Summer 2019 Contributors

Amanda Leifer

Amanda Leifer is a rising senior majoring in Landscape Architecture and minoring in Plant Science. She is active on campus serving as president of the Cook Organic Gardening Club, treasurer for the Landscape Architecture Club, and Improv Master for the College Avenue Players Comedy Club. Find her traveling in Germany this summer with guitar and sketchbook in hand.

Anna Erickson

Notions of ‘beauty’ inspire me, and sustainable design is the outlet. I am interested in the relationships between human and ecological communities, the way planning and design decisions affect these systems, and how we are in turn affected by our environments and cultures. Next year I will be continuing at Rutgers to earn my master’s degree in Landscape Architecture where I will be exploring the potential for a post-industrial Passaic River landscape park akin to the Emscher River landscape park in Germany. I hope to use my education to further sustainable development in New Jersey throughout my career.

Brendan Gray

My name is Brendan Gray. I am currently a Sophomore in the Landscape Architecture Department. I am involved in the Undergraduate Landscape Architecture Club and the Companion Animal Club on campus. Some of my hobbies include playing guitar and video games.

Bryce Hill

Hello! My name is Bryce Hill and I am a senior studying Biological Sciences. As I near graduation, I look forward to the next step in my academic career--medical school; which I will be beginning this upcoming Fall. This summer, I extremely excited to be traveling to Spain to be a part of the Mediterranean Agribusiness School to study Spanish Diet and Agribusiness, as well as language and culture. I l look forward mostly to being challenged by the unfamiliar and being able to appreciate, experience and learn about life from a fresh lens. As a future health care professional, being able to learn and experience upfront the different customs and languages that Spain has to offer will not only contribute to me socially but also professionally. I am aware that I will be confronted with many different cultures in my future practice so understanding the diet of a certain population or being able to communicate with a patient in his or her native language is something that I know will allow me to be the best provider I can be.

Cara Angelastro

My name is Cara Angelastro. I am an undergraduate student at Rutgers Camden. My major is biology with a minor in psychology. I currently work around animals at Petsmart in the grooming salon and have my scuba diving certification. My goals for my education is to get a degree in biology and focus on marine biology and oceanography. This internship at Little Cayman Island with CCMI will give me an opportunity to work with others in the marine biology field and count towards marine biology credits at Rutgers.

Cindy Salazar

Hello, my name is Cindy Salazar, a junior attending Rutgers University and I am studying animal science and am on the pre-vet track. I am going to be traveling to Belize this summer and I am very excited to be studying abroad for the very first time! My goal is to gain enough experience to be able to add onto my CV when applying to veterinary schools after my Rutgers graduation. Before attending Rutgers, I attended Hudson County Community College and earned my associates degree in Biology. While Rutgers was always on my plan, I actually never thought that studying abroad would be part of it. I cannot wait to share my experiences with my peers and am excited for this life-changing trip!

Ethan Witherup

I'm double majoring in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning and am a recent transfer student, graduating class 2021. I'm from Hunterdon County, New Jersey and became passionate about Landscape Architecture from my love for the outdoors and my love for running, kayaking, and biking around the beautiful parks and reservoirs of New Jersey.

Gil Wyman

Hello! My name is Gil Wyman and I am a second year student in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences majoring in Biotechnology. This summer I will be working in a laboratory focusing on cell differentiation and morphology at Tel Aviv University in Israel. I am very excited by the opportunity to combine two of my passions, science and travel, and to spend an extended amount of time experiencing a new culture and place.

Grace Li

Hi, my name is Grace Li and I am a Landscape Architecture senior graduating in August 2019. I love traveling, but have not been to Europe yet. I have mostly traveled around the United States and in China, which gave me different interpretations of the same planet. I am looking forward to Germany, not only as a start into my adventures in Europe, but also for the amount of knowledge that I can gain as a designer.

Helena Demarest

Hey! My name is Helena Demarest and I am a rising junior on the companion animal science track at Rutgers! I am from Bergen County which is up north in Jersey. I am planning to use my education here to make a difference for our ecosystem. I used to be pre-vet because I love animals, but I realized I also have a passion for politics and the environment and I wanted to combine all of that in my career. This trip to Belize is perfect for me. If you see me around campus, I most likely have headphones listening to my favorite music. During my free time I love to watch movies and go out with my friends!

Jessica MacPhee

Hello, my name is Jessica MacPhee and I am a junior student studying Landscape Architecture. I am so grateful to be traveling to Germany again this year to learn more about SoundScapes and work on this amazing project. Germany is such an amazing country to take inspiration from as it is a highly engineered landscape. I am excited to have fun and see more of the world that I have never been to before and what this trip as to offer me as a junior professional. I hope that this trip is able to inspire me more with my creative abilities and I am excited to share more as this trip progresses!

Jessica Thorning

Jessica Thorning is a junior at Rutgers University – New Brunswick with a major in Landscape Architecture and a minor in Plant Science. She will be participating in the 'Landscape Architecture in Germany' study abroad program this summer. She is very passionate about the field and will also be travelling to Xi’an, China this summer to conduct an independent research study on night markets, as well as staying in Essen, Germany after her study abroad program to do an internship with Emschergenossenschaft. She loves plants, beekeeping, knitting, and spending time with her family.

Karina Bahshiyants

Hi my name is Karina and I am a senior studying Nutritional Sciences. I was born and raised in Uzbekistan, and have lived in the U.S. for 13 years now. My last year here at Rutgers has been the most fulfilling because I was always interested in healthcare and recently decided to learn more about Public Health. I discovered the importance of research, disease prevention, health education, epidemiology, and community work. This summer I am very excited to participate in the Tensions and Transformations in Southeast Asia Program in Bangkok, Thailand. This program will provide me with the knowledge and experience I need to learn about public healthcare systems, community outreach, volunteer work, and culture appreciation. I cannot wait to embark on this journey and jump start on my studies and understanding of Public Health.

Kayla Coleman

Hi my name is Kayla Coleman, I'm a senior Pre-Vet major. I will be attending the Large Veterinary practice in Belize summer 2019, which I'm more then excited to attend. With My time at Rutgers I've been an admit member of the The Rutgers Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club as a sitter. I've got to take part in the journey of watching our puppies grow into amazing guide dogs. I've also gotten the opportunity to be employed by the Animal Care department at Rutgers Farm for the past three years. This has brought so many memorable experiences by watching the births of our livestock and providing treatments. This also made me perfect in animal handling, since last year I was awarded Grand Champion in swine for the handling and fitting course. I'm also certified in Artificial Insemination in Cows. I've grown to love large animals and aspire one day to become a large livestock Veterinarian. I've also work at a Vet clinic where I get to draw blood, take part in x-rays, and run lab procedures. I've gotten to foster a cat, seagull, and week old squirrels through my job. I can't wait to learn more about the animal field and grow as an individual.

Kayla Gantz

Hello! My name is Kayla Gantz and I’m a rising junior in the School of Environmental & Biological Sciences. I'm majoring in Animal Science, with a minor in Biochemistry. This summer I will be traveling to Belize for two weeks with the “Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics” program. I am so excited to learn and experience the culture of Belize, as well as gain knowledge by working with animals!

Kyra Boss

Hello! My name is Kyra Boss and I am a third-year Animal Science major with a concentration in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Research. At Rutgers, I am a member of the national service sorority Omega Phi Alpha, and a captain of the central planning team for New Jersey’s largest student-run philanthropic event, Rutgers University Dance Marathon. I spend most of my days at the Rutgers Farm, working with the sheep, goats, horses, and pigs. While I absolutely love my time with the livestock animals, I aspire to gain experience working with as many different species as I can on the road to veterinary school. The Wildlife, Health, Ecology, and Conservation course in Belize will help me to accomplish this goal. It has always been a dream of mine to study abroad. I’ve always wanted to travel, and learn about different cultures and ways of life through first-hand experiences. I look forward to my journey to Belize because of the opportunity it gives me to get out of my comfort zone, learn new things, and go on a once in a lifetime adventure working with animals.

Leonela Smith

At a young age, I used to live in the Dominican Republic. When I was ten, I moved to Penns Grove, New Jersey and was able to learn English in a year. During my high school years, I was involved in many leading organizations. I was a Peer Leader, Captain of the Lady Red Devils basketball team and Vice President of the National Honor Society. Since a very young age, my goal has been to graduate from college with a Bachelors in Landscape Architecture. Now as a second-year LA student I have become more involved with the Rutgers community by joining clubs like the Landscape Architecture club, becoming Treasurer of the COSINE club and becoming a peer mentor for SEBS EOF. This year I have been given the opportunity to study abroad to Germany with the Landscape Architecture department which I am hoping to immerse myself in the new culture.

Letticia Perez

My name is Letticia Perez. I graduated from Hudson County Community College with an associate in Biology. Currently, I am a Rutgers student majoring in Pre-veterinary medicine. If I’m not hitting the books I am working at Mad Science as a lead scientist. I teach children from ages 4-14 basic science concepts and perform in-class science experiments. Occasionally, I pet sit dogs, cats, bunnies, even hamsters. I am CPR and AED certified for adults, children and infants. I also have a pet aid certification. During my downtime I volunteer for my local TNR program and the community cat shelter. I assist in adoptions and love to foster older cats in need. My goal is to become a veterinarian and open a practice in an urban community that offers low cost vet care.

Lubna Lakhwala

Hi! My name is Lubna and I am a sophomore in SEBS, studying landscape architecture. I am involved in the landscape Architecture Club, Rutgers Alzheimer's Buddies, the Green Team, and research on campus. For fun, I love hiking, tennis, and trying new restaurants!

Marina Kompaniyets

Hi! My name is Marina. I am a junior at Rutgers University. My degree is Animal Science with Pre-Veterinary and Research option. To go to study abroad became my dream long time ago, when I was 17. I went to the university in Ukraine (my original country), and we had presentations from students who went abroad telling there experience and time spend in different countries. Their stories inspired me, and going study abroad one day became my goal. One thing that stopped me from going to another country was a language barrier, I didn’t speak English well that time. Few years later, thanks to my father, I came to USA. It was my first experience going to another country. I learned English, overcame my fear of speaking another language, even learned my forth language - Spanish, and now I fell comfortable to go anywhere, to any country. I am so happy and thankful to have an opportunity to study abroad in Belize, to have new experience, new emotions and new memories. Can’t wait for my trip to start!

Matthew Estrella

My name is Matthew Estrella. I am majoring in microbiology, and I will be studying abroad in Cluny, France to learn about the science and culture of cheese and wine. I am excited to visit a foreign country for the first time and try some foods that are not available in the United States.

Matthew Lehner

My name is Matt Lehner and I am currently a sophomore studying Landscape Architecture. I plan on using my degree to work with making sites more ecofriendly. I have already learned so much about using permeable surfaces and other ways to make construction more suitable. I have always taken an interest in the environment and I have always enjoyed building. Landscape Architecture is a way for me to combine both. This summer, I will be traveling to Germany to study abroad with the Department of Landscape Architecture. I am excited to have this opportunity and expand my knowledge in Landscape Architecture.

Rachel Mahoney

Hello everyone! My name is Rachel and I’m a rising senior studying Microbiology. I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to visit France this summer and to learn about the Microbiology and Culture of Cheese and Wine! I am especially looking forward to visiting Louis Pasteur’s home and laboratory. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to study abroad due to my major, however, this short term program fits perfectly within my academic interests! I'm also very excited to share this experience with all of you. My goal is to become a wine and cheese pairing expert!

Rebecca Hagelberg

My name is Becky and I am currently studying Biological Sciences at Rutgers to pursue a career as a veterinarian! I am an avid animal lover with two dogs and two cats at home. I currently work in a vet clinic as a veterinary technician and absolutely love going to work on the weekends. I hold an associates degree in Equine Studies from SUNY Cobleskill as well. Besides work and school, I enjoy playing video games and spending time with my family. My most meaningful time at Rutgers consisted of fostering and training service dogs for Merlin’s Kids. I am beyond excited for my trip to Africa to experience a type of veterinary work that I have never seen before. I know that I will return home with a better understanding of different cultures, conservation, and the many paths I can choose to take in my life.

Ryan Kirchner

My name is Ryan Kirchner and I am a recent transfer student to the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. I am currently enrolled as a Food Science major and am looking forward to traveling to France this summer to partake in the Microbiology and Culture of Cheese and Wine Program. This opportunity grants me the freedom to study what I love, and to eat it too, while simultaneously engaging in a new cultural experience. I am beyond excited to see what I can learn about this part of the world and those who live there. When not in class, I work as a per diem Emergency Medical Technician for both Rutgers University and my hometown of Clinton New Jersey. Upon graduating, I hope to enroll into a Physician Assistant program and continue to help others to the best of my ability.

Sarah Malarkey

Hi everyone, my name is Sarah Malarkey and I am a rising senior in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. After I graduate, I hope to attend graduate school to receive my MPH degree. My ultimate goal is to become a doctor; I aspire to combine my passion for social justice and healthcare inequalities with my medical career and work with underserved and underrepresented populations. I am super excited to be traveling to Thailand this summer to learn about their healthcare system! I have had the opportunity to learn about health disparities in the United States, and how our culture influences our health and well-being. However, I would love to see how Thai culture influences the populations health, and how healthcare is delivered. Though it is important to learn about public health issues in the classroom, it is more important to be to apply my knowledge outside of the classroom in order to enhance my understanding of the material.

Smerliene Rodriguez

I am a Dominican female from Paterson, New Jersey. I am the oldest of 4 and I am a first generation student. I am in the Landscape Architecture program and I am striving to one day have my own firm/business that will tackle social and culture issues in urban environments.

Sofia Fernandes

Hi everyone! My name is Sofia Fernandes and I am currently an upcoming sophomore at Rutgers University where I am majoring in Animal Science with a focus on Pre-Veterinary Medicine. Some things I like to do when I am not in class or studying include spending time with family and friends, exercising, visiting the animals on the farm, lifeguarding at the beach, volunteering, reading, and seeing movies. The fact that I will be studying in Belize this summer feels like a dream! I am beyond exhilarated to meet my classmates, work with the Belizean veterinarians and animals, and experience a culture that is unfamiliar to me. This is not something I could have ever imagined I would be lucky enough to experience after my very first year at Rutgers and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity!

Tatjana Burke

Hi everyone! My name is Tatjana Burke. I am a current freshman here at Rutgers—New Brunswick majoring in Animal Science/Pre-Veterinary Studies. I am SUPER excited to be getting ready to embark on the experience of a lifetime through CELA Belize where I will be studying Large Animal Veterinary Practices and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation!! I have known I wanted to go into veterinary medicine for as long as I have been alive, and I am super fortunate to have the had the opportunities to work in small animal clinics, volunteer at a therapeutic riding, and more recently here on the Cook Campus Farm! My ultimate goal for this experience is to be able to learn practice the veterinary skills I will need to use in the future, and I also hope to make friendships and professional networks capable of lasting a lifetime! Thank you so much SEBS for helping me along my journey and for being by my side as I pursue my dream!

Valeri Altouma

My name is Valeri Altouma. I complete my Associate’s degree in Biology from Passaic County Community College in May 2019. Moving on to my next journey, I will be pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Biology at Rutgers University. I aim to pursue a Doctoral degree in Dental Surgery (DDS). My aspiration is to be an oral surgeon and make a mark in the field of oral cancer. Approaching such goal and pursuing this career path will give me the ability to go on international dental missions to help refugees around the globe. I am super excited about what will come next in my journey and always aiming for success!

Valerie Collado

My name is Valerie Collado and I am an undergraduate student at Rutgers University pursuing an animal science degree. I’m currently an animal care assistant at the Rutgers Farm where work with horses and cattle. I also volunteer at a local shelter where I walk dogs and socialize the cats and smaller animals. I am the treasurer of the Rutgers pre-veterinary club too. After gaining my bachelor's degree, I hope to go to veterinary school to gain my D.V.M.

Yat Chan

I currently stand as a junior in the Rutgers Landscape Architecture Program, minoring in Green technologies and Sustainability, and I will be in the Bachelors/Masters Landscape Architecture dual degree program in Fall 2019. I enjoy observing and wondering about my surroundings, which develops my interest in traveling and hiking for more connection to different natures. For that reason, much thanks to SEBS for this opportunity to let me explore Germany in summer 2019!

Zhaoxuan Wang

Hello! My name is Zhaoxuan Wang, and I am a junior at Rutgers majoring in Landscape Architecture and minoring in Green Technologies. Thanks to everyone who gave me this opportunity to go to Germany to study abroad. I like to travel, and I am excited to learn from my experiences abroad and use my unique understanding of art to incorporate into my designs.

Zuzanna Szmacinski

Hello! I am Zu Szmacinski, and I am a junior Animal Science major with a Pre-Veterinary and Research concentration. After undergraduate studies, I plan on attending veterinary school, focusing on mixed animal practice. This summer, I'm excited to be attending the C.E.L.A. Belize Large Veterinary Practices in the Tropics study abroad program. As a hands-on program that not only allows me to explore the practical side of large animal veterinary medicine but also different cultures and perspectives, it is an amazing opportunity that I look forward to. Apart from academics, I enjoy singing (Voorhees Choir, Alto II), playing the piano, participating in women's organizations on campus (Douglass Student Recruitment Network), and binge-watching TV series.