Presidential Scholars Honors Students

Presidential
Scholars
Honors
Students
20122013
A scholarship program for a group of select first and second – year students who
seek to maintain the highest level of academic excellence and commitment to
civic engagement while at Kingsborough to facilitate their transfer to top 4-year
colleges for the completion of their undergraduate degrees.
Meet our
Outstanding
Students!
My name is Esther Silberstein. I am twenty years old and was born and raised in
Brooklyn, New York. I attended Beth Rivkah High School, an all-girls private
school. One of my passions is drawing humorous cartoons that make people laugh.
I also enjoy numerous crafts, such as, knitting, jewelry making, and sewing. My
major at Kingsborough is Liberal Arts, and after graduating I hope to attend the
Fashion Institute of Technology where I will major in Toy Design. I am currently
a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the Presidential Scholars program.
My name is Arooj Alam. I was born in Kuwait and my parents are from
Pakistan. In 2006 when I was eleven and a half years old, my family moved to
California and three months later we came to New York. I attended Abraham
Lincoln High School and was the valedictorian for my graduating class. This was
my second time being the valedictorian as I had that honor for the first time when
I graduated from Ditmas Junior High School. At Lincoln I was a member of the
National Honors Society, Key Club, and the Acting Club. I also took AP courses,
college now courses, and earned honors credit in social studies. After taking AP
psychology I decided to major in the field and become a marriage counselor. At
Kingsborough I plan to study mental health and human services. I hope to
transfer to Brooklyn College and declare a double major in psychology and English.
My name is Jessica Cann. I am originally from Brooklyn, NY. However, I
have lived in Florida for a few years, which accounts for my unique accent. I
graduated from Saint Edmund's Preparatory High School, June 2010. I went
on to continue my studies the following fall at SUNY Oneonta. Due to a
number of reasons, I could not continue my coursework at the abovementioned institution. In the fall of 2011, I enrolled at Kingsborough as a
liberal arts major, and I have applied myself to the best of my academic
abilities. I went from a nonexistent GPA to a GPA well above the norm. As of
now, I am currently in the process of completing an internship at the Kings
County District Attorney's Office. I've gained a deep and fruitful understanding of the intricacy of our
Justice System. With my newfound determination, I plan on pursuing a career in either acting or the
medical field. Wherever I end up, I know it'll be in a place where I can make a difference.
My name is Johnny D. Derogene. I was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I
attended Manhattan Comprehensive Night And Day High School and I
graduated in June 2011. In September of the same year, I became a student
at Kingsborough Community College. My passion for justice motivated me
to major in criminal justice with the goal of becoming a lawyer. I am
currently a sophomore at Kingsborough. Soon, I will transfer to a four-year
institution to pursue my Bachelors Degree. I joined Phi Theta Kappa Honors
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Society, REEO and the Presidential Scholars Honors Program. In high school, I was the president of the
student body government. I organized educational activities, clubs, and sport tournaments for the
students. Also, I represented students’ interests to the school administrators. I believe that working hard
is always necessary to reach one’s goal. I always try to do and to be the best I can. I have accomplished a
lot at Kingsborough. Among them include, a place on the Dean’s List for the Fall 2011/ winter 2012 and
also, I was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA for the spring/ summer 2012 semester.
My name is Nigina Salimova. I am from one of the most ancient cities in the
world called Samarkand, which is in Uzbekistan. I came to the U.S. about three
years ago with almost no English skills. Just a few days after I arrived here, I
was accepted into Abraham Lincoln High School, where I faced a world of
challenges for the first time of my life. Specifically, these challenges came from
my lack of English skills. I kept pushing ahead despite all of the difficulties. I
put more than enough effort into my schoolwork. Ultimately, I made it! I
jumped from the 10th grade to the 12th, excelled in mathematics, history and
science; peer tutored the students in mathematics subjects, improved my
English, and graduated with a 92 average with an Advanced Diploma. Today, I
am a freshman at KBCC, majoring in liberal arts. I intend to get into the nursing
program afterwards. My future academic plans are to continue my education at
a prestigious university and to become a highly educated health professional.
My name is Evan Lester and I was born and raised in Manhattan. I graduated
from Pace High School in 2010. In 2011, I moved to Queens and enrolled in
Kingsborough Community College to pursue a Liberal Arts degree. I am the
publicity coordinator for Student World Assembly, a member of Phi Theta
Kappa, and a participant in the Salzburg Global Seminar Program. In addition, I
am a Vassar Exploring Transfer Program alumni and a former member of the
political science club. I plan to pursue a legal education and become a leader in
my favorite contact sport, politics. I will be attending a four-year institution
spring 2013. Kingsborough Community College has been a transformation where I have learned to reach
my full potential as a student. In essence, college has been about establishing my autonomy, growing
intellectually and more importantly, finding out why I am here. Whether I am an attorney or not I will
remain a dynamic individual encouraging the minds of the generations to come.
My name is Silvia Sanchez. I was born in El Salvador but came to the United
States 11 years ago, after my parents offered me a better education and a better
life. I graduated from Edward R. Murrow High School in 2011 obtaining a
Regents Diploma. This is my second year attending Kingsborough Community
College. I am the first person in my entire family to attend college and thanks to
the support of my lovely family and friends I am a full-time student. I am
majoring in Journalism and I am currently a member of the Honors Program,
Presidential Scholars, REEO and Phi Theta Kappa programs offered here at
Kingsborough. I can honestly say that being part of such programs has been a
great life experience; they have allowed me to challenge myself in new ways
which will positively impact my future. I hope to graduate in 2013 and accomplish my dream career of
becoming a reporter and/or anchor at Univision’s Network and become the voice of the people who can’t
be heard.
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My name is Patricia Pjatakova. I was born in Slovakia, a small landlocked
country located in Eastern Europe. I moved to New York in 2003 and began my
educational career. I just graduated from James Madison High School with an
advanced diploma on top of being involved in several extra-curricular activities. I
have been a member of the math academy and the math honor society throughout
my four years at Madison. I have also been the captain of the Madison Varsity
volleyball team during my junior and senior year. My goal for the future is to
become a speech pathologist, and work with children of all ages to help them
improve their language and communication skills so they can pursue the career of their choice. Therefore,
my major at Kingsborough will be speech communications.
My name is Hareem Qureshi. I was born in 1994 in Pakistan. It has been four
years since I moved to the U.S with my family. I graduated from International High
School at Lafayette this June 2012. It’s a small school in Brooklyn for immigrants
like me. It was my pleasure to study there, for I gained a rich understanding of
various cultures which were once unknown to me. I was a top ranked student of my
graduating class. I was also the Valedictorian and received a $1500 scholarship
from NYS based on my academic achievement. Science has always interested me
in its logic. That’s the reason I chose biology as my major at KCC. My goal is to
have a career in the medical field. This Honors Program is a great opportunity for
me to fulfill my passion of learning new things and to discover my interest as well.
My name is Ashley Persaud. Before I came to New York I lived in Orlando
Florida and attended West Orange High School. Upon graduating high school
I was accepted into Hofstra University in Long Island and moved in July of
2011 to attend. Fortunately for me after my stay at Hofstra came to an end I
found Kingsborough Community College, where I am now an avid member of
student government, an honors representative, REEO member, Presidential
Honors Scholar and a Kingsborough Student Ambassador. I major in biology
and plan to attend New York University or the University of Central Florida
as I move forward with my dream of becoming an Obstetrician Gynecologist.
My name is Stephanie Finkler. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.
My roots are from Ukraine. I graduated from Edward R. Murrow High School in
2012 with a 92 average. I was engaged in many extracurricular activities such as
Jewish Student Union Club, and I also participated in a dance ensemble. I
volunteered working in the school’s library; dean’s office, guidance counselor
suite and I helped my teachers with office work. Outside of school I volunteered
at a nursing home as well as tutoring school children in math and English. I like
to dance, draw, read, and study foreign languages. I’m going to be an upcoming
freshman at Kingsborough Community College and I’m very excited. My mom
just graduated KCC this year as a Registered Nurse. The career I want to pursue is
childhood education grades 1-6 and also special education. Tutoring school aged
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children as well as my 6-year-old brother; I realized that I have a passion for teaching and working with
children. My career goal in the future is to become a teacher and inspire my students to reach for the best
and work hard. I also hope to move on to a four-year school to get my Bachelor’s degree at Brooklyn
College and then a Masters’ degree in Columbia University.
Hello: My name is Melissa Eisenman. This is my second year at
Kingsborough and being a part of the Presidential Scholars Program.
My major is Early Childhood Education which being at KCC has
brought upon more of an interest because of the great Early
Childhood/Education program. I am planning to graduate in the
spring of 2013 and transfer to Brooklyn College to get my BA/MA in
Special Education /Early childhood. There are many extracurricular
activities that are available and I try to participate in as much as I can.
I am a active member of Honors Club and the Honors Reps. In
addition I hold an officer position in Student World Assembly as Secretary and Xi Kappa chapter (Phi
Theta Kappa) as the Officer of Service. I am very excited to return to Presidential Scholars for a second
year and know this will be a great year for all!
My name is Jamilla Andrea Pamphile-Schuster. I was born and raised in
Brooklyn, New York and have lived here my whole entire life. My mom was a
New York native as well, while my father was born in Holland. I attended John
Jay High School my freshman year of high school, and then transferred to
Midwood High, where I completed my final three years. As a student in
Midwood I was part of the “gifted Humanities” program, and participated in
multiple extracurricular activities. I was a member of my high school
cheerleading team, partook in the year book committee as well The Black
Heritage Association, and was an active participant in GSA (Gay Straight
Alliance.) But now on my journey through college, I am currently a Kingsborough student who majors in
Liberal Arts. I wish to take the knowledge that I receive from Kingsborough and bring it with me to my
senior college of my choice, Hunter College, where I would like to finish my college career as a film
student.
My name is Fernando Garcia; I am eighteen years old and was born in
Brooklyn, NY. My journey at Kingsborough began when I was five years old and
while I was taking weekend swimming classes. In seventh grade my family
moved to Concord, NC and lived there for three wonderful years. We moved
back during sophomore year and I became a student at the Brooklyn Studio
Secondary School. During my junior year I took a summer program at KBCC
called “President Prep” that furthered my knowledge in reading and writing. As a
senior I was a part of Senior Committee and College Now Student Advisory
Board. In June 2012 I graduated high school with a Certificate of Special
Congressional Recognition. My family originated in Guatemala and this summer
will be the fifth time I travel to Guatemala City to visit my family. In the future
after earning my Liberal Arts degree I dream of going to film school ideally in
Wesleyan University.
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My name is Christopher Lopez. I am a non-traditional student here at
Kingsborough Community College. Receiving my degree at KBCC is
very important to me; I will be the first person in my immediate family
to receive a college degree. I recently relocated to New York to pursue
a career in medicine. Currently I am working on a biology degree,
which will allow me to transfer to a four-year college. My ultimate goal
is to become a Physician’s Assistant and use my skills in underserved
communities. Studying emergency medicine and becoming an EMT-B
peaked my interest in medicine. When I am not studying, I enjoy
weight lifting, playing ice hockey, and many outdoor activities.
My name is Asaloy Ikromova and I am from a very ancient country called
Uzbekistan. I came to the United States five years ago, and my journey wasn't
easy. But I chose the right path. I went to Abraham Lincoln High School and I
accomplished many different things. I was a member of a track team that I
devoted my two years to. I volunteered during my free time. Also I
participated in more than eight clubs in my school. The road was very bumpy
but I accomplished a lot, which I am very proud of. I want to become a
registered nurse and I think Kingsborough College is the right place for me.
Ever since I was a little girl I was interested in this career. I hope in the future
I will open my own medical office. I want to help people. I want to cure them
and give them hope. I hope I will reach the highest point in my career, and be
a successful person.
My name is Vanessa Xue. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. I
graduated from Fort Hamilton's Honors Program and was on the swim team,
tennis team and the handball team. I am currently a freshman at Kingsborough
majoring in Liberal Arts but I plan on pursuing Early Childhood Education
after graduation in 2013. I enjoy being around children and hope to instill a
desire for them to continue learning. At Kingsborough, I am a Presidential
Honors Scholar, a member of the Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa. I
have gained so much experience from Kingsborough and I am excited to see
what the future has in store for me.
My name is Mark Melendez and I am a sophomore at Kingsborough
Community College. I was born in Brooklyn and have lived here my whole life. I
am a Presidential Honors Scholar, REEO Rising Star, and member/officer of Phi
Theta Kappa, Honors Representative, and a Student Ambassador. During this
past summer, I was participating in the ET program at Vassar College. I am also
participating in several other clubs such as Honors Club, SWA, Math and
Science Council. After graduating, I plan on transferring to a four-year college
and then moving on to medical school to become a surgeon.
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My name is Jamila Raegan, I was born in Louisville, KY. After returning
to my hometown to attend the University of Louisville, I decided that I
needed a change of pace and began to move around, living in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. I am a photography major,
approaching my second year here at KBCC and am so proud to have made
this choice. I am ecstatic to report that I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa,
and the KBCC photography club. I have been awarded numerous times for
my scholastic achievements, having made the dean’s list for two
consecutive semesters, being chosen for the student art show in three
different mediums, and receiving the Frances Donin art award! In addition
to my campus involvement, I volunteer within a very special community. I serve on the board of
directors for a wonderful not-for-profit organization by the name of Extreme Kids & Crew. We provide
music, movement, art, and entertainment for children and families with special needs. My career goals
include completing an MFA in fine art, teaching art and the history of art on a collegiate level, exhibiting
and publishing my personal work globally, and continuing always to remain a part of societal solutions
through my work, volunteer efforts, and community involvement.
Hi, my name is Chaim Bernstein. I am a born and bred Jewish Brooklynite. My
elementary and high school education were in an all-boys religious school.
Although I was anxious to begin my career education, I spent three years post-high
school in a Talmudic college. During that time, I changed my mind, deciding to
pursue a degree in nursing rather than engineering. Of course, that meant finding
out which schools are the best for me, and as Kingsborough has one of the best
nursing programs in the United States, here I am. Upon being invited to join the
Presidential Scholars, I felt that it would be an opportunity to be surrounded by
those who are highly motivated, an invaluable place to be. My experience so far
has been amazing. I feel that, with the help of this program, I will be able to reach
my goal of obtaining an RN license, an NP degree, and move on to a PhD in nursing as well.
My name is Suki Li. I was born and raised in New York City. I attended John
Dewey High School from 2007 to 2009. I obtained my GED in 2010. This was a vast
transition for me, it granted me the opportunity to attend KBCC. Currently I am
majoring in biology with the option of physician’s assistant transfer. I plan to pursue
the medical field. I was recently inducted into the Presidential Scholars program,
REEO rising star. I look forward to becoming a part of Phi Theta Kappa.
My name is Nely Lopez; I'm from El Salvador. I graduated from Edward R Murrow
HS. This is my second year in KBCC. I'm part of the REEO Program and the Honor's
Club. I am majoring in Biology and my goal is to become a pediatrician. I like to
help others and I'm very sociable.
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My name is Seytervin Seytgaziyev. I am originally from a small
village of Crimean peninsula, Ukraine. It’s my 4th year in New York.
At Kingsborough College I study accounting. I am involved in many
activities on campus, such as: Honors Club, Student World
Assembly, Resources for Educational and Employment
Opportunities, Phi Theta Kappa and National Society of Leadership
and Success. My freshman year at Kingsborough College was fully
enriched and joyful by engaging in different programs and achieving
high results academically, as well as personal characteristics. I was a
member of National Model United Nations, which allowed me to learn and do international politics. I
also established my skills in being more professional and got a unique opportunity to be at the United
Nations Headquarters. By fully engaging with campus activities it permitted me to become a recipient of
the Retiree’s Scholarship. Additionally, I was nominated by my peers to be the Vice President of
Scholarships at the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I plan to graduate Kingsborough after 3 semesters
and continue my education at a Wharton Business School at University of Pennsylvania. P.S. I am Proud
to hold a title of a Presidential Scholar!
My name is Jeremiah Lindgren; I was born and raised in Cokato, Minnesota. I
moved out to Brooklyn back in 2009. I graduated high school back in 2002, and I
am studying Business Administration while expecting to graduate Kingsborough
in December of 2012. Being not that great of a student back in high school,
attending Kingsborough has been my saving grace. It was here where I applied
myself and pushed myself. Because of my hard work I have been able to become
a member of Phi Theta Kappa, been able to participate in the Salzburg Global
Seminar and LIU Global Costa Rica Program. I’ve also recently been elected
treasurer of the SWA. After graduation, I plan on either going to Global College
to study global issues abroad, or to continue my pursuit for a Masters in the
Business field at Hofstra or Adelphi.
My name is KC (Peishan Chen). As a new immigrant in the United States, I never imagined I can have
such an honor that I can get involved into the Presidential Scholars program. I am a Forensic Science
major student and working with Chemistry professors for research projects. My goal is to graduate from
Kingsborough with 4.0 GPA and transfer to Florida International University (FIU) to continue my
Bachelor Degree in Forensic Science. After graduating from FIU with a certification for Forensic, I am
strongly eager to work on my Master and Doctorate Degrees and finally be a Medical Examiner
(Coroner).
Originally, I Aksana Samoylov, am from Belarus. I was born and raised up in a
big family, keeping Russian holidays and traditions. I have two wonderful
children and my husband who is a source of support, strength and knowledge for
me. This is my third semester at Kingsborough College with major – Education
Studies, concentration in Childhood Education. An educational field was my first
and the only choice, because it has already become a part of my life. My husband
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and I run two after school program centers. My first economical background has always helped me to
manage the administration work. But, with gaining experience, I have a feeling that I need to have a
Bachelor Degree in Education. I believe that new knowledge will help me better understand the teaching
strategies and needs of my students. Besides, providing better teaching service will help my students
succeed and flourish, and as result make our centers more successful. I have very high expectations from
my studying at Kingsborough College, such as taking new courses, learning new materials, improving
my communication skills, making friends and gaining an absolutely new experience.
Hello my name is Shlomo Kreuser; I am currently a student at KBCC. I
was born here in the United States and grew up in Brooklyn. Before I can
share my career and educational ambitions, I have to share some of my
high school information. Before I went to KBCC I studied in Yeshiva of
Far Rockaway High School. I was in high school from 2004 to 2007
when I graduated. My freshman year at KBCC was in 2011. I am
currently majoring in accounting. I plan on getting more involved at
KCC, but haven’t chosen a club yet; the school has lots of choices to
choose from. After I finish college and university, I would either like to be a CPA, a lawyer, or to get in
to business management. I would like to start up a big business one day as well because they provide lots
of jobs for people. I feel that I can help a lot of people get through unemployment by starting a big
business.
Hi my name is Damien Richards and like every other man yea I had a
dream. However dreams cannot come true if you don't wake up and take
action. I wanted things out of life that you can only get by actions. I was
born and raised in Queens NY by a single mother. I have two siblings of
which I am the middle child. I am a Mental Health and Human Service
major and will be graduating from Kingsborough community college in
June 2013. I am a member of the presidential scholar honors program and
hope to be a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
My name is Michelle Pechenezhsky. During my freshman year of high
school I ended up taking a few wrong turns and cut school often. Eventually I
got myself together, graduated a year ahead of my class, and decided to attain
a Liberal Arts degree from Kingsborough until I could settle on a career
choice. Today I proudly maintain a 4.0 GPA well into my sophomore year, I
have joined the theater club and become a member of Phi Theta Kappa. In
my spare time I enjoy going to concerts with friends and indulging myself in
different style of dance - ballroom and belly dancing in particular. I plan to involve myself in more oncampus activities and meet new wonderful people. I hope to take all my experiences from Kingsborough
with me when I journey off to Boston University to double major in pre-med and psychology while
minoring in performing arts.
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My name is Joniel Thomas. I was born in Clarendon, Jamaica; A beautiful
country in the Caribbean. I came to the United States in November of 2009
and started Kingsborough in February of 2010; a splendid two-year
institution, that I truly love. My current major is Liberal Arts, because I can
cover all my prerequisite classes for my Dual Bach Degree in Psychology
and Education with ease, while still being well rounded in optional subject
areas. I am presently a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Chapter at KCC, an
avid member of the Honors Club, a supporting member of the SWA, a
Presidential Honors Scholar, a participant in the REEO Rising Star Program, an Honors Representative
and I also participate in public speaking events like the Honors Symposium and Service Learning
Projects. Other than my club and organization involvements, I am also a Sunday School secretary and a
secretary at the youth department at my church, Faith Apostolic Tabernacle. I recently returned from
studying abroad trip in Costa Rica. Thank you KBCC, you are an amazing institution, with endless
opportunities.
My name is Valeria Selezneva, and I have been attending Kingsborough
Community College since the fall of 2011. I was born in Russia, however for a
family that constantly struggled with income, searching for new opportunities was
part of my everyday life and traveling came along with it. For this reason, my
childhood years were spread in different places. Frequent relocations meant leaving
family, friends and possessions behind, but also having to change schools fairly
often. Surprisingly enough, I was able to attend Edward R. Murrow High School for
four full years. My current major at Kingsborough is Liberal Arts. The majority of
my interests and passions lie in the performing arts. However, I don’t want to tie myself to those subjects
just yet. For me, college is a time of self-discovery, and Kingsborough provides many opportunities to do
just that by connecting with new people, diversifying myself through education and experience, and in
return attaining a deeper sense of who I am and what I'm capable of. Apart from being the Publicist for
the Honors Club, I am currently a Presidential Honors Scholar, a REEO Rising Star, a supporting
member of the Phi Theta Kappa Chapter and the Student World Assembly club.
My Name is Lawrence Wint. I am originally from the island-nation of Jamaica
but I migrated to the United States when I was 8 years old. As a child my family
relocated from New York to the state of Florida where I graduated from Ocoee
High School. While living in Florida, I have had the privilege of serving the
community as a Police Explorer for 4 years, ultimately achieving the rank of
President of the state board. Although I consider myself a Floridian at heart,
upon graduating high school I decided to move back to New York to further my
education amongst the most diverse teachers and students this nation can offer.
Now at Kingsborough my major is Engineering Science. I have a unique love for
math, science and philosophy. My goal is to pursue a career in engineering
management with hopes of making a major impact on the world we live in.
Currently, I work as a professional tutor with a private agency but my hobbies include serving the
community, fixing and building computers, and challenging myself in math and science. Above all my
true passion is serving and worshipping my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him I am thankful of what I
have accomplished look forward to the great feats I will someday rise to.
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Hi, my name is Kumar Ramlakhan and this is going to be my third semester at
KBCC. I’m proudly a Presidential Scholar, a Phi Theta Kappa member and a
Student Ambassador. I was just accepted into the Nursing Program here at KBCC.
Ever since I can remember, I knew that I wanted to become a registered nurse. One
day, I know I will make an impact, help and change the life of people and families
and I can only imagine how great of a feeling this is going to be. I also love to learn
and experience new things. I enjoy working out and playing Handball (my favorite
sport) with friends because it always seems to help me relax and vent whenever I’m
stressed or upset. My two favorite things are living it up and making the most out
of the time I have here.
My name is Nathan Ishay. I was born and raised in New York. I attended
Brooklyn Tech HS for four years. The major I am currently in is Liberal
Arts. In terms of career goals, I would like to go into the field of
biomedical engineering; it combines my passion for medicine,
engineering, and R&D. I am a Presidential Honors Scholar, a member of
the Honors Club, and have merited completion of the REEO Rising Star
Program. In addition, I work at KBCC as a tutor under the instruction of
the Department. of Tutorial Services. My current transfer plans are to
attend CUNY City College's Grove School of Engineering in the pursuit
of a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering.
My name is Kubanychbek Maripbek Uulu and I am a sophomore at
Kingsborough Community College. Here I plan to graduate with a degree in
Accounting so I may pursue a degree in finance at a four-year school. I am
currently the captain of the Men's Tennis Team, president of Phi Theta Kappa's Xi
Kappa Chapter at KCC, and honorary alumni of the Resources for Educational
and Employment Opportunities Program. In addition, I am a zealous Presidential
Scholar and was a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship Award last year.
My name is Mariya Drahomyretska.I was born and raised in Ukraine. As I
grew up I began to enjoy helping my friends and those who needed help. I
have always wanted to be a doctor. My parents and I moved to New York in
2010. I have graduated from Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School.
Currently I am a freshman at Kingsborough. My major is Liberal Arts because
I’m not sure yet what kind of doctor I want to be. My goal is to improve in all
aspects. My commitment is to perform every requested task with
responsibility, honor and always with my best effort.
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My name is JC Amorini and I am 24 yrs. old. Along with being a
Presidential Scholar, I am the Vice President of Leadership for our
school's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, as well as the President of our
chapter of the Student World Assembly (SWA) and a student
representative for the KCC Reads program. I am a Liberal Arts major,
and plan to go into the fields of Philosophy, Sociology, and
Women's/Gender Studies. Eventually I will work my way to becoming
a prominent figure in the world of academia (research and teaching).
My main areas of interest are the development of the individual in an
increasingly interconnected world, as well as post-structuralist approaches
to sex, gender, race, and economic divisions.
My name is Umamah Najeeb and I was born in Gujart, Pakistan. In 2002 my
family and I moved to New York City and have been living here ever since.
This Fall 2012 semester, I will continue to study engineering as a full time
student at Kingsborough Community College. My goal is to graduate from
Kingsborough with an Associate Degree in Sciences and then move on to a
four-year college to get my Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering. After that
I will aim for a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Someday, I
would like to work with modern engineers in order to expand modern
technology and make life easier for people. Currently, at KCC I
am involved in the Presidential Honor Scholar Program, Honors Club and
Asian Club. In addition, I am a REEO Rising Star and Vice-President of
Fellowship of Phi Theta Kappa.
My name is Elor Kahalany and I am a second year student at KCC. I am
originally from Israel, but my family moved to the United States more than 5
years ago. In the past I have lived in Florida and experienced different cultures
and ethnicities around me. I attended Franklin D. Roosevelt High School from
2007 until 2011 where I was enrolled in several honor classes. I enjoyed high
school to the fullest. My major at KCC is Biotechnology. I have always been
interested in biology therefore I want a profession which involved the subject.
My career goals are to own my own business. I have not decided what the
business will do, but I still strive to own one.
My name is Jmbellemarie Borra. Growing up in a family filled with
successful people, my parents have challenged my siblings and I to always
try our best. My dad’s side of the family is composed with mostly
politicians and medical practitioners in the Philippines. Additionally, my
mom’s side is filled with educators. This gave me an opportunity to not
only give my best to make them proud, but to also make myself proud.
Since my major is nursing, this will give me a chance to challenge my
abilities and my skills before I enter the “real world”. I have set a specific
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plan that I hope to fulfill by studying and working hard. I have already taken my first step, which is
taking the classes I need here at Kingsborough so I may get my Associates Degree in Nursing. I am
aiming to graduate KCC with a decent GPA and memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Then, I hope to attend Hunter College and earn my Bachelors Degree. Lastly, earning my Masters Degree
at Stony Brook University would be a big accomplishment for me.
Hello everyone! My name is Claude Jean-Guillaume and I am a Biology major at
KCC. I am originally from Haiti and have spent most of my life there. I went to
High School at Saint Louis de Gonzague, where I learned the values of discipline
and hard work (If I give you the impression of a former soldier, that’s probably
why). I came to the US in 2010, in the middle of my senior year, after an
earthquake devastated my city; I received my GED and enrolled at Kingsborough.
Since I’ve been here, I have been a part of so many wonderful experiences: I’ve
been an Honors student, a Presidential scholar, a REEO Rising Star, a Phi Theta
Kappa member, I’ve done research in Biology through the CSTEP program, tutored
in Biology and Chemistry and been a part in the 2012 KCC NMUN team! I plan to
transfer to a biochemistry program at a CUNY College, Stony Brook or possibly Columbia.
My name is Danny Ulhar. I was born in Brooklyn New York. Just after
middle school, I was sent abroad to Trinidad and Tobago where I completed
high school. A year later, I came back to New York to pursue personal
training. I attended the American Academy of Personal Training, where I
completed a course in Exercise Science, and Nutrition. I am currently a master
trainer at Equinox fitness, and have been working full time with the company
for the past 6 years. My current major at Kingsborough is Liberal arts.
Throughout the Fall and Spring semesters (2012), I held a position as
chairman of recruitment for club Brothers United. During this period, I also
managed to earn two $10,000 scholarships from a banking investment firm called Jefferies. I have
interests in reading, outdoor physical activities (rock climbing, hiking, camping), and genuine learning.
My secular objective is to earn an Associate’s in Liberal Arts, then transferring to either San Jose State
University, or San Diego State University and pursue a Bachelor’s in clinical athletic training, and minor
in anthropology.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” My name is Jill Dzemaili; I live by this
quote because if we don’t take chances and risks in life, we will never know what the
outcomes could have been. Taking chances has led me to great programs in and out of
school and hopefully will lead me to being a physical therapist. Throughout high
school, I took both business classes and medical classes. I basically got the best of both
worlds. Coming into college I decided that I want to succeed in the medical field. I aim
to become a successful physical therapist. I am sincerely open to new opportunities
because I believe that experience helps us become more aware of what we want in life.
My goal is to succeed in everything I do. I hope to graduate on time and transfer to
Brooklyn College. Then hopefully get into Grad school for physical therapy.
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My name is Jennifer Berkowitz I am the single mother of a wonderful seven-year-old
son named Shawn. I am an education major trying to gain my degree; my son is my
inspiration to become a teacher. Teaching him over the years has shown me the
passion I have for teaching our young children the skills they need to make it in this
world. I am also the current President of the Honors Club, and an active member in
Student World Assembly and PTK. I look forward to a year filled with lots of events
and new experiences, and look forward to guiding other students towards joining the
Honors Department!
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