPR and solving the New York Times' mini crosswords.
Natalie De Rosa Ambassador/Mobilizer for Amherst College
Iasha is a junior at Barnard College, studying Biology on the pre-medical track. She is passionate about healthcare and wants to work to dismantle disparities in healthcare. She is excited for the Spring semester and to attend the 1vyG conference! She also enjoys trying out new foods and watching period pieces.
Iasha Khan Ambassador/Mobilizer for Barnard College
Angela Zhang is a Junior at Boston College, majoring in Finance and Information Systems with a minor in Music. She is passionate about giving back to the first-gen community and wants to help others who come from similar backgrounds to overcome the challenges commonly faced by first-gen and/or low-income students. She is excited about hearing other first-gen students' unique stories and learning about ways that she can further contribute and positively impact first-gen students on Boston College's campus. Angela also enjoys playing tennis and performing for BC's Piano Ensemble.
Angela Zhang Ambassador for Boston College
Winnie Chan is a sophomore at Boston College, studying Biology and Medical Humanities. She is passionate about universal access to quality health care and is very excited to meet new people from all the different colleges at the conference. Winnie also loves to run and take naps.
Winnie Chan Mobilizer for Boston College
Kathleen Armenta is a sophomore at Bowdoin College, studying Government and Legal Studies and Sociology with a minor in Spanish. She is passionate about immigrant rights, social justice, and public policy. She is excited about connecting and learning from other scholars at this year’s 1vyG conference. Kathleen also enjoys being on the Equestrian team and listening to Bad Bunny.
Kathleen Armenta Ambassador/Mobilizer for Bowdoin College
Amy Miao is a senior at Brown University, studying Applied Mathematics-Economics and Public Policy with a focus in Urban Policy. She is passionate about using data and stories to catalyze change and make steps toward equity on a variety of issues such as income, housing, education, and health, at the local and state level. She is excited to reconnect with and meet new conference attendees at 1vyG 2019. She plans to learn from attendees' experiences navigating their universities, the resources they have and lack, and is eager to engage in mutual sharing of dreams for the future. Amy also enjoys practicing Taekwondo at Brown, where she is diligently working toward her first degree black belt!
Amy Miao Ambassador for Brown University
Lynna Ngo is a sophomore at Brown University from Fargo, ND, studying Health and Human Biology with a concentration in Global Health. She is passionate about healthcare and education access. She is excited to engage in community discussions at 1vyG to leverage first-generation, low-income identities in higher education. She also enjoys playing tennis and watching the TV series This Is Us.
Lynna Ngo Mobilizer for Brown University
Aldercy Lam is a senior at Bryn Mawr College, studying Sociology. She is passionate about finding solutions to income inequality, specifically in health, culture, and educational disparity. As a co-coordinator of Bryn Mawr's First Generation Student Program, she is excited to learn about changes she can make on her campus. Aldercy also enjoys practicing meditation and watching videos on Youtube.
Aldercy Lam Ambassador/Mobilizer for Bryn Mawr College
Katelyn Liston is a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University studying Chemical Engineering. She is passionate about improving the environment for both FGLI and hispanic students on campus through the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, 1st @ CMU, and the Spanish and Latina Student Association. She is excited to learn more about the progress of other schools in their first-gen journey. Katelyn also enjoys cooking and spending time with her family and friends.
Katelyn Liston Ambassador for Carnegie Mellon University
Jorge Armando Alvarez is a Junior at Carnegie Mellon University, studying Professional Writing. He is passionate grassroots activism toward food security and participatory local democracy. He is excited about meeting folks who bring about intersectional change to their colleges in order to amplify diversity as well as equity campus initiatives; he admits to sounding like a higher ed policy official. Jorge also enjoys singing during his evening walks and blogging.
Jorge Armando Alvarez Mobilizer for Carnegie Mellon University
Miguel Yepes is a junior at Columbia University, studying Materials Science and Engineering. He is passionate about making Columbia a better place for future students who will walk in his shoes, and tackling the institutional challenges facing first-gen/low-income students. He is excited to see how the movement is going at the national level and hearing about the different kinds of advocacy happening at each participating school. Miguel also enjoys cooking family recipes on weekends and playing PC games in his free time.
Miguel Yepes Ambassador for Columbia University
Calvin is a Senior at Columbia, studying Computer Science. He is passionate about music and code. He is excited about the opportunity to visit Princeton! Calvin also enjoys working out and hooping with friends.
Calvin Goah Mobilizer for Columbia University
Stephen Zapata Ramirez is sophomore at Cornell University, studying Biochemistry. He is passionate about equal access to an education, science policy, and research. He is excited about learning the perspectives of the first-generation communities from other universities. Stephen also enjoys playing trumpet in the marching band.
Stephen Ramirez Ambassador for Cornell University
Lucero Contreras is a sophomore at Cornell University, studying Government and Philosophy with minors in Education, Business, and Latino Studies. She is passionate about politics and social issues such as animal rights and immigration. In her spare time, she enjoys being in nature and writing. She is excited to have engaging conversations with other First-Gen students at the 2018 1vyG Conference.
Lucero Contreras Mobilizer for Cornell University
Jaden Joel Oliveras is a sophomore at Dartmouth College, studying Sociology modified with Education. He is passionate about finding and distributing resources to first generation low income students on campus . He is excited about creating a new network of peers. Jaden also enjoys playing volleyball, basketball and dancing.
Jaden Oliveras Ambassador for Dartmouth College
Cris is a junior at Dartmouth college, pursuing Biology and the Romance Languages – mostly Spanish and Italian, with a little bit of French thrown in for good measure! He is passionate about storytelling across every kind of medium, from newspapers to podcasts to social media, as well as making sure that underrepresented voices get heard. This year, he's pumped to meet other first-gen students and learn about the impacts they're making in their college communities! In his free time, Cris can probably be found watching Nintendo Let's Plays or catching up on the latest Steven Universe fan theories.
Cristian Cano Mobilizer for Dartmouth College
Tyler is a senior at Duke University, studying Economics and Computer Science. He is passionate about social impact technology and informational media. He is excited about meeting new people and sharing whatever advice he can give to underclassmen about what he wish he knew earlier in college. Tyler also enjoys playing and watching basketball, especially his Blue Devils!
Tyler Alford-Getchell Ambassador for Duke University
Jacqueline Perez is a sophomore at Duke University, studying Global Health and International Comparative Studies with a concentration in Latin America. She is passionate about health equity, access, and affordability. She is excited to learn about other 1G/LI communities at this year's 1vyG conference. In her free time, Jackie loves to draw, watch shows on Hulu, and eat ice cream.
Jacqueline Perez Mobilizer for Duke University
Thais Rodriguez is a sophomore at Georgetown University studying Culture and Politics in the School of Foreign Service. She is passionate about immigration, education accessibility, and poverty throughout Latin America and the United States. She is excited to expand her knowledge about the national unity and struggle of first generation students of color. Thais also enjoys bonding with her fellow Georgetown Scholarship Program peers and Community Scholars; she also loves to Face-Time her friends and family from back home Pomona, California.
Thais Rodriguez Ambassador/Mobilizer for Georgetown University
Brandon Buell is a junior at Harvard University studying Statistics and Economics. He is incredibly passionate about the new frontier of investing for social impact and how the FGLI identity affects life at Harvard. He looks forward to reconnecting with peers from other schools at this year's 1vyG conference and seeing how much our intercollegiate community has grown!
Brandon Buell Ambassador/Mobilizer for Harvard University
Fariea Khan is a freshman at Haverford College, studying biology and health studies with a biochemistry concentration. She is passionate about gender and class equality in terms of education and job opportunities. She is excited about meeting people who are interested in educational outreach to minorities. Fariea also enjoys badminton and stand up comedy.
Fariea Khan Ambassador for Haverford College
June Hoang is a sophomore at Haverford College, studying Chemistry with Biochemistry concentration and Neuroscience minor. She is passionate about equality in health care and minority representation in STEM field. She is excited about meeting and working with wonderful first-gens to hopefully build a network of new friendships and support across different colleges. June also enjoys eating Vietnamese food and deep conversations.
June Hoang Mobilizer for Haverford College
Felicia Petterway is a junior at Johns Hopkins University, studying Public Health and Psychology. She is passionate about improving mental health in minority populations. She is excited about learning new ways to improve visibility for FLI students at Hopkins. Felicia also enjoys exploring the food scene in Baltimore City.
Felicia Petterway Ambassador/Mobilizer for Johns Hopkins University
Jenny Lin is a sophomore at Lehigh University, majoring in Finance and Economics with minors in Political Science and Chinese. She is passionate about initiating institutional change at her campus to better serve the needs of first-generation students and has been heavily involved with the FGLI community. She is super excited about taking on her new role of being the Ambassador for Lehigh at this year's 1vyG conference as she was only a participant just last year. Jenny also enjoys traveling and spending time with family whenever she can.
Jenny Lin Ambassador for Lehigh University
Kelly Nguyen is a sophomore at Lehigh University, studying Psychology and Global Studies with a minor in Japanese. She is passionate about mental health, foreign languages, and world cultures. She is excited about networking with first-gen students from different schools and backgrounds. Kelly also enjoys folding origami and watching shows on Netflix.
Kelly Nguyen Mobilizer for Lehigh University
Zachary Villaverde is a sophomore at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) studying Chemical-Biological Engineering, with minors in Economics and Computer Science. He is passionate about energy and finding economical and responsible energy solutions for future technologies. He is excited about meeting new people and learning about other schools' First Generation student programs at 1vyG 2019. Zachary also enjoys watching scientific and historical documentaries.
Zachary Villaverde Ambassador for Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tina Pavlovich is a third year student at MIT, studying Mathematical Economics and Spanish Language and Literature. She is passionate about working with on campus organizations to create environments that are inclusive for all students. She is vocal about her First Gen experiences in hopes of normalizing the diverse First Gen stories that are present on college campuses. She is excited about meeting more of the First Gen community from across the country and having deep conversations about our First Gen experiences. Tina also enjoys sleeping (because she doesn't get many opportunities to do so), and planning her day to maximize her productivity.
Tina Pavlovich Mobilizer for Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Paola is a senior at Middlebury College, studying neuroscience, global health, and Portuguese. She is passionate about increasing access to health care for underserved populations in Vermont, particularly in the Latinx migrant farm worker community. As a senior fellow at Middlebury College’s intercultural center, she is excited to meet other first gen student leaders. Paola also enjoys hiking, skating, and skiing in the Vermont Green Mountains and hopes to kickoff an outdoors program for first gen students at Middlebury College.
Paola Meza Ambassador/Mobilizer for Middlebury College
Rachel is a junior at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy, studying Social Policy. She is passionate about justice and community. She is excited to get to know some powerful new friends and ideas this year at her third 1vyG Conference. She also enjoys making angry, yet witty, posts on Twitter.
Rachel Muir Ambassador for Northwestern University
Toni is a Senior at Northwestern University, studying Gender and Sexuality with two minors in Theatre and African American Studies. She is passionate about Sexual health and education. She is excited to meet new people and create many new connections at 1vyG. Toni also enjoys being on Twitter and Finsta on her free time.
Toni Akunebu Mobilizer for Northwestern University
Julián Villaseñor is a current sophomore in Pomona College’s class of 2021. He intends on majoring in Politics and Chicanx Latinx Studies with a minor in French. He is passionate about education revolutionization for Black and brown students in underserved regions, specifically in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. He is excited to meet and find solidarity among other FLI students at the 2018 1vyG conference. He also enjoys knitting scarves and socks for his close friends and family.
Julián Villaseñor Ambassador for Pomona College
Nicholas Timms is a sophomore at Pomona College, studying International Relations. He is passionate about learning Chinese, higher education and (hopefully) not sitting behind a computer screen for 8+ hours everyday. Nick also enjoys going to the airport and watching planes takeoff and land.
Nick Timms Mobilizer for Pomona College
Elina Chae is a freshman at Smith College, studying Mathematics and Economics with a concentration in Global Financial Institutions. She is passionate about economic justice. She is excited to learn from and connect with other first-generation students at this year's 1vyG conference. Elina also enjoys reading urban fantasy novels and watching anime.
Elina Chae Ambassador/Mobilizer for Smith College
Martin Alcaraz Jr. is a junior at Stanford University studying Bioengineering and pre-medicine. He is passionate about health access and equity, specifically for first-generation, low-income, immigrant communities of color like his own, and he is very interested in neurosurgical and cancer biology research. He is excited about being on the East Coast and meeting new people at the 1vyG conference with various identities that intersect with their first-generation and low-income identities. Martin also enjoys baking pan dulce, hablando en español whenever he gets the chance, and dancing and singing canciones de reggaetón.
Martin Alcaraz Jr. Ambassador/Mobilizer for Stanford University
Lilia McGee-Harris is a junior at Swarthmore College pursuing a double honors major in Linguistics and Psychology. She is passionate about education and language access for deaf children, among many other things. She is excited to meet new people at the 2018 1vyG conference. Lilia also enjoys dance.
Lilia McGee-Harris Ambassador/Mobilizer for Swarthmore College
Carolina is a First Year at Tufts University studying Political Science or International Relations with a minor in Latinx Studies. She is passionate about her Latina identity, racial justice, activism, and more representation of marginalized communities. She is excited about meeting new people and having a safe space to celebrate the FLI identity at the 1vyG conference. Carolina also enjoys spending time at the Latino Center, talking about her hometown Phoenix, Arizona, and eating good food.
Carolina Olea Lezama Ambassador/Mobilizer for Tufts University
Kabelo Motsoeneng is a storyteller from Johannesburg South Africa. At Trinity College, in Connecticut, USA, Motsoeneng is pursuing undergraduate studies in English (fiction writing concentration) and Human Rights Studies with an emphasis on gender and sexuality in previously colonized nations. He writes widely on subjects on race, sexuality and gender — his nonfiction and fiction prose features these themes. Motsoeneng hopes to pursue an MFA in fiction writing and journalism graduate degrees after his undergraduate studies, with intentions of contributing of contributing to Africa’s queer literary canon.
Kabelo Motsoeneng Ambassador/Mobilizer for Trinity College
Mohammed Bashier Ambassador/Mobilizer for University of Chicago
Anea is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, studying Sociology and Urban-Studies. She is passionate about education, family welfare policy, and community economic development. She is excited about seeing the national first-generation, low-income student movement grow even more through the 2019 1vyG conference. Anea also enjoys cooking and traveling.
Anea Moore Ambassador for University of Pennsylvania
Sydney is a Senior at the University of Pennsylvania studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a concentration in Public Policy & Governance. She is passionate about increasing visibility for low-income Asian American immigrant/refugee populations. She is extremely excited to reconnect with and meet new fellow first-generation low income peers during her final undergraduate year. She also enjoys discovering new music to listen to.
Sydney Li Mobilizer for University of Pennsylvania
Pech Chhun is a senior at University of Rochester, studying Biology and Psychology and clustered concentration in studio art. His core value is service and he is excited for the opportunity to advocate educational access. Pech's hobbies include art, literature and running.
Pech Chhun Ambassador/Mobilizer for University of Rochestor
Krystal is a sophomore at the University of Southern California studying International Relations and East Asian Languages and Cultures with a concentration in Japanese, as well as a minor in Digital Studies in the School of Cinematic Arts. She is passionate about media studies, particularly international film and media, and the impact digital technology has on globalization. She is excited about attending the wonderful workshops they have put together at this year's 1vyG conference. Krystal also enjoys photography and watching animated series and film.
Krystal Gallegos Ambassador/Mobilizer for University of Southern California
Amaia Cook is a junior at Washington University in St. Louis, studying English and Classics. She is passionate about the intersections of literature, identity and culture. She is excited about meeting new people and learning from their university experiences. Amaia also enjoys eating ice cream.
Amaia Cook Ambassador/Mobilizer for Washington University in St. Louis
Christine Vega Pourheydarian Ambassador/Mobilizer for Wellesley College
Olivia Nájera-Garcia is a sophomore at Wesleyan University, studying American Studies and Religion Studies. She is passionate about journalism and minority representation in digital media. She is excited to connect with other first-gen, low-income students at this year's 1vyG conference. Olivia also enjoys drawing and film.
Olivia Nájera-Garcia Ambassador/Mobilizer for Wesleyan College
Sara is a senior at Williams College studying English and Political Science. She is passionate about promoting equal access for students in higher education. She's excited to serve as the first Ambassador for Williams to the 1vyG Conference. Sara also enjoys creative fiction writing.
Sara Hetherington Ambassador/Mobilizer for Williams College
Maddy is a Senior at Yale University, studying Biomedical Engineering. She is passionate about increasing college accessibility for FGLI students. She is excited about meeting new people at this years 1vyG Conference and taking new ideas back to her school. Maddy also enjoys crocheting and cross stitching anything Disney or Star Wars in her free time.
Maddy O'Neal Ambassador for Yale University
Neche Veyssal is a junior at Yale University, studying Applied Mathematics with a concentration in Geology and Geophysics. She is passionate about climate change and meteorology overall. She is excited about seeing FGLI communities bond at this year's 1vyG Conference. Neche also enjoys playing songs of all genres on her viola.
Neche Veyssal Mobilizer for Yale University