The Graduate Diversity Ambassadors are current MIT graduate students who partner with OGE GradDiversity to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community at MIT.
Over the past year, our Graduate Diversity Ambassadors engaged with over 775 prospective graduate students by attending 12 diversity recruitment conferences, hosting eight GradCatalyst sessions, reviewing 20 statements of objectives of our MIT Summer Research Program – General (MSRP) alumni applying to MIT graduate programs, evaluating almost 500 applications for MSRP, acclimating MSRP interns to the MIT community, and established a Graduate Students of Color Advisory Council to foster collaboration across student organizations and enhance the overall graduate student community.
The legend below indicates the various ways the ambassador is involved in Grad Diversity programs during the academic year. Prospective students are invited to reach out to the ambassador of their choice with any questions.
Aeronautics and Astronautics (Course 16)
Christopher Kwon
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Virginia
Hometown:
Burke, Virginia
Grad Student Life, Fellowships, AeroAstro Grad Program, Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP), Off campus housing
Ryann Hee
Degree Objective:
PhD
MIT Summer Research Program, Grad Student Life (first-gen experience), AeroAstro, Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP), Off campus housing
Biology (Course 7)
Oscar Molina
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, Los Angeles
Hometown:
San Diego, California
Biology Grad Program, Moving across the country, high school outreach programs
Juana De La O
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Chicago
Hometown:
Chicago, IL
Navigating the graduate admissions process (GradCatalyst), MIT Housing, off-campus housing, finding well-priced food/groceries, finding/building community making friends (like me!), MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) General or Biology
Chemistry (Course 5)
Ayannah Lang
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Hometown:
Edgewater, MD
Undergraduate Institution:
Spelman College
Chemistry Grad Program, Grad Student Life, Grad Student Council, MISTI, Off-campus Housing, Transition from HBCU
Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1)
Isabel Albores
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution:
Williams College
Hometown:
Silver Spring, MD
MIT Summer Research Program, CEE Grad Program, Off campus housing, Grad Student Life, Work Life Balance, Gap Year transition
Zane Schemmer
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution:
University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Institution:
University of California, Berkeley
Hometown:
Park City, Utah
MIT Housing, Outdoor Activities, West Coast to East Coast Transition
Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
Julian Rojo-Gallegos
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of New Mexico
Hometown:
Albuquerque, New Mexico
MIT Summer Research Program, HST Ph.D. program, first-generation college student
Kimberly Bennett
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, Riverside
Hometown:
Mojave Desert
First-generation/Low-income graduate experience, off-campus housing, moving from West to East coast, fellowships (NSF GRFP, Ford Foundation, HHMI Gilliam, etc), MIT UCEM/PEM program, HST PhD program, translational research, mentoring, women in STEM, Latinx in STEM, first-gen Mexican-American identity, moving from a rural/small town, co-advisors, grad student life, work-life balance, DEI advocacy
Management (Course 15)
Aishu Nambiar
Degree Objective:
MBA
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Graduate Institution(s):
Georgetown University
Hometown:
Glocester, RI
Materials Science and Engineering (Course 3)
Rachel Luu
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, San Diego
Hometown:
San Diego, California
Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Fellowships, Grad Student Life
Mechanical Engineering (Course 2)
Ozioma Ozor-Ilo
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution:
Rice University
GRA, First Gen Low Income, GEM Fellow, GAAP Program, Campus Involvement
Media Arts and Sciences (MAS)
Raechel Walker
Degree Objective:
SM
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, San Diego
Hometown:
Temecula, California
MIT housing, Grad Student Life, Research Opportunities
Physics (Course 8)
Sofia Alvarez Lopez
Degree Objective:
PhD
Hometown:
Bogotá, Colombia
Washington, DC
Undergraduate Institution:
Universidad de los Andes
Physics Grad Program, PhysGAAP, MIT housing, being a woman in Physics, being a Latina in Physics, Astrophysics outreach
Junior Peña
Degree Objective:
PhD
MIT Summer Research Program, Grad Student Life, Work-Life Balance
Timothy Zaklama
Degree Objective:
PhD
Theoretical Physics Program, Life at MIT, Life in Boston, Transitioning from Industry back into Academia
Political Science (Course 17)
Carla Garcia
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Central Florida
Hometown:
Melbourne, FL