Meet the Student Staff

Major: Biological Sciences

MBTI: ESTJ

What CCEE Resource do you use the most?
My favorite CCEE resource is the website itself, which is super easy to navigate and full of valuable information and some of the friendly faces you will encounter when visiting with the CCEE. I find the Professional Development Modules from the website to be a super approachable way to understand important career skills like Professionalism, Résumés, and Interviewing.

What has been your favorite college experience so far?
My favorite college experience so far has been seeing positive changes within myself, along with making tons of new friends. College can be super overwhelming, but it’s also important to give yourself grace when going through such a big change. Being from out of state, I have really loved meeting friends from new places and having more independence and the opportunity to learn new things about myself.

Majors: Political Science & Public Relations

MBTI: ESTJ

What CCEE Resource do you use the most?
My favorite CCEE resource is the Resume & LinkedIn Profile Dropbox. It’s such a helpful tool because it allows me to get professional feedback in just a few days, which helps me strengthen my application materials and feel more confident when applying for opportunities.

What has been your favorite college experience so far?
Joining PINK Women has been my favorite college experience so far. It has given me so many meaningful relationships and a strong sense of community

Majors: Accounting & Marketing

Major: Business Analysis and Intelligence & Criminal Justice

MBTI: ESFJ

What CCEE Resource do you use the most?
Their Career Readiness resources

What has been your favorite college experience so far?
Football games!

Major: Exploring Business

MBTI: ISFJ

What CCEE Resource do you use the most?
My favorite resource would have to be Handshake, because it is very helpful when you’re looking for a job or internship.

What has been your favorite college experience so far?
I am a freshman this year so I don’t really have any college experiences yet, but I’m very excited to experience everything!

Graduation Year: 2027 

Major(s): Cell & Molecular Biology (Biochemistry Concentration) 

Email Address: ali.traore@uri.edu

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Medical  

Activities/Involvement: On campus, I serve as a STEM tutor at the Academic Enhancement Center and as an undergraduate teaching assistant for BIO 103. I am also a member of Delta Epsilon Mu (pre-health fraternity) where I currently hold the position of Director of Internal Affairs. In addition, I am an active member of DocOpp, Seeds of Success, Pre-Dental Club, and the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). I am involved in the Howlett Lab, where our research focuses on exploring the molecular mechanisms of Fanconi Anemia Neurological Syndrome (FANS) using C. elegans as a model organism. Beyond campus, I am a student-intern at Rhode Island Hospital and a volunteer in the orthopedics wing at South County Hospital. I have also been a research fellow with the RI SURF-INBRE program and a participant in the Rhode to Medicine Program at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. 

Advice you would give your first year self: Open yourself to every possibility! You’re in a new environment with so many new opportunities you may not realize exist yet. Don’t be narrow minded or limit yourself out of fear or comfort. Take risks, explore, and allow yourself to grow in unexpected ways!   

Graduation Year: 2026 

Major(s): Kinesiology, Honors Program

Email Address: agiovingomino@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goal: Physician Assistant 

Activities/Involvement: I am an undergraduate teaching assistant at URI for the KIN 300 course. During the summer I am an EMT (transporting patients to and from dialysis treatment and assisting paramedics in Chicago). I am also a part of the pre-PA club here at URI. Outside of academics I teach cycle at the Fascitteli gym and assist with the GEM program.   

Advice you would give your first-year self: Instead of becoming caught up in what experience everyone has, focus on working your hardest to achieve your own goals!

Graduation Year: 2026 

Major(s): Biological Sciences (B.S.) and Psychology (B.A.) 

Minor(s): Leadership Studies, Honors Program 

Email Address: bboeckeler@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Dental 

Activities/Involvement: I am currently involved in the Pre-Dental Club (for which I am the President), Delta Epsilon Mu Pre-Health Fraternity (for which I am the Director of Internal Affairs), Women in STEM Club, Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, and the Italian Club. I belong to the National Society of Leadership and Success, as well as Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society. Also, I play 3 intramural sports: soccer, volleyball, and futsal. Additionally, I take part in URI’s Honors Program, and I am a current Honors Program Student Ambassador. I work on campus as a URI 101 Mentor, a BIO 103 UTA, and I tutor student-athletes through the Advising Programs for Student-Athletes (APSA). Outside of school, I work as a certified dental assistant, I am a research lab assistant at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, and I am an intern for the Rhode Island Dental Association.    

Advice you would give your first-year self: Seek to create balance in your life. Yes, it is important to study and work hard, but make sure you enjoy your time in college as well, because it goes by so quickly! Get involved on campus. Join clubs that interest you so that you can meet others with similar interests. It makes the transition to college better, and helps with making friends. Being a pre-health student can be difficult, but using your resources wisely (meeting with pre-health advisors and speaking with pre-health ambassadors) and making a plan of study will make your life so much easier…I promise.

Graduation Year: 2026 

Major(s): Nursing 

Minor(s): Spanish 

Email Address: laurenkalfus@uri.edu

Pre-Health Career Goal: Registered Nurse and eventually Nurse Practitioner 

Activities/Involvement: President of Sigma Kappa, College of Nursing Ambassador, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society member, College of Nursing Peer Mentor 

Advice you would give your first-year self: Managing your time well and staying on top of your work will help you control your stress a lot, but also be sure to do something for you at least once a day, whether that’s going to the gym or spending time with friends! 

Graduation Year: 2026 

Major: Neuroscience, Cell and Molecular Biology, Honors Program.

Email Address: lchatragadda@uri.edu

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Medical

Activities and Involvement: I am currently a junior double-majoring in Neuroscience and Cell and Molecular Biology. I do research with the Wearable Biosensing Lab, where I am leading a project focused on developing an innovative in-home grip rehabilitation platform. I am also involved in leadership positions in many on-campus clubs; I am the secretary of both DocOpp (pre-med club) and NMDP (URI’s chapter of a national stem cell donor registry). Outside of URI, I work in the Emergency Room and volunteer on a medical-surgical unit at Rhode Island Hospital, and am also involved with a nephrology research project there. When I am not doing something academically related, I love working out and playing tennis with the URI Club Tennis team.

Advice I would give my first-year self: Never be afraid to cold email! 1 response is better than 0.

Graduation Year: 2027 

Email Address:matthew_potvin@uri.edu

Pre-Health Career Goal: PharmD 

Activities/Involvement: I currently work as a Pharmacy Intern at CVS Health. At the University, I serve as a College of Pharmacy Rambassador, where I help promote admission efforts and support transfer student initiatives. Additionally, I am one of the newest pre-health advisors, working to further integrate the College of Pharmacy with the College of Health Sciences. 

Advice you would give your first-year self: Get involved with at least one organization you’re passionate about and stick with it. At the same time, don’t be afraid to explore new interests, opportunities, or even majors! 

Graduation Year: 2026 

Major(s): Cell & Molecular Biology (Biochemistry track) and Finance

Minors: Leadership Studies, Chemistry

Email Address: mpaolell@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Medical 

Activities/Involvement: (clubs, organizations, volunteer work, etc.): Double-major in Cell & Molecular Biology (Biochemistry track) and Finance. Undergraduate researcher in the URI Chemistry Department in the lab of Dr. Fang Wang, exploring the hydrogen bond donating ability of difluoromethyl groups within organic molecules. Emergency department volunteer at South County Hospital. President and founder of the student organization URI NMDP (URI’s chapter of a national stem cell donor registry). Community service chair of Delta Epsilon Mu (URI’s pre-health fraternity). Member of Delta Sigma Pi (URI’s business fraternity). Captain for the distance team of URI Club Track & Field. Tour Guide and Senior Information Session Presenter for URI admissions. In my free time, I love going to the beach, listening to music, and playing spikeball with friends. 

Advice you would give your first-year self: Explore as many opportunities as possible, but don’t feel the need to continue every activity you try. Stick with the things you’re most passionate about! 

Graduation Year: 2026 

Major(s): Neuroscience 

Email Address: nikkigfernando@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Medical 

Activities/Involvement: Women’s tennis team. Volunteer research assistant at the Logan Lab, examining the neural correlation between physical health and neurocognitive function in children and adolescents with ADHD. STEM Tutor at the Academic Enhancement Center. Vice President of the Filipino Student Association. During school breaks, I volunteer as part of the auxiliary at Maui Memorial Medical Center.     

Advice you would give your first-year self: You have time! Being in pre-health may feel like you have so many boxes to check off, but it is important to live in the present and create connections that you’ll have for the rest of your life! 

Name: Abigail Chatelle 

Graduation Year: 2028 

Major(s): Double majoring in Public Health and General Business Administration.

Minor(s): Leadership Studies, Honors Program 

Email Address: abigail.chatelle@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goal: Physician Assistant 

Activities/Involvement: I am currently a Research Assistant in the EPIC (Emotion, Pain, and Interpersonal Communication) Lab at URI, where I work on the Newborn Pain and Physical Sensations studies. I serve as Vice President of Zeta Tau Alpha at URI and work as a tutor at the Academic Enhancement Center. I was a Peer Leader for URI’s Project Connect Program in the fall, and am a student representative for the Public Health major. Additionally, I am a University Tour Guide and a member of both the Outreach Team (communications and recruitment) and the Welcoming Team within this role. Off campus, I work at Athleta and have been employed at Kent Hospital for approximately 2.5 years. I also work as a Medical Assistant and am a nationally licensed EMT. 

Advice you would give your first-year self: I would tell my first-year self to trust the process and not worry so much about having everything figured out right away! Taking time to get adjusted to the university environment is so important, and allowing yourself to make this adjustment is huge! I would remind myself to trust that everything will work out and there will be plenty of opportunities to gain experience in pre-health related paths, especially when it comes to things like research and patient care hours! 

Graduation Year: 2027

Major(s): Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Email Address: azaliah.lopes@uri.edu

Pre-Health Career Goal: Cardiologist

Activities/Involvement: I am the secretary for CELS Seeds of Success, National Liaison of our pre-health fraternity DEM, a member of Docopp, a CELS ambassador and Peer Mentor, a member of our URI NMDP chapter  and I am also a UTA for Microbiology lab.

Advice you would give your first year self: Advice I would give to my first year self is to not be afraid to try new things and explore what is out there. Also do not be afraid to meet with advisors and talk to people, they are here to help and have been so helpful for me.

Graduation Year: 2027 

Major: Kinesiology 

Email Address: elizabethseward@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pediatric Oncology Physician Assistant 

Activities and Involvement: I currently work as a clinical medical assistant at Plymouth Bay Orthopedic Associates and previously gained experience in family medicine and urgent care at the Community Health Center of Cape Cod. At URI, I serve as the treasurer of Delta Epsilon Mu, a national professional pre-health co-ed fraternity. I am also a member of the URI Club swim team and the Pre-PA club, and I am so incredibly excited to join the Center for Career and Experiential Education as a pre-health peer advisor.  

Advice I would give my first-year self: Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it! Professors, teaching assistants, tutors, and campus resources are here to support you- seeking guidance is an important part of success! 

Graduation Year: 2028

Major(s): Cell & Molecular Biology – Biochemistry track (B.S.) and Psychology (B.A.); Minors: Leadership Studies, Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Email Address: Jewelwillinsky1@uri.edu

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Dental

Activities/Involvement:  

Professional & Academic Roles 

• Dental Treatment Coordinator

• CELS Ambassador

• CELS Peer Mentor

• URI 101 Peer Mentor

• BIO 103 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant

• Pre Health Peer Advisor 

Leadership Positions 

• Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society – President

• Pre-Dental Club – Fundraising Chair

• DEM Pre-Med Fraternity – Director of Public Relations

• Women in STEM – Vice President 

• Best Buddies – Event Coordinator 

• NMDP Club – Swab Event Coordinator 

Campus & Student Involvement 

• Campus Recreation Supervisor

• Psychology Club 

• Asian Student Association 

• Intramural Soccer & Futsal 

Honor Societies 

• Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society 

• National Society of Leadership and Success

Advice you would give your first year self: I would remind my first-year self that it’s okay to not have everything figured out immediately. Focus on building strong habits, asking for help early, and prioritizing balance alongside ambition. Growth happens through consistency, reflection, and learning from setbacks, not perfection. 

Graduation Year: 2026 

Major: Kinesiology  

Email Address: kellian.moore@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goals: Pediatric Physical Therapy, but also considering Sports PT 

Activities/Involvement: I like to keep myself busy and make sure that I take full advantage of all of the opportunities at URI, so I’m involved in a few different things here on campus. I’m a TA for both UCS 160 and KIN 300, which are both great courses that I would recommend to Pre-Health students. I also work in the DAI office as a Disability Resource Mentor, and am a Lead Academic Coach at the AEC. In previous semesters, I’ve also attended the meetings for the Kin club and the Pre-PT club here at URI! 

Advice you would give your first-year self: Be present in every single moment, and take your time! I tend to rush myself into what’s next and am always thinking about my next steps, which can be good, but typically for me, it means that I’m not being present in the moment. I’d remind myself that time goes by so fast, and to truly soak in every single study session and every single exam score that was way lower than expected, because someday I’ll be wishing to just have one more day as an undergrad student. I’d also remind myself that so many things are going to change. About me, my plan, my friends, what I like and don’t like…And that’s totally okay and a perfectly good thing! 

Graduation Year: 2027

Major(s): Cell and Molecular Biology & Neuroscience with a minor in Sociology

Email Address: lauren.azmy@uri.edu

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Med 

Activities/Involvement (clubs, organizations, volunteer work, etc.): Academically, I am an honors program student ambassador and curriculum committee member pursuing cell and molecular biology and neuroscience with concentrations in biochemistry and molecular neuroscience. Clinically, I have gained experience through pediatric scribing at Sunshine Pediatrics, patient experience volunteering at Miriam Hospital, and through the Brown University Rhode to Medicine pathways program. I am currently a clinical research intern in Dr. Alber’s lab, which focuses mainly on early detection of Alzheimer’s disease using retinal imaging as a low-cost, minimally invasive screening tool during routine eye exams. I also work as a One-To-One counselor with The Autism Project every summer, and I am a lead BIO tutor with the Academic Enhancement Center. On campus, I am part of the Doc-Opp club and the Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA). When I am not doing something academic, I generally love to write, read, work out, listen to music, and go to new coffee spots :)

Graduation Year: Winter 2026 

Major(s): Biological Sciences 

Minors: Gender & Women’s Studies, Honors Program 

Email Address: molly.donnellan@uri.edu 

Pre-Health Career Goal: Pre-Medical 

Activities/Involvement:  

Campus Involvement: CELS Peer Mentor & Ambassador; CELS Summer Research Fellow under Dr. Rachel Schwartz, with a focus on computational genomics; UTA for BIO103 and BIO104; Women in STEM Secretary; Honors Program Ambassador; Education Chair for URI’s chapter of Delta Epsilon Mu.  

Volunteer/Employment: Working as a Medical Assistant at a local primary care practice; volunteering at Women & Infants and for the Jonnycake Center. 

Advice you would give your first-year self: Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone! I have learned and grown the most throughout my college experience by doing things that I would have never seen myself doing a few years ago. 

Graduation Year: 2027 

Major: Pre-Professional Kinesiology 

Email: nickolas.marzagao@uri.edu 

Career goal: Medical School to become a physician 

Extracurriculars & Activities: Majoring in Kinesiology with a pre-medical focus. I am a Medical Assistant at the Thundermist Health Center where I work primarily in family medicine and convenient care. I do research in the Neuro Collaborative Lab with Dr. Christine Clarkin, where I compare the effects of assisted and traditional cycling in patients with Parkinson’s disease, and improving function and quality of life through the PEG program. I am a co-founder of The Page Turning Project, a non-profit organization where we collect and donate books to children from under-resourced communities. In doing so, we increase the access of books to children and promote education and literacy. With the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I enjoy volunteering as a wish-granter where I meet with the children, gather their interests and ideas, and put together their dream wish. Outside of academics, I love weightlifting and exercising. It is a personal goal of mine to compete in a natural bodybuilding show in the future. I also played NCAA Men’s Soccer for a year at Springfield College before transferring to URI.  

Advice for freshman self: Learn to find a balance in how you spend your time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and compare ourselves to others as pre-health students, so save some time to relax, do the things you enjoy, and always remember that your journey is your own.