DLS Ambassador Alumni
- Duaa Raza
- Major: Cell Biology and Neuroscience
- Graduation Year: 2026
- What are you doing currently doing, and what do you enjoy most about it?:
I am a first-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. What I enjoy most about it is being surrounded by hard-working, earnest people who help each other strive toward shared goals! For instance, learning procedural skills like taking blood pressure and giving injections felt daunting at first. However, with the help of amazing teachers and repeated practice with friends and family, I was able to improve (and I still have room to grow!). It has been wonderful to bond with people throughout each stage of progress and challenge.
- Why did you choose your major and what did you like most about it?:
I wanted a major that would let me explore the cellular details of human physiology while also giving me a big-picture understanding of how disease processes affect people. The brain is vital to every other body system, and I enjoyed learning about the broader impact of conditions like psychiatric conditions and following research developments in disease treatment and management.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
I have to pick more than one! Fundamentals of Cell Biology with Dr. Alice Liu was so helpful for learning signaling pathways involved in disease, like the insulin receptor pathway in diabetes. I had a blast with the active learning strategies in Honors Immunology with Dr. Brian Daniels, and that class is very relevant to topics I am studying now, such as wound healing! Systems Physiology with Dr. Grace Amole helped me see the body as an interconnected system and understand how different processes work together to maintain health. (I highly recommend going to office hours or staying after class to ask questions!)
- Looking back, what classes or experiences at Rutgers would you point to as contributing to your successes?:
Definitely mentorship (Mrs. Goodrich is an excellent mentor, and so are the DLS student mentors!). I paid attention to who inspired me, whether professors, fellow EMTs, or clinical researchers, and used that as a guide for which paths to pursue and which to let go. I also found great mentors by exploring interests outside my intended field, like public health classes, study abroad, and research. Look for people who are truly passionate about their work and who share your values, such as working to make a positive difference in others' lives. Mentors can also come from the media you consume, so I tried to be mindful of what I let inspire me!
- What advice do you have for our current students?:
Visualize your dreams and map out the path to becoming the person you hope to be. Don't lose what makes you unique by getting caught in the trap of comparison. Getting knocked down and getting back up, again and again, is a skill you can hone. I have faced plenty of rejections and failures, and I still do; my advice is to keep showing up and trying again. Don't lose hope in yourself or in others; we each have something valuable to bring to the conversation, and sometimes that is simply reminding each other of that. I'll leave you with a quote I love: "What we truly and earnestly aspire to be, that in some sense we are." – Anna Jameson
- Sourish Bandaru
- Major: Cell Biology and Neuroscience
- Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
- Career Interest: I want to become a physician and am leaning towards ophthalmology as a specialty but I'm still exploring.
- Fun Fact: Some of my hobbies are sports such as tennis and badminton. I also love playing chess and enjoy Bollywood dance.
- Graduation Year: 2026
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class at Rutgers was Fundamentals of Neurobiology. It was really interesting to learn about how our nervous system works and my favorite part in the class was learning about the neurobiology behind senses and emotions.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I'm currently a peer mentor for the SASHP Peer Mentor Program. I'm also part of the general member dance team for RU Sangam, a South Indian organization. I do research in Dr. Haggblom's lab at Rutgers, which investigates the biodegradation of pollutant chemicals and characterization of novel microbes. Outside of Rutgers, I work as a medical assistant at an internal medicine practice and volunteer at Crisis Text Line, where I help de-escalate texter's mental health crises.
- Manuel Espinoza
- Major: Genetics
- Additional Major(s): Psychology
- Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
- Career Interest: Genetic Counseling
- Fun Fact: I love riding my Z125 motorcycle around town and enjoy listening to the Dropouts Podcast.
- Graduation Year: 2026
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class this year has to be Personality Psychology. It's greatly helped me reflect on myself and recognize possible reasons for my behavioral patterns. I found the class to be applicable to so many real-life scenarios especially with my younger brothers so I would highly recommend it to others.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I'm a Calculus 135 LA Assistant where I support and motivate students to achieve academic success in the classroom. In the upcoming semester I'll be helping mentor new LA's to ensure they are prepared to support. I'm also on the E-Board for the Association of Undergraduate Geneticists (AUG) and recently created Genetic Counseling Interest Club (GCIC), where we hope to share information and encourage students to look into a not as popularly known medical profession.
- Siri Dasari
- Major: Genetics
- Additional Major(s): Psychology
- Minor(s): Business Administration
- Hometown: East Brunswick, NJ
- Career Interest: Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Fun Fact: I love staying active with the Rutgers Women’s Wrestling Club, after having wrestled throughout high school!
- Graduation Year: 2026
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class was Essentials of Cell Biology and Neuroscience with Dr. Uzwiak. The professor's teaching style and knowledge of the subject made the topics super interesting and allowed me to retain a lot of what I learned.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
At Rutgers, I'm an Honors College Peer Mentor and part of Phi Delta Epsilon, where I'm an Academic Chair. I'm also active as a member of the Rutgers Women's Wrestling Club, and a representative in the Club Sports Advisory Board! Outside of Rutgers, I work as an EMT at RWJ and at Morgan First Aid Squad, where I support the organization as the Financial Secretary. I also love spending time as a research assistant in the Buettner lab at RWJMS.
- Sophia Villegas
- Major: Exercise Science
- Additional Major(s): Psychology
- Hometown: Roselle Park, NJ
- Career Interest: Physical Therapy
- Fun Fact: I studied abroad in Greece this past summer!
- Graduation Year: 2026
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class at Rutgers has definitely been Functional Human Anatomy Lab. I'm a huge visual learner, so I loved being able to work with a cadaver instead of just seeing pictures and drawings of anatomy.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I am currently part of the Rutgers Physical Therapy Club and Bachata Club, and help out in the Exercise and Gastrointestinal Health Lab as a research assistant. I'm also a student ambassador for the Department of Kinesiology and Health, and I work as a physical therapy aide at Procare Rehabilitation.