MCB Undergraduate Peer Mentoring Program

Hi everyone! My name is Jonathan Nguyen, and I’m a senior majoring in MCB and minoring in psychology and chemistry. On campus, I am a peer mentor for the RSO Mentors in Medicine and a member of Musical Medics, a RSO for pre-health volunteers to play music at local retirement homes. I also volunteer at Carle in the emergency room and as a musician for the Creative Arts and Music Program. I contribute as an undergrad research assistant to the Neurocognitive Health Behavior Lab, which explores the effects of nutrition and physical activity on cognitive function. I also volunteer at the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen every Friday. In my free time, I enjoy watching my movies/shows, playing football on the Main Quad with friends, and playing the piano! I’m looking forward to helping others at this amazing school as an MCB Peer Mentor!

Hi everyone! My name is Vraj Patel and I am a junior majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-med track, with minors in Chemistry and Psychology. On campus, I am involved in undergraduate research in the Sweeney Lab, which studies the brain as it relates to feeding circuitry and behavior. I am also treasurer for the RSO Brain Matters, an undergraduate neuroscience journal written, edited, and designed by students. I am also a course assistant for STAT 200, an outreach volunteer with Avicenna Community Health Center, and an LAS Honors peer mentor. In my free time, I like to watch movies and TV, hang out with my friends, cook and try new foods, and read. As a townie, I’ve basically grown up on campus, so feel free to ask me about things to do in CU or food recommendations! If you have any other questions about being an SMCB student, pre-health, or about transitioning into college, please reach out!

Hi! My name is Emily Vo, and I am a junior majoring in MCB Honors with a minor in Chemistry on the pre-dental track. On campus, I’m the Co-Academic Chair for the pre-health fraternity Alpha Epsilon Delta, a member of the pre-dental fraternity Delta Delta Sigma, and a volunteer for Crisis Nursery and REACT. I am also an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Bagchi’s lab where I study the role of extracellular vesicles in maternal-fetal communication during early pregnancy. In my free time, I like to go on long walks, read, embroider, and play board games with friends. If you have any questions about being pre-health, course planning, RSOs, or college life, feel free to reach out!

Hi, I am Justus Omowumi (he/him), and I’m a senior majoring in Neuroscience. I aspire to become a neurosurgeon as I am very interested in Neuroscience and its related fields. I have worked as a pre-calculus tutor at the SSC for a year and a half, and I currently work as a pre-calculus class assistant for the math department. I’m on the board of a relatively new pre-med organization on campus called LinguaMed, which aims to educate its members on common phrases in diverse languages as a way to soften the medical practitioner-patient language barrier that has become more prominent with increasing globalization. I'm also a part of the Education Justice Project, which provides quality post-secondary education to incarcerated individuals, among many other self-empowering services. In addition, I love to play soccer and I have been playing since I could walk! I am an avid reader and enjoy many genres, not limited to sci-fi, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy, etc. My favorite series is the Crescent City book series by Sarah J. Maas. I also enjoy meeting new people and learning all about their dreams and future career plans!

Hi, it's nice to meet you! My name is Sara Severin, and I am a junior majoring in MCB. After college, I plan to go to medical school and become a physician. On campus, I am the VP of Merchandise for Letters of Love which is an RSO that makes cards for children in the hospital. I also volunteer at Carle Hospital. In my free time, I love to watch tv/movies, listen to Taylor Swift, read, go on walks, and take Pilates classes. Navigating college can be tough no matter where you are in your academic journey. Whether you have questions or just need a listening ear, I am happy to help!

Hi! My name is Krisha and I am a senior in MCB Honors with a minor in Informatics. I am an undergraduate researcher at KV Prasanth Lab where I explore the role of nuclear speckle proteins in gene organization. I am also the Editor-in-Chief of Brain Matters, U. of I.'s neuroscience journal, and a TA for Chem 103! I enjoy spending time with friends, reading, crocheting, and cooking. Please feel free to ask me questions about academics, campus life, or even being an international student! I look forward to meeting you!

Hello! My name is Isabella Igbo, and I am a junior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. I am on the pre-med track to be a psychiatrist and do translational research. Here at Dr. Slauch's microbiology laboratory, I examined the mechanisms of one of Salmonella's secretion systems. Over the summer, I interned at CU Boulder's NeuroRecovery Lab, where I analyzed the effects of Acute Intermittent Hypoxia treatments on people's gait mechanics. I volunteered at Carle Foundation Hospital in multiple departments to get a small taste of what patient care would be like as a medical professional. I am also a Carle student leader for Contracts Management, the Curtis Clinic, and the Windsor Clinic. In the future, I plan to work at this hospital with my CNA certification to deepen my clinical experience. I've been working at the Illinois Leadership Center as a Leadership Certificate Specialist, where I help my peers along their journey of defining leadership and being proactive about completing the process. I am a member of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, Women in Neuroscience, and Black Association of Psychology Students. In my free time, I binge-watch movies and TV shows, hang out with friends, listen to music, and develop my roller skating and hairstyling skills.

Hey everyone! I'm Rob Kemp, and I'm a junior majoring in Biochemistry on a pre-med track. I'm also a James scholar. I'm an undergraduate researcher in the Schuler lab, where we purify and analyze proteins involved in biosynthesis of an anti-tumor molecule. I'm also serving as the president of Sigma Nu, a social fraternity. I've volunteered at Carle Foundation hospital for three semesters, and I'm going to be serving as a writing chair for an undergraduate journal called the Double Helix Digest this upcoming academic year. In my free time, I enjoy reading, fishing, and lifting. Starting college can be difficult, and a lot of us don't really know what to expect. We want to help guide you, so please reach out to me or the other MCB leaders with any questions!

Hi! My name is Alexia Roeva and I am a junior majoring in MCB and Psychology. After graduation, I aspire to go to medical school and become a practicing physician. On campus I am involved in various things. I am the president of my Pre-Health Fraternity Phi Chi, the Director of Inclusion for my Panhellenic sorority, and a DEI committee head for Society of Women in Public Affairs (SWPA). During my Sophomore year, I served as Recruitment Chair for Phi Chi and a New Member Educator committee head for SWPA. Taking on leadership positions has really pushed me to grow as a person and has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my college experience. I highly encourage you to apply for and seek out leadership during your time in college! Outside of my RSO involvements, I am also a Chemistry 105 TA and previous Chemistry 103 TA. I love connecting with students and sharing my passion for chemistry, especially chemistry labs! I am also an undergraduate research assistant in the Grosman Lab which focuses on neurotransmitter-gated ion channels. During my free time I love listening to music, going on walks and runs, and going to coffee shops. I understand how overwhelming campus can be at first so if you have any questions about anything from classes to involvements please reach out, I would be happy to talk with you!

I’m Emma Borrowman, a senior in MCB Honors planning to go to medical school after undergrad. I’m the founder and president of Sharing Smiles with Hospice Patients, a student organization that supports hospice volunteers, patients, and families, and I lead the Legacy Video Project, where I work with a team of students to help patients record interviews for their loved ones. I’m also part of Sweeney Lab, where I do neuroscience research on feeding behavior during pregnancy and lactation. When I’m not in class or the lab, I like staying active with pickleball, volleyball, and workouts. I also love baking and cooking with my roommates.

I'm Erin Davy and on campus, I am actively involved in various capacities. As a member of Alpha Chi Sigma, a professional chemistry fraternity, and part of the LAS Global Leaders Program, I thrive in both academic and leadership roles. At the Sweedler lab, I contribute as an undergraduate research assistant, specializing in mass spectrometry experiments for protein analysis. Outside the lab, I stay active through intramural soccer and volleyball, and I enjoy exploring the Champaign area.

Hey everyone! I’m Diya Shah, a senior majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Public Health, currently on the Pre-Medical Track. Beyond academics, I’m actively involved as the Media Chair of Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), a pre-health fraternity, and a member of the Illini Medical Screening Society. I am also a volunteer with Avicenna, a free medical health clinic, where I contribute as a part of the outreach team. My interests also extend into research. I am an undergraduate research assistant at the Nutrition and Human Microbiome Laboratory where I explore how diet and microbiome influence gut diversity and overall health. When I’m not studying, I like to run, cook, and bake. I’d like to consider myself a foodie and I’m always willing to share the best bites in the CU community. Transitioning to college life can be overwhelming but I’m here to help. Whether you have personal or academic questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m so excited to meet y’all!

Hi! My name is Iman Mohajir (she/her) and I'm a senior majoring in MCB and minoring in Spanish and Public Health on the pre-med track. On campus I am the Vice President of the American Medical Women's Association and the VP of Internal Affairs for Positive Premeds. I am also a volunteer for Avicenna and am involved in undergraduate research in Dr. Supriya Prasanth's lab where I study the role of the Orc6 protein in DNA replication and the DNA damage response. Off campus, I am a Healthcare Tech at OSF. During my free time, I like to spend time with friends, bake, crochet, and read! Please reach out if you have any questions! I want to help in any way I can! 

Hi! My name is Gabby, and I am currently a senior majoring in MCB Honors on a pre-med track. Outside of classes, I work as an undergraduate researcher in a biological engineering lab (Perez Lab), where we are working on using gene editing technology to treat a number of genetic conditions. I also work with IEMS as an EMT at various school sponsored events. I am a member of the Illini Medical Screening Society where students are taught the skills needed to provide our community with free health screenings. In my free time, I spend my time playing music with my band and making art with my friends! Freshman year of college can be daunting in so many aspects, so if you have questions or need some advice, reach out!

I'm Maher and on campus, I’m involved in several activities. I serve as Vice President of the Illini Thaakat Foundation, am a member of Phi Delta Epsilon pre-medical fraternity, and work as an undergraduate research assistant in the Brooke Lab, where I study host immune modulation by defective influenza viruses. Outside of school and research, I enjoy reading, crocheting, and baking. I’m always excited to connect with new people and share experiences!

Hi! I'm Qaasim, a senior majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology Honors Concentration with a minor in biochemistry. I'm passionate about helping fellow students navigate the MCB program and college more broadly, whether it's choosing classes, finding research opportunities, studying for exams, or balancing academics with campus life. Outside of school, I serve as the news editor of the independent student newspaper here at Illinois. I'm excited to be part of the peer mentoring team and look forward to supporting you!

Hi, my name is James, and I am majoring in neuroscience! I also research exercise and brain interactions using mice as models. I hope to finish a doctorate program in clinical psychology as I aspire to become a clinical prescribing psychologist!

Hey everyone! My name is Shivam Patel and I am a senior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Business. I am currently on the Pre-Med track and involved with many different clubs and organizations here on campus. I am currently an undergraduate research assistant in the Nutrition and Human Microbiome Lab. I also volunteer at the Carle Foundation Hospital in the Pediatrics Department and work as a CAN back at home. In my free time, I love playing basketball or working out at the ARC. I have also been getting more into pickleball lately and enjoy playing that with friends. I remember being a freshman and how overwhelming it was to balance classes and extracurriculars. I was very lucky that I had help and guidance from the upperclassmen that I knew. If you need help with classes or anything pre-med related, don’t hesitate to reach out. I look forward to meeting you all!

Hi! My name is Ella Buchanan and I am a senior majoring in MCB Honors and minoring in Spanish on the pre-med track. I am a member of Illini Medical Screening Society, MEDLIFE, and a social sorority. I am also involved in a microbiology research lab where we purify and analyze proteins involved in the biosynthesis of an anti-tumor molecule. In my free time I enjoy going on walks, listening to music, and spending time with friends. I also love to travel and spent a semester in Italy last year. Please feel free to reach out with questions about pre-med, courses, campus/social life, and more. I am looking forward to meeting you all!