Jase Baldwin
NLC
Jase attends Northeast Lakeview College as an Early College student. Although he is undecided, he is thinking of studying Agricultural Engineering. He hopes to pursue further education by getting his master’s degree. He was born in Hermon, Maine and has been a nature lover ever since. He has three dogs, two cats, and a guinea pig, so he is very much an animal lover. He is excited for the EcoJEDI spring semester.
Allie Bowdoin
UTSA
Allie is a Microbiology major with a minor in Chemistry at UTSA. She is from the small town of La Vernia, Texas, but is originally from Illinois. She enjoys hiking, camping, and earning Junior Ranger badges at national parks and historic sites. She also has two cats and loves to cook.
Tracy Cabrera
OLLU
Tracy is a freshman at Our Lady of the Lake University. She is majoring in Biology and minoring in Psychology, and a recipient of Veterans in STEM scholarship. Tracy joined the EcoJEDI to strengthen her studies in science in order to deliver concepts with illustration. Her hobbies include art, reading, exploring nature, and playing video games.
Lauren Daniels
OLLU
Lauren is a junior at Our Lady of the Lake University. She is majoring in Environmental Science and Sustainability and minoring in Biology. She is a peer mentor for the TExAS FAST program and joined EcoJEDI to help strengthen her scientific communication skills. Her hobbies include hiking, shopping, and hanging out with friends and family.
Alyssa Drake
UTSA
Alyssa is from Houston, Texas, currently pursuing a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. With 3.5 years of commitment to public service at Montgomery County, she developed a solid foundation while advancing her academic journey prior to transferring to UTSA. In the last 2.5 years, she has served as the Outdoor Resource Center Student Coordinator at UTSA's Outdoor Pursuits Department, strengthening her leadership skills and passion for the outdoors and environmental preservation. In this capacity, she co-led a myriad of trips, teaching UTSA students about LNT practices and enhancing their outdoor skills. Post-graduation, she aims to share her knowledge and passion for environmental conservation, applying the leadership skills gained at OP and the fieldwork/research cultivated in Dr. Hutchinson's lab.
Liliana Hernandez
OLLU
Liliana is a sophomore at Our Lady of the Lake University. She is currently majoring in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Environmental Science. She is a member of the OLLU track and cross-country teams. Liliana joined the EcoJEDI program in order to gain new skills and pursue her interest in researching scientific topics. Her hobbies include running, shopping, hiking, and trying different restaurants.
Erean Jennings
NLC
Erean is currently an Early College student at Northeast Lakeview College studying Liberal Arts. She aspires to further her education in Biology and become a holistic doctor. She loves being outdoors, playing sports, being active, learning new things, and playing with her dog, Niyla.
Nia Lawhorne
NLC
Nia graduated from high school in San Antonio. She is in her second year at Northeast Lakeview College, currently pre-majoring in Engineering, and plans to finish her education at UTSA with a bachelor’s degree in Geoscience. She joined the EcoJEDI in home of furthering her knowledge in research and science skills as well as a guide to help narrow down her future career path.
Cara Lewis
NLC
Cara wants to go into economics and loves tea and herbs. She plans on traveling to the east coast to gain her bachelor’s in economics. After that, she’ll gain some work experience then go back for her master’s.
David Lind
NLC
David is currently a sophomore at Northeast Lakeview College. He is on the pre-medical track and studying the biosciences is his passion. He is very grateful to have this opportunity.
Cesar Lopez
NLC
Cesar is currently studying Biology in hopes of getting her master’s in Zoology or something related to Ecology. She loves studying plants and animals and her career pursuit would be a zoologist who rehabilitates and takes care of exotic animals. She is also interested in other career paths such as teaching or Parks and Recreation. Special interests include animal care with regards to native Texan wildlife (although she is currently obsessed with decomposers like isopods). She also participates in many hobbies such as crochet and occasionally plays video games, tying her environmental interests with those.
Caroleena Mancilla
NLC
Caroleena is a student at Northeast Lakeview College and wants to pursue a degree in Biology with a minor in Environmental Sustainability. She wants to use her knowledge to become a veterinarian and invert green practices within her future business. She can’t wait to learn a lot through this program.
Natalie Martinez
UTSA
Natalie was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She moved to San Antonio to attend UTSA, where she is currently a sophomore Environmental Science major in the Honors College. Her passions include working with microplastics and restoring ecosystems back to their original state. She is also interested in environmental justice issues and loves learning more about the politics behind her field. She plans to graduate in Spring 2026 and attend graduate school to become a professor and researcher.
Caroline McGuire
UTSA
Caroline (they/them/theirs) is a UTSA undergraduate student working towards a B.S. in Environmental Science. They were a member of the Mayor's Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives 2021-2022, and has interned at both the San Antonio River Foundation and River Authority. Caroline has a passion for telling the stories of at-risk species and ecosystems suffering from biodiversity loss. After obtaining their degree, they hope to move back to the West Coast to find a graduate program which focuses on ecology and restoration.
Sara Peche
UTSA
Sara received her bachelor's degree in Biology from UT Austin, and is currently working on her master's degree in Environmental Science at UTSA. A few years ago, Sara discovered the world of birding, and since then has become an avid birder interested in conservation and mitigating the impacts of urban development. In her free time she enjoys photographing birds, plants, and insects, and traveling to national parks with her family.
Miguel Rivera
UTSA
Miguel is a UTSA undergraduate majoring in a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry. Miguel joined the EcoJEDI program to strengthen his scientific skills in research and gain skills in communication with other scholars with the same interests. His hobbies include going to the gym, video games, and trying new foods.
Camila Sandoval
UTSA
Camila is a senior majoring in Biology. She is currently working in Dr. Kapoor’s lab where his research revolves around a mixture of environmental microbiology, biotechnology, and environmental engineering that helps to study the role of microbial communities both natural and engineered ecosystems. Her plans for post graduation is to continue researching more with microbiology and to hopefully get a Ph.D. in Biology.
Jasmin Tijerina
OLLU
Jasmin is a first-year student at Our Lady of the Lake University with a major in Biology and a minor in Visual Arts. She was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley and is a graduate of Weslaco High School. She is part of the OLLU Honors Program, part of the 2024 EcoJEDI cohort, and a recipient of the STEM branch scholarship. Her hobbies include volunteering, playing music with her family, exploring San Antonio, gardening, and advocating for environmental conservation and animal rights.
Benjamin Weber
NLC
Benjamin is a freshman at Northeast Lakeview College. He is majoring in Biology and hopes to finish his degree at UTSA with a concentration in Microbiology or Ecology. He has two cats and his hobbies include crocheting, working out, and playing video games.
Julianna Collins
OLLU
Julianna is a freshman at OLLU, double majoring in Environmental Science and Sociology. She is passionate about wildlife conservation, environmental justice, and business sustainability. She plans on furthering her education with a master's degree after graduation. She also loves animals, literature, and music
Torrence Campos
OLLU
Torrence is a senior working towards completing her Bachelor's in Biology at OLLU. Her educational interests are in conservation and restoration as well as marine science. After completing her bachelor’s degree, she plans to pursue a master's in Environmental Science, and eventually a PhD. Her hobbies include baking, archery, cup making, and most recently, gardening.
Aaliyah Delgado
OLLU
Aaliyah is a junior at OLLU majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. She is from Brownsville, Texas, and currently resides in San Antonio. She is a member of the OLLU Honors Program, as well as the Sigma Zeta National Honors Society - Sigma Chapter. Her post-graduation goal is to enroll in a master's program to become a Physician's Assistant. She plans to specialize in gynecology and wants to create a safe space for all women. Her hobbies include digital art, going on outdoor walks, and trying all types of restaurants.
José Bruno Del Rio-Malewski
UTSA
José Bruno is originally from Mexico City and now resides in San Antonio. He received his bachelor's degree in Biology from Grinnell College and his master's degree in Genetics from Iowa State University. He is passionate about animals and is a caretaker for two bearded dragons and three axolotls. His research will investigate how microplastics affect gene expression in tadpoles, which will hopefully help him get into herpetological research. He will be the first person on either side of his family to receive a Ph.D.
Rachel Dziuba
OLLU
Rachel is a junior at OLLU, double majoring in Environmental Science and Sustainability, and Biomathematics. She is also the Student Government President and a captain of the Women's Soccer Team. Her professional interests include data modeling, water sciences, and pollution control. Her personal interests include hiking, reading, yoga, and soccer. She is working as a writing fellow for BIOL1410 – Environmental Science and Sustainability under Dr. Briana Salas.
Brooke Farr
NLC
Brooke is originally from Warner Robins, Georgia; however, she has had the pleasure of being able to spend the last decade living in Texas. She is currently a sophomore studying Biology at Northeast Lakeview College. She hopes to expand her horizons in the field of science and explore what specific divisions interest her as she continues on with her studies. In her free time outside of school, she loves to play video games, write, and help her parents with their farm and many animals.
Sierra Jaramillo
OLLU
Sierra was born and raised in San Antonio and is a freshman at OLLU. She has a passion for conservation and medical research and is working towards her bachelor's in Chemical Biology. Her personal interests include music, painting, and hiking. She plans on continuing school after completing her degree and growing her research experience.
Kate Kampman
UTSA
Kate was raised in San Antonio and is currently working toward completing her bachelor's degree in Biology with a pre-med concentration and a minor in Environmental Science. She will be researching urban forestry and completing projects that will allow for a greater diversity of plant species in urban areas. Her personal interests include hiking, poetry, horror movies, and board games. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school to follow a radiology plan or enter a master's program where she will continue her path in environmental science and conservation.
Tia Kline
NLC
Throughout life, Tia would somewhat struggle when it came to figuring out exactly the type of career she desired to pursue after college. Taken into deep consideration, she always had a fascination when it came to analyzing various organisms and their functions and chemical reactions. Originally, she hoped to pursue Biochemistry, but settled on a Biology Associates degree since it was the only one NLC offered. With knowledge in both chemistry and biology, she can potentially search for a position that focuses solely on research of such organisms and chemicals. Other than her interest in the sciences, she was also heavily involved in music arts, such as playing piano, percussion, guitar, and other instruments. Her fascination in reading also helped develop her imagination and sense of adventure, which she hopes to greatly experience during this trip.
Rozalia Laskowski
NLC
Rozalia was born and raised in San Antonio. She is currently obtaining her associate's degree, but after this semester plans on applying to UT Health San Antonio to obtain her BSN in hopes of becoming an RN. She hopes to get into UT Health San Antonio in the Spring semester of 2024. She currently work as a medical assistant and is excited to take that next step into nursing. When she is not working or at school, she enjoys going on hikes or taking her dog to the dog park with her husband. She really enjoys learning about and spending time in nature. She also enjoys playing video games, gardening, and coffee.
Claire Littlefield
UTSA
Claire was born and raised in San Antonio and received her bachelor's in Environmental Science with a concentration in conservation and restoration ecology from UTSA in May of 2022. Her hobbies include drawing, painting, and reading. She is very passionate about the environment as well as education, and insects and woody plants are two topics she absolutely loves. Her research will determine microplastic concentrations in both dry and live biofilms from different pools in Leon Creek. She stated that after graduating it would be amazing to become a professor or work on a conservation project with the San Antonio Zoo before coming back to obtain her Ph.D.
Maddison Ortiz
UTSA
Maddison is a transfer student from Northwest Vista College and is currently working toward her bachelor's degree in Environmental Science at UTSA. At Northwest Vista, she researched microplastics along various beaches in Costa Rica, conducted bat, bird, and monkey censuses, and aided in research pertaining to the endangered hawksbill sea turtle and coral restoration. Her professional interests include botany, marine life, conservation, and environmental remediation. Following graduation, she plans on pursuing her master's degree and continuing research.
Jayden Rocha
NLC
Jayden is pursuing a degree in science, majoring in computer science. He is very straightforward, creative, and rambunctious which makes for a great team dynamic. Some of his hobbies include crocheting and playing guitar. His goals for this program include finding an intersection between scientific research and computer science as well as how to streamline that process in order to build overall efficiency.
Kane Sandoval
UTSA
Kane is in the last semester of his bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and he plans to come back for his master's degree. His academic interest includes evolution, conservation, restoration, prehistory, biodiversity, and systematics. On a personal level, he is a dinosaur and Godzilla fan and enjoys hiking, video games, movies, and clubbing.
Angel Velasquez
UTSA
Angel is a junior working towards her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science at UTSA. Her professional interests include conservation of endangered wildlife and urban ecology. She plans on pursuing a master's upon completing her degree. Her hobbies include hiking, traveling, and reading.
