Meet Torch Alumni | 2012

Commuting over two hours to school each day as a scholarship student in high school, Ryan often felt caught between two widening worlds of the have's and have not's in his home City of San Francisco, CA. He learned quickly to adapt to different cultures and took risks to be different from his environment—one risk included leaving behind all he knew for Boston, Northeastern, and The Torch Scholars Program. His self-motivation and adaptability produced high levels of achievement; Ryan is driven by being a role model for his younger siblings and for students who are at risk of dropping out in urban schools. As a criminal justice major with a concentration in law and ethics and a minor in political science and law, policy, and society, Ryan completed two co-ops with law firms in Boston and New York City and a co-op with the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Traveling abroad to England, Ryan studied in London School of Economics and interned at Parliament. He held leadership positions as Treasurer of NU’s Pre-Law Society and Founding member of the NU Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, as well as member of the Debate Team and Lector at St. Anne’s Church. In the community, Ryan served as a Big Brother, worked as a teacher at the Achievers Program at Boston’s Egleston YMCA, and tutored students at New Mission High School. He has worked part-time for Torch Summer Immersion at NU’s Asian American Center while balancing regular distinction as a Dean’s List Scholar. Currently, Ryan is helping author Patricia Illingworth research her upcoming book and searching for jobs in Boston and California.

Leaving Cambodia with his family for opportunities in America brought Mony to Lowell, Massachusetts, where he learned early on to avoid negative influences in gangs and community violence to embrace opportunities through education. Mony became the first Torch Scholar to participate in research at Northeastern his freshman year, working in a lab on campus. He soon found his calling in his biochemistry major and picked up a business administration minor, knowing that in the near future he wants to lead a biotech firm. With his second and third co-ops at Genzyme, Mony faced the difficult choice of leaving Northeastern in four years instead of five with a full-time job opportunity at Genzyme headquarters in Cambridge. Goal-driven, focused, and fiercely determined, Mony turned down the job offer; he wanted another year at Northeastern with the promise of publishing a paper and doing more research. Like many Torch Scholars, he is hungry for education and the chance to be a part of the Northeastern learning experience. He is fascinated with problems. We would often find him between classes in the Torch office in front of an entire wall marked up with numbers, moving the marker across the white board, stepping back to take a different vantage point and then moving in to find the solution. While at NU, Mony took leadership roles in the Pan-Asian American Council, Multi-Cultural Greek Council, Pi Delta Psi Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Lambda Alpha, Pre-Med Club, Biochemistry Club, and in undergraduate research. He worked in three different labs and published two posters, one of which was presented in Washington, D.C. Recently, Mony applied to 12 Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry or Biotechnology, and he eventually plans to obtain an MBA. His top choice is the Northeastern program in biotechnology.

Stepping foot in Boston from the Bronx, New York, Raquisha might not have realized as a freshman entering the Torch Summer Immersion Program that she would be returning to the Bronx just three semesters later as a co-op with The Bronx Defenders, where she would be an investigator intern and responsible for misdemeanor case files in her early career as a psychology major. Her second co-op brought her to The Drug Addiction Department in Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn where she shadowed a therapist specializing in group therapy. Even though she returned home for co-ops, her involvement on campus in the Caribbean Student Organization, Big Sister Association, and EnMotion Dance Incorporated helped her build a home here at Northeastern. Although Raquisha has offers from both of her co-ops for full-time employment, she is considering applying to graduate schools for social work in the Boston area after graduation. Aside from co-ops, Raquisha had the opportunity to complete research in her field with the Research and Design Lab and studied animal behavior alongside her professor while at Northeastern. Like many Torch Scholars, Raquisha has learned to balance school and work and has maintained a part-time job on campus as a residence hall proctor throughout her NU career.

Originally from Washington, D.C., Kellyse traveled as far as Australia, New Zealand, and Northeastern's home campus in Boston before returning to her roots in political advocacy and reform. As an organizational communications major, she marks her greatest accomplishment at Northeastern in her most recent service as a lobbyist on Beacon Hill on behalf of foster care children. She has shared her personal story on Beacon Hill regarding her experience in the foster care system in an attempt to pass the Unaccompanied Youth Act, Educational Stability Bill, and One Judge, One Family, and the Foster Youth Information Act. With the professional experience of three co-ops, including one international co-op in Melbourne, Australia, Kellyse gained invaluable skills in her field at Northeastern's U.S. Sino program and Northeastern's STEM program. Kellyse maintained an active role in the National Black Student Alliance for five years and consistently returned to her high school to inspire and mentor students to apply to college. Kellyse was offered a position with Teach for America as a Special Education teacher in Washington, D.C. In five years, she plans to achieve her master’s degree and work to enhance the lives of children from impoverished neighborhoods.

Originally from Clearwater, Florida, Travis entered Torch from Winthrop, Massachusetts, where he returned four semesters later to co-op with the Winthrop Police Department. Travis’s second co-op as a criminal justice major was with the West Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Courts, which allowed him to work with adult probation in his position of probation intern. Since his arrival to campus and the six-week, intensive Torch Summer Immersion Program, Travis has been instrumental as a Torch leader, mentor, and bridge-builder across Torch cohorts and now Torch Alumni Relations. Simply put, everyone knows Travis as the "go to" Torch Scholar. In addition, Travis volunteers with the organization DRYVE and has traveled to the Dominican Republic, volunteering his spring break to partner with the YMCA in Santo Domingo. Selected to participate as a team member on two consecutive Alternative Spring Break trips, Travis served with NU students at a Virginia Habitat for Humanity site and in the Everglades National Park. Like many of his Torch Scholar peers, Travis maintained a full academic and service schedule in balance with part-time work as a Verification Assistant at the NU Registrar, Concessions Manager at Fenway Park, and as a Deckhand for CJ Victoria Fishing Charters. Travis's future plans include owning and operating his own business and completing his search for a job aligned with his Criminal Justice degree.

Creative, and unafraid to take risks, Jordan makes his own way. Born in New Bedford and having lived in various towns in Massachusetts growing up, Jordan recognizes the power of adaptability and the resourcefulness of creating opportunities. He is passionate about writing, photography, and social change and found his calling at Northeastern with a journalism major and sociology minor. He created his own co-op at NU and worked for himself by creating his website and company SreensandRhymes.com; for his second co-op he wrote for Complex Magazine in New York City and interned for the renowned photographer Diana Levine in addition to completing an internship with Society Original Products clothing line. A celebrity on campus, Jordan was the on-air personality for WRBB radio, and he has written, designed, and copy-edited for NU's Onyx and Tastemakers magazines. He received the Northeastern First Year Writing Award and recently won the Provost Research Award for work toward his website and company. Jordan recently completed his first film documentary featuring Wally’s Jazz Café in Boston. He balanced his writing, producing, and academics with part-time work as a Supervisor at NU's Residence Safety Office and as a tutor in the General Studies Program. Mentoring is a core value Jordan has sustained over five years in his work with Big Brothers Big Sisters and SquashBusters at NU. Currently, he is a freelance writer for Complex Magazine and is seeking an internship in the UK with The Economist. Jordan's immediate life plans include returning to Africa, where he studied and served in Cape Town, South Africa with NU's Dialogues of Civilization; helping to develop various family businesses in his home country, Cape Verde; and growing his own business that he started at NU.

At a recent Community Leader Breakfast with other Torch Scholars, Sam shared his passion for education reform. "I am from Lawrence, a city where the high school dropout rate is more than fifty percent. And I am sitting here today. We all need to do something." Sam credits his early start to the Lawrence Adelante Youth Center, strong mentors, and his family's sacrifices to get him to a place where he was able to find the Torch Scholars Program—despite his community’s adversity— a bond he shares with many of his Torch Scholar peers. Like these peers, Sam demonstrates tenacity, grit, and perseverance, pushing himself through a rigorous international business major with a concentration in finance and accounting and a minor in Spanish. In addition to completing two co-ops (at Harvard University Strategic Procurement and an international co-op with Deutsh Telekom in Puebla, Mexico), Sam consistently worked nearly 30 hours a week at Liberty Mutual and NU’s Student Financial Services throughout college. After four years at Liberty Mutual working his way through entry-level positions from Subrogation Specialist to campus recruiter and Tax Associate, Sam was offered a full-time position as Corporate Tax Associate in the Boston office. True to Torch Scholar form, Sam's involvement does not stop at work and academics; he helped to develop and lead DRYVE on campus and abroad and created an ALPFA (Association for Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting) chapter at Northeastern, the largest Latino networking organization in the country. Not only was Sam inducted to the Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society as a Financial Information Professional, he has been asked to sit on the NU Alumni Board. Sam's three-year plan is to apply to Master's of Science in Finance programs in New York City. He acknowledges his origins every day and gives back to the community through outreach and mentoring young men toward college completion goals. Sam was recognized as one of Northeastern’s 100 Most Influential Graduating Seniors in the Class of 2012 by the President Aoun.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Glenny has made Boston her home since leaving New York City with her family her sophomore year in high school. Glenny graduated at the top of her class in Boston Public Schools' Dorchester Academy, where she credits the guidance of her counselor and Torch Nominator for pushing her to take risks such as applying for the Torch Scholarship. Glenny soon found her passion at Northeastern in her philosophy major and added a concentration in law and ethics and a minor in international affairs. She pushed herself to travel abroad for her first co-op experience, earning the university's prestigious Global Presidential Scholarship, which supported her work with Esperanza International, a micro-finance institution in the Dominican Republic. Her co-op with ACCESS brought her full circle; Once an ACCESS recipient as a Boston Public School student, Glenny became a researcher for the organization that had helped her gain fiscal literacy skills for college admission just four years earlier. With many Torch scholars, Glenny co-founded and now serves on the Founding Board of DRYVE, a global humanitarian aid organization that resources developing communities. With DRYVE, Glenny has led teams of 30 from area universities and raised nearly $50,000 across two years. True to the spirit of DRYVE, Glenny's personal drive is what keeps her motivated during challenging moments. She has also maintained involvement with NU's Philosophy club and LASO, in addition to working part-time on campus with the D'Amore-McKim Scool of Business's Development Office. Glenny was offered a position with Teach for America as an ESL teacher in Boston Public Schools and is interested in making an impact working with education or community development to build bridges across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors in order to enhance equity, advocacy, and services for youth at risk. Her five-year plan includes applying to MBA programs and pursuing a career in nonprofit management.

Graduating in just four years, Chynah returns to her Torch community after a year of working at The Bureau of Prisons and Community Resources for Justice, a social services agency and halfway house in Boston. Growing up in Roxbury, MA, Chynah attended Roxbury Preparatory Charter School and Prospect Hill Academy Charter School prior to finding the Torch Scholars Program. While at Northeastern, Chynah majored in criminal justice and completed a co-op at a drug rehabilitation clinic. She balanced academics and service to her community with multiple part-time jobs, including on-campus jobs with the Political Science Department, the Marino Center, the Criminal Justice Department, and Opportunity Scholarships and Outreach Programs, in addition to community work as tutor and basketball coach at Roxbury Preparatory Charter School. Her service includes mentoring Boston high school students through high school and the college transition and outreach projects with NU's Pre-Law Society. Chynah is currently searching for a new job opportunity working in higher education and researching graduate school programs in political science. Her ultimate goal is to complete law school, pass the Bar Exam, practice as a DA, and be appointed to the bench as a judge.

Simona left one type of violence and poverty in Lithuania for another in her new community in the Bronx, NY, learning by trial and error the meaning of achievement despite obstacles. She learned the value of hard work, tenacity, and resiliency by working before she graduated middle school. When asked about the moment she became a student, she states without hesitation, it is the moment she failed entry into high schools for her truant record in middle school, and the moment she chose school over the streets. Today, Simona is graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology with two co-ops under her belt: the Criminal History Systems Board in Chelsea, MA, and the Cambridge Police Department as a Crime Analyst. Her work with global communities in forging social change through organizations the she co-founded, led, and re-visioned (including DRYVE) will be recognized by her alma mater Jeter's Leaders and Derek Jeter's Turn2 at the Foundation's annual event in June 2012. She gives back to the mentoring programs that led her to torch, Jeter's Leaders and Summer Search, as Board Member and mentor for urban youth. At Northeastern, she earned Dean's List distinction, studied abroad in Australia, and maintained multiple part-time jobs on campus, including residence hall proctor, General Studies Tutor Coordinator, Registrar Assistant, and Special Projects Coordinator for Opportunity Scholarships and Outreach Programs. She has a job offer with Teach for America in New York City and is also considering work with the government and higher education institutions in Boston and New York. Her five-year plan includes pursuing an MBA.