Meet the peer advisors
Ashley Aluko is from the Bronx, NY, and is a double major in History and Political Science and a double minor in Journalism and Africana Studies. She is an orientation leader during the summers and in January and is inspired to be an Academic Peer Advisor because she enjoys advising new students and would like to do this year-long. Some of her extracurricular activities include Black Womyns Weekend and is an RA in Greely.
Ashley plans to go to law school and eventually teach law. In her spare time, Ashley loves to read, dance, cook, watch movies, go to Broadway shows, and take vacations. Her favorite spot on campus is the atrium in Benedict. Her advice for SBU students is, “There are no stupid questions! Ask.”
Lusondra Artis is from Mt. Kisco and is an English major and Theatre minor. She is planning to be a high school English teacher and feels that the skills she hones from this internship will further help her to achieve her goal. She would like to learn more about the University and in turn share that with other students. She has been a teaching assistant and has been involved in research. She writes poetry and babysits in her spare time.
Lusondra’s advice for SBU students is to get involved! She says that there are so many opportunities to get to know people. To do things you’ve never done or love to do and get valuable skills for the future.
Justine Chirichella is from Flushing, New York and is a Psychology major. Her inspiration to become an Academic Peer Advisor is based on a good experience she had with her SBU 101 class and this has inspired her to help other transfer students. She is a Research Assistant and member of Psi Chi. Justine is planning to go to graduate school to study cognitive neuroscience. She is also planning to go to culinary school to become a chef and live in NYC.
Other than cooking, Justine likes to spend her leisure time exercising, playing softball and ping pong, listening to music, and going out to eat. Her favorite spot on campus is the Staller steps and the atrium in the Humanities Building. Justine’s advice to SBU students is “Don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
Emmanuella Duroska is from Brooklyn and is a Sociology major and a Child & Family Studies minor. She says that she enjoys helping others in the way that she has been assisted through her experiences in the University’s EOP program. For example, Emmanuella assists other students through her work with a mentor in the Turner/AIM Mentors Program (TAMP) and as a Resident Hall Assistant.
She is passionate describing ways in which she’s helped those who have had difficulty transitioning to the rigorous academic standards of the University. Additionally, Emmanuella served as a Media Assistant coordinating tours of the Radio, Television and Media Wing and has also been a Supervisor on the Events Management Staff. A peer has described her as “Fun, passionate, and easy going.”
Steven Giugliano is from Brooklyn and is an English Education major with a minor in Journalism. The desire to be involved and help others is what inspired him to become an Academic Peer Advisor. He is involved in the Catholic Campus Ministry, the Academic Judiciary, and is a writer for SBU serves in the Career Center. He would like to be an English teacher and sees himself in five or ten years teaching in a foreign country.
Steven enjoys swimming and running in his spare time. His favorite spot on campus is H Quad. Steven’s advice to SBU students is to get involved and make connections with peers and faculty.
Melissa Klott is from Lake Grove, NY, and is a Technological Systems Management major and an Information Systems minor. She says that it was her experience as a transfer student that’s inspired her to help other transfer students. In five years she predicts that she will have finished graduate school and starting a career with the Walt Disney Company. And, in ten years, she would like to be married and have a career with Walt Disney Imagineering.
In her spare time, Melissa likes to hang out with friends and go on the computer. Her favorite spot on campus is the benches in front of the Javits Lecture Center. “Don’t be afraid to change your major,” is Melissa’s advice to SBU students.
Ann Marie Levy is from Baldwin, NY and is a Health Science major. She says that what inspired her to become an Academic Peer Advisor is that she “transferred here and taking SBU 101 helped and (she) wanted to return the favor.” Ann Marie is a Commuter Assistant and is involved with the Commuter Association as well as the Star Program. She would like to be an Endocrinologist. She’d like to “travel the world and have a family.”
Other than travelling, Ann Marie enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and reading mystery novels. Her favorite spot on campus is the SAC Commuter Lounges. Her advice to SBU students is “Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone; try new clubs and hobbies that you would not have considered before – you’ll meet new people and have fun!”
Amanda Luk is from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and is Sociology major. She wanted to be an Academic Peer Advisor so that she would be a great experience and a good chance to help her peers. She feels that accurate academic advising is essential for a successful college experience. Extracurricular activities include the Ballroom Dancing Club Chinese Association of Stony Brook, Resident Hall Assistant, and summer 2009 study abroad in Rome.
Amanda would like to be a kindergarten teacher. In ten years she hopes that she will have travelled the world! Her favorite spot on campus is the fountain because it’s relaxing and a great place to tan on warm days. Advice to SBU students based on her experience is that it starts with your roommate, then your hall mates, and then step out of your room and see what college is. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.
Ripal Patel is from Floral Park, Queens and is Biology major. She enjoys helping others organize their schedules. She is an AIDs Peer Educator, Residential Tutor, and a Research Assistant. She is planning to be a Pediatrician and would like to go to Medical School on the West Coast and sees herself eventually working for the World Health Organization in third world countries.
In her leisure time she likes to cook and to explore new places. Her favorite spot on campus is the Staller steps. Ripal’s advice to students is to try and get involved on campus by starting with a group one’s comfortable with and branching out to new and exciting opportunities.
Diandra Rodriguez is from Queens and is a double major in Psychology and Sociology, and is minoring in Child & Family Studies. She was inspired to become an Academic Peer Advisor because she wanted to try something different, out her comfort zone. She likes to meet new people and get a new and refreshing experience. Among her many extracurricular activities, Diandra is a member of the Latin American Student Organization, Minorities in Psychology, and is on the E-Board for both.
She wants to get her Ph.D. in Psychology and become a high school, school psychologist, and possibly become a university professor. She likes to spend her spare time with family and friends and discover things about NYC. Two spots on campus are her favorites: the Staller lawn and the Wang Center’s bamboo garden. Diandra’s advice for SBU students is that, “There is so much more to Stony Brook than you think there is. Never stop asking questions”!
Franklyn Salas is from Queens, NY, and is a Philosophy and Political Science double major and is an Adapted Aquatics minor. He is inspired to be an Academic Peer Advisor since he is a returning student and wants to help students “get on the right track with their undergraduate career.” He is planning to become an attorney and teach law at the university level. His activities include Sigma Beta Honor Society, and activities that relate to his adapted aquatics minor program.
In five years he expects to have completed law school and in ten year, Franklyn says he plans to be “behind a picket fence with my family.” In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his nieces and working out and living a healthy lifestyle. Franklyn’s favorite spot on campus is the Pritchard Gym auditorium pool. 
Jason Schaeffer is from East Rockaway, NY, and is an Atmospheric Science major with a special interest in Earth Science education. He wants to be either a Meteorologist or high school earth science teacher. His inspiration to become an Academic Peer Advisor is to improve communication to students and assist them to decide on what they want to do in life. He is a member of the Meteorology Club, College Republicans, is a writer for the newspaper The Patriot,
and is on his Hall Council. Jason likes to read, make puzzles, and watch TV. In five years he sees himself in graduate school with an internship at a TV station and in ten years he’d like to have a stable job and a family. Jason’s favorite spot on campus is the steps by the Administration Building that have a waterfall in the middle. Advice for new SBU students is “As soon as you begin classes, plan out the entire semester’s schedule with all course syllabi.”
Nicole Shivcharran is from Richmond Hill, Queens and is a Political Science major and Business minor. She wanted to be an Academic Peer Advisor so that she could be more involved on campus and to get to know more faculty and students. Nicole is Vice President of the Golden Key International Honor Society, is a member of Sigma Beta Honor Society, UNICEF, and NYPIRG. She is a tap dancer.
Nicole would like to be a constitutional lawyer and eventually teach at a law school. She studied abroad in Rome winter 2009. In five years she expects to be working in her law career and in ten years “settled down with a huge family and working.” Nicole enjoys spending time with family and friends, shopping in the city, eating at Thai restaurants, listening to music, reading and traveling. Her favorite spot on campus is her dorm room. Nicole’s advice for SBU students is to “get to know everyone!” And that “students and faculty are friendly. Don’t be shy.”
Gabby Vinci is from Massapequa, NY, and is Sociology major and a Political Science minor. She felt that being an Academic Peer Advisor is a “Good way to become involved and it sounded interesting.” Her career goal is to become a lawyer and is a member of the Stony Brook Pre-Law Society, the Tennis Club, and Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.
In five years she hopes to have finished law school and starting at a law firm and by ten years having worked her way to partner in the firm and “hopefully married.” In her spare time she likes to play tennis, hang out with friends and family, and “shop excessively.” Gabby’s favorite spot on campus is the steps by the Melville Library. Her advice to SBU students is to “Get involved early, find clubs that interest you in your freshman year.”
Xiaochen “Johnny” Wang is from Beijing, China, and is a double major in Business and Economics. He was inspired to become an Academic Peer Advisor because he likes to help others and is looking to become more resourceful and knowledgeable. Extracurricular activities include Chinese Literature Club, and coordinating events such as spring 2009 he worked on the club’s magazine.
Xiaochen is an RA in James College. He says that his career path is either to be an accountant or an Accounting Advisor and eventually have his own company. In his spare time, Xiaochen likes to play basketball and play poker. His favorite spot on campus is the Kelly Dining Center.
Erica Xie is from Brooklyn and is a Psychology major and Child & Family Studies minor. She sees her role as an Academic Peer Advisor, in part, to help others who have not always received great advice. Other than school-related activities, Erica is a member of the Chinese Christian Fellowship and likes to swim. She is thinking about a career in Nursing and would like to earn a Master’s degree in Nursing.
Her favorite spot on campus is the Melville Library. Erica’s advice to SBU students that’s based on what she’s experienced so far in her academic career is to “Get involved” and to “Network.”