8 Students to Highlight This Semester

Author Audrey Soemarno '27 is a Media & Communication major and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News.

From building a community to growing as people to leading as scholars, Johnson & Wales University has some amazing students. Meet eight Wildcats with wins so far this semester:

Zora Massey ’27 

Zora is currently a sophomore majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts at JWU Charlotte. She came to JWU not only for the culinary experience but for many other opportunities. "Johnson & Wales University is a very active school," she says. "We have many clubs and organizations here, and a lot of students get active when they see something they are interested in. It's a privilege being able to create events, and creating an experience for students is the essence of JWU.

She continues, "I started to find my niche in creating clubs and building a foundation for other clubs on campus so students can have a place they can call home.” 

Throughout her life, Zora has always been interested in event coordination whilst having a passion for baking sweets.  "I am a part of three clubs on campus,” she states. “I am the president of the Campus Activities Board as well as the Baking & Pastry Club. I am also the vice president of the Fashion Society here.” She can find it a bit stressful to take on so much. “But through all the stress, I love what I do,” she says. “Every semester, I add a new club to my roster.”  

Joining all these clubs aligns with what Zora wants to do in the future. “After college, I am very interested in being an event coordinator, as another skill that I have is coordinating events and planning things,” she says. “I kind of get that from my mother. So, all these clubs and starting events for students on campus kind of pertains to coordinating events and being an event planner.”

Zora’s plans for the future fluctuate between a huge variety of career paths. “I realize I'm just a jack of all trades, and I want to do big things with all the skills that I have,” she says. “All I know is my future is bright — especially with the ideas that I have and the people that help me along the way.” 

Valentina Oteiza ’27 

Valentina is a Marketing & Advertising major. “When I was picking a school, I wanted something affordable but where I also felt like I would get something out of graduating,” she says. “The whole thing about JWU was the career readiness they had for their students in securing an internship before graduating.” For that reason, she committed to JWU over her original plan to attend art school.

Valentina runs the Student Engagement Instagram account. “I've never been more organized than l am having this job, considering what I must do,” she shares. “It's like a chain of command when I get flyers and requests for approval. Then not only do I have to post content, but I must make sure that my coworkers also have access to what I'm posting, so they can echo that out to JWULink and on our Facebook as well.”

"It's really been my coworkers that have helped me navigate this new job, because you kind of have to teach yourself how to create good content,” she shares. “Everyone takes their own spin on it. When you look at our Instagram you can tell that the people that came before me do it differently than the way l do it. So, it's mostly learning from your peers.”

Valentina has also been involved in Greek life since last spring, serving as a philanthropy assistant for Sigma Delta Tau. She creates philanthropy events for the university, including a recent event for the prevention of child abuse. 

Why she joined Greek life: “I grew up with two older sisters, and I've always had a sisterhood in my life. Coming to college, I was seeking that in some ways," she explains. "I wanted to have people to lean on and I wanted to be around people that I knew I could trust, having that feminine energy around me. That’s why I decided to join Sigma Delta Tau, and it was honestly the best decision l've ever made.”

Balancing her commuter student schedule and work duties has been a significant growth experience for Valentina throughout her JWU journey. Post-graduation, she hopes to pursue an internship that focuses on social media and pop culture marketing in an advertising agency.

CJ DiMeglio ’26 & Esther Prado-Jaimes ’24

CJ is a junior majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts, while Esther is a first-generation senior majoring in Biology. CJ’s decision in coming to JWU stems from this: “When I shadowed a class, and talked to various students, I was drawn in by how warmly everyone treated me. It seems like a nurturing environment where I could grow. I like the forward-looking stance of the university and the options to go abroad.”

Esther’s reason for choosing JWU: “I got sick shortly before finishing high school, and that prevented me from going to college. I also wanted to travel, and it was kind of my dream to attend a school out of state. JWU gave me financial aid, honored my acceptance and honored my scholarship package, which was a big incentive —and it was the best decision I ever made.”

CJ and Esther established what we know now as the Providence Pride Alliance. Both had noticed that there was an empty space where an LGBTQ-centered club used to be. The Providence Pride Alliance was their solution to foster a safe space where fellow students could find a community and be themselves.

Both students appreciate how Korina Ramsland Short made the call to action and facilitated the discussion that brought about the Pride Alliance revitalization. CJ, who is currently the president of the Providence Pride Alliance, says, "Korina set the stage for us. Shoutout as well to the rest of the board, who worked hard to get things done."

This accomplishment allowed for a secure sanctuary to be brought to our JWU community. “I think we all need to find those communities, in spaces where we can be ourselves,” Esther says. “It allows us to find people that have similar experiences to our as us or who are just looking for support, needing one-on-one interactions. I think our plan for the future of the Providence Pride Alliance is to continue to focus on more advocacy efforts in having events that are curated into safe spaces while still having fun programs.”

CJ adds, “I hope that we can grow our club to be the go-to place for our community. Right now, I think we are focusing on getting a good base through social activities and resource gathering. I would love to see this community continue to expand in the years to come.”

As a senior, Esther plans on furthering her education. “I believe that everybody should continue to educate themselves for the rest of their lives,” she says. “I want to do research and development for sustainable agricultural systems, working in cultivation and developing methods — specifically hydroponics.”

As the president of the Providence Pride Alliance, CJ says, “It is important to me to foster a community; the connections we make with each other are what carry us to the next day. I hope that the work I do here can help with that — and help me continue to do so in the future.”

Aissata Coumbassa ’25

Aissata is a Criminal Justice major with a Political Science minor, a senior set to graduate in 2025. She committed to Johnson & Wales University in hopes of staying close to her home in Pawtucket. Through her high school she joined the Police Explorer Program, with aspirations of becoming a lawyer. Aissata’s dream is to be an attorney general — a dream that fuels everything she does with dedication and hard work.

Through various alliances and associations, she has done much with her time here at JWU. Among many other clubs and organizations she has joined, Aissata has contributed to the Women's Wrestling Club, Muslim Student Association and Majorette Stomp, Shake & Step Team (M.S.S.S). 

Being on the women’s wrestling team back in high school inspired Aissata to start the Women's Wrestling Club at JWU. She did so with encouragement from a coach when applying to be a part of a wrestling team.  “Four years later, he still helps me,” she says. “He lets me use the men's wrestling room. He tries to give us anything the team needs, because he really wants to see women's wrestling succeed.”

Growing up Muslim, she felt a calling to be closer to her religion — especially when coming to college. At JWU, she sought a community in her religion — and she found it when two friends brought the idea to her in making the Muslim Student Association (MSA). “I'm grateful for MSA starting, because people didn't know I was Muslim before I put the hijab on,” she says. “Putting on the hijab just made me feel safe and brought security in my religion.”   

Aissata said that Majorette Stomp, Shake & Step Team (M.S.S.S) provided one of the biggest boosts in her accomplishments. She founded the team with her friend after hearing a random group of girls during a JWU Orientation talk about how they used to do cheerleading. “You know how you have an idea, but you need that push for you to do it?” she asks. “To me, those girls were that big push.” 

Being a co-founder and president in some of these major organizations as well as juggling Resident Assistant (RA) work can be stressful, she says. Yet she is a very organized person with a full calendar of work and duties contributing to her many responsibilities at JWU. Aissata says, “When people are happy, I’m happy” — which is her motivation in accomplishing all her achievements now and in the future. 

Steve Jacobs ’26

Steve is majoring in Health Sciences while minoring in Chemistry.  “Johnson & Wales University stuck out,” he says of his decision to attend JWU. JWU’s faculty members being experts in their field meant that he could gain firsthand, real-world experience. He was particularly attracted to the JWU Faculty Mentor Program. “This program allowed me to be partnered with a dedicated faculty member who would serve as my primary advisor throughout my undergraduate years,” he says.

Steve always believed in public health being something that greatly impacts communities around him. “I learned of the opportunity to work at JWU's Center for Student Research & Interdisciplinary Collaboration (CSRIC),” he notes. “I had the opportunity to work with a faculty mentor to analyze real public health data.” He credits the CSRIC for providing him with the skills to interpret research and make contributions to his field.

“I was privileged that an article I had worked on would be published,” he says. “The CSRIC allowed me to have a direct impact that was not exclusive to just the research field via the Health Equity Club. Rather, I was able to help with various initiatives aimed at furthering the public health of the Johnson & Wales community.”

Publishing an article as an undergraduate is a tremendous accomplishment — and Steve says he owes his experience to CSRIC. “Research is not a straightforward process, so it was only by making countless mistakes and understanding the associated feedback that I became more and more proficient in my abilities,” he notes. His research is about gambling modality and problems in gambling or substance use amongst young adults in Rhode Island.

In February of 2024, Steve published his paper in the Journal of Gambling Studies. He presented this research at both the JWU Student Research, Design & Innovation Symposium and the 2024 Rhode Island Public Health Association Summit. “This allowed me to talk about my research to other individuals directly interested and to discuss differing views regarding the findings,” he states.

Steve wants to become an orthodontist in the future and plans to apply to dental school. “Dentists experience different challenges each day, and it is only by relying on evidence that they can choose the best possible treatment," he says. “Given that public health affects all corners of society, this also grants me the unique ability to understand healthcare from the patient’s perspective. While it may not be able to permanently fix this issue, I believe I can still have an impact on it nonetheless.”

Kaitlyn Maggiore ’25

Kaitlyn is a graduate student in JWU’s Master of Public Health program and was drawn to schools in New England that offered this degree. When she was reaching out to a former professor for a letter of recommendation, she made a discovery. “I was shocked to learn that JWU was starting an M.P.H. program and I applied right away.”

As a graduate research assistant Kaitlyn was able to work with Assistant Professor Sara Namazi last semester and over the summer.“Dr. Namazi was my professor for the classes in which this research helped so much with both my study.” She continues, "The other M.P.H. core professors, Dr. Jonathan Noel and Dr. Ezenwayi Amaechi Ejiribe, both provided so much assistance and support in this process.” Among their support: giving Kaitlyn the preparation she needs to attend the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Conference in Minneapolis.

“I decided to submit an abstract with my own research I had done for a couple of courses last term, and it got accepted for a presentation,” Kaitlyn shares. She was able to represent JWU at the conference, the largest public health conference in the world. “I worked throughout the Spring 2024 semester on research regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impact on the likelihood of getting tested for HIV, with the idea of analyzing ACEs' effects on HIV risk,” she explains.

Through her passion for research, Kaitlyn hopes to continue working as a research assistant in the near future while pursuing another degree. “After completing my M.P.H. I plan to pursue my Ph.D. in Epidemiology," she says of her future. "Publications and presentations are a great way to boost one's career when pursuing a Ph.D.”

“Throughout my time at JWU, both in my undergraduate studies and as a graduate student, I have made it a priority to put all of my effort into my work and to take all opportunities I am offered,” she continues. “Attending APHA with my own research that I worked on for a semester was just one example of this.”

Kaitlyn concludes, "I am very motivated and excited to continue researching and sharing my findings, with the help of the knowledge gained from the JWU M.P.H. program and the great professors I have had the privilege of learning from!”

Garrett Hartley ’27

Garrett is a sophomore majoring in Business Administration at JWU Charlotte. “JWU offered me what I was looking for in a school, from a lot of causes to many great coursesto knowing that Charlotte is the second biggest business city in the United States,” he said. “Everything led together to what I’m trying to do now and in the future, so it all meshed together very well.”

Garrett spent the summer perfecting his technique because he wanted to contribute to JWU Charlotte's golf team. “It's a super hard sport,” he says. “I think it takes a lot of constant improvement. You can never miss a day or skip a day.” His accomplishment stems from his improvement as a player this year in the golf team playing under Coach Luke Gossert. “Coach rebuilt a culture here, and he rebuilt it into a hardworking and determined team that likes to accomplish goals,” Garrett notes.

His team’s runner-up performance at nationals was a huge accomplishment for JWU Charlotte’s men’s golf team. He has benefited from living together with his teammates, as they motivate each other to be their best.  “We challenge each other to get better,” he explains.

“I think it really means a lot to me that hard work does pay off, the stuff that the team and I would spend hours working on,” Garrett continues. “Our team has a lot of hard workers that are put together and very determined to accomplish a goal. That shows we have a high team GPA, where we're already strong in the classroom as much as we are strong on the golf course.”

Garrett’s golfing experiences have helped him create and build connections with many people. “You're going to meet a whole lot of people — and the more people you play with and the more you meet, the better connection you're going to have here in Charlotte,” he explains. Through these connections he hopes to pursue a future career in business analytics. “It’s what keeps me going,” he says.

Garrett’s advice for other students: “If you aim for perfection, you'll land amongst excellence.”  

Stay tuned to see more student accomplishments and achievements coming up next semester!

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