Cohort Three

Daniyal Ahmed previously worked as a tutor and earned his bachelor’s degree in biology.

Kayleigh Brandstetter worked at West Side Community Services as a youth services coordinator and has a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and Spanish with a minor in education.

Tenae Connell, formerly a teaching assistant, holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary social science with a concentration in early childhood education. She was drawn to the program’s approach.

Francisco Diaz Barragan earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics. He has worked as a tutor and an event promoter and  is currently teaching his mother English.

Brett Gibson managed a credit union branch located in a high school staffed by students. He has a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences.

Eden Griger interned at GSE’s Early Childhood Research Center, and worked as a nanny and a one to one classroom aide. She has a bachelor’s degree in social sciences interdisciplinary with a concentration in health and human services.

Elizabeth Hacherl has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, worked as a teaching assistant and a chemistry tutor and wants to help students create change and show them the importance of education and the power of science.

Kimberly Hernandez, holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She was a waitress and a cashier and has a passion for helping people.

Jordon Denae Krivonos has worked in UB Libraries’ Special Collections, as an academic support leader for UB’s Educational Opportunity Program and as a summer camp counselor. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and English Honors.

Melissa McDonnell has worked at the West Point Military Child Development Center and has a bachelor’s degree in political science. Her experience in the classroom offered as part of a GSE course led her to apply.

Saw Meh, a refugee from Thailand, earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. She is working as an assistant for the Focused Learning for Youth Program with the Westminster Economic Development Initiative and as a multilingual teacher assistant at Lafayette International Community School.

Zannatul Noor has tutored at a Brooklyn after-school program, been a substitute at UB’s Childcare Center and has a bachelor’s degree in English and education.

Emma Peirick discovered her love of teaching students who are learning English as a new language while working as a tutor for Buffalo Public School 6. She has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and recently, she has been delivering literacy interventions at the Charter School for Applied Technologies.

Nelson Rivera was a tutor, summer coordinator and a science instructor for the Science and Technology Entry Program at UB’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He also interned for the City of Buffalo Courts, worked for the Buffalo Common Council and helped students as part of UB’s Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program.

Heather Russell earned a bachelor’s degree in science and mathematics. She previously worked in customer service and support.

Abby Salamone worked with at-risk youth, taught in Taiwan as a Fulbright Taiwan Fellow, studied education and international development and worked as a first grade special education aide. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and a master’s degree of philosophy in education.

Sabrina Schwartz has worked in a day care and preschool and has a bachelor’s degree in social science interdisciplinary with a concentration in early childhood education.

Kim Seay has been a substitute teacher in Buffalo Public Schools and had jobs in local government, higher education and nonprofit arenas. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in organizational leadership.

Alyssa Shellman volunteered with the Buffalo nonprofit People United for Sustainable Housing at the Grant Street Neighborhood Center as part of her UB Honors Seminar. She completed her bachelor’s degree in English in three years.

Jacob Walek worked as a summer camp teacher and volunteered with Buffalo Public Schools to help high school students with their homework. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history.

Kacy Wandel has tutored reading, writing and literacy for both native English speakers and those learning English as a second language. She has a bachelor’s degree in humanities with a focus on elementary education and literature. She is passionate about reading and language learning.