2021 Mortar Board Initiation Booklet

MORTAR BOARD JUDY LEW IS LOGUE ALCALÁ CHAPTER NO. 216

INITIATION 2021-22 MEMBERS SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2021 2-4 p.m.

Zoom Link: https://sandiego.zoom.us/j/92953769689

THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO

Chartered in 1949, the University of San Diego is a private, Roman Catholic institution of higher education located on 180 acres at the western end of Linda Vista, overlooking San Diego’s Mission Bay. Known for its commitment to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and community engagement, USD aspires to excellence and offers higher education to individuals of all races, creeds, cultural backgrounds, abilities and sexual orientations. The university takes pride in the personalized approach and holistic view it brings to the educational process, recognizing the physical, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, cultural and social needs of its students and how those needs are interdependent for personal growth.

The university was founded under the leadership of Mother Rosalie Clifton Hill of the Society of the Sacred Heart and Bishop Charles Francis Buddy of the Diocese of San Diego. “Beauty will attract them; goodness will lead them; but the truth will hold them,” said Mother Hill. This has been interpreted to mean that beauty will initially attract people who come to the campus, and when they are here, they will encounter people in whom they find a certain goodness. This, in turn, will lead them to the truth, which will hold them. For Mother Rosalie Hill, the search for truth was the purpose of the university.

USD enrolls almost 9,000 students from 141 countries and 50 states, who may choose from more than 86 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university’s academic units include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace and Justice, the School of Business, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering and Professional and Continuing Education.

USD is recognized as a Community Engagement Institution by the Carnegie Foundation, and is a member of Ashoka’s Changemaker Campus Consortium.

Dedicated to the ongoing legacy of our founders, the University of San Diego is committed to finding sustainable solutions to humanity’s urgent challenges and empowering students to live fulfilling lives as responsible, global citizens. USD is comprised of a community of scholars committed to teaching and research both in and out of the classroom and is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States.

OUR MISSION

The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic institution committed to advancing academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge, creating a diverse and inclusive community, and preparing leaders dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service.

UNIV ERSITY OF S AN D IEG O MO RTA R B O A R D I N I T I AT I O N 2 0 2 1 -2 0 2 2

MORTAR BOAR D

JUDY LEW IS LOGUE ALCALÁ CHAPTER

CHAPTER ADVISORS

E. CECILIA BARNHILL, USD Mortar Board Alumna CHARLES BASS, Senior Director, Alumni Relations, Mortar Board Alumnus JUDITH LIU, PhD, Professor of Sociology MICHAEL MAYER, PhD, Professor of Biology PERL A MYERS, PhD, Professor of Mathematics and Mortar Board Alumna

FOUNDING ADVISOR

JUDITH LEWIS LOGUE, Director of Financial Aid, retired 2019

HONOR ARY MORTAR BOAR D MEMBERS ALICE B. HAYES, PhD

October 22, 2000

TRICIA A. DURAN

April 27, 2002

PATRICK F. DRINAN, PhD

September 13, 2003

MARY E. LYONS, PhD

April 14, 2004

FRANCIS M. LAZARUS, PhD

April 25, 2004

ANNE M. DONNELLAN, PhD

April 24, 2005

JULIE H. SULLIVAN, PhD

April 28, 2006

ALANA K. CORDY-COLLINS, PhD

April 27, 2008

SUSAN M. LORD, PhD

April 27, 2008

MICHAEL S. MAYER, PhD

April 26, 2009

THOMAS R. HERRINTON, PhD

April 25, 2010

CARMEN M. VAZQUEZ, MS

April 17, 2011

DELAVAN J. DICKSON, JD, PhD

April 22, 2012

NOELLE H. NORTON, PhD

April 21, 2013

THERESE TRUITT WHITCOMB, MA

December 9, 2014

JAMES T. HARRIS III, DEd

October 18, 2016

IRIS H. ENGSTRAND, PhD

February 14, 2017

ANDREW T. ALLEN, PhD

April 30, 2017

THOMAS H. LUPFER, MA

May 5, 2019

GAIL F. BAKER, PhD

May 5, 2019

JENNIFER ZWOLINSKI, PhD

May 23, 2020

JUDITH LIU, PhD

May 23, 2020

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MORTAR BOAR D

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MEMBERS NADIA AL-FAR AJE is a business administration major with a minor in

chemistry. She has consistently earned first honors on the dean’s list. She enjoys working with special needs children and volunteering with Syrian refugees in San Diego. Nadia is vice president of the pre-dental club and a pre-health peer mentor through the pre-health advising office. She is currently shadowing at dental offices in San Diego and interns at a dental clinic in Mexico where she assists in live implant surgeries. Nadia plans to pursue a career in dentistry. She is Syrian from San Diego, California.

SOPHIA AUSTIN* is majoring in integrated engineering with an

emphasis in sustainability and a minor in mathematics. She has earned first honors on the dean’s list multiple times and is in the Honors Program. As a Stanford University Innovation Fellow, she helped develop a reusable to-go box program on campus. Sophia is on the executive board for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and is co-founder of the club, Alliance of Disability Advocates and a member of the Changemaker Hub student committee. This summer, she accepted an early offer internship in the San Francisco Bay area as an industrial engineer for UPS. Sophia is from La Cañada, California.

CHARLOTTE ALEX ANDER , a San Diego native, is a finance and real estate double major. She is actively involved in commercial real estate, having interned for CBRE, The O’Reilly Group and Ambrose Capital Group. Currently she is preparing to take her California Real Estate exam.

Charlotte is also involved with the Burnham-Moores Real Estate Council, The USD Finance Association and The Student International Business Council. As a member of Kappa Delta she volunteers for the Girl Scouts of America. A member of the United States Tennis Association, she loves to play tennis and was a member of the USD club tennis team. Charlotte hopes to work in either the commercial real estate field or in private equity.

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JANA ALSABIH is a liberal studies major with a concentration in

psychology. She serves as a teacher aid in the Southeast San Diego tutoring program and is on the executive board for the International Student Organization and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She loves working with children and is planning to pursue a graduate degree in the field of occupational therapy to work with children who have disabilities.

Jana is from Kuwait City, Kuwait.

MAYA BADR ANI is a psychology major with a history minor. She speaks

Arabic and English fluently and plays the clarinet and violin. She serves as a commuter assistant and she helps students bridge the gap between their senior year of high school and their first year of college. She was on the Women of Color planning committee and is a Torero Circle facilitator and a member of the Scholastic and Residential/Commuter Council. She is also a part of the law and business mediation club. Maya is currently interning for the Children Advocacy Institute in partnership with USD for pre-law. She hopes to attend law school and eventually own her own law firm. Maya is a born-and-raised San Diego native.

JANELLE BARR AZA is majoring in business administration and

minoring in leadership studies. She has earned first honors on the dean’s list every semester. Janelle founded the environmental and social justice club, Pachamama Alliance, at USD where she currently serves as the president. She also works for the City of Petaluma as a Climate Action Commission Engagement Intern and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Her professional aspirations are to work as a management consultant specializing in environmental sustainability. Janelle is from Santa Rosa, California.

PEYTON BERGER is a business administration major with minors

in management and business analytics. He has earned first and second honors on the dean’s list several times. He is heavily involved in Hillel and the Jewish Student Union on campus and is a member of USD’s chapter of The Society of Collegiate Leadership and Achievement. Over the summer, he earned a certificate of completion from NYU’s Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sports in Fundamentals of Global Sports and plans to continue his studies in sports medicine after graduation. He plans to earn a Master’s in Sports Management and ideally work in the NBA or NFL and hopes to become an NFL general manager one day. Peyton is from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

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NINA BL ANCO is a behavioral neuroscience major with a concentration

in pre-medicine. She works with the Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action as an in-class tutor. She is currently the vice president and COVID chapter specialist for the Rho Chapter of Alpha Pi Sigma, Inc. She also serves as the University Ministry resident assistant for Manchester Village at USD and as a cantor for the Founders Chapel Choir. Nina is a member of Phi Delta Epsilon, Gender Equality and Sex Positivity Collective, Student Support Services, USD Health Occupation Students of America and the Lettered Multicultural Council at USD. She is from Houston, Texas, and plans to become a pediatric oncologist in the future. She also hopes to one day start a nonprofit organization that provides affordable healthcare to low-income communities and promotes the inclusion of different-abilities training in the primary school curriculum.

TAYLOR BROWN is an industrial and systems engineering major with

an interest in biomedical engineering and entrepreneurship. She is currently serving as vice president of USD’s chapter of National Society of Black Engineers. Taylor has served as a scholastic assistant and currently works as a tutor for USD’s Torero Athletics. She plans to pursue a career in biotech or user experience design once she graduates. Taylor is from Las Vegas, Nevada.

K AJA BURJA is a political science major and is double minoring in

history and sociology. She has been an executive board member of the International Student Organization for three years, as well as co-chair for the International Team Ambassadors. She is also in the Italian Club, Saturdays with Seniors, and the pre-law fraternity. She is a recipient of the Trustee Scholarship and has been on the dean’s list every semester.

Kaja spends her time volunteering at Clean My San Diego and hosting events for the international community on campus and off campus. She plans to pursue a career as a diplomat in Africa or as a lawyer working in the United Nations in the areas of international law and human rights. She is also planning to create a nonprofit organization with her parents. Kaja is from Slovenia.

EMILY CHUA is majoring in psychology with minors in business administration and law and ethics. She is a member of the Honors Program, where she serves as a member of the Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Council, working with fellow councilmembers to provide honors psychology and behavioral neuroscience majors adequate resources. Emily is also a member of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, where she volunteers as a peer tutor. Emily is a member of the Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Club. She is involved in Torero Ambassadors and works on campus as a Torero Tour Guide, representing USD to prospective students and families. Emily intends to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. She is from Tucson, Arizona.

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DANIELL A CL ARK is an international relations major with minors in

business administration and business analytics. She is a Torero Ambassador mentor for Olé Ambassadors, Tour Escort, an out-of-state Torero Ambassador, and member of the Honors Club events planning committee.

She plans to join the Peace Corps after graduation and then pursue a career in government and diplomacy. Daniella is from Denver, Colorado.

CHRISTOPHER CURRIE is a mathematics and physics major with

minors in biology and chemistry. He serves as a leader in Pancakes Serving up Hope and is a member of Phi Delta Epsilon Pre-Medical fraternity and a guide for USD’s Outdoors Adventures program. Christopher is a certified EMT and is currently conducting research on the dynamics of ActinMicrotubule networks driven by myosin interactions. He plans to pursue a career in medicine, specifically focused on trauma. Christopher is from Upland, California.

JENNIFER DESANTIS is a psychology major and biology minor. She is

an resident advisor, a consultant in the Writing Center, a Psi Chi tutor, and a neuroscience research lab assistant. She is an active volunteer with various special needs organizations. Jennifer is pursuing a career in pediatric clinical psychology. She always tries to be an empathetic individual who cares about learning about the lived experiences and unique perspectives of others.

K ATELYN GUTIERREZ is a biology major with minors in chemistry

and biomedical ethics. She is an active member in Phi Delta Epsilon, volunteers at the local hospital in her community, and is an intern under the anesthesiologists at the surgery center. She enjoys riding horses in her free time. She is also currently conducting research on the freshwater invertebrate Hydra to decode the proteome for transmembrane and secretory proteins, and is planning on pursuing a career in anesthesiology, cardiothoracic surgery or neurosurgery. Katelyn is from Monrovia, California.

SAR AH HAETZEL is a computer science and business economics double

major. She serves as the marketing chair for the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) club, is an out-of-state Torero Ambassador, a lab assistant for two computer science courses and an industry scholar in the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering. She recently accepted a position as a software development intern for HUGs, working to build a platform for the recently founded start-up. She plans to pursue a career in the tech field, where she can combine her interests in computer science and economics, while collaborating with a large variety of people. Sarah’s hometown is Munich, Germany, but she currently lives in Dallas, Texas. She is fluent in English and German.

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COLIN HASTINGS is majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor

in mathematics. He is a Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Peer Educator and a guitar player for USD’s Founders Chapel Choir. Colin also volunteers to fight against food insecurity by delivering groceries with Catholic Charities and participating in food drives. After college, Colin plans to participate in a long-term volunteer program and pursue a graduate degree in engineering. He intends to enter a field focused on renewable energy.

Colin is from Saratoga, CA.

SHYEN HIR ABAYASHI is a behavioral neuroscience major with minors in business administration and law and ethics. She is a teaching assistant for biological psychology. She is the head of special events for the MakeA-Wish Club at USD and has volunteered with Ronald McDonald House of Charities in Hawaii. Shyen is a first-generation college student, has earned first honors on the dean’s list and is a member of Student Support Services, Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity, and Psi Chi international psychology honor society. She is an active member in the People of the Islands Club and is a mentor in the Kuya-Ate-Ading-Kepatid program of the Filipino Ugnayan Student Organization. As a USD Health Equities Fellow, Shyen gained a deeper understanding about the intersectional socioeconomic determinants of health disparities. She plans to attend law school to become an attorney in the healthcare field with plans to to center her career around social equity and justice. Shyen is from Honolulu, Hawaii.

R ACHEL HUBK A is a behavioral neuroscience major and a sociology minor. She is a member of USD’s swim and dive team, for which she is a conference finalist and national qualifier. She serves as a scholastic assistant for USD’s Innovate Living Learning Community and is training to be a Rainbow Educator. Rachel hopes to attend medical school upon graduation and become a physician who serves underrepresented communities. She is open-minded and empathetic and has a passion for social justice. She is from Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

KOBE HUYNH is majoring in psychology and minoring in communication studies. He is a research assistant in Dr. Adriana MolitorSiegl’s toddler development lab, researching coding methodologies for maternal autonomy-support and control with toddlers. He serves as a vice chair on the Torero Program Board, overseeing the event planning process for campus events, focusing on diverse and inclusive programming.

He is also a member of Psi Chi and a tutor for Student Support Services. Kobe plans to attend graduate school and earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology, specializing in children and adolescents. He is from Sacramento, California.

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MARIYA K AMILL A ISK AKOVA is a psychology major with a minor

in mathematics. She is a member of the Psychological Sciences Research Club, an enthusiastic reader, and is working on a short story to submit to The Alcalá Review. Her future goal is to be of service in the area of psychiatry or adjacent research. Kamilla is a transfer student originally from Almaty, Kazakhstan.

SOPHIA K AHL is majoring in behavioral neuroscience with a minor in French. Before attending USD, she was awarded a scholarship for the Rotary Youth Exchange to live fully immersed in Colmar, France, during a gap year. At USD, she has earned first honors on the dean’s list and is a member of the Honors Program. She is also part of the Ultimate Frisbee team, a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and a guide for USD’s Outdoor Adventures. Sophia is assisting with the newly founded Honors Council for the psychological sciences department, and is a student researcher on a psychology study investigating how people remember major events, specifically mass shootings in the United States. Her passions lie at the intersection of international relations and behavioral neuroscience, which she plans to further explore in her Honors senior thesis. While still determining her career path, she aspires to stay rooted in philanthropy and is interested in working in the health care field. She is from Reno, Nevada.

ELIZABETH K AVANAUGH , originally from Albany, New York, is pursuing a career in accounting. She also plans to apply for USD’s master’s in accounting program and take the CPA exam. As a Torero Tour Guide, she strives to share the university’s values with prospective students. She is also involved in the accounting society at USD’s School of Business.

Elizabeth has a passion for working in team-based settings and building customer relations and has had several such experiences from working in part-time jobs, most recently with Lululemon. Elizabeth strives for the betterment of all communities and is determined to do this at USD and in the business world.

CHRISTIANE KEYHANI is majoring in finance and supply chain

management. She is an active member in Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity for the mutual support of students in commerce.

She enjoys volunteering for the food bank and working with children.

Currently, she is an executive intern for Investera, a start-up financial education platform and community with the purpose of building financial intelligence. She is passionate about environmental sustainability, human rights, and entrepreneurship. Her dream job is to work for an impact investing firm. Christiane is from Maui, Hawai’i and she loves to surf and snowboard in her free time.

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ZOÉ KNEPP was born in San Diego, California. During her early life,

Knepp attended public school in Rennes, France, before returning to the United States to finish her education. Knepp worked her way throughout high school and college, working in childcare and waitressing to working for USD while completing her bachelor’s degree in international relations with minors in Arabic and French. A member of Alpha Chi Omega and a former scholastic assistant for the Advocate Living Learning Community, she has worked toward enhancing the USD community. Motivated by a desire to better the human experience and a childhood passion for Ancient Egyptian history, Knepp has concentrated her international studies in the Middle East in order to one day work in counter-terrorism.

She has already begun her journey as a graduate student at USD, pursuing a master’s degree in international relations.

JAVEN MAR AVILL A TORRES is a double degree student majoring

in international business at the University of San Diego and in business administration at Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics. He took on his double degree journey shortly after arriving in San Diego and has devoted the last two years of his academic career to the development of the program. At USD, he is a member of Student Support Services, he has mentored students through TRiO’s Upward Bound program, and competed in sports with the men’s soccer club while earning first honors on the dean’s list. Javen hopes to focus on regional management and market expansion strategies in the future. He is originally from Portland, Oregon.

CYNTHIA MARMOLEJO is a finance and business administration

major with minors in international business and Spanish. She is a member of the Student International Business Council, where she works with the Tamarindo Foundation, in researching and presenting workshops for women and men in El Salvador to be able to open or grow their own business. She plans to pursue a career in investment banking or with a nonprofit organization and later be able to open her own food or clothing business. Cynthia is from San Diego, California.

VIVIAN MATEOS ZÚNIGA is a political science major with a minor in

Latin American studies. She serves as vice president of USD Votes and as a tour guide for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. She is currently a virtual intern for the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and works as a student assistant for the Department of Political Science and International Relations at USD. Vivian is from San Diego, California and plans to pursue a career in foreign policy or foreign service.

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ALYSSA MUGAVERO is a sociology and interdisciplinary humanities

major. She serves as a writing consultant for the Writing Center and a Sociology and English tutor for Student Support Services. As a McNair Scholar and Keck Humanities Fellow, she is currently conducting her own original research on social and cultural hegemony within educational institutions to offer an alternative framework for humanistic pedagogical socialization. She plans to pursue a doctoral degree either in the field of education or sociology to theorize and advocate for new institutional structures of education in the United States that promote the prosperity of humanity over neo-liberal accumulation of wealth. Alyssa is from Whittier, California.

K AYLEY NORMAN is double majoring in communication studies and marketing. At USD, she is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, is involved in USD Votes, Active Minds, and the USD Artists Society, and is a contributor to the USD Vista. When she can, Kayley volunteers as a private tutor for high school and college students and is a choreographer for the Theatre Repertoire of Our Lady of Lourdes. In her down time, she loves painting, dancing, hanging out with friends, watching baseball and going on adventures.

Kayley is from Los Angeles, California.

JOHN O’CONNELL is a biology major with minors in chemistry and

women’s and gender studies. He is on the executive boards of Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honor Society, as well as the Honors Club. He is also an upper-level guide with Outdoor Adventures, works with Honors Program faculty members on the Honors Program Committee and serves as an academic integrity hearing juror. John is currently on track to pursue a career as a family medicine physician, although he is considering a career as a Master of Public Health and relocating to New Zealand. John was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, grew up in Mechelen, Belgium, and is most recently from Westborough, Massachusetts.

PATRICK O’SHELL is a political science major with minors in history and environmental science. Patrick is currently a volunteer at Special Delivery San Diego and an intern with the Priya for Senate campaign in Carlsbad. Additionally, Patrick works as a manager for Campus Recreation.

He is currently conducting research on international responses to natural disasters and plans to pursue a career as an environmental lawyer for nonprofit NGOs. Patrick is from Seattle, Washington.

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REBECCA ONKEN is a history and international relations double major

with a minor in classical studies. She is part of the leadership team for My Story and is a member of the USD Artists Society, History Club, and local poetry organizations. She also volunteers in her community, both in San Diego, California, and her hometown, Omaha, Nebraska. Her dreams for the future involve continuing her Latin studies and attending graduate school to become a history professor.

SOFIA PANTIS a behavioral neuroscience major with minors in

chemistry and biomedical ethics. She serves as a community outreach director for the USD Make-A-Wish Club, as sophomore representative for the USD Honors Club, and as social media/marketing chair for the USD Genetic Counseling Student Interest Group. She also researches the neurobiology of motivation in Dr. Wenzel’s research lab at USD because she finds the interaction between the environment, genetics, and health to be extremely fascinating. She loves to volunteer within the oncology community through organizations like Camp Okizu, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Cancer for College. Although she’s keeping her career options open, Sofia plans to pursue a career within medicine, biotechnology or public health. Sofia is from Sacramento, California.

OLIV YA PASTIS* is majoring in finance with minors in Spanish

and business analytics. She runs for USD’s women’s cross country and track and field teams. She is on the marketing committee for the professional business fraternity, Phi Chi Theta, and she volunteers for Rachel’s Night Shelter. Following graduation, she aspires to work in the field of marketing or financial analytics and later earn a master’s degree.

She is from Orange County, California.

LOGAN PATRICK is a biology major and chemistry minor. She has

earned first honors on the dean’s list since transferring to USD. She serves as a weekly volunteer at Volunteers in Medicine, aiding in the health care of patients in the coverage gap, and leads an orthopedic surgery research project at Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines. Logan is a university nationals Olympic weightlifter. She plans to pursue a career in either trauma or neurosurgery. Logan is from Carlsbad, California.

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DIANA PERCY is majoring in computer science with a minor in French.

Recently, she accepted a position as the web editor for the USD Student Media. Diana works as a computer science tutor and is part of a team of students planning a hack-a-thon at USD. She is currently conducting research to develop a web application on which computer science students can collaborate when writing code. She plans to pursue a career in software development within a creative industry and is intrigued by the many ways the two fields can intersect. She is passionate about creating opportunities for marginalized groups in the computer science field and has volunteered as a mentor for youth programs in both San Diego and her hometown of Kansas City.

ROSIE PHAM is an integrated engineering major with an English minor.

She currently serves as president of the Humanitarian Society, tutor and assistant coordinator at RefugeeNet, consultant at the Writing Center, teaching assistant at the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, Industry Scholar and member of the Society of Women Engineers. After graduation, she hopes to enter the medical devices industry, where she’ll be able to engineer with empathy and make a positive difference in the lives of others! She is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

K ATIE REILLY* is majoring in mathematics and physics with a minor in philosophy. She has earned first honors on the dean’s list every semester at USD and is a member of the Honors Program. She is a guide for USD’s Outdoor Adventures Club, including its Pre-Orientation Program. She is a member of the USD Club Ultimate Frisbee team and plans to run for a leadership position to help facilitate gender equality on the co-ed team.

Katie was chosen to be a member of Industry Scholars for the 2019–20 academic year. She is from Plano, Texas.

NICHOL AS ROMANO is an environmental studies major with minors

in mathematics and business administration. He has earned first honors on the dean’s list for four semesters and is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. He currently is an ambassador for Save Bristol Bay, a branch of the nonprofit organization, Trout Unlimited, working to stop the construction of the Pebble Mine and provide long-term environmental protections for Bristol Bay in Alaska. Nicholas intends to pursue a career in corporate sustainability after attending graduate school. He is from Seattle, Washington.

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ARIADNE SAMBR ANO is an international relations major with a minor

in international business. She is a first-generation college student and a recent transfer student to the USD community. She currently serves as the transfer learning chair, a senator for Associated Student Government, a project leader for the Student International Business Council’s Tamarindo project, and an intern for the United Front Multicultural Centr. She is passionate about giving back to her community both, at USD and in her hometown of Monterey, California. She plans to dedicate her life’s work to the advancement of social justice and human rights for those who are most vulnerable. Ariadne aspires to be a human rights lawyer for the United Nations. She is currently conducting policy research for her local city councilmember, Alexis Arrazola.

ALYSSA SÁNCHEZ is majoring in English with a minor in philosophy.

She works as a consultant for the Writing Center, is a member of USD Votes, and is a Torero Ambassador specializing in student outreach and recruitment. Additionally, she is a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English honor society. She has earned first honors on the dean’s list for four semesters and has worked as a teacher’s assistant at the Urban Corps of San Diego County. After graduation, Alyssa plans to attend graduate school and to pursue a career as a professor of English. She was born in El Centro, California, and has lived in San Diego for 17 years.

MIA SHAEFFER is a behavioral neuroscience major with a minor in

Spanish. She has earned first honors on the dean’s list multiple times and is a member of the Honors Program. She serves as a scholastic assistant and is a member of USD’s swim and dive team. Mia enjoys volunteering as a coach for Special Olympics and working as a camp counselor. After graduation, she intends to pursue a career in health care. Mia is from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

R ACHEL SHELLSTROM* is majoring in communication studies with a

leadership studies minor. She is the scholastic chair of the Living Learning Communities (LLC) program. She is co-president of USD’s Students for Life Club and a liturgical minister at Founders Chapel. Rachel has volunteered as a tutor at Roosevelt Middle School and as a mentor to her local 4-H club. Rachel is a member of USD’s Honors Program and has earned first honors on the dean’s list every semester. She plans to attend graduate school for a master’s degree in counseling. Rachel is from Jamul, California.

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K APRI TUL ANG-DE SILVA is a liberal studies major with a concentration in psychology. She was named a Newman Civic Fellow and currently serves as co-president external for the People of the Islands Club, president of women’s club volleyball, programmer for the Bull Pit, lector and first-year retreat leader for University Ministry, and site coordinator for Montgomery Middle School and Carson Elementary School through the Mulvaney Center’s Youth Engagement Initiative Tutor Program. She is also a National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Undergraduate Fellow and a member of the Filipino Ugnayan Student Organization, Alliance of Disability Advocates Club, MakeA-Wish USD and USD Blended Club. Upon graduating from USD, she hopes to pursue a master’s degree, teaching credential and law degree, with hopes of using her education and degrees to improve education for marginalized youth in California or Hawai’i. Kapri is from Waipiʻo, Oʻahu, Hawai’i.

ANNETTE VO* is majoring in behavioral neuroscience with a minor

in political science. She is a member of the pre-medical fraternity, Phi Delta Epsilon. She serves on the honors student board as the honors club coordinator. In November 2019, she traveled to New Orleans to the National Collegiate Honors Council conference. She has worked in the Behavioral Neuroscience department’s fly lab and was awarded a SURE grant in the summer of 2019. Annette is also part of the Big Little Torero program, serving as a mentor to a student interested in STEM. She hopes to pursue a career in health care.

Annette is from Seattle, Washington.

JESSICA MEHANAL ANI WILSON is a psychology major and communication studies minor from Honolulu, Hawaii. At USD, she is the secretary for People of the Islands club, the director of new member experience for Alpha Delta Pi, vice president of the First-Generation Student Association and Changemaker chair for the Associated Students Government Budget Committee. Jessica is also a member of the Make-AWish Club, Saturdays with Seniors, the Bull Pit, Psi Chi and Lambda Pi Eta. For fun, she loves to spend time in nature, take photos, laugh with friends, and dance! With a passion for helping others thrive, she is excited to see what her future holds after graduation from USD. GR ANT W U* is a rising senior majoring in psychology and minoring

in business administration. He takes pride in all his roles including being a resident assistant, Psi Chi tutor and Chinese Cultural Language Association president. As an aspiring consultant, he currently has an internship with Taylor Stewart Consultant. In his leisure time, Grant likes to play the piano, draw and play games.

MORTAR BOARD Saints Tekakwitha and Serra Hall, Room 133B 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, CA 92110-2492 (619) 260-7932 Email pmyers@sandiego.edu sandiego.edu/mortar-board