2023 Mentors & Leadership Team
Aliyat Adeboye ’24
Majors: Political Science & Health Policy and Management
Advice: As a first-generation college student from a low-income immigrant family, I would say that the best advice I could give incoming students is to take advantage of all the amazing faculty and resources on campus. From the Registrar, Office of Academic Services, the Writing Center, Financial Aid and Slavin, I have been able to utilize all these resources to help me in my college career.
Maya Barraza ’24
Major: Biology
Advice: Get involved! Join everything that interests you and don’t be afraid to meet new people.
Valerie Cruz ’25
Majors: Marketing & Sociology
Advice: Go to at least 2 meetings of the clubs you’re interested in; you never know if you might find the right one for you.
Aliou Sissoko ’25
Majors: Computer Science
Advice: I would tell a first-year student to always ask questions and to ask for help, initially it’s a bit scary but it will help make sure all their needs are met.
Satoya Isophe ’24
Majors: Health Policy and Management
Advice: Whatever you are feeling is normal. The weight of the world is not yours to carry, so find your community, group, or space on campus that will support you and encourage you every step of the way.
Rochelly Rodriguez ’25
Majors: Sociology
Advice: My first piece of advice to all first-year students is always to stay true to themselves. When they’re authentic and genuine with who they are, that’s the kind of people they’ll attract. It’s benefiting for them because when you’re surrounded with positive energy and people with good intentions like yourself, it’ll definitely enhance your college experience.
Jocelyn Gaitan ’24
Major: Women & Gender Studies
Advice: Be open to new opportunities even if it seems like you won’t enjoy it. It may surprise you to see who you will meet and what you will do!
Jasmine Orellana ’24
Major: Psychology with a minor in sociology
Advice: If you ever find yourself struggling with any course material, reach out to your professor or attend their office hours sooner rather than later.
Diane Polanco ’24
Major: Studio Art with a minor in Black Studies, Business Innovation
Advice: Always be open and willing to try new things. It allows for new opportunities and creates spaces for friendship.
Chloe Frushell
Major: Psychology
Advice: I would tell first-year students to get involved and utilize the resources that you are surrounded by. Your college experience is something that you are paying for and therefore you should make the most out of that. Join as many clubs and groups as you can handle while still prioritizing your schoolwork.I would advise students to leave their comfort zones and socialize with a bunch of people and find a solid person or group of people that you love to be around because it makes the experience so much better and easier to get through the struggles that come with college. I also think that it is really important to prioritize your schoolwork as you are in school to learn and get your degree. With this, there are so many resources around you at PC that are set up with the sole purpose of helping students succeed. I would tell students to find whatever resources are most helpful to them and heavily use them.
Graduate Assistant
Aliyah Jones ’26G
Program: Teacher Certification and Urban Teacher M.Ed. Program with Secondary English certification
Advice: Stay focused…it’s so easy to get distracted. If you feel like you’re falling behind- in class or in life- please get help. There are so many resources here to avoid stress-use them!
Hall Director
Jennifer Gomez ’23G
Program: Master’s in Higher Education
Advice: Get to know a wide range of people – faculty, staff, and students. It is often true that who you know is just as important as what you know. Networking is a key aspect when working and developing throughout your college journey and will surely help you find opportunities for yourself and help others!
