Orientation Leaders
Name: Joseph Battista
Major: Digital and Interactive Media Arts
Hometown: River Vale, NJ
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Regularly check your emails; professors, school staff and upcoming events will always be emailed!
Name: Will Brock
Major: Communications
Hometown: Newtown, CT
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Focus on building good study habits, stay organized, and don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. Get involved in clubs or activities to make friends and explore your interests. Balance socializing with academics and remember that it’s okay to adapt and learn from new experiences.
Name: Dylan Caldwell
Major: Social Work
Hometown: New Milford, CT
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Get involved! Clubs are an amazing way to make new friends that share a common interest!
Name: Vince Diesta
Major: Accounting
Hometown: Brookfield, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Starting college is one of the biggest decisions you must make in your life, so you should take full advantage of it. Find a community you belong to and branch out! You never know what opportunities you have available until you ask someone.
Name: Vanesa Dominguez
Major: Communications
Hometown: Danbury, CT
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there and trying new things. College is a time to challenge yourself, explore new opportunities and grow as an individual, so don’t let fear get in the way of you embracing and enjoying your journey here!
Name: Youmna Elawa
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Sandy Hook, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: My advice for incoming students is to not let your anxiety get the best of you! Put yourself out there, get involved, participate in classes and extra curriculars, and build connections with professors and faculty. That will pretty much guarantee you a smooth transition into college and give you the best experiences and opportunities 🙂
Name: Sarah Fayad
Major: English
Hometown: Brookfield, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: Always remember that there is no “right” way to have fun in college! Do what makes you feel happy and comfortable 🙂 It can be really hard but try not to compare your experiences to others. Everyone is on their own unique path!
Name: Sorreea Gagnebin
Major: Management
Hometown: Danbury, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: You are responsible for your own college experience, so make the best of it by getting involved!
Name: Zayda Greer
Major: Musical Theatre
Hometown: Bristol, CT
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Advice I have for incoming freshman is save EVERYTHING! Eventually you’ll need to look back at a paper you’d never thought you needed again. Create a google account, scan the documents, and save them so you’ll always have them!
Name: Erin Lowenadler
Major: Secondary Education – English with a minor in Broadcast Journalism
Hometown: Bethel, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: Treat your professors how you’d like to be treated. They are working hard to provide you with your education. Be transparent with them; if you need extensions, ask… if you’re confused, stay for extra help! What you put into school is what you will get out of it! And your professors are your first line of assistance, so treat them kindly!
Name: Sharon McCarthy
Major: Biology
Hometown: Woodbury, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: My advice to the incoming freshmen is to get involved and make the most of your time here. There are so many opportunities here, you just have to go after them!
Name: Becky Men
Major: Finance
Hometown: Bethel, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: My advice for incoming students is to step out of your comfort zone so you don’t have any regrets after college. Join clubs, meet new people, play a sport, go to events, etc. Everyone is discovering themselves, so this is the perfect time to find your specialties (FYI: employers care more than just having a good GPA).
Name: Kaitlin Merna
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Verplanck, NY
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Getting involved on campus is worth it. A part of college is about making memories and experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life. WCSU has something for everyone, you will be able to find whatever interests you. Additionally, work towards your dreams and don’t let anyone get in your way. You are here for you, so do what makes you the happiest.
Name: Baxter Page
Major: Biology
Hometown: Newtown, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: You’re going to hear this advice a lot, but make sure you get involved in and outside the class. Form study groups and go to events around campus!
Name: Josiah Pizzaro
Major: Accounting
Hometown: Waterbury, CT
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Some advice I’d give to incoming students is to make sure you guys don’t stay stuck in your dorm. Don’t be afraid to go outside and meet new people. Attend all the events during welcome week and stay in contact with people you meet in orientation because you’re probably going to see more of them on campus.
Name: Emily Rodriguez
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Bronx, NY
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: I would advise any incoming students to have fun but to manage their fun time and school time. Remember your priorities and don’t forget to take care of yourself as well.
Name: Sebastian Sanchez
Major: Digital and Interactive Media Arts
Hometown: East Hartford, CT
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Just be yourself here and focus on what you came here for. Really get involved on campus and talk to people in your classes! There’s a lot of communities to get involved with. Don’t be afraid to be yourself! WCSU thrives in diversity and people are more open than you think.
Name: Tiffani Saunders
Major: Psychology with a minor in Justice and Law Administration
Hometown: New Milford, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: Get involved and take time for yourself! Getting involved and joining clubs is extremely important in building connections and having a great college experience. However, make sure to maintain a healthy balance between being involved and prioritizing yourself. In college it’s extremely easy to get caught up in other things and disregard your mental health, so if needed, don’t be afraid to take a day to yourself!
Name: Isabel Schenkel
Major: Music Education
Hometown: Bethel, CT
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: Ask for help, use the resources available to you, and have fun!
Name: Gabriela Torres
Major: Social Work with a minor in Political Science
Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: My advice to the incoming freshman would be to stop out of your comfort zone. College is the perfect opportunity to explore your identity and find new interests. Take a course you never considered taking, attend events, join a club, truly allow yourself to embrace the WCSU culture. You’ll be amazed at what you discover!
Name: Nick Varbaro
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Carmel, NY
Resident or Commuter: Commuter
Advice: You may be nervous about meeting new people, finding your way around campus, handling the upcoming academic workload. Don’t worry; you’re not the only freshman concerned about these things. Thousands of students are experiencing this with you, and millions have done it before you Reach out to people, you might make a lifelong friendship with the person next to you.
Name: Charlie Wimer
Major: History
Hometown: Danbury, CT
Resident or Commuter: Resident
Advice: Get involved, it’s what will make college great, but never forget that school comes first, and you are paying to be here!