FALL 2011
Scholarly Pursuits
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 15
Montgomery Scholars Program Newsletter
Montgomery Scholars Alumni
Shine in Health Care Field
2
Inside This Issue
From the Director’s Desk
Winter Solstice Philo Café.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Dear Scholars, Parents, and Friends of Scholars:
First Scholar to Attend Harvard.. . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Welcome Class of 2013.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Congratulations, Class of 2011.. . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Congratulations, Class of 2012.. . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Kudos to Our Beacon Winners.. . . . . . . . . . . Page 5
Where Are You Now?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6
Service Learning.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8
Focus on Health Education and Careers .. . . . Page 9
Alumni Corner.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11
Births, Weddings.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11
A lot has happened this year. Recent budgetary constraints
have inspired us to look for an alternative to Cambridge.
We are excited to announce our program for next summer:
the Swannanoa Gathering (music festival and workshops) at Warren Wilson College in
Asheville, North Carolina. The Class of 2013 will experience dorm life and participate
in Warren Wilson’s service learning program. In addition, the Asheville area is rich in
attractions, including the Biltmore estate, built in 1895 by the Vanderbilt family; the
open-air amphitheatre featuring Unto These Hills, a drama about the Cherokee; and
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
In other news, Amy Gueye, our second scholar to qualify as a doctor, graduated from
the University of Virginia this year and is currently working at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Indeed, nearly 20 percent of alumni scholars are in a health-related field. This is the
inspiration for our focus on health in this newsletter—the first in a series of themes for
our fall newsletters; next fall we will focus on science. I hope you enjoy reading about
the varied and interesting health-related work in which alumni scholars are engaged:
from the U.S. to Honduras and the Congo; from theoretical medical research to
fieldwork in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and health policy agencies. This emphasizes
the fact that the program provides a solid and stimulating two years of undergraduate
education that can help students succeed in many disciplines and areas of interest.
Desde el Escritorio del Director
Queridos Becados, Padres de Familia, y Amigos de los Becados:
Ha pasado mucho en este año. Los recientes cortes en el presupuesto nos han
inspirado a buscar una alternativa con respecto a Cambridge. Estamos muy emocionados
al anunciar nuestro programa para el siguiente verano: la Reunión del Swannanoa (un
festival de música y talleres) en Warren Wilson College situado en Asheville, North
Carolina. La Clase del 2013 residirá y participara en el programa de aprendizaje de
servicio de Warren Wilson. Adicionalmente, cabe mencionar que el área de Asheville es
rica en atracciones, incluyendo el estado de Biltmore, construido en 1895 por la familia
Vanderbilt; el anfiteatro al aire libre con la presentación de Unto These Hills, un drama
acerca de Cherokee; y el Parque Nacional de las Grandes Montañas Humeantes.
Make a Difference for
Montgomery Scholars
Did you have a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience
with the Montgomery Scholars? Join the many
other scholarship supporters and make your
gift now to support current scholars in their
“once-in-a-lifetime” experience. You can make
your gift at our secure, online giving site:
www.montgomerycollege.edu/onlinegiving.
(Click on “Select an area of support” then
click on “Other” and type Montgomery
Scholars in the box.) You can also send a
check made payable to Montgomery College
Foundation and send it to: Montgomery
College Foundation, 900 Hungerford Dr.,
Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20850.
Scholarly Pursuits
Entre otras noticias, Amy Gueye, nuestra segunda becada que ha calificado como
doctora, se graduó de la Universidad de Virginia este año y está trabajando en el
hospital de Johns Hopkins. De hecho, cerca del 20 por ciento de alumnos becados
que ya han egresado siguen estudiando en un campo relacionado a la salud. Esta es la
inspiración para nuestro énfasis en este boletín de noticias – el primero de nuestra serie
de temas para nuestro boletín de noticias del otoño; el siguiente año nos concentraremos
en ciencia. Espero que disfruten leer acerca de los diferentes e interesantes trabajos
relacionados a la salud en los cuales los alumnos becados han participado: desde los
Estados Unidos hasta Honduras y el Congo; desde investigaciones teóricas sobre medicina
hasta trabajo de campo en hospitales, oficinas de doctores y agencias de seguros de
salud. Esto enfatiza el hecho de que el programa provee unos dos años sólidos y
estimulantes de educación superior que pueden ayudar a los estudiantes obtener el
éxito en las tantas disciplinas y áreas de interés.
Mary T. Furgol
Director, Montgomery Scholars
[email protected]
FALL NOTES & NEWS
Winter Solstice
Philo Café
Current and former scholars, please join us
from 4–7 p.m. for our Winter Solstice Philo
Café on Tuesday, December 20, 2011.
Bring your favorite dish to share and good
tales to tell as we gather once again around
the hearth in Professor White’s home.
Directions from Montgomery College,
Rockville Campus: Turn right on Mannakee
Street; at the first traffic light, turn right on
Nelson Street; at first light, turn right on West
Montgomery and move over to left lane;
at first light after the Shell station, turn left
on Hurley Avenue; take Hurley until it meets
Wootton Parkway. Turn right on Wootton; turn
left at Glenn Mill Road; take Glenn Mill to the
stop sign and proceed on Glenn Mill. Take
second street on left, Valley Drive. Professor
White’s house is the first house on the left,
#13421 Valley Drive. Park on the grass.
First Montgomery Scholar to Attend Harvard
Cristian Barrera, a graduate of Wheaton
High School and a Montgomery Scholar from
the Class of 2008, was a remarkable student
during his time at Montgomery College. The first
student to complete a Smithsonian internship
while a first-year scholar (no mean feat given
the workload during Core), he was also the
student representative on the Board of Trustees
during his sophomore year and the Presidential
Scholar for the Rockville Campus. After
graduating from MC, Cristian transferred to
The George Washington University, where
he graduated with a B.A. in sociology and
human services. During his time at GW, Cristian
interned for five nonprofit organizations and
taught in Mexico for two weeks during spring
break. Like many GW students, Cristian rose
to the challenge given by First Lady Michelle
Obama to volunteer even more of their time.
As a result of their dedication, Mrs. Obama was
their commencement speaker. After graduation,
Cristian became the family literacy program
coordinator for CentroNia. Two sophomore
Cristian Barrera
scholars, Diane Lameira and Rodrigo Castro,
completed their service learning at CentroNia
and were overwhelmed by Cristian’s generosity
and impressed by the work of the organization.
Now Cristian is on the move again, this time to
Harvard University, where he is in the master’s
program in government, focusing on education
policy. From Cambridge, England, to Cambridge,
Massachusetts — quite a journey, Cristian!
Welcome, Class of 2013
The Montgomery Scholars Program welcomes
scholars from the Class of 2013 — some of whom
are pictured here at the afternoon tea hosted by
Montgomery College President Dr. DeRionne P.
Pollard; at the overnight retreat at Harper’s Ferry;
and again at our annual picnic in May where past,
present, and new scholars met one another and
faculty at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg.
Afternoon tea
Retreat at Harper’s Ferry
Picnic, Class of 2013
Montgomery College
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CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations, Class of 2011
Congratulations, Montgomery Scholars
Class of 2011, on your graduation from
Scholars and Montgomery College, and
your acceptances to an impressive array of
colleges. They include: American University,
Hood College, Georgetown University, George
Washington University, New York University,
Salisbury University, St. Mary’s College of
Maryland, Towson University, University
of Maryland College Park, University of
Maryland Baltimore County, University of
Virginia, and The College of William and Mary.
Thank you for continuing the tradition of a
class gift to Montgomery College. The Class
of 2011 made a donation to Falling Whistles
on behalf of Montgomery College in
appreciation for all the College has done for
them. As Diane Lameira, Ceci Nicolich, and
Rodrigo Castro explained at our scholars
graduation ceremony, the Skoal, Falling
Whistles is a nonprofit organization working
for peace in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, specifically focusing on child soldiers.
The three scholars came across it during
their sophomore capstone course, and
several scholars did their service learning
with the organization. Katherine Easthope
and Kunal Arora enthralled us at the Skoal
with their singing and poetry, respectively.
Our congratulations also go to Kunal Arora,
Sarah Chan, Kristin Hoover, and Theresa
Price, who were each awarded a Maryland
Transfer Academic Excellence Scholarship
(a full tuition two-year scholarship). Sarah
has played women’s basketball and softball
for Montgomery College during her two
years here. She made the NJCAA AllAmerican Academic Team for Superior
Academic Achievement and received an
Outstanding Education Student Award at
the Rockville Campus. We also congratulate
Diane Lameira, who received the Presidential
Scholar Award for the Rockville Campus
as well as Georgetown University’s 1789
Scholarship Program award. Diane will
be transferring to Georgetown in the fall
to study psychology. Congratulations
to Gretchen Winch, who received the
Outstanding History Award at the Rockville
Campus, and to Kristin Hoover and Corinne
Wilhelm-Glab, who received the Paul Peck
Humanities Institute Internship Awards for
interning at the United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum and the Smithsonian,
respectively. Kristin also received the
Dr. Brianne Friel Women’s Studies Award for
mentoring young girls through a nonprofit
organization in Montgomery County.
CONGRATULATIONS
Katherine Easthope
Shahram Bahrami and
Fabian Padron
Catherine Cobblah
Sarah Chan
Theresa Price and Diane Lameira
Kunal Arora
Corinne Wilhelm-Glab and
Ceci Nicolich
Catherine Calantonio and
Rodrigo Castro
Congratulations, Class of 2012
Jonathan Jayes Green
Scholarly Pursuits
Congratulations to Samantha Cameron,
Marianne Sylla, and Alisa Tsaturov, whose
essays were accepted for the Montgomery
College online publication, Student Writing in the
Disciplines, www.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/
Department.aspx?id=21929. Congratulations also
to Silvia Argueta, who received the Jacoby-Karr
Award in Literature, to Sairam Nagulapalli,
who received two Rockville Campus philosophy
department awards, and to Jonathan Jayes
Green, who is the new student representative
on the Board of Trustees at Montgomery College.
Kudos to Our Beacon Winners
T
he Beacon Conference attracts
students from two-year colleges in
New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and
Maryland. Students from the participating
colleges work with faculty mentors all
year to develop a research paper on
a topic in one of 15 fields, such as
allied health, arts, business, history,
technology, natural sciences, education,
and literature. Papers that demonstrate
This year 19 Montgomery College students’
papers were selected as finalists at Beacon,
14 of whom were Montgomery Scholars:
Kunal Arora, Lucy Bauer, Sarah Chan,
Rakesh Chopde, Katherine Easthope, Erica
Espinosa, Neydyn Gomez, Diane Lameira,
Fabian Padron, Stephanie Palazzo (unable
to attend), Siomara Parada, Theresa Price,
William Evan Ricucci, and Judson Brad
Williams. Another four scholars were selected
to present their capstone papers as poster
presentations: Rodrigo Castro, Catherine
Cobblah, Kristin Hoover, and Gretchen
Winch. Professor Siegel and Dr. Hessami
were this year’s mentors; the speech and
communications class was taught by
Professor Rose Piskapas.
for her paper, “Creating the Terrorist: The
Psychology of Group Dynamics”; Judson
Brad Williams in social justice for his
paper, “Vaccine Accessibility for Developing
Countries: the Promise of AMCs”; Siomara
Parada in interdisciplinary studies for her
paper, “ Containing the Scourge of AIDS”;
and Erica Espinosa in international studies
and globalization for her paper, “The Good,
the Bad, and the Hope: Remittances and
Globalization.” Dr. Hessami mentored
Theresa, Brad, Erica, and Rakesh; Professor
Siegel mentored Siomara, Diane, and Sarah.
Congratulations, students and mentors!
Eight Montgomery College students won in
their respective categories, seven of whom were
Montgomery Scholars: Theresa Price in allied
health for her paper, “Kidneys, Anyone?”;
Rakesh Chopde in communications for his
paper, “‘Casting’ Call for the Social Network:
Leveling the Playing Fields in India”; Sarah Chan
in gender studies for her paper, “Redefining
Beauty Standards”; Diane Lameira in psychology
Since the Montgomery Scholars program
began sending students’ papers to Beacon in
2001, 81 scholars’ papers (over 30 percent of
the sophomore scholars’ capstone papers) have
been selected as finalists and 14 as poster
presenters; 32 scholars have won, representing
over 10 percent of all scholars’ capstone papers.
quality scholarship and originality are
submitted to the conference. Independent
readers select the best three papers in
each of the 15 categories to present at
the Beacon Conference.
Evan Ricucci and Erica Espinosa
Sarah Chan
Brad WIlliams
Siomara Parada
Ceci Nicolich presented her capstone
paper, “Global Microfinance: Empowering
the Marginalized”, at the Fourth Annual
Symposium of undergraduate research at
the University of Maryland.
Katherine Easthope, Rakesh Chopde,
Lucy Bauer and Diane Lameira
Beacon 2011
Montgomery College
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Where Are You Now?
Here is a list of some of our Montgomery College Scholars from the first 10 classes and
their whereabouts. If anyone from the classes of 2001–2011 has an update for the
newsletter, just drop us a line and we will include the information in the next newsletter.
Class of 2001
Hannah (Gilbert) Chambers, B.A., A.A.
(Wootton HS), has a special connection with
Montgomery College and the Scholars Program.
Hannah’s grandmother, Peggy Martin, was a
counselor at Montgomery College during the
inaugural class of scholars. Hannah wrote:
“She was so proud and excited that I was a
Scholar, and if it wasn’t for her urging me and
promoting the program, I’m not sure I would’ve
been in it. I am so happy I did!” Hannah’s
grandmother passed away in February 2010,
and she is greatly missed.
Class of 2002
Bert Tondo, B.S., A.A. (Watkins Mill HS),
has begun a master’s of science in program
management at The George Washington University.
Garrett Wozniak, M.P.A., B.S., A.A. (Watkins Mill
HS), is now in his second year of studying law
on a full scholarship at the University of Baltimore.
Class of 2003
Amy Gueye-Goudiaby, M.D., M.P.H., B.S., A.A.
(Churchill HS), graduated from the University of
Virginia in May 2011 as a medical doctor and is
currently doing her residency at Johns Hopkins
Hospital in obstetrics and gynecology.
Nicholas Lovesee, B.S., A.A. (Good Counsel HS),
is currently a lobbyist on Capitol Hill. Nick is also
teaching a class on politics and lobbying and has
a book due out in late January or February 2012.
Sarah Megorden, M.A., B.A., A.A. (Covenant
Life HS), graduated from The George Washington
University with an M.A. in economics and
continues to work as a statistician at the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Class of 2005
Hannah Freeman, M.Ed., B.A., A.A. (Montgomery
Blair HS), had a painting, “Portrait of Unknown
Family with Dog?”, on display in the “Artists At
Work” Smithsonian Community Art Exhibit at the
Dillon S. Ripley Center through October 2, 2011.
Abby Furnish, B.S., B.A., A.A. (Covenant Life HS),
worked for two years in the Peace Corps and is
currently enrolled in the master’s in environmental
management program at the Nicholas School
of the Environment at Duke University, where
she was also awarded a scholarship.
Class of 2006
Sara Montone, B.A., A.A. (Poolesville HS), and
Charles J Overly, B.S., A.A. (Sherwood HS),
got married on May 18, 2011.
Irene Odia, R.N., B.S.N., A.A. (Paint Branch HS),
works as a registered nurse at Holy Cross Hospital
in Silver Spring in the emergency room.
Josephine Ta, B.S., A.A. (Northwest HS),
graduated from the University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, with a B.S. in health and exercise
science. Jo is in the nursing program at the
University of Maryland, Baltimore, and is
currently working as a patient care technician
at Suburban Hospital.
Class of 2008
Allie Butts, B.A., A.A. (Stone Ridge HS), is
currently applying to the nursing program at
the Takoma Park Campus.
Todd Culliton, B.S., A.A. (Watkins Mill HS),
graduated summa cum laude from the University
of Maryland in December 2010 with a B.S. in
economics. Todd has interned at the White
House Initiative for Asian American and Pacific
Islanders, and last summer he spoke at the
Smithsonian Folklife Festival for Asian Americans
on the topic of being multiracial. Currently Todd
is in the law program at The George Washington
University on a full scholarship.
Class of 2004
Class of 2007
Ivan Melyakov, B.A., A.A. (Walter Johnson
HS), graduated from Columbia University in
December 2010 with a B.A. in philosophy.
Anthony Gomez, M.S., B.S., A.A. (Gaithersburg
HS), graduated with a master’s in finance from
the Carey Business School of the Johns Hopkins
University. Tony took a well deserved trip to
Nicaragua after his graduation.
Kathy Bui, M.Ed., B.S., A.A. (Gaithersburg HS),
graduated from the University of Maryland in
May 2011 with a master’s degree in education,
focuses on minority and urban education. She
works for a nonprofit organization that serves
mental health patients.
Rachel Robb, B.S., A.A. (Covenant Life HS),
graduated from the University of Maryland
in December 2010 with a B.S. in hearing and
speech science. She is currently in the speech
language pathology master’s program at Loyola
University in Baltimore.
Holly Kent-Payne, M.F.A., B.A., A.A. (Blake
HS), graduated from New York University in
May 2011 with a master of fine arts degree
in creative writing.
Merit Shalom, A.A. (Kennedy HS), graduated
from Mount Holyoke College in December 2010
with a B.S. in psychology and education.
Konstantin Gulish, B.A., A.A. (Watkins Mill HS),
is continuing his master’s in teaching program
at Marymount University while teaching English
at the College of Southern Maryland and the
Northern Virginia Community College.
Picnic, Class of 2009
Ines Ureta, A.A. (Churchill HS), graduated from
the University of Maryland in May 2011 with a
B.S. in chemical and biomolecular engineering
with a concentration in biological science and
nanotechnology.
Class of 2009
Sheena Austria, B.A., A.A. (Churchill HS),
graduated from Georgetown University in May
2011 with a B.A. in English and is working at
McLean Bible Church in its special needs ministry
developing a day program for adults with intellectual
disabilities and who are unable to find work.
Athena Balanou, B.S., A.A. (Richard Montgomery
HS), graduated from the University of Maryland
in May 2011 with a B.S. in biology from the
Scholarly Pursuits
Govinda Rubin, A.A. (Blair HS), published his
first book while studying at the University of
Maryland. An e-book (available at lulu.com),
the work is entitled The Legend of Miguel
Sagrado. Govinda is already working on his
second book called The Dream Warrior.
Emily Thron, B.S., A.A. (Cedar Brook Academy),
graduated from the University of Maryland
Smith School of Business in May 2011 with
a B.S. in business marketing. She works in
Orlando, Florida, as a regional marketing
director with Asset Campus Housing.
Picnic, Class of 2011
department of chemistry and life sciences.
Athena has completed an internship working
with transgenic mosquitoes and is currently
applying to medical school.
Crystel Britto, B.A., A.A. (Rockville HS), graduated
cum laude from The George Washington University
in May 2011 with a B.A. in international affairs
and a double concentration in global public
health and conflict and security. Crystel is
working as a ministry intern with InterVarsity
Christian Fellowship (an organization that began
in Cambridge, England, in 1877) at The George
Washington University.
Theresa Brush, B.S., A.A. (Bethesda-Chevy
Chase HS), graduated from the University of
Maryland in May 2011 with a B.S. in biological
sciences. She is currently attending pharmacy
school at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
Alyssa Hammerley, B.S., A.A. (Good Counsel
HS), graduated from the University of Maryland
Smith School of Business in May 2011 with a
B.S. in international business and management.
Last summer, Alyssa studied abroad in Italy
through the University of Maryland’s Landscape,
Architecture, and Music program. Currently
she is an account coordinator with Hirshorn
Zuckerman Design Group.
Pierre van Boxel (Whitman HS) is currently
completing his degree in mathematics at the
University of Luxembourg. He is deciding
between pursuing postgraduate studies in
distance education or the history of math
and science.
Goes at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia,
Maryland. The Maryland Theatre Guide wrote:
“In her debut Gracie Jones is a breath of fresh
‘sea air’ … Not only is Ms. Jones funny and a
terrific singer, she is also an excellent actress.”
Kristen Wellman, B.S., A.A. (Wootton HS),
graduated from the University of Maryland
Smith School of Business in May 2011 with
a B.S. in business.
Joy Liang, B.S., A.A. (Gaithersburg HS),
graduated from the University of Maryland
Smith School of Business in May 2011
with a B.S. in international business. She is
currently working with the Federal Highway
Administration in the Office of International
Programs and is also completing a TESOL
(Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages) certificate at Montgomery
College and a management certificate.
Stephannie Acha-Morfaw, A.A. (Northwest
HS), is a pre-med student at Hood College,
majoring in biology. Stephannie was selected to
participate in the 10-week Summer Biomedical
Training Program (SBTP) at the University
of Maryland Baltimore County. The program
included attending the Leadership Alliance
Symposium in Greenwich, Connecticut, where
she gave an oral presentation on her summer
research to deans and administrators from
Brown, Harvard, Yale, Cornell, and Johns
Hopkins universities.
Getachew Mengistu, B.S., A.A. (Sherwood
HS), graduated from The George Washington
University with a B.S. in chemistry and
is currently attending Medical School at
Howard University.
William Plum, B.S., A.A. (Seneca Valley HS),
graduated from the University of Maryland
in May 2011 with a B.S. in biology.
Class of 2010
Kenia Avendano-Garro, A.A. (Walter Johnson
HS), is a Japanese language and literature
major at the University of Maryland. Kenia was
selected and received full funding for a study
abroad program at Keio University in Tokyo,
Japan, for the fall of 2011.
Picnic, Class of 2013
Paula Hand, B.A., A.A. (Watkins Mill HS),
graduated summa cum laude from the University
of Maryland in May 2011 with a B.A. in Spanish
language and literature. She worked at Camp
Sonshine during the summer of 2011.
Bryce Hoover, B.S., A.A. (Home School),
graduated from the University of Maryland
in May 2011 with a B.S. in civil/environmental
engineering and is currently working as a
functional outsourcing analyst at Accenture.
Gracie Jones, A.A. (Poolesville HS), attends
the University of Maryland on a full CAPA
scholarship, studying theatre and wildlife
resources management. Gracie played the role
of Hope Harcourt in a production of Anything
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Claire Kalala, A.A. (Blair HS), founded an
organization, Blaq Grass, that advocates for
youth expression through all mediums of art
and supports social justice causes worldwide.
During the summer of 2011, Claire teamed
up with a nonprofit organization, Trees for
the Future, which works to create sustainable
agriculture in Roots for Change, a community
event at Fenton Market in Silver Spring. Claire
and Ana Palomino, A.A. (Blair HS), have spent
their summers working at the Lowell School
summer camp in Washington, D.C. Claire worked
as the lead arts instructor and Ana worked as
the lead Spanish instructor. Both had a lot of
fun working with children ages 5-12 and gained
experience in classroom management,
curriculum development, and Spanish and
art collaboration. This fall, Claire is continuing
her studies in multidisciplinary fine arts at the
University of the Arts in Philadelphia. There
she hopes to further develop her craft and
expand Blaq Grass.
and then from October 22 to November 19 at
Church Street Theater in Washington, D.C.
Sarah Lasko, A.A. (Rockville HS), is taking
a semester off from her studies as a
communications and theater major at the
University of Maryland to tour Ireland with the
Keegan Theatre. Sarah has been cast in the part
of Abigail in The Crucible, which will play in
Galway, Kilkenny, and Cork in September 2011,
Stephanie Williams, A.A. (Damascus HS),
is a criminal justice major at the University of
Maryland. Stephanie was recently accepted into
the highly competitive terrorism studies minor.
During the summer of 2011, she interned at
Interpol, and this fall she is interning with the
Prince George’s County Police Department.
Montgomery Scholars and Service Learning
I
n the course of constructing the first-year
scholars’ project, “The Best of All Possible
Worlds,” the Class of 2011 was divided into five
groups, each of which also completed a service
learning project. The service learning portions
covered a variety of activities, including volunteering
at a daycare and group home for the disabled,
helping out at Science Day on the Rockville
Campus, building a home in D.C. with Habitat
for Humanity, and taking part in environmental
cleanup activities.
The second-year scholars volunteered with a
nonprofit organization or a nongovernmental
organization (NGO). The scope of their activities
was extensive. The sophomores worked with
CentroNia, Aumazo, La Raza, Falling Whistles,
Ten Thousand Villages, the Polaris Project, the
Heritage Foundation, Bikes for the World, Greater
DC Cares, International Student and Scholar
Services, and the Center for Global Education
at the Catholic University of America.
Scholarly Pursuits
In addition, a number of first-year and sophomore
scholars also took part in Montgomery College’s
Holocaust Commemoration in April 2011. They
included Lucy Bauer, Samantha Cameron,
Jonathan Jayes Green, Callie Kambanis,
Danielle Kurtz, and Siomara Parada.
Two alumni scholars who both attend Georgetown
University, Sheena Austria and Javier Peña,
spent their spring break in Haiti. Sheena did
this last year also. Javier commented on the
remarkable perseverance and faith he saw in
the middle of what is still great destruction and
deprivation: “The joy, generosity, and hope of
the people, many of whom lost most of what
they had, including loved ones … what really
amazed us was the joy and love that the children
continually showered us with! Whether it was
the crazy, goofy dance-offs, or letting them
make art with our hair, or simply being hugged
… we were repeatedly astounded at the love
we received from them during our stay.”
Kristen Santos, A.A. (Sherwood HS), is a
biology major at McDaniel College. Kristen
spent several weeks during the summer of
2011 in Turkey with the Civil Air Patrol through
the International Air Cadet Exchange.
Focus on Health Education and Careers
I
f the number of alumni scholars working
or researching in health sciences is
anything to go by, then the Montgomery
Scholars program is very healthy indeed.
The range of health care fields represented
is impressive: medicine, dentistry,
pharmacy, public health, and nursing.
This experience reflects one of the major
advantages of the Scholars Program:
it attracts students interested
in a variety of majors
and disciplines, and
this diversity in turn leads to a
stimulating and enriching intellectual
environment during the first two years of
their undergraduate education. Below are
some of the alumni scholars’ many and
varied experiences in health care.
students took a Georgetown University course
on the Germantown Campus last spring and also
took part in an 11-week program at Georgetown
University where Yves worked in Dr. C. Richard
Schlegel’s lab which, he says, “developed
the technology for the human papillomavirus
vaccine and is now working to understand
the mechanism of papillomavirus-mediated
cell changes and how it might lead to the
design of viral-specific therapeutics.”
Kristen Hand ’04, M.S., B.S., A.A.: works as a
physician assistant at Frederick Primary Care
Associates:
Amy Gueye
Kunal Arora
Amy Gueye ’03, M.D., M.P.H., B.S, A.A.: graduated
with a B.S. in biology from Hood College, then
worked at the National Cancer Institute for a year
concentrating on breast cancer research and
mouse genomics. Amy entered medical school
at the University of Virginia and during her time
there traveled to Senegal to explore the reasons
behind the increase in cases of cervical cancer
and to set up a national screening project for
women. In 2010, she completed her master’s
in public health, specializing in women’s and
global health, at John’s Hopkins University. Amy
graduated from UVA with an M.D. in May 2011
and is currently doing her residency in obstetrics
and gynecology at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Kunal Arora ’11, A.A.: received an internship as
a clinical research assistant in the clinical data
management department at Fast-Track Drugs and
Biologics LLC, a contract research organization
that facilitates pharmaceutical companies in
determining the safety and efficacy of a device,
drug, or vaccine, in order to obtain FDA approval.
Alex Artcher
Theresa Brush
Alicia Carroll ’07, R.N., B.S.N., A.A.: works as
a registered nurse for the University of Maryland
Medical Center in the medical intensive care unit:
“I see and treat the worst of the worst since I work
at a large teaching hospital. In my free time I
still try to volunteer about 18 hours every Sunday
at the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad as
an emergency medical technician. I ride the
ambulance and have to be able to respond and
treat any kind of emergency situation. When
someone calls 911 in Wheaton on a Sunday night, I
may just be the person who comes to their rescue.”
Tim Costales ’08, B.S., A.A.: received honors
at Georgetown University for his laboratory
research thesis entitled “Identifying Novel
Actin-associated Proteins in Giardia Lamblia.”
Tim then received a year-long ORISE/IRTA
fellowship at National Institutes of Health in
the Food and Drug Administration’s Center of
Biologics and Evaluation and Research and
“My job consists of performing complete
physical examinations and preventative care
for men, women, and children as well as walk-in
patients. I also provide follow-up care and medical
management for my patients with chronic disease
such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s challenging,
but it’s a great group and I have plenty of support
from my supervising physicians, the other PAs
and the staff.”
Ekta Laheri ’03, D.D.S., B.S., A.A.: completed a
one-year course of advanced training in general
dentistry at Temple University in Philadelphia
after graduating with a D.D.S. from the University
of Maryland in Baltimore, and now works as a
dentist in Germantown.
Katie (Linton) Bradley ’03, R.N., B.S.N., A.A.:
is working for Valley Presbyterian Hospital in
Los Angeles training to be a perinatal nurse
with a primary focus on labor and delivery.
Katie was featured in the Spring 2011 edition
of Scholarly Pursuits.
Danny Mays ’08, B.S., A.A.: worked full time as
a chief medical scribe in the emergency room at
Montgomery General Hospital in Olney, Maryland
and is now in medical school at The George
Washington University School of Medicine.
Alex Artcher ’07, R.N., B.S.N., A.A.: is working
at Washington Adventist Hospital on the
med-surgical/renal dialysis unit:
“A typical day on my unit includes administering
insulin to patients, giving pain medications, sending
patients to various procedures and interacting with
physicians about patient progress. I also work
in tandem with other health disciplines (social
workers, case managers, respiratory therapists
and physical therapists) to provide the best health
outcome for patients during their stay in the
hospital. Work is fast-paced and always busy.”
Review, division of viral products, laboratory
of DNA viruses. Tim is now in medical school
at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
Theresa Brush ’09, B.S., A.A.: is in the doctor of
pharmacy program at the University of Maryland
in Baltimore and intends to pursue a career in
public health after completing her Pharm.D.
Yves Gomes ’12: was selected as one of eight
Montgomery College students for the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute Precollege and
Undergraduate Science Education program. The
Tim Costales
Yves Gomes
Montgomery College
Katie (Linton) Bradley
Danny Mays
Michelle Mays ’02, M.A., B.S.N, A.A.: graduated
from American University with a master’s degree
in global peace studies and has traveled to
Bosnia, Israel, and Palestine with delegations
helping the youth in those areas. As a nurse with
Doctors Without Borders, Michelle worked in
Manipur, India, and in 2009 she received an
Alumni of the Year award from Montgomery
Montgomery Scholars Program Newsletter
FALL 2011
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FALL 2011
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College. Currently Michelle is a mobile clinic
and outreach nurse for Doctors Without Borders
in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
“My job is to manage clinics that are across front
lines and only accessible by motorbike. Because of
the instability there, the population is often on the
move without consistent access to food, shelter, or
health care. We treat a lot of malaria, malnutrition, and
respiratory infections. Our project also addresses
sexual violence, reproductive health, and epidemic
response (which is currently cholera). Here is a
photo with me and some of our team members”.
Carli McGoff ’07, B.S., A.A.: graduated from
Franklin and Marshall College with a B.S. in
animal behaviors and biology. Currently Carli is with
College Living Experience, working with college
students who have Asperger’s syndrome and/or
autism and are learning to live independently.
Carli is applying to Shenandoah University’s
master’s degree program in occupational therapy.
Getachew Mengistu ’09, B.S., A.A.: studies
medicine at the Howard University School of
Medicine. Getachew worked for a year in the
chemistry lab at The George Washington University:
“My research is on finding new techniques for
analyzing subcellular organelles. I was able to
develop a new technique for extracting cytoplasm
and nucleus from a single cell without destroying
the tissue. Currently I am working with a Ph.D.
student to find out what molecules these
organelles are made out of, using a technique
that was developed by my adviser.”
Michelle Mays
Carli McGoff
Rachel Patrick ’07, B.S., A.S.: spent three
months in Peru as a volunteer parrot researcher
and returned to the United States to work at the
National Institutes of Health. Currently Rachel
is in the CNL (joint general science master’s/
nursing) program at the University of Maryland
in Baltimore.
Nora (Jansen) Shank ’01, R.D., B.S., A.A.:
received a dietetic internship at the University
of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore. Nora
works as a clinical dietician at Chandler Regional
Medical Center and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center
in Arizona where she also implements a community
outreach nutrition program for the community
benefit department. She completed her certificate
in weight management in 2006, using it to educate
over 2,000 school children and teachers in the
Phoenix area, focusing on obesity management
and prevention. Nora is also a private consultant
through Anderson’s Nutrition and served as the
media representative for the Arizona Dietetics
Association, central district from 2008-2009. She
lives in Mesa, Arizona with her husband, Travis,
and their two children, Kate and Grant.
Christina (Choi) Smart ’02, B.S.N., A.A.: is
studying for a master’s degree in public health at
the University of Rochester. Christina is a registered
Getachew Mengistu
Chris Pacious
community wellness groups, to set up cardiovascular
screening events on their own. It is a lot of fun
and we feel very good about bringing awareness
to the community.”
Alicia Tito ’07, B.A., A.A. (Magruder HS): works
as the Latin American project coordinator for
University Research Company, an international
development consulting firm:
“I work primarily on U.S. Agency for International
Development projects. I coordinate five projects,
two in Nicaragua, two in Honduras, and one in El
Salvador. The projects are all focused on health
care improvement. I travel often to Nicaragua,
Honduras and El Salvador to visit our field offices.
During a recent visit to Honduras I trained our field
office staff in several administrative and financial
policies and procedures. I also conducted field
visits to hospitals and clinics and participated in the
distribution of Neonatalie mannequins designed for
neonatal resuscitation, which is part of the American
Academy of Pediatrics Helping Babies Breathe
initiative. I really love my job.”
Danielle Tropper ’06, M.Ed., B.A., A.A.: completed
her M.Ed. at George Mason University while
working in elementary special education with
Teach for America at the AIM Academy in
Washington, D.C. Danielle is in the physician’s
assistant and public health program at The
George Washington University.
Adam Weidenhammer ’02, M.D., B.S., A.A.:
attended the New York Medical College where
he obtained his M.D. in 2009. Adam is currently
an anesthesiology resident in Stony Brook,
New York.
Nora (Jansen) Shank
Christina (Choi) Smart
Chris Pacious ’05, R.N., B.S.N., A.A.: works
on the surgical care unit at Children’s National
Medical Center in Washington, D.C.:
“We treat general surgery, orthopedics, urology, and
plastic surgery patients. A typical night has me
receiving reports on patients to whom I am assigned
and assessing and charting their progress. I also handle
the medication administration, keep patients and their
families informed on the plan of care, monitor patients
throughout the night, and consult with other nurses
and doctors as situations arise. I enjoy my job very much
and in the future intend to get my master’s degree.”
Ana Palomino ’10: attends St. Mary’s College
and is spending the fall of 2011 studying
abroad in Bamako, Mali, with the School for
International Training where she is exploring
women’s public health and completing an
independent study project.
Scholarly Pursuits
Alicia Tito
Rose (Wyzga) Simpson
nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit at
Golisano Children’s Hospital, University of
Rochester Medical Center. She has gone on
medical mission trips to India, Bangladesh,
and Ethiopia where she developed a medical
administration record system.
Maria Kostaris Stephenson ’02, B.S., A.A.: a
business administration graduate of Georgetown
University, Maria and her husband, Demetri, have
started their own business, Checkup Express,
LLC, a software development and consulting
company that focuses on optimizing the economic
and health outcomes of cardiovascular risk
assessments. Maria and Demetri developed the
software to assist with screening people who
may have metabolic syndrome and diabetes:
“Our software contains event management
capabilities to help “risk finders,” such as
Rose (Wyzga) Simpson ’04, R.N., B.S.N.,
O.C.N., A.A.: graduated from the University
of Maryland School of Nursing:
“For three years, I worked at the National Institutes
of Health as a research nurse in their oncology
(cancer) unit. This amazing opportunity allowed
me to research drugs that had never before been
given to humans and new processes that could
revolutionize how transplants and chemotherapy are
administered. I have been able to use my skills on a
two-week mission trip to Uganda, and to volunteer
as a nurse at Camp Fantastic, a summer camp
for children with cancer. I obtained my oncology
nursing certification and was on track to becoming a
charge nurse when my husband received a Fulbright
scholarship for a teaching exchange to England!
I resigned from my job to join him in the UK and
returned home pregnant with our baby. Now that
little London Adelie has arrived, I will be working as a
PRN nurse (on an as-needed basis) at Montgomery
General Hospital in their infusion center”.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Alumni Corner
Adam Weidenhammer and
Jane Ho
Garret Wozniak and
Amanda Lamar
Katie Linton and
Luke Bradley
Sara Montone and
CJ Overly
You have been fortunate to have had the
opportunity to participate in the wonderful
Montgomery College Scholars Program.
You can continue your connection with
Montgomery College as an official member
of the Alumni Association. Membership is
free and entitles you to many benefits that
include free workshops and networking
opportunities. An online membership form
and more information about benefits can
be found at:
www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni
Alison Drury and
Gerardo Gonzalez
Sarah Paquette and
Edmond Daugherty
Rachel Robb and
Bryce Hoover
William Plum and
Erin Tiren
Several FREE events are scheduled
for this fall semester:
Eight Weddings
Congratulations to: Adam Weidenhammer ’02 on his marriage to
Jane Ho in September 2011; to Garret Wozniak ’02 on his marriage
to Amanda Lamar on May 21, 2011; to Katie Linton ’03 on her
marriage to Luke Bradley on July 13, 2011; to Sara Montone ’06 and
CJ Overly ’06 on their marriage on May 18, 2011; to Alison Drury ’07
on her marriage to Gerardo Gonzalez Vasquez on May 29, 2011; to Sarah Paquette ’08
on her marriage to Edmond Daugherty on August 6, 2011; to Rachel Robb ’08 and
Bryce Hoover ’09 on their marriage on August 14, 2011; and to William Plum ’09
on his marriage to Erin Tiren on July 4, 2011.
Congratulations to Kari and Stephan Faherty (both ’03) on the
birth of their son, Eben Bander, on May 22, 2011; to Rose (Wyzga)
Simpson ‘04 and Jesse Simpson on the birth of their daughter,
London Adelie Simpson, on March 31, 2011; and to Ruth (Medler)
Goodling ‘03 and John Goodling on the birth of their daughter,
Adrienne Brynn Goodling, on August 4, 2011.
Adrienne Brynn Goodling
• On October 18, a seminar on social
networking will be offered at 6:30 p.m.
at the Gaithersburg Business Training
Center.
• On November 1, at 6:30 p.m. on the
Rockville Campus, there will be a workshop
on resume writing.
If you care to sign up for any of these
seminars offered to members of the Alumni
Association, send an e-mail reservation to:
[email protected]
Finally, we are in the process of formalizing
the Montgomery Scholars chapter and will
be getting in touch with our alumni shortly
to update our database.
Three Births
Eben Bander Faherty
If you would like to serve as a member of
the Alumni Board of Governors or on an
alumni committee, mention that on your
application form.
Helen Youth
Alumni Chapter Liaison
London Adelie Simpson
Montgomery College
Montgomery Scholars Program Newsletter
FALL 2011
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Montgomery Scholars Program Newsletter
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 15
Scholarly Pursuits
Information
Montgomery Scholars Program
www.montgomerycollege.edu/
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www.montgomerycollege.edu
Comments, feedback,
or input, please e-mail:
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Produced by the Office of Communications, 10/2011
Montgomery College is an academic institution committed
to promoting equal opportunity and fostering diversity
among its students, faculty, and staff.
Scholarly Pursuits
FALL 2011