Yamileth Lopez-Ramos - Hall Director

¡Hola! My name is Yami (she/they), and I’m beyond excited to be returning to Pre-College Summer, this time as the Summer Hall Director! I can’t wait to support our amazing residential staff and help bring the mission of the program to life. As a current HESA graduate student, I’m looking forward to getting right in the action—being boots on the ground and helping students thrive in every way I can. In my free time, you’ll often find me at the rec center or binge-watching my favorite YouTube creators. Can’t wait to see y’all soon! 

Briana Reid-Maloney - Assistant Hall Director

Hey everyone! My name is Briana (she/her), and I'm so excited to be one of your Graduate Assistants for Pre-College this summer. I just graduated this May from Purchase College, where I double majored in Theater and Anthropology. Now, I'm jumping into my next chapter, beginning my master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs at UConn in the Fall. I’m originally from New York City and I love theater, traveling, and music. I can’t wait to meet all of you and have an amazing summer together!

Lou Dortenzio - Hall Coordinator

HEY, (why I start my bio with this will make a lot more sense after the week ends, trust me) My name is Lou and I’m a recent graduate from UConn. Obtaining both a bachelors in secondary education: social studies and a masters in curriculum and instruction from UConn the past 2 mays. I am extremely excited to be returning to PCS for my second summer, and look forward to meeting all of the new students we will be working with. I usually keep busy with school, tutoring, or working as a real estate agent. In my free time, I love anything gym, nutrition, and sports related. Whether it be pickup basketball on one of the outdoor courts, or trying our hand at pickup games at the rec, I’m always down to hoop. I look forward to watching all of you grow over the course of the week and hope to make lasting memories! Feel free to come up to me anytime with questions, concerns or anything else! I am a yapper to the max and love talking to any and everyone! 

Zeraiah Ramos - Hall Coordinator

My name is Zeraiah Ramos, and I’m an educational counselor and community advocate driven by a passion for access, equity, and transformation through education. With a background in sociology and urban studies from the University of Connecticut—where I’m also pursuing a master’s in Educational Psychology and School Counseling—I’ve worked across nonprofit, academic, and grassroots spaces to support students, adult learners, and underserved communities. From guiding individuals through the FAFSA and college reentry to leading political education workshops and restorative justice programs in schools, I bring a deep commitment to holistic support and long-term impact. I’ve also organized statewide advocacy campaigns, conducted human rights research, and presented findings at national conferences. At the core of my work is a belief in meeting people where they are and building pathways toward where they want to go. 

Pedro Badillo - Residential Counselor

My name is Pedro Badillo, and I’ll be your Residential Counselor for Welfare for PCS this summer. I recently graduated with my master’s degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in School Counseling. Some fun facts about me: I love reading and watching anime (Bleach is the best, hands down), experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and playing or watching sports. I’m excited to see what this summer has in store and can’t wait to watch all of you thrive in this program! 

Luis Gonzalez - Residential Counselor

Hi everyone! My name is Luis Gonzalez and I will be one of the Residential Counselors for PCS for the second time this summer! I obtained my Masters of Social Work from UConn in 2024, and now I am currently a school social worker for a middle school in Hartford. Some things about me are that I love all things volleyball, traveling, and hanging out with friends! I’m a huge advocate for self-care and mindfulness— and I can’t wait to work with everyone this summer!

Alexander Brown

What's up! My name is Alex Brown (he/him), and I am super excited to be a returning Summer RA for UConn PCS. I'm an incoming third-year accounting major and mathematics minor, with my biggest interests being listening to rap, watching hockey, and doing anything outside. I hope to help make the summer as enjoyable as possible for this year's participants. Can't wait to meet y'all!

Misa Chiu

Hi everyone! My name is Misa Chiu and I’m a rising senior Exercise Science student with a minor in psychology. I’m from Beijing, China. This will be my second summer as an RA at UConn PCS. In my free time, I love traveling, and hangout with my friends. A fun fact about me is that I went to Paris and watched Olympic Games there last summer. Can’t wait to meet you all! 

Jenai Collazo

Hello! My name is Jenai Collazo, and I'll be one of your residential assistants. I'm a rising junior majoring in Digital Media & Design with a concentration on film/video production. I am big on reading, journaling, and watching movies. I am so excited to meet and work with you all this summer!

Cristian De La Cruz Mena

Djimpsy Gilles

Hi everyone! My name is Djimpsy II Gilles, and I’ll be one of your Residential Assistants this summer. I’m a rising senior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. I’m originally from Haiti and currently live in Norwich. This is my first summer working with UConn PCS, and I’m so excited to be here! In my free time, I love listening to music, reading, and watching movies. I can’t wait to meet you all and have a fun, memorable summer together! 

Silas Haley

Hello everyone, and welcome to Pre-College Summer! My name is Silas and I am an RA majoring in psychology and political science, with a minor in mathematics. I am a senator for our student government, an ambassador that oversees the organizations at UConn, a student athlete tutor, and a leadership facilitator. In my free time I enjoy hanging out with friends, reading, climbing trees and meditation. I am so excited to have fun this summer!

Summer Harvey

Hi! Hi everyone! My name is Summer Harvey (she/her/hers), and I will be your incoming Pre-college Summer residential assistant!!! I am a rising sophomore double majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) and Psychology. I am new to the PCS, but I am super excited to meet everyone and have a fun Summer. During my free time I like to hang out with friends, try new foods, enjoy nature, and I loveee listening to music (any type of music!!) Again, I am so excited to meet all the amazing people this Summer! 

Ananta Kachhala

Hi! My name is Ananta, and I'm a junior at the University of Connecticut majoring in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience and Crime and Justice. I'm excited to be a Resident Assistant for the Pre-College Summer Program this year! During the academic year, I’m involved in campus leadership as a course facilitator and a research assistant in social psychology. I'm also a proud member of UConn Surya, a competitive South Asian dance team. I love working with students and creating a welcoming, supportive community. A Fun fact about me is that I'm an international student! I look forward to making this summer a fun, engaging, and memorable experience for everyone.

Charlene Lee

Hi everyone! My name is Charlene and I will be one of your residential assistants. I am so excited to join our team this summer and meet you all! I am currently a rising junior majoring in Biology and plan to go to medical school. Fun fact about me is that I am originally from Florida and Louisiana, but I also spent about half of my lifetime in South Korea. In my free time, I love listening to music, painting, and trying out new restaurants and dessert shops!(Please let me know any good places so that I can try them all out:)) 

Raphaela Pierre-Noel

Hii everyone! My name is Raphaela Pierre-Noel, but you can call me Fafa. I’m a rising sophomore majoring in Allied Health Sciences. I’m from Norwalk, but I was born in Haiti. I’m super excited to meet you all and can’t wait to make some fun memories together!

Juan Puente

My name is Juan Pablo Puente; I’m a rising junior majoring in journalism. You’ll always find me watching or playing basketball or writing about it! I love meeting and getting to know new people, so I’m excited to meet everyone! Fun fact about me is that I work with the Dallas Mavericks to cover the NBA. 

Madison Thomas-Ferguson

Hi! My name is Madison Thomas-Ferguson (she/her), and I’m thrilled to be experiencing UConn Pre-College Summer with you all! I am a rising second-year student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences double majoring in Communication and English with a minor in Psychology. My professional aspirations include going into the Human Resources field! Some of my favorite things include my family, chocolate chip cookies, Disney Channel Original Movies (rip to my childhood), and sunshine! I can’t wait to have a great summer with you all!

Samantha Udall

Hi everyone! My name is Samantha Udall (she/her), but feel free to call me Sam! I’m an upcoming junior majoring in Analytics and Information Management, with minors in Economics and Healthcare Management. I love painting, dancing, thrifting, and going to the gym—and I recently became a group fitness instructor at the REC, so you might catch me there too! This summer will be great, I’m super excited to meet you all! 

Lyricc

Hi, I’m Lyricc! a Psychological Science student at the University of Connecticut, author of Mi Gente, Let’s Get Personal, and a passionate advocate for student empowerment. I’m dedicated to helping students navigate college life through learning, storytelling, and the transformative expression of art. 

Timothy Vaughters

Hey everyone, my name is Tim Vaughters (he/him). I’m an Economics major heading into my senior year at UConn, and this will be my first summer with PCS. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, hiking, and playing basketball. Excited to see what the summer has in store and to connect with you all along the way! 

Nicole Yildirim

Hi everyone!! I am Nicki (she/her) and I will be a summer RA for UConn PCS! I am currently a Senior Marketing major with a minor in Business Management. This is my first year working with PCS, but this past academic year, I served as a Residential Assistant in my living community, and I am excited to do the same for this upcoming summer! In my free time, I like watching movies, going to concerts and UConn basketball games with my friends, exploring the UConn campus, and going for walks! Some of my favorite spots on campus are definitely Gampel Pavilion, where all of our women's and men's basketball games are held as well as the Student Union, where I grab lunch with my friends in between classes. A fun fact about me is that during a women's basketball game, I was put on ESPN because of how loud and excited I was to see our huskies play in March Madness! I am excited to meet all of you this summer!!