Meet our 2024 Orientation Ambassadors, a multidisciplinary team of graduate students who are working with The Graduate School to plan and implement the 2024 Graduate Orientation!
Our Orientation Ambassadors are working toward their master’s degree or Ph.D. and represent a variety of areas of study. Each ambassador brings their own life experience and backgrounds to Carolina and are a resource for you as you launch your graduate career. Feel free to contact them with questions.
Hometown: Jackson, Michigan
Email: berryna4@unc.edu
About Berry: Hello, and welcome to UNC! I am a rising fifth-year physics Ph.D. student under the direction of Dr. J Christopher Clemens. I earned my Bachelor of Science in astrophysics from Michigan State University in 2020 before joining the Physics and Astronomy Department here at UNC. My research at UNC focuses on unique white dwarfs within binary systems. Using facilities, like the SOAR 4.1m telescope, I study how these unique stars interact with their companions and evolve. Outside of my research, you can find me assisting with several outreach groups like Astronomy on Tap — Triangle and Physics from the Ground Up. When I'm not manning the telescope or helping with outreach, you can find me outside playing Pokemon Go, practicing guitar, learning Japanese, or spending time with my partner.
Advice for incoming students: I'll pass on the One Piece of advice I was given that has stuck with me: "Always make sure to incorporate one thing you enjoy/want to do into your day."
Hometown: Melbourne, Florida
Email: dgaviria@live.unc.edu
About David: Originally from Florida, David is a registered dietitian and doctoral candidate in the UNC Department of Nutrition. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida and his master's at UNC Chapel Hill. His areas of research include dietetics education, burnout, and military nutrition. David's favorite things about UNC are how friendly everyone is and the trails around campus. Outside the office, you can find David hiking, traveling, and exploring the local food scene with his fiance.
Advice for incoming students: Work-life balance is very important, especially in graduate school. Make sure you take time for yourself — you'll be more productive, less stressed, and much happier.
Hometown: Delhi, India
Email: sugandh@live.unc.edu
About Sugandh: I am a woman of color, a medical anthropologist, and a psychologist who conducts research in the Global South among young men recovering from substance abuse disorder in the violent and conflict-ridden region of Jammu and Kashmir, India. I am enrolled in the Ph.D. program in the Department of Anthropology. I have been fortunate to amass various experiences as a Tar Heel. I have worked with multiple departments and centers at UNC, been awarded several fellowships, and gained a lot from the writing and learning center at UNC.
Advice for incoming students: Be patient, and don't lose hope; you Will Find Your Tribe! You will find like-minded people, people who support you, nurture you and cheer for you. It may all feel isolating and alienating sometimes, but that's the hard part you must work through. Remember to ask for help. Everyone around you has experienced what you may be experiencing in one way or the other. People are kind, helpful, and generous. Don't hesitate to seek help. And there is no silly or dumb question. So retain your curiosity, especially because many things will shock/surprise you!
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Email: bhaden@unc.edu
About Bryn: My name is Bryn Haden and I am a current second-year Applied Epidemiology student in the MPH program at UNC! I took a gap year after attending a smaller college in Virginia where I spent time working at the Virginia Department of Health as an Epidemiologist focusing on substance use and overdoses. Over the summer I am working for the NCDHHS in their Injury and Violence Prevention Branch working on data analysis for varying rate calculations as well as with the UNC Injury and Violence Research Branch working in their Street Drug Analysis Lab. In my free time, I like to workout either at the gym or doing something active outside!
Advice for incoming students: Don't be afraid to reach out to other people when coming here, a lot of people are moving here for the first time and are also looking to meet new people!
Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Email: shaun.jones@unc.edu
About Shaun: I am a second year PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and earned my MPH in Applied Epidemiology from there in May 2023. I am a Barbara K. Rimer Cancer Fellow with UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and a health education associate/research assistant with the Duke Cancer Institute Community Outreach Engagement and Equity Office. I previously earned my Bachelor's in Cultural Anthropology and Biology from Duke University in 2017 before working in the Duke University School of Medicine's Psychiatry Department as a clinical researcher. My passions include tobacco cessation, Black and LGBTQ+ health, and eliminating health disparities in several areas including, but not limited to, cancer and nutrition. I ultimately plan to utilize mixed method approaches through epidemiologic data analysis and health education programming to combat issues affecting marginalized communities as it relates to prostate cancer. I currently serve as a community advisory board member for Duke Cancer Institute and Durham's Community Health Coalition and as the co-President of the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association at UNC. In my downtime, you can find me hiking, bowling, and trying new restaurants.
Advice for incoming students: Take a deep breath and enjoy the ride. You deserve to be here! Take every opportunity to learn from your professors, peers, and in other departments.
Hometown: Niwot, Colorado
Email: klevdal@live.unc.edu
About Jo: Jo Klevdal is a PhD candidate in the Department of English and Comparative Literatures. She moved to Chapel Hill from Colorado, where she was born and raised, but has also spent time in Boston and Vancouver Island. Her dissertation, Against Illustration: the Laminated Image in Twentieth Century American Literature focuses on the interplay between photograph and print from 1940-1970. Currently, Jo is researching the role of plastic transparencies in the 1967 publication of the poet Frank O'Hara's In Memory of My Feelings. In addition to her scholarship, Jo is a passionate educator and teaches at the Ackland Art Museum and UNC. In her free time, Jo enjoys cooking, making ceramics and spending time outside for hikes and camping.
Advice for incoming students: Grad school can take all of your time but keep doing the things you love, even if (perhaps especially if) they feel like they have nothing to do with your degree. You're a whole, complex person and it's been really important for me to honor my diverse interests and skills as I progress towards my degree.
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Email: dkrueger@unc.edu
About Danya: Danya K. Krueger, MSW, MBA, is a third-year PhD student in the School of Social Work. She is a graduate research assistant at the UNC Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center (UNC-BHWRC) and the Carolina Seminar on Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice. She earned a Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from Boise State University. Prior to doctoral studies, Danya served as lead research associate at Boise State University School of Social Work in collaboration with the State of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. She has also worked as a licensed mental health professional in University Health Services at Boise State University and as an adjunct instructor at the College of Western Idaho. Danya is a burgeoning health workforce and services researcher, specifically focusing on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) workforce providing care in a post-Dobbs era, developing improved psychometric instrumentation for this workforce, and delivering tailored interventions that prioritize the wellbeing, resilience, safety, and retention for the health workforce. She enjoys adventuring with her life partner and two Airedale Terriers when she is not studying.
Advice for incoming students: Your first year will feel like a roller coaster ride, with several high and low points. In the midst of the low points, remember the ride will peak again—you were accepted, and you deserve to be here. Find your people in and out of the program and lean on them. Lastly, pinch yourself once in a while. You are pursuing higher education and America's first public university—it's an honor and adventure of a lifetime; enjoy it!
Hometown:Dumfries, Virginia
Email: mlm@unc.edu
About Melissa: I am currently in my final year as a part-time MPH Nutrition student. My areas of interest are improving food policies and systems, reducing health disparities and increasing culturally relevant food access to improve nutrition. Within these areas, I focus on maternal and child health, engaging partners and family members, and the intersection of nutrition and HIV and/or noncommunicable diseases. One highlight of my summer was presenting my practicum research with Dr. Stephanie Martin and UNC Zambia Hub through a poster, "Engaging family members to support optimal care and feeding practices for children who are HIV exposed but uninfected," at the 2024 American Society for Nutrition Conference in Chicago. I am currently a Project Coordinator at the UNC's Global Food Research Program in the Carolina Population Center. I have a culinary arts degree from the International Culinary Center in New York City and bachelor's degrees in Anthropology and East Asian Studies from the University of Virginia. I learned a lot while living in China, Japan and Thailand around the time I completed my undergraduate degrees. I also worked in the food and restaurant industry as a line cook, specialty food sales account manager, and cheesemonger. My husband, Honey (cat daughter) and I moved to Chapel Hill for my job as an assistant cheesemaker. I enjoy beekeeping our nine hives at a friend's farm and taking care of our backyard garden. Also, I enjoy traveling to visit my family in Honolulu, Hawaii and Bangkok, Thailand and exploring new places to chat with people and learn about their culture and food. You can often find me at the local farmers' markets on Saturday mornings and I would be glad to meet you all there to talk and walk!
Advice for incoming students: It has been a long journey leaning on my support system of family, friends and mentors to get where I am today and persevering towards my degree. Be gentle on yourself and try to be open to sharing how you are feeling. Sometimes things do not go as planned, but it is part of the journey. When in a time of transition, feeling excited and overwhelmed, think about your values, dreams and goals. I wrote mine down and look back at the words. As my former academic coordinator, the wise Jonathan Earnest, said, “Remember your why…Remember your why…Remember your why.”
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Email: jlarach@unc.edu
About Jonathan: Jonathan is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Religious Studies Department studying the New Testament. In specific, his research centers on the passion narratives of the Gospels, trying to decipher the role that fear plays in each of the four passion narratives. In addition to studying the New Testament, Jonathan also likes to watch soccer. His favorite team is Real Madrid, so much so that he tries not to miss a single match. When it comes to binge watching, he likes to binge watch tv shows based on history, like The Medici or The Last Kingdom.
Advice for incoming students: A tip I'd want to share with incoming graduate students is to enjoy the process of obtaining your graduate degrees. Obtaining a graduate degree is tedious and entails a lot of work, but it does not mean that one has to forfeit one's social life, mental, emotional, and physical health, and hobbies. If anything, it is the opposite: one has to make sure to have a balance. Even though studying is important, it's also important to make time to go out with friends and talk with loves ones. Even though grades are important, it's also important to rest and sleep well. A good balanced life will make the process of obtaining a graduate degree all the more enjoyable.
Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia
Email: klawal@ad.unc.edu
About Khadeejat: My interests include development and implementation of policies that center community-based treatment and local food systems in advancing health for vulnerable populations. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy learning to rollerskate, writing poetry, and trying new restaurants.
Advice for incoming students: You may be a student first but you are not a student only! Your coursework, research, and professional development should be prioritized but don't forget to explore- whether that's student organizations, activities and events on/off campus, or just a hobby you've been putting off.
Hometown: Cape Coast, Ghana
Email: araoduro@unc.edu
About Araba: I am a second year international MPH student from Ghana in the Global Health concentration. My broad research interests in include Maternal, Adolescent and Child Health and infectious diseases and reducing morbidity and mortality in this group. I have worked as a graduate research assistant in the Department of Health Behaviour on systematic review research in Family Planning and with the Global Health Office at Gillings. Prior to pursuing an MPH, I received a professional degree in medicine and worked as a clinician for for close to five years. My goal is to integrate my roles as a clinician and public health practitioner towards preventive medicine, research and treatment for the advancement of national and international Health. I currently serve as communication chair for the International Gillings Students Association at Gillings School of Global Public Health. Outside of academic endeavours, I enjoy baking, discovering new cuisines and places and making new friends.
Advice for incoming students: The journey is not always easy but know that it will be worth it. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Whoever you are and are becoming is enough to get you where you want to be and to achieve what you want to achieve. Be open and ask for help when you need it. Always remember your dreams and values and push through till the end!
Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Email: knpeak@live.unc.edu
About Kierra: Kierra is a double Tar Heel having attending UNC for her undergraduate degree and is finishing up her PhD. She's had been fortunate enough to have both teaching and community engagement research experience and has recently revisited listening to audiobooks.
Advice for incoming students: Prioritize space and time for something you enjoy outside of your school responsibilities. You'll quickly see how much time your responsibilities will take up.
Hometown: Redwood City, California
Email: pereiraa@email.unc.edu
About Audrey: I'm a PhD Candidate in Public Policy working on gender, social protection, violence against women and children, and adolescence in low- and middle-income countries. I started my program in Fall 2020, returning to school after working in research for many years. In my free time, I enjoy running, cooking, baking, playing board games, and cuddling with my cat.
Advice for incoming students: Take some time to explore the Triangle and North Carolina!
Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana
Email: reblrice@email.unc.edu
About Rebecca: Rebecca Rice is a fifth year graduate student in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at Gillings. She has been in the Research Triangle since 2015 and completed an M.S. in Global Health at Duke in 2017. Rebecca's research investigates the ways natural sources are connected to climate change and may contribute to human health impacts. In her spare time, she enjoys tending her garden, making quilts and taking dance classes.
Advice for incoming students: My tip for incoming graduate students is to keep in touch with your support system. Some days you will need a cheerleader to remind you where you started and how far you have come. You ARE supposed to be here.
Hometown: Bengaluru, India
Email: sanch@unc.edu
About Sanchit: Hi! I'm Sanchit, a 3rd year Chemistry PhD student. In my research, I study antibiotics: how bacteria synthesize them, their modes of action, and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in pathogens. When I'm not in the lab, I enjoy reading mystery novels, listening to heavy metal, and playing video games!
Advice for incoming students: Many of the intramural sports leagues run by UNC recreation are open to graduate students! There are a variety of choices ranging from casual to competitive, and they can be a great way to meet new people and make friends here!
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Email: sanf@unc.edu
About Elizabeth: I am a second-year masters student in the School of Information and Library Science. My specialization is academic libraries and I am working towards a career in research and instructional librarianship. Before coming to UNC I was on a path to becoming a high school social studies teacher. I have an M.A. in Teaching, and my pedagogical training has informed my practice of librarianship. I grew up in Charlotte, and after going to college out of state, I am very happy to be home in North Carolina. When I am not at the library (working, studying, reading, etc.), I can be found volunteering with a local rabbit rescue or learning to play tennis.
Advice for incoming students: Go find something to be bad at. As a graduate student you will likely spend a lot of time trying to be perfect and trying to be the best. Learning something new, and learning to fail gracefully and with humor and humility is good for the soul.
Hometown: Flint, Michigan
Email: spwils@email.unc.edu
About Simone: Simone is a rising fourth-year, doctoral candidate in the School of Education on the Culture, Curriculum, and Teacher Education track. She utilizes critical theories and methodologies to investigate the mechanisms that create and/or sustain racial inequities within the university as an organization as well as highlight practices and policies that may disrupt these patterns. She is also the current co-president of the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association.
Advice for incoming students: Find your community and your favorite food places immediately!
The following resources were created for new students by your Orientation Ambassadors team to help you make connections, explore the community, and find support during your graduate school journey.
