Luminaries

The Luminaries are the official student ambassadors for the UF Honors Program and assist Honors leadership with info sessions and outreach. If you're a prospective student, feel free to reach out to a Luminary with your question(s).

Meet the Luminaries by college:

Accounting

James Walter, walterj@ufl.edu

• Major: Accounting
• Minor: Sustainability Studies
• Involvement: Florida Students of Accounting Council, Florida Leadership Academy, Florida Running Club, Honors Athletics

Agricultural and Life Sciences

Esha Chakraborti, e.chakraborti@ufl.edu

• Major: Nutritional Sciences
• Certificate: AI in Public Health and Healthcare
• Involvement: Equal Access Clinic Network, Phi Delta Episilon Pre-med Fraternity, PEAK Literacy Volunteering, First Responder Gator, Undergraduate research

Serra Sowers, serrasowers@ufl.edu

• Majors: Journalism, Sustainability Studies
• Involvement: UF Hispanic Student Association, Science CommuniGators, TA for Honors Professional Development, Army Emergency Relief Intern, CUR Student Program Director, Honor Chords

Business, Warrington College 

Juliana Bonavita, julianabonavita@ufl.edu

• Majors: International Studies, Business Administration
• Minor: Italian Studies
• Involvement: Italian Student Association, Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, Global Brigades, Florida International Leadership Conference, Study Abroad (Italy and Sorrento), International Scholars Program

Theresa LaNasa, theresalanasa@ufl.edu

• Major: Business Administration
• Minor: General Theatre
• Involvement: Freshman Leadership Council, Honor Chords, Catholic Gators, Sailing Club

Erik Ruszkowski, erik.ruszkowski@ufl.edu

• Major: Finance
• Involvement: Undergraduate Consulting Club, Student Investment Club, Association of Latino Professionals for America, Florida Ski & Snowboard Club, Fellow for the Hamilton Center of Classical and Civic Education; Honors Athletics 

Design, Construction, and Planning

Hana Checketts, hchecketts@ufl.edu

• Major: Architecture
• Minor: Sustainability and the Built Environment
• Involvement: URSP, MentorGNV Tutor, American Institute of Architecture Students, Honors Gators for Gainesville, Japanese Club

Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College

Camille Grimaldi, camille.grimaldi@ufl.edu

• Major: Chemical Engineering
• Minor: Nutritional Sciences
• Involvement: Freshman Leadership Engineering Group (FLEG), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), ChemE Car, Argentine Student Association (ArSA), Undergraduate research

Jason Jiang, jiangjason@ufl.edu

• Major: Computer Science
• Minor: Business Administration
• Involvement: Warrington Welcome (Peer Leader, DEI Committee), Data Science Club, Student Finance Group

Kaylie Martling, kmartling@ufl.edu

• Major: Environmental Engineering
• Involvement: Freshman Leadership Engineering Group, Society of Women Engineers, URSP, Honors Professional Development for Engineers Peer Mentor, Resident Assistant in Hume

Phoebe Barron, barronp@ufl.edu

• Major: Environmental Engineering
• Involvement: University College Democrats, Honors Theatre Appreciation

Public Health and Health Professions

Caleb Moncrief, cmoncrief@ufl.edu

• Major: Applied Physiology and Kinesiology
• Involvement: Phi Delta Epsilon Pre-Medical Fraternity, University of Florida Cheerleading

Casi Ramirez, cramirez3@ufl.edu

• Major: Applied Physiology and Kinesiology
• Minor: Geography
• Involvement: The Salt Company, SHO, H-Camp/H-Day SOFA (2022) and Exec (2023), Medigators, Orthopedics and Athletic Medicine Club

Journalism and Communications

Serra Sowers, serrasowers@ufl.edu

• Majors: Journalism, Environmental Science
• Involvement: SHO Exec, UF Hispanic Student Association, Lombardi Scholars, Unlitter, The Alligator

Marinna Stopa, marinnastopa@ufl.edu

• Major: Journalism
• Minors: Statistics and Geography
• Involvement: Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus UFL, Beat Reporter and Statistician for UF Club Hockey, PRISM Honors Literary Magazine

Liberal Arts and Sciences

Abhi Bommineni, abommineni@ufl.edu

• Major: Economics
• Involvement: Securities Analysis Club, Gator Impact Ventures, Inter-Residence Hall Association, Florida Community Innovation, URSP

Juliana Bonavita, julianabonavita@ufl.edu

• Majors: International Studies, Business Administration
• Minor: Italian Studies
• Involvement: Italian Student Association, Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, Global Brigades, Florida International Leadership Conference, Study Abroad (Italy and Sorrento), International Scholars Program

Gabriella Berardi, gabriellaberardi@ufl.edu

• Majors: Psychology (Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience)
• Minor: Italian Studies
• Involvement: URSP, Nueroscience Club, Psychology Club, Italian Student Association, Spoon University, Phi Alpha Delta Mock Trial, Study Abroad (Florence)

Jasmyne Nelson, jnelson2@ufl.edu

• Major: Psychology (Behavioral Analysis), Criminology
• Minors: Sociology of Social Justice and Policy
• Involvement: Psychology club, McNair Scholars Research Program, Students Against Mass Incarceration, Student Support Services Scholar, TRiO Honor Society, Psychology TA, Florida Alternative Breaks, First-Gen LLC Council (2021-2022)

Vanessa Obando, vanessaobando@ufl.edu

• Majors: Political Science and Sociology
• Minor: African American Studies
• Involvement: Central American Latin Organization, Junior Research Fellow, Sankofa African American Studies Society

Sarah Paprotna, sarahpaprotna@ufl.edu

• Major: Psychology (Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience)
• Minors: Flute Performance, Certificate in Music in Medicine
• Involvement: UF Wind Symphony, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Honors General Chemistry TA, URSP mentor, Warren Lab addiction research, TEDxUF

Jacob Roman, jjonathan.roman@ufl.edu

• Majors: Anthropology, Political Sciences (Pre-Med)
• Involvement: H-Camp/H-Day SOFA, UF Speech Lab Consultant, Polish Student Association, SHO Exec

Avery Teman, averyteman@ufl.edu

• Major: Economics
• Involvement: URSP, Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Co-ed Business Fraternity, Entrepreneurship Collective, Florida Women in Business, Alpha Chi Omega

Chase Virta-Steel, cvirtasteel@ufl.edu

• Majors: Biology and Political Science
• Involvement: SHO, Undergraduate research, Physician shadowing, Clinical volunteering

CJ Volpe, c.volpe@ufl.edu

• Major: Biology
• Minors: Spanish and Chemistry
• Involvement: UF Center for Undergraduate Research Board of Students, Gator Muscular Dystrophy Association, laboratory assistant, Research Experiences for Undergraduates, UF Mesa de Español

Public Health and Health Professions

Katie Pacini, cpacini@ufl.edu

• Majors: Public Health
• Minor: Health Disparities in Society and Anthropology
• Involvement: URSP, Equal Access Clinic Network Intern, Chinese American Student Association (CASA), Undergraduate Public Health Association, UF Genetics Institute, (Un)Common Peer Instructor, Alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority Inc.

Loryn Smith, loryn.smith@ufl.edu

• Majors: Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Involvement: Alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority Inc., Sparks Magazine Managing Editor, Resident Assistant, MFOS Peer Mentor, NaviGators, English Language Institute, MedicGators, Wilmont Gardens Volunteer