DLS Ambassador Alumni
- Sourish Bandaru
- Graduation Year: 2026
- Major: Cell Biology and Neuroscience
- Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
- Career Interest: I want to become a physician and am leaning towards ophthalmology as a specialty but I'm still exploring.
- Fun Fact: Some of my hobbies are sports such as tennis and badminton. I also love playing chess and enjoy Bollywood dance.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class at Rutgers was Fundamentals of Neurobiology. It was really interesting to learn about how our nervous system works and my favorite part in the class was learning about the neurobiology behind senses and emotions.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I'm currently a peer mentor for the SASHP Peer Mentor Program. I'm also part of the general member dance team for RU Sangam, a South Indian organization. I do research in Dr. Haggblom's lab at Rutgers, which investigates the biodegradation of pollutant chemicals and characterization of novel microbes. Outside of Rutgers, I work as a medical assistant at an internal medicine practice and volunteer at Crisis Text Line, where I help de-escalate texter's mental health crises.
- Manuel Espinoza
- Graduation Year: 2026
- Major: Genetics
- Additional Major(s): Psychology
- Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
- Career Interest: Genetic Counseling
- Fun Fact: I love riding my Z125 motorcycle around town and enjoy listening to the Dropouts Podcast.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class this year has to be Personality Psychology. It's greatly helped me reflect on myself and recognize possible reasons for my behavioral patterns. I found the class to be applicable to so many real-life scenarios especially with my younger brothers so I would highly recommend it to others.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I'm a Calculus 135 LA Assistant where I support and motivate students to achieve academic success in the classroom. In the upcoming semester I'll be helping mentor new LA's to ensure they are prepared to support. I'm also on the E-Board for the Association of Undergraduate Geneticists (AUG) and recently created Genetic Counseling Interest Club (GCIC), where we hope to share information and encourage students to look into a not as popularly known medical profession.
- Siri Dasari
- Graduation Year: 2026
- Major: Genetics
- Additional Major(s): Psychology
- Minor(s): Business Administration
- Hometown: East Brunswick, NJ
- Career Interest: Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Fun Fact: I love staying active with the Rutgers Women’s Wrestling Club, after having wrestled throughout high school!
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class was Essentials of Cell Biology and Neuroscience with Dr. Uzwiak. The professor's teaching style and knowledge of the subject made the topics super interesting and allowed me to retain a lot of what I learned.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
At Rutgers, I'm an Honors College Peer Mentor and part of Phi Delta Epsilon, where I'm an Academic Chair. I'm also active as a member of the Rutgers Women's Wrestling Club, and a representative in the Club Sports Advisory Board! Outside of Rutgers, I work as an EMT at RWJ and at Morgan First Aid Squad, where I support the organization as the Financial Secretary. I also love spending time as a research assistant in the Buettner lab at RWJMS.
- Sophia Villegas
- Graduation Year: 2026
- Major: Exercise Science
- Additional Major(s): Psychology
- Hometown: Roselle Park, NJ
- Career Interest: Physical Therapy
- Fun Fact: I studied abroad in Greece this past summer!
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class at Rutgers has definitely been Functional Human Anatomy Lab. I'm a huge visual learner, so I loved being able to work with a cadaver instead of just seeing pictures and drawings of anatomy.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I am currently part of the Rutgers Physical Therapy Club and Bachata Club, and help out in the Exercise and Gastrointestinal Health Lab as a research assistant. I'm also a student ambassador for the Department of Kinesiology and Health, and I work as a physical therapy aide at Procare Rehabilitation.
- Lara Anne Dlugosz
- Graduation Year: 2026
- Major: Biological Sciences
- Minor(s): Nutrition
- Hometown: Millstone Township, NJ
- Career Interest: Surgery
- Fun Fact: In the winter, I like to ski and snowboard.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class was Organic Chemistry because I loved how mechanistic it was. Understanding the step-by-step processes of chemical reactions and how different molecules interact in a predictable manner made the subject fascinating to me.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
At Rutgers, I participate in GlamourGals and Pilot Me. I love giving back to the community through these activities. GlamourGals allows me to connect with senior citizens, offering companionship and beauty makeovers, while Pilot Me provides mentoring and support to younger students, helping them navigate their academic and personal lives.