Peer mentors
Bryan Arce
Hello, my name is Bryan Arce. I was born and raised in Reno, Nevada, and I am currently attending the University of Nevada, Reno and pursuing a degree in Biology. My goal is to get into medical school and become a primary care physician to help my underserved community that helped me get to where I am today. I love helping people in any way I can and hope to continue doing so as a peer mentor. In my free time I love being active and hanging out with friends. I like going on hikes, working out, listening to music and going for cups of coffee. I have also been doing boxing for about nine years now and I love the competitiveness in the sport. I hope to help as many students as I can as a peer mentor because I know how difficult it is to go to college with no help.
Email: barce@unr.edu
Angel Barboza
I am a fourth year Kinesiology and Biology double major on the Pre-Med track. I hope to make it to medical school and ultimately become either an orthopedic or pediatric surgeon. I hope to especially practice in urban and low income areas with minority communities in order to break the stigma of being afraid of the doctor. In my spare time, if I have any, I love going to the gym, coaching and watching anime!
Email: abarboza@unr.edu
Kiana Flores
Hello everyone! I am currently working towards my master’s degree in social work and will be expected to graduate in May 2023. I was born and raised in Reno, NV. I am also a TRIO Scholars alum; it is a privilege to be back on campus and work with students with similar backgrounds. Upon graduation, I hope to continue to work with underserved communities and work with low socioeconomic families and students in the aspect of health and/or education. During my free time I enjoy being active, spending time with my dog and being with loved ones! I hope to provide assistance in any way I can to all first-gen students!
Email: Kiana@unr.edu
Lalise D. Gizaw
My name is Lalise Gizaw. I am from Las Vegas. I am currently double majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science Engineering. My plan is to attend graduate school to get my Ph.D. in Mathematics. My career goal is to become a Math professor at a university level. I have a strong enthusiasm for assisting others. Since high school, I have gained so much from being a member of Trio in the past, and I want to return the favor as much as I can. In my free time, I like spending time with friends and family. I also watch a lot of Netflix shows. I am very excited to be a peer mentor and help guide students through their college journey.
Email: Lgizaw@unr.edu
Paola Miramontes Gonzalez
I am currently a first year mentor for First in the Pack. I'm a sophomore double majoring in biology and environmental science with an emphasis in pollution. I hope to do research on water contaminants and their ecological impacts. In my free time I like to read, hike, and explore new places. I can’t wait to meet everyone!
Email: pmiramontesgonzalez@unr.edu
Bre’Ajinae L. Mason
Hello my name is Bre’Ajinae Mason (Bre) and I was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. I am currently a junior majoring in Public Health with goals of going to graduate school to pursue an MPH in health policy and administration. In my free time I am usually hanging out with friends, listening to music or catching a movie. It is my hopes through being a peer mentor that I can help incoming students adjust and find their sense of community within campus.
Email: Breajinaem@unr.edu
Jessica Ochoa
Hi everyone! I am a third-year majoring in Biology and minoring in Art. I plan to pursue a career as a Dentist after completing my bachelor’s degree. Dentistry allows me to use my artist talents to improve the quality of life of others. Being a first-generation student, I initially found going to a university intimidating because I received little guidance from my extended family as they weren’t offered the opportunities to succeed in higher education as I was. I aim to become an excellent health care provider for minority patients and role model to the many aspiring underrepresented students.
Email: Jessicaochoa@unr.edu
Rachel Perez Soto
Hello everyone! My name is Rachel Perez, and I am a current first year peer mentor for the First in the Pack program. I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved up to Reno when I started college. Like most students and mentors in the program, I started out as a mentee in First in the Pack and transferred over to TRiO STEM my junior year. I am a current senior majoring in Neuroscience, with hopes of going to graduate school and obtaining my master’s in public health. I have always had a passion for helping others and creating a healthy and safe environment for the people around me. Overall, I hope that I am able to continue those passions working at non-profits and educating students where I can hopefully create an impact on the growing generations to come. Outside of my work on campus and in the first-gen office, I enjoy reading, crocheting and cooking in my free time.
Email: Rperezsoto@unr.edu
Kaitlyn Rodriguez
Hello! My name is Kaitlyn Rodriguez, I was born and raised in Reno, NV where I attended Robert Mcqueen High School. I am currently a second-year mentor for First in the Pack, as well as having been part of TRIO STEM scholars for about 3 years. I am a junior studying business marketing. I hope to one day own a company or organization that benefits the community in many aspects. I’m passionate about helping first generation students find their way and home on campus. In my free time I love to spend time with my friends and family while we cook or watch movies. I also enjoy dancing, traveling, snowboarding and listening to music. I'm very excited to help students navigate the college world!
Email: kaitlynrodriguez@unr.edu
Ameenah Ashraf-Sykes
Hi, my name is Ameenah Ashraf-Sykes. I was born and raised in Las Vegas. I now attend the University of Nevada, Reno, majoring in Neuroscience and also part of the TRIO STEM program. My ultimate goal for going to school is to get my bachelor's and see where that takes me, whether in medical school or graduate school. In my free time, I love to read, go hiking, listen to music and shop a lot. I hope you can find a home away from home at the First Gen Center and feel as supported and safe as possible. I am very excited to be a peer mentor and support others in their journey into college and so forth.
Email: Mersala@unr.edu