Peer Educator of the Year

Jacqueline Guzman

Programs: METAS (Mentoring, Educating, and Training for Academic Success) Program

Jackie should receive the Peer Educator of the Year Award because her name is a synonym of devotion. I have seen Jackie working with the mentees and for the mentees. Jackie goes beyond her duty and her own personal time. She gives not only the academic support to her own mentee, but also she truly cares for the 30 mentees our M.E.T.A.S program has. Jackie does her work from the bottom of her heart, and when someone does something like that deserves not only one award but many. Jackie is a very organized person; she keeps track of all our mentors and mentees. She even knows all of their names. As once she told me that M.E.T.A.S was her life, I have definitely seen her hard work, her positive aptitude and her willingness to make a difference in her peers. Because of her friendliness, sweetness, devotion and caring aptitude, Jackie   deserves to receive the Peer Educator Award of the Year. - Peer Fany Velasquez

I first met Jackie in August 2004, shortly after beginning my appointment as director. I have had the pleasure of working with Jackie as her supervisor. As a student worker at the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center (PRLACC), Ms. Guzmán's primary work responsibilities are clerical. However, unlike most students, she is a true advocate for Latino students and the Center.   She goes far and beyond what is expected of her and tries to involve all students regardless of race and/or ethnicity in the Center and our events with enthusiasm. In my time at UConn, I have had many opportunities to talk with Jackie about her coursework, future goals, and aspirations. She is articulate, driven, hardworking, intelligent, likable, dedicated, and enthusiastic. - Mayté Perez-Franco, METAS Peer Education Program Director

Ross Moran

Programs: Community Outreach, Peer Leadership, Orientation

Ross' dedication to his work sets him apart from other students. While some may take on a task, Ross goes that extra step to complete it. His work for Community Outreach, especially on the Selection Process is outstanding. Last year Ross single handedly took on the process. Most students would want help or find that they were overwhelmed when presented with such a big task, but Ross simply did the work he needed to do, asking for help when needed. He always goes the extra step. This semester, in additional to running his tutoring program, Ross collaborated with a professor to add a research component to determine the effectiveness of the program both on mentors and mentees. Most students are happy when their program is running smoothly; I know very few who are determined to take the extra step to determine how effective their program is. It is his strong work ethic and determination that I believe places Ross in a different category then other students. - Peer Devon Martin

Ross is a thoughtful leader. Not only is he focused on action, but he is able to reflect on his own experiences, integrate knowledge learned from his academic studies, and appreciate views of peers, community partners, and staff. He not only organizes excellent activities, but he can also appreciate and connect with the larger strategic educational goals of CO. His sense of inquiry really drives change on multiple levels in CO. Ross is also an excellent team player. Ross is able to easily move in to different capacities when needed, and he is always comfortable contributing in ways necessary to ensure the success of our initiatives. Ross has the aptitude and ability to lead, but can just as easily follow other's direction. His flexibility has been outstanding and a real asset. - Matthew Farley, Community Outreach Director

Samantha Sherwood

Programs: Honors Seminar Facilitators, Honors Initiatives for Prospective Students (HIPS), Honors Ambassador Program

Sam is not just a Peer Educator; she is an innovator in the field. She is without a doubt extremely capable of being a mentor – she can show any incoming student the "ins and outs" of college life and make them feel one hundred percent comfortable. The best thing about Sam is her ability to teach that others how to understand and maximize other people's potential. With her work this year in Mentoring and the reformation of the Honors Initiative for Prospective Students, Sam is creating new programs that have not been able to stand on their own before. Creating a new structure, marketing for it, and implementing both programs takes a great deal of devotion to Peer Education, and her aim is to make it better for everyone in the University, not just the people she is able to physically come in contact with in her own Peer Education experiences. This year she has laid the groundwork for two programs that will be able to succeed very well in the future, and will positively affect future generations of students in the same way she has positively affected the current students. - Peer Kyle Hannon

Through Sam's actions and involvement with Peer Education programs through Honors, she has shown complete dedication and commitment to the ideals of each program.   She informs other members of the organizations on what the goals are for each group and encourages them to actively engage in discussions and contribute to the overall success of the program.   She also actively seeks out and recruits honors students to participate in these programs, encouraging them to take advantage of all the opportunities the Honors Program has to offer, while also taking the time to give back to the incoming students. - Missy Korduner, Honors Seminar Facilitators Peer Education Director

Jaclyn Vanase

Programs: VAWPP (Violence Against Women Protection Program)

I do not know another student on campus who has dedicated themselves more wholly to a cause than Jackie has to ending violence against women. I believe many students are involved with campus activities for self-serving reasons such as boosting a resume. Jackie works diligently beyond her designated hours at the Women's Center because she genuinely cares about helping other students. She develops workshops and presentations that are tailored to the group she is working with regardless of the extra time involved. Issues of violence against women are not easy to work on day after day, but Jackie puts her goal of raising awareness and changing the campus community first. - Peer Chloe Coenen

There are a number of reasons why Jackie stands out as a Peer Educator at UConn. First and foremost, she has maintained a commitment to the VAWPP program over two years, volunteering much of that time. Second, she has been a "go-to" person in the program, not only by facilitating workshops whenever needed (even at the last minute), but also by re-working content when workshops seemed less engaging in parts. She dedicated herself to summer orientation training, and worked with hundreds of first-year students to educate them about consent. In addition, she has worked with local high schools to bring our violence prevention message to a younger audience. She is an adept facilitator, and excellent teacher in all of these venues. - Betsy Cracco, VAWPP Peer Education Program Director