Our members include students in the classes of 2010 and 2011, as the program just began in the fall of 2006.

Freshmen

BSP teambuilding activity

• Tarek Adam is from New Jersey. His interest in biology stems from his curiosity for health--the way in which our bodies can react to different stimuli and environments, and all that goes on inside. He plans to continue his education through research in pharmacology after he graduates from Cornell. His favorite part of the Biology Scholars Program has been the support he has received from peers and faculty, as well as the great number of resources that are made available for finding success. He is part of the club lacrosse team and also enjoys playing pick up games of basketball with friends.
• Naomi Adjei is from Ghana, but she lives in Newark, New Jersey. Her high school anatomy and physiology and biology teachers stimulated her interest in Biology. With her Biological Sciences degree, she plans to go to medical school and do research. For her, the most beneficial aspects of BSP are the tutoring sessions and community meetings, as they are very helpful and educational. In her free time, Naomi can be found watching movies, browsing the internet, socializing with friends, and talking on the phone.
• Sengal Alazar is from Bronx, New York. He plans to go to Medical School after attaining his Biological Sciences degree. The study groups and facilitators have been the most beneficial part of BSP for him. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and tennis.
• Malika Conner is from Rochester, New York. She is interested in Biology because she likes it, and her teachers in high school taught it with enthusiasm. She plans to attend medical school. For her, the study groups are the most helpful part of BSP. In her free time she enjoys practicing violin and playing tennis.
• Reva Culpher is from Syracuse, NY. She became interested in biology because of its great range of opportunities, thus making it more interesting than other sciences. She also happens to be good at it. She plans to attend medical school. She enjoys being with friends, participating in several extracurricular activities, and volunteering. Lastly, she loves listening to music and has been recently playing Guitar Hero III.
• Olumayowa (Maya) Dayo is from Columbia, Maryland. Her experience in AP bio in 11th grade made her interested in Biology. She is pre-med, and enjoys singing with the Cornell chorus, doing research and volunteering.
• Jee Lee is from Brooklyn, New York. She wants to go to medical school and also research. Through BSP, she has met many great advisors and upperclassmen, and also has had the chance to get extra help from her study group. She enjoys video games, traveling, and talking on the phone.
• Lisa Lema is from Bronx, New York. Her teachers in high school piqued her interest in Biology. She plans to conduct research after achieving her degree in Biological Sciences. She considers the study group sessions to be the most beneficial part of BSP. She enjoys photography and playing handball.

Philia and Jamie

• Jamie Moore is from Fresno, California. Her interest in biology is tied to her interest in how real-life things work--she has found that as she learns new things in biology, the more the world makes sense. She plans to go into medicine after graduating. For her, the greatest benefit of BSP has been in being a part of a community of like-minded people with its great support network. She enjoys playing the piano to relieve stress and likes to read novels for a break from schoolwork.
• Santana Murry is from Luverne, Alabama. She plans to go to medical school to become a neurosurgeon. She enjoys watching TV, shopping, and hanging out with friends and family.
• Chikaodili Okaneme is from Bronx, NY. Her enjoyment in learning about plants, animals, and ecosystems all fueled her interest in Biology. She plans to attend graduate school after graduation and may study business. She has enjoyed working in study groups and meeting new people through BSP. In her free time, she likes listening to music, watching TV, YouTube, and movies, as well as catching up with friends and family.
• Jorge Luis Pereda is from Dallas, Texas. His experiences in the emergency room, both personal and within his family, made him interested in Biology. He plans to pursue an MD/PhD combined degree. BSP has helped him in terms of time management and networking, and has boosted his confidence. He enjoys exercise, anime, and family when he’s not hard at work.
• Astley Robinson

Choumika and Chika

• Reginald Severe is from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His love of Science made him interested in Biology, and plans to become a medical doctor. He enjoys playing and watching soccer, as well as talking to friends and seeing movies.
• Choumika Simonis
• Charlotte Thurston
• Kemar Trowers is from Queens, New York. He became interested in Biology because of his genuine interest in medicine, and plans to attend medical school. For him, BSP has given him the opportunity to collaborate with his peers in developing his problem-solving skills. In his free time he enjoys playing tennis, soccer, and listening to music.
• Dustin VanDenBerg is from Oneonta, New York and plans to attend medical school or find a job in the biotech industry after graduation. His interest in biology began with his passionate high school biology and chemistry teacher. His sister has also inspired him. The Biology Scholars Program has helped him to learn how to study more effectively, and has also helped to meet an extremely diverse group of friends. In his free time, he enjoys playing the clarinet and bassoon, in addition to swimming, bowling and roller-skating.
• Sergio Veliz is from Brooklyn, New York. His teachers sparked his interest in pursuing a degree in biology. Once he receives his degree, he plans to hang it on the wall. For him, the most beneficial parts of BSP are the review that he gets out of study groups, and the “great facilitators”. In his free time he enjoys lifting weights.

Sophomores

• Hannah Bell became interested in biology at a young age--living on a horse farm gave her a unique perspective into the importance and enjoyment of the subject. After getting her biology degree, she plans to complete her PhD in immunology and medical microbiology, applying it to a career in public health. The study groups, networking, and great people have all been valuable parts of BSP for her. She enjoys doing anything outdoors, particularly in the summer.

Kathleen and Mia

• Mia Castro became interested in biology when she performed an analysis of some dairy foods using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to see if they had been genetically modified--it turned out that they had. She plans to pursue a career in medicine. The Biology Scholars Program made her transition to Cornell life more manageable, gave her the opportunity to meet more peers, get in touch with faculty, and receive help with her homework. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, and having fun with her friends.
• Kathleen Garcia is from McAllen, Texas. Performing DNA extractions in high school sparked her interest in Biology. She is interested in Plant Biology and plans to attend graduate school. She is also considering Teach for America. She enjoys reading and volunteering in her free time.
• Philia Gau is from Ohio. She plans to attend graduate school. BSP has exposed her to numerous opportunities and has helped her to organize her thoughts. She is also a facilitator for the calculus study group. She became interested in this role as she realized how rewarding it could be to help other students understand course material.

Patti and Candice

• Candice Grant plans to use her biology degree to make an impact on the world—she doesn’t yet know how, but she will. She became interested in biology after learning about the way in which Rosalind Franklin, Watson and Crick were able to understand something so complex and unknown at their time, and that today we take for granted. She finds the study groups and interacting with faculty to be most beneficial in BSP. Also, it has given her the option to meet wonderful people who are interested in the same things.
• Patricia Green plans to pursue an MD / PhD and become a pediatrician. Her interest in biology was piqued by dissections she has done in lab. The Biology Scholars Program has been beneficial in introducing her to several faculty members. It has also provided her a range of biology resources, including finding information about summer research internships and finding ways to make the Biology major less intimidating. She enjoys sleeping, basketball, tennis, fishing, music, cooking, and eating in her free time.
• Paula Latortue-Albino gained interest in Biology through her amazement with nature and its complexities. From an early age she knew that whatever career she chose, it would be related to biology. Paula plans to study medicine. For her, the Biology Scholars Program has permitted her to create relationships with other biology students from her own class year as well as many upperclassmen. Additionally, she has found the study groups and the facilitators' guidance and advice to be extremely useful. In her free time, Paula enjoys attending programs, events, discussions, and presentations on campus.
• Joy Nduka is from Nigeria, but was raised in Brooklyn, New York. She plans to attend Medical school or some other related professional program. In her free time she enjoys music. She loves biology because it is conceptual, logical, and applicable.