UC Blue Ash College

Meet the Student Orientation Leaders

Learn about past Student Orientation Leaders, get a sense of who they are, what they are majoring in, and why they chose UC Blue Ash College. Look forward to more profiles!

2025 Student Orientation Leaders

Headshot of Seerat Anand

Seerat Anand

Major: Cybersecurity

Hometown: Delhi, India

Advice to New Students: Take the initiative and don’t miss opportunities that come along.

Headshot of Katie Bauer

Katie Bauer

Major: Pre-Health Professions (Nursing)

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Advice to New Students: Do not be afraid to talk to other students. Chances are they will be excited to speak with you too!

Headshot of Gurtaj Beesla

Gurtaj Beesla

Major: Pre-Business Administration

Hometown: West Chester, OH

Advice to New Students: Stay patient and stay focused. Everything will work out for you.

Headshot of Addie Brown

Addie Brown

Major: Information Technology

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Advice to New Students: Use UCBA’s resources!

Headshot of Anthony Brown

Anthony Brown

Major: Creative Writing/English Education

Hometown: Columbus, OH

Advice to New Students: Don’t feel so stressed/overwhelmed; this is such an amazing opportunity for you all!

Headshot of Elle Chenault

Elle Chenault

Major: Applied Graphic Communication

Hometown: Lawrenceburg, IN

Advice to New Students: Failure is the first step to growth and an opportunity to come back stronger!

Headshot of Siddhi Gurjar

Siddhi Gurjar

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Advice to New Students: It is okay to feel intimidated at first; you will slowly get used to college and all the joy that comes with it.

Headshot of Nare Hakobyan

Nare Hakobyan

Major: Pre-Business Administration

Hometown: Liberty Township, OH

Advice to New Students: Try to be involved and get out of your comfort zone.

Headshot of Madi Halcomb

Madi Halcomb

Major: Pre-Health Professions (Radiologic Imaging Technology)

Hometown: Chillicothe, OH

Advice to New Students: Everything happens for a reason.

Headshot of Kaeden Iyoha

Kaeden Iyoha

Major: Pre-Engineering

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Advice to New Students: Deep breaths, spread love, have fun with it, and challenge yourself.

Headshot of Nasma Jarabah

Nasma Jarabah

Major: Health Sciences

Hometown: Liberty Township, OH / Home Country: Palestine

Advice to New Students: Keep that schedule booked and busy! Take all the opportunities to learn and connect with new people!

Headshot of Yawen Jiang

Yawen Jiang

Major: Pre-Elementary Education

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Advice to New Students: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone is here to help you.

Headshot of Lea Lukose

Lea Lukose

Major: Pre-Business Administration

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Advice to New Students: Don’t skip classes!

Headshot of Elizabeth Luong

Elizabeth Luong

Major: Pre-Health Professions

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Advice to New Students: Try to get involved as much as you can! Every campus event, club meeting, and class is a new opportunity to meet new people.

Headshot of Paniah Mahakwa

Paniah Mahakwa

Major: Applied Media Communication

Hometown: Chiredzi, Zimbabwe

Advice to New Students: Take it one step at a time so you can figure out what works best for you.

Headshot of Dylan Nance

Dylan Nance

Major: Pre-Physical Therapy

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Advice to New Students: Get involved! Whether that be joining a group or club, attending an event or even getting a job, it’s the best experience ever!

Headshot of Malik Phillips

Malik Phillips

Major: Communications

Hometown: Columbus, OH

Advice to New Students: Be yourself and don’t be afraid to take steps in unfamiliar directions. Blessings come in many forms.

Headshot of Jensel Reyno

Jensel Reyno

Major: Middle Childhood Education

Hometown: Mason, OH

Advice to New Students: Don’t be afraid to ask for help from those around you.

Headshot of Jeremiah Salmon

Jeremiah Salmon

Major: Pre-Business Administration

Hometown: Middletown, OH

Advice to New Students: Stay positive and ask any questions you have.

Headshot of Mariam Satigui

Mariam Satigui

Major: Business Analytics

Hometown: West Chester, OH

Advice to New Students: Take every opportunity that comes your way!

Headshot of Mariam Soumare

Mariam Soumare

Major: Social Work and Political Science

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Advice to New Students: Say “yes” to every opportunity and chance because the worst anyone can say is “no”.

Headshot of Troy Spitzmiller

Troy Spitzmiller

Major: Media Production

Hometown: Maineville, OH

Advice to New Students: Sit up front and talk to your classmates!

Headshot of James VanOsdol

James VanOsdol

Major: Accounting

Hometown: Loveland, OH

Advice to New Students: Make this your own experience. Get what you want out of it.

Headshot of Brando Vasquez

Brando Vasquez

Major: Pre-Engineering

Hometown: Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Advice to New Students: Step out of your comfort zone by trying new experiences, whether it is getting more involved, taking on a leadership role, or speaking in front of a class.

Student Orientation Coordinators

Headshot of Bakhtiyor Butabekov

Bakhtiyor Butabekov

Major: Pre-Business Administration

Hometown: Khorog, Tajikistan

Advice to New Students: Fight through the hard part of involvement and relish the joys of student life.

Headshot of Andrew Nixon II

Andrew Nixon II

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Cleves, OH

Advice to New Students: Don’t count yourself out.

Headshot of Shriya Kolimi

Shriya Kolimi

Major: Pre-Business Administration

Hometown: Hyderabad, India

Advice to New Students: Take initiative.

Headshot of Ka’Breyah Thurmond-Hill

Ka’Breyah Thurmond-Hill

Major: Nursing

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Advice to New Students: Failure is not fatal. Success is not final. It’s the one who keeps pushing who wins!

Student Orientation Intern

Headshot of Caitlyn Dubey

Caitlyn Dubey

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Fairfield, OH

Advice to New Students: Don’t wait until the last minute to complete tasks as things can add up over time.

Resources

Contact Information

Chris Dziekan | Associate Director of Student Life, Orientation and Leadership Development
Muntz Hall | Room 112C
Phone: 513-558-9456
Email: dziekacr@uc.edu