Staff & Ambassadors

HPAC Staff

Grad Student Staff

Mark Banderas

Mark Banderas, 1st Year Graduate Student, UCR, Higher Education Administration and Policy

Contact: mband014@ucr.edu

Current Graduate Student Association for the GSOE Member

Current Graduate Student Association Member

Former Peer Academic Advisor

Former Behavior Interventionist

Former Lead Instructor

Former Dr. Bailey Lab

Former Dr. Jaeggi Lab

Student Staff

Edgar Gastelum

Major: Business
Year: Fourth-Year
Hometown: San Bernardino, CA

Saba Dilshad

Major: Business Administration
Year: Second Year
Hometown: Yucca Valley, CA

Nick Colonna

Major: Psychology/ Pre-Occupational Therapy
Year: Fourth Year
Hometown: Apple Valley, CA

Verena Awadallah

Pre-Med

Major: Biology
Year: Second Year
Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA

Ask An Ambassador

Do you have a quick question? Drop-in at one of the times below and talk to one of our Health Professions Peer Ambassadors. Ambassadors will return Winter 2020!

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1	---CLOSED---	---CLOSED---	---CLOSED---	---CLOSED---	---CLOSED---
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5

HPAC Student Ambassadors

Nicholas Alegre

Nicholas Alegre, 3rd Year, Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology

Contact:

Current COPE Health Scholar

Current Mini Medical School Member- Asthma Awareness

Former Dr. Reznick Lab

Current Rotaract at UCR Treasurer Former Future Physician Leader- Anxiety Among Homeless Adolescents

Current University Honors

Former Shadowing Dr. Li-Mei Lin

Henna Bhakta

Henna Bhakta, 3rd Year, Biology

Contact: hbhak006 @ucr.edu

Current National Board Certified Medical Assistant

Current Director of Research – UCR SOM Mini Medical Schoo

Current MMS Gastrointestinal Health Member

Current American Medical Student Association Executive Board Member

Current San Bernardino Free Clinic Research Team Member

Current BIPSH Mobile Clinic Member

Current University Honors

Current Riverside Community Hospital Emergency Room Volunteer

Former OB/GYN Medical Assistant at W2W Medical Group

Former Medical Assistant at Arrowhead Medical Evaluation Services

Vanessa Buckley

Vanessa Buckley, 4th Year, Psychology

Contact: vbuck002 @ucr.edu

Current Undergraduate Research Assistant in Dr. Zhang's Lab - Neuroscience

Current CHASS Transfer First Mentor

Current Health Center Volunteer - Abundant Living Family Church

Former J.W. Vines Medical Foundation Intern

Former Riverside Community Hospital Volunteer

Former Ascend Hospice Volunteer

Former UCR SOM Future Physician Leader

Former Presenter at Undergraduate Research Symposium

Former Shadower with Dr. Candace Turner

Former Feeding America Volunteer

Emily Coburn

Emily Coburn, 4th Year, Biochemistry

Contact: ecobu001 @ucr.edu

Current Dr. Julian Lab - Analytical Chemistry Research

Current University Honors Member

Current CNAS Science Ambassador

Current SMASH Co-coordinator

Current SISTERS Member

Current Chemistry Club member

Current Biochemistry Club Member

Current Redlands Community Hospital Volunteer

Current Kaplan SAT Prep Instructor

Anthony Cort

Anthony Cort, 4th Year, Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology

Contact: acort020@ucr.edu

Pre-Medicine

Current research with Dr. Le Roch Lab - Malaria

Current Supplemental Instructor Leader

Current 2019-20 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Recipient

Current UCR Advancement Ambassador

Current Research Team Volunteer for San Bernardino Free Clinic

Current CNAS Science Ambassador

Current COPE Health Scholar

Current Dynamic Genome Outreach Group Volunteer

Current R'Course Instructor - Structural Barriers and Determinants of Health in the Inland Empire

Former Project Sunshine Volunteer

Former Presenter at Leadership Alliance National Conference

Former 2017 SALSA/HHMI Summer Scholars Researcher

Former research with Dr. Andrea Cox Lab - Infectious Disease

Samuel Higuera

Samuel Higuera, 3rd Year, Neuroscience

Contact: shigu005@ucr.edu

Current COPE Health Scholar/p>

Current Project Sunshine Volunteer

Current San Bernardino Free Clinic Volunteer

Current Supplemental Instruction Leader

Current Chicano Link Peer Mentor

Current American Red Cross Lifeguard/ Swim Instructor

Former SHPEP Participant at Western University of Health Sciences

Former Volunteer at Miller Children's Hospital

Omeka Ikegbu

Omeka Ikegbu, 4th Year, Neuroscience

Contact: oikeg001@ucr.edu

Pre-Medicine

Current CNAS Science Ambassador

Current Early Assist Peer Mentor

Current Highlander Early Start Academy (HESA) Peer Mentor

Current Phi Delta Epsilon Member

Current MMS Volunteer

Licensed phlebotomist

Current research with Dr. Prue Talbot’s Toxicology Lab

Current Shift Manager for the Literacy Initiative

Marina Joseph

Marina Joseph, 3rd Year, Biology

Contact: mjose003@ucr.edu

Current President of Unheard Cries Charity/p>

Current Supplemental Instructor

Current Belly Dancing Club Board Member

Current Researcher in the Department of Biomedical Sciences

Current Research Assistant in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences

Current COPE Health Scholar

Current Shadow M.D. Club Member

Current Sunday School Teacher

Current Coptic Club Member

Current UCR SOM Mini Medical School Member

Former Missionary with the Hawaiian Mission

Manmeet Kaur

Manmeet Kaur, 4th Year, Biochemistry

Contact: mkaur009 @ucr.edu

Current CNAS Science Ambassador

Current SISTERS Project Lead

Current COPE Health Scholar at Riverside Community Hospital

Current San Bernardino Free Clinic Volunteer

Current Chemistry Club Outreach Chair

Current University Advancement Ambassador

Current Dr. Anderson Lab- Ecology

Current University Honors Member

Current SMASH Tutor at Ramona High School

Former Future Physician Leader, Summer 2017

Former Volunteer at Loma Linda University Medical Center

Former Mini Medical School- Stroke Awareness Committee Member

Former Lung Carcinoma Research at LLUMC

Former Learning Assistant for Biol005B

Maivy Le

Maivy Le, 4th Year, Biochemistry

Contact: mle024 @ucr.edu

Current Dr. Nothnagel Lab Assistant- Plant Desiccation Research

Current Kaiser Riverside COPE Health Scholar

Current COPE Health Scholar Leader

Current ARC Tutor Former 2018 GPI US Japan Summer Empowerment Program Group Leader

Current University Honors

Current UCR Biochemistry Club Member

Current UCR Chinese Martial Arts Club Member

Current Southern California Wushu Academy Student

Evan Michael Oculam

Evan Michael Oculam, 4th Year, Bioengineering

Contact: eocul001@ucr.edu

Pre-Medicine

Current research with Dr. Xiaoping Hu’s Lab – fMRI of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Pathology

Current Loma Linda University Health Patient Unit Volunteer

Current Supplemental Instruction Leader

Current Astronomy Club at UCR Treasurer

Current Biomedical Engineering Society Member

Former Chemistry Club at UCR Member

Former Society of Physics Students Vice President

Current University Honors Program Member

Former Clinical Preceptorship at the Loma Linda Veteran’s Administration Hospital

Former Research with Dr. David Cocker's Lab - Air Acidity and Free Radicals in Ship Exhaust

Former Shadower with Dr. Thomas O’Callaghan

Recipient of the Best Beginner's Hack at the 2019 Biohack Hack-a-thon

Angela Olivares

Angela Olivares, 4th year, Biology

Contact: aoliv017@ucr.edu

Pre-Public Health

Current Resident Advisor for Stonewall LLC, Pentland Hills

Current Community Outreach Educator, LGBT Resource Center

Current Safe Schools Desert Cities Volunteer

Current University Honors Program

Current Mini Medical School HIV/AIDS Awareness Member

Former Future Physician Leader, Summer 2018

Former Resident Advisor for Honors LLC, Pentland Hills

Hania Shahin

Hania Shahin, 4th Year, Biology

Contact: hshah005@ucr.edu

Pre-Medicine

Current Health Professions Advising Center Advisory Committee

Current Supplemental Instruction Leader

Current Medical Scholars Program

Current Research with Dr. Monica Carson - Microglia

Current Riverside Community Hospital Volunteer

Current University Honors

Current MMS Asthma Awareness Project Leader

Former Future Physician Leader

Former iDiscover Camp Counselor, Summer 2018

Jordan Tu

Jordan Tu, 4th Year, Biology

Contact: jtu007@ucr.edu

Pre-Medicine

Current CNAS Scholars Learning Community Peer Mentor

Current Conduct & Academic Integrity Programs Highlander Integrity Representative

Current Research in Center for Healthy Communities - Substance Abuse

Current Volunteer Riverside Community Hospital

Current Clinical Care Extender at RCH

Current University Honors

Current Intramural Sports

Former Research In Science and Engineering Scholar

Former Research Lab in Fish Reproductive Physiology

Former Research with Dr. Curras-Collazo - Environmental Toxicants

Health Professions Advising Center

Location: Rivera Library B03 (Lower Level) | Office Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8am-12pm & 1pm-5pm (Closed 12-1) | Tel: (951) 827-6233 | Email: hpac@ucr.edu

Student Engagement

Staff & Ambassadors

HPAC Staff

Amber Nicholson

Charles Scruggs

Grad Student Staff

Mark Banderas

Student Staff

Edgar Gastelum

Saba Dilshad

Nick Colonna

Verena Awadallah

Ask An Ambassador

HPAC Student Ambassadors

Nicholas Alegre

Henna Bhakta

Vanessa Buckley

Emily Coburn

Anthony Cort

Samuel Higuera

Omeka Ikegbu

Marina Joseph

Manmeet Kaur

Maivy Le

Evan Michael Oculam

Angela Olivares

Hania Shahin

Jordan Tu

Health Professions Advising Center

University of California, Riverside