Meet Our Advocates

Divya Chanderjit is a Freshman Psychology Student who plans to work as a Child Welfare Worker in the upcoming future. She has volunteered at senior citizen homes and daycares for most of her life and is very excited for this new opportunity as a Peer Health Advocate! During her free time, she loves to read books and to paint whenever she can. When she isn’t at school, she takes Bollywood dance classes where she has been dancing for 10+ years! She hopes to advance her career through this experience and to continue to advocate for mental health and personal change.

Sam Wilk is in her third year of Psychology and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies with a minor in Italian Studies. Sam joined The Office of Health Promotion fall of 2022 to advocate for her college communities sexual, mental, and physical health. Sam plans to use her degree and knowledge acquired from The Office of Health Promotion to be a sexual health therapist. If you catch Sam in her free time, she’ll probably be shopping, reading, crocheting, crafting, or rewatching her favorite shows.

Daniel Carandang is a current Freshman with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Film & TV. Inducted as of fall 2022, he’s optimistic to meet students coming from different backgrounds and educate himself about current issues and priorities in the Montclair Community. As the year continues, he hopes to provide validity and clarity towards situations that are impacting students on campus. Dan enjoys listening and playing music of all genres (sometimes even country), skating, working with his cameras and drinking bubble tea.

Hafsa Manir is in their first year at MSU as a major in pre-med General Biology. They plan on going into Creative Writing later for a minor or second major. This is also Hafsa’s first time as a Peer Health Advocate, and they are excited for the experience! They currently aspire to be a gynecologist, with a focus on sex ed and accessible health education. Interests and hobbies include reading and writing, coddling their cat, and detective shows. Arbitrary skills include making beds and tea, and listing the 50 states in alphabetical order in under half a minute.

Sofia Acevedo Valencia is a sophomore majoring in Political Science. She found her passion for journalism, communications, and media last semester and wishes to incorporate those studies into her future career. This is Sofia’s first year volunteering as a Peer Health Advocate, hoping to gain a better understanding of the medical world and promote health education in her community. In her free time, Sofia loves to take spontaneous field trips, listen to new bands, obnoxiously log in films into Letterboxd, read romance novels, and write for her college peers in The Montclarion and Her Campus.

Emalia Samouhos is a sophomore who is currently majoring in psychology. She has been volunteering as a peer health advocate since Spring 2022 and is so excited to be returning for more opportunities to learn about safety and mental health. The Office of Health Promotion inspired Emalia to minor in education in hopes to leave an impact on younger students about wellness. During her free time, Emalia enjoys working out, watching anime, reading, and hanging out with friends!

Serena Thomas is a sophomore studying Public Health with a concentration in Health Administration Systems and Policy. This is Serena’s second year volunteering as a Peer Health Advocate. After graduating, she is planning on pursuing nursing in an accelerated program and work within public health nursing. Serena is involved in several student leadership positions and organizations, including the Public Health Association at Montclair (PHAM). When she’s not working or studying, she enjoys creating songs, writing stories and spending time with loved ones.

Aiden is a sophomore majoring in psychology with dual minors in American Sign Language and social work. This is his first year as a peer health advocate and he is so excited to join the team. On top of volunteering as a peer health advocate, Aiden is a certified crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line and works on the e-board of DREAM, a club dedicated to advocating for disabled students at Montclair. He hopes to work in the mental health field one day and is passionate about advocating for disabled students receiving a quality and equitable education. In his free time, he enjoys painting, going to concerts, and spending time with his two cats and his friends.

Chibuzor Ezeji is in her third year of the Undergraduate Public Health program at MSU with a concentration in Health Systems Administration Policy. She aspires to one day be a part of the national efforts to eliminate the healthcare disparities minority communities face. Chibuzor volunteers as an activity coordinator at an assisted living facility and at her local food pantry. During her free time she loves to write, paint and go on long walks. She is excited to impact the campus community as a PHA and make the discussion about health fun and interesting!