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Awards advised: all 

Languages: English, русский язык

I work with students throughout their undergraduate and graduate university careers, advising them on how to apply to nationally competitive awards and develop as strong candidates. Some of the awards I advise students toward are the Gilman Scholarship for Study Abroad, the Critical Language Scholarship, the Goldwater Scholarship for students doing research in STEM, and the Truman Scholarship for students pursuing careers in public service. I also work with students applying for awards that fund graduate school such as the Fulbright Student Program, the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, and the Marshall, Mitchell, and Rhodes scholarships.

In addition to working with students on national awards, I teach in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA). I direct UT San Antonio's Russian program in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and teach two courses per semester in Russian language and culture.

Awards advised: Fulbright Student Program, Gilman Scholarship for Study Abroad, National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates

At UT San Antonio, I serve as a Program Manager in the Honors College's Office of Nationally Competitive Awards, advising students on the Fulbright Student Program and the Gilman Scholarship for Study Abroad. I am a PhD student in the Anthropology department with a focus on ethnoprimatology. My current research looks at the interactions between howler monkeys and eco-lodges and how they influence howler monkey conservation in central Belize. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate to travel for work and school. While I was an undergraduate, I studied abroad in South Africa. After graduating from college, I taught English in Nanjing, China and worked at a chimpanzee sanctuary in the Gambia. I have studied mantled howler monkeys on Ometepe, Nicaragua, saddle-back tamarins in the Madre de Dios, Peru and gibbons at a sanctuary in southern California. Most recently, I studied white-handed gibbons in Huai Kha Kheng Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand and black howler monkeys in Cayo, Belize, both as part of UTSA Study Abroad research programs. Most of my travel and all of my research trips have been funded through grants and awards. I look forward to helping UTSA students with national award applications. 

I am a sophomore Biochemistry major with a minor in Neuroscience. I am a 2025 Terry Scholar and in 2026, was selected as a South Texas Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (STUROP) Scholar, where I focus on translational biomedical science. My research spans two institutions: at UTSA, I work with Dr. J. Seshu investigating host-pathogen interactions and the pathogenesis of Borrelia burgdorferi (the causative agent of Lyme disease), while at UT Health San Antonio, I collaborate with Dr. Morel to examine the gut microbiome's role in health and systemic disease. Driven by a passion for bridging basic science with clinical application, my long-term goal is to pursue an MD/PhD and become a physician-scientist developing innovative treatments for complex conditions. I look forward to helping UTSA students navigate undergraduate research, apply for non-traditional research and fellowship opportunities outside of standard REUs, and craft compelling applications, personal statements, and STEM resumes. 

I can help with: 

• Navigating and securing undergraduate research positions at UT San Antonio and the UT San Antonio Health campus. 

• Identifying and applying for non-traditional research opportunities, off-campus fellowships, and summer cohorts outside the standard NSF-REU framework. 

• Crafting competitive application packages, including targeted resumes, CVs, and compelling personal statements for STEM awards and research programs. 

 I’m currently a senior Public Health major at The University of Texas at San Antonio, with a minor in Translation & Interpretation Studies. I’m interested in the intersection of medicine, public health, and health policy, particularly in building trust in healthcare and addressing barriers to care in underserved communities. During my time as a UT San Antonio undergraduate, I’ve had the opportunity to study abroad in Spain and Costa Rica through UTSA-led programs. The following summer, I spent a summer in New York City through the NYU Project Healthcare program, where I served as a patient advocate and conducted research in two emergency department hospitals. This year, I spent my spring semester studying and working as a health policy intern in Washington, D.C., through the UT System Archer Fellowship. Afterwards, I conducted research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health through the Diversity Summer Internship Program (DSIP). 

I currently conduct research with Dr. Gregory Orewa at UTSA, continuing work I began through the Pathways to Educational Sciences Research Fellowship, where I study health misinformation and trust among Latino and Hispanic communities. After I graduate, I will travel to Argentina through the Fulbright Student English Teaching Assistantship Program. 

My long-term goal is to pursue an MD/MPH and become a physician who not only provides care to individual patients, but also works to address the broader systems and policies that shape health outcomes, particularly for communities that have historically faced barriers to healthcare. 

I can help with: 

• How to select and apply for study abroad and international opportunities 
• Navigating undergraduate research opportunities and getting involved in research, including outreach to faculty.