WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A MENTEE?
A mentee is an individual who receives advice, assistance and feedback from a more experienced person over a set period of time, resulting in the enhancement of the mentee’s educational and professional endeavors. The mentee must have clear goals and be willing to accept guidance and advice in order for the relationship to be successful. A mentee is open to constructive feedback and has a desire to learn and develop new skills to progress in their graduate education.
Congratulations to the mentees in the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program at RVCC for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Akiko Namisato
Pre-Health/General Science
Hello! My name is Akiko Namisato, an honors student at the Raritan Valley Community College. I am entering my sophomore year on the pre-health/General Science track with plans to transfer to a four-year university afterwards. I am currently exploring my options for degrees and potential careers, all of which I know will be involved in the sciences such as medical laboratories or pharmaceuticals. I am aiming not just for a bachelors but also a master's degree within the health sciences just like my mother.
When not in school or work, I fill my time up by reading, playing video games, and listening to music. I love getting lost in stories of any genre and getting invested in different characters and plot lines. Recently I have been playing the new Legend of Zelda game: Tears Of The Kingdom and I’ve been addicted. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and going on long hikes and/or road trips occasionally to get back outside and reconnect.
As for the Sanofi Corporate Mentorship Program, I plan on acquiring as many skills as possible I need to succeed. I hope to find the guidance needed for me to be confident in my abilities to move forward in my professional life. I look forward to connecting with a mentor that believes in me and my abilities. A mentor that wants me to succeed just as much as I do. With the limitless number of options, the world has to offer, having someone that is able to give realistic advice and experience is lifesaving, especially with how stressful these last few semesters can become.
Benton Hellwig
Business Administration
Hello, my name is Benton Hellwig. I am a business administration major here at RVCC. I plan on transferring to a four-year university and pursuing an education in economics. After earning a bachelor’s degree, I plan on working with companies and organizations to analyze the risks and opportunities associated with the macro- and microeconomic environments. While working, I plan on attending graduate school and earning my master's and doctorate degrees. I would like to finish out my career conducting research for institutions such as a think tank or university. My favorite hobbies and interests are reading and writing, woodworking and finishing carpentry, listening to music, and traveling. Staying active and healthy is very important to me as well. My favorite activities are swimming, snowboarding, hiking, and going to the gym.
I am looking forward to meeting all the people involved in the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program and will be taking advantage of every opportunity that is presented. Through this, I hope to gain insight from the mentors on different leadership and job skills that will help me become as efficient as possible in my career. Furthermore, having someone to guide me on my path ahead will be very beneficial, helping to alleviate uncertainty and stress. Lastly, I am excited to be working with my highly productive peers in a team setting, keeping each other motivated and focused on our careers and educations.
Caio Sanchez
Computer Science
Hello, my name is Caio Sanchez, and I am currently an international student at Raritan Valley Community College. I am also a student-athlete, I play for the men's soccer team at RVCC, and I am also part of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. My major is computer science but after I transfer to a four-year college I plan to focus on software engineering. My main goal right now is to be able to finish my bachelor's degree. Given the very limited funds that I have to invest in my degree, I work hard to be able to get into both academic and athletic scholarships in a four-year college. I hope to one day be able to be part of a team and work on software, I always recognized myself as a problem solver, and I always loved to face the challenges that this profession provides every day.
I am a man with lots of hobbies, I like to paint, I love music and guitars, I love plants, but my biggest hobby by far is sports. Even though my career is focused on computers, I love being outdoors. I like the exercise my body as much as my mind. I am a big fan of soccer and footvolley.
I hope that the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program will help me develop my skills in my area, and I hope it will help me create a great network and will help me find new opportunities for internships or jobs. I am hoping that this program plays a very important role in my journey to become a successful programmer, which is to help me take my first steps toward my professional career. I am about to become a sophomore in college now, and I strongly believe that it is time to start to create a network and plan my next steps, and I am sure that the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program will provide me with the help and guidance that I need now.
I look forward to having a mentor and working with him/her, I am ready to learn as much as I can and I am ready to apply all the knowledge that I get in this program.
Gul Zehra Pirani
Business Administration
Hello! My name is Gul Zehra Pirani, and I am currently a student at Raritan Valley Community College. I am majoring in General Business Administration and plan on transferring to a four-year university after completing my associate degree. Upon earning my bachelor's degree, my goal is to work in corporate focusing on areas such as Supply Chain Management and Marketing.
When I'm not studying or working, I indulge in my hobbies of capturing the beauty of nature through photography, going for walks, baking and watching movies. Nature photography allows me to appreciate the wonders of the world around us, and taking walks helps me stay active and connected to the environment. Watching movies is a great way for me to unwind and explore different storytelling perspectives.
I am eager to participate in the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program, as it offers an incredible opportunity to gain the necessary job and leadership skills for a successful future after college. I'm thrilled to collaborate with a mentor who can help me exceed my perceived limits and reach new heights of achievement. Additionally, working alongside motivated peers who share a passion for knowledge expansion will pave the way for success after graduation and in our future pursuits. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and excited to make the most of it.
Jordan Joubert
Liberal Arts
Hello, my name is Jordan Joubert and currently I am in my second year at Raritan Valley Community College. I am a Liberal Arts major in the process of deciding on a major. I am very passionate about advocating for social justice issues and am an involved member in my community. After graduating from Raritan Valley, I will transfer to a four-year university with my dream school being American University in DC. After receiving my Bachelor's degree, I aspire to get a job where I can work towards my passion of helping people. Additionally, I am considering higher education with that potentially being law school. My professional aspirations are to be able to work hands-on advocating for social change and volunteer work. I want to be able to look back at my life with a sense that I was able to help people and truly make a difference; if I am able to accomplish that I will be fulfilled.
I love reading and journaling along with being outside, specifically gardening, swimming in the river, and camping. Thrifting and going to local fairs is also a hobby as I value small businesses and trying to shop more environmentally friendly. I would consider myself a creative person and I enjoy expressing that through how I dress and express myself. I am also learning to crochet and I love baking, writing, and starting little projects. I have lots of houseplants that I faithfully take care of along with my cat. I am an animal person, extrovert, creative individual, and nature lover. While I don’t hug trees, I do love picking flowers to give to loved ones.
As I start this journey in the Mentorship program I hope to engage and form a connection with my mentor. I would love to gain hands-on professional experience and look forward to learning as much as possible. My hope is that this program will enhance my strengths and teach me to work on my areas of weakness. I also look forward to gaining new connections with my fellow mentees and program leaders. This opportunity is something I am extremely grateful for and I look forwarding to gaining as much as I can from it. I know that I will connect with my mentor and fellow mentees and am excited for this chapter in my college career.
Juan David Diaz
Biomedical
Hello Fellow habitant/s of the Universe, my name is Juan David Diaz, also known as JD, and I am a Colombian-born student at Raritan Valley Community College. I am majoring in Biomedical, Electrical Engineering alongside Computer Science, and plan on transferring to a four-year university once I have received my associate degree, or earlier if it is wise to do so. After earning my bachelor’s degree, I hope to work in Neural engineering, researching neuroscientific topics, and engineering solutions, products, services, and more for Neurological disorders, and AI in relation to its possible integration with the human brain. However, I have other passions I will pursue involving entrepreneurship in acoustics, visual arts, and aerospace/astrophysical industries. I love and value education for I believe wisdom and knowledge is life. I hope one day to earn the respect of fellow residents of the world based on my accomplishments, ethics, trajectory, and legacy. I aspire to open people’s minds and bring them awareness to a vast number of issues in areas such as politics, economics, social justice, ethics, neurobiology, AI, ancient history, and more through the engineered products and services I will be able to provide.
My hobbies include reading, articulating poetic philosophy, designing and producing audiovisuals, learning and teaching linguistics, more of my interests include, communicating and exchanging concepts about different cultures, religions, walks of life, and their adjacent perceptions and perspectives.
I hope that the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program will provide me with the necessary job and leadership skills I will need in order to be successful once I have graduated from a university. I look forward to working with a mentor who has my best interest at heart and cares about my success just as much as I do. Having someone I can look to for guidance as I navigate through my passions at Raritan. Preparing to transfer to a four-year university and refine my goals for my future career is an amazing opportunity that I am truly blessed to have.
Juvina Thaker
IT and Interface Design & Web Development
Hello, my name is Juvina Thaker, and I'm an honors college student pursuing a double major in IT and Interface Design & Web Development at RVCC. I'm also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. I've always been passionate about technology and design, and I believe that these two fields have the power to create a positive impact on people's lives. After attaining my associate’s degree, my goal is to transfer to a four-year university to further my education and skills in web development and interface design. As someone who’s moved homes 5 times in the last 4 years, I have adapted to enjoy change. So, I want to continue learning and experiencing all the career paths I'm interested in! In the future, I wish to work for a company or organization that values creativity, innovation, and culture. I want to be a part of a team that strives to create impactful and meaningful designs that make a difference in people's lives no matter their backgrounds. Photography has been my passion for years, and I love to capture beautiful moments and create art through my camera lens. I have developed a keen eye for aesthetics, which helps me to create designs that are not only functional but also visually appealing. Other than that, I also enjoy digital design, traveling and spending time with my family.
I'm excited to participate in the Sanofi Program to learn from experienced professionals in my field and gain insights into potential career paths. I hope to be ready with all the essential skills that I'll need once I start my professional journey after college. Additionally, having a mentor can provide me with guidance, support, and advice as I navigate through my academic and professional journey. I’m looking forward to stepping outside my comfort zone and challenging myself to learn new things, as well as gaining a better understanding of the industry as a whole. The Sanofi Program will also allow me to network with professionals and other students, which can be a valuable asset when seeking employment opportunities or looking for advice on career paths. I’m so grateful to be a part of this program and can’t wait to learn as much as I can.
Muhammed Catovic
Business Administration
Hello! My name is Catovic and I am currently a student at Raritan Valley Community College. I am a Business Administration major and a member of the Honors College. After receiving my associate degree, I plan on transferring to a four-year university to continue my studies in Business. Once obtaining my bachelors degree, I hope to enter the tech or health science industries from a business perspective. I dream of helping people by utilizing AI and technology to increase efficiency in the workplace and overall improve the quality of human lives. No matter where I end up, I hope to challenge myself to create a better world for all those around the globe.
When not working towards those goals I enjoy reading and playing games with my friends and family. When it comes to books, I especially enjoy fantasy and science fiction novels as well as classical crime novels. I find playing board games to be a relaxing refresher as well; especially when done with my friends and family. Hiking is also a pastime of mine that I feel really helps me relax throughout the school year.
I hope that the Sanofi Mentorship Program helps me to gain more direction on where I want to end up and provides me with the necessary tools to reach those places. I am so excited and thankful to Sanofi for providing me with this opportunity to be able to work with a caring and understanding mentor who will guide me through the many challenges I may experience once I enter into the corporate world.
Sandra Faragalla
Communication
Hello, my name is Sandra Faragalla and I am currently a communications student at Raritan Valley Community College. I plan on transferring to a four-year university once I have received my associate degree from RVCC. I enjoy volunteering and being able to make memories with friends and family. I aspire to open people’s eyes to the importance of volunteering and bring them awareness of the vast importance that volunteering has on the community.
I enjoy being able to work with others. When it comes to Team Together Everyone Archive More. In that, I value the philosophy of "Unity in Community" and "Beauty in Diversity". I also have a passion for music along with my community involvement. My other interests include learning about different cultures, and religions, and getting to better know and understand my faith. I hope that the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program will provide me with the necessary job and leadership skills I will need to be successful as a first-generation college student. I also think this program can help me once I have graduated from college to better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. I look forward to working with a mentor who has my best interest at heart and cares about my success just as much as I do and wants me to continue to learn and grow.
Ore Shote
Business Administration
Hi, my name is Ore Shote and I am currently a student at Raritan Valley Community College. I am majoring in Business Administration and plan on transferring to a four-year university after receiving my associate degree. After earning my bachelor’s degree, I hope to integrate myself into the business world and find my specific niche. In the future, I want the opportunity to elevate my education to the graduate level and reach the top of my desired field. With my work, I want to create opportunities for as many people as possible and to revolutionize the business world.
When I have downtime I love playing piano, singing, listening to music. I love jazz and gospel music and am always expanding my different playlists. I also enjoy playing chess, watching anime as well as other tv shows, and coaching high school track.
I hope that the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program will provide me with the direction and stewardship necessary for me to forge my path post-college and reach the pinnacle of whatever it is I set my hands on. I look forward to working with a mentor who understands me and will not only be a mentor but a friend as well. I know that having the opportunity to learn from a mentor who has been in my shoes will help me grow exponentially as I make my way through Raritan Valley and beyond.
Ricardo Ramirez
Pre-Med
Hello, my name is Ricardo Ramirez, I am a current Raritan Valley Community College. I am a pre-med major here in RV, moving forward after RV I will be going into a four-year school, and after said school I will go to medical school. While in Medical School, my goal is to learn as much as possible from the main branches of medicine to identify which branch, I want to devote myself to. The reason behind my wanting to learn as much from each branch is due to 50% of med students change their ideal specialization.
My hobbies include everything from doing sports all the way to dedicating days to researching a random topic. I have been involved in almost all sports, including cheer, cross country, field (shot putting and discuss), Martial arts (jiujitsu and Muay Thai), swimming, and basketball. When it comes to random topics it is mainly that 3 am taught that leaves you wondering but in steroids. The longest I have researched a random topic has been a whole month to understand the computer science revolving around it, the implication, innovations, and the legality of it ( the topic was comparing and contrasting Apple to other laptops). I love learning and pushing my knowledge to the limit which is why my hobbies are sports and knowledge seeking as sports help me put said information in visible and easily understood scenarios.
I hope that through my internship I will not only get to know more about the medical branches which aren’t spoken as much about like medical coding, but I wish to establish networking relationships to learn as much as I can from my mentor and their peers. I love talking with people even when my face may not seem to say the same. I love talking with my mentors to learn either about their journey or their passions, through these conversations I gather topics to research and dive deeper into their field of expertise.
Zachary Cole
Business Administration
Hello everyone, my name is Zachary Cole, I am a student at Raritan Valley Community College, majoring in the Business Administration - General Business program. I plan on transferring to Rutgers Business School - New Brunswick Campus to receive my bachelor’s degree in Business Analytics and Information Technology. Following my studies, I look forward to working in the finance field with a concentration on the equity market. I am excited about my upcoming pursuit for a business degree and to apply my knowledge to real world situations!
At school, I am currently involved with a number of clubs and activities. I am president of the Investors Club and a member of the Debate Team. I’m also hoping to be an upcoming student representative on the board of trustees. Most recently, I was placed on the president’s list for the spring 2023 semester after earning a 4.0 grade point average. I enjoy being a part of school and learning with it. When I’m not studying and learning at school, I enjoy running, weight training at the gym, and playing chess. I even find time to make it into New York City and play chess against the experts that make their rounds through the city’s parks! The Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program is a fantastic opportunity to enhance my skills, develop my leadership abilities, and further approach my career goals. I look forward to having a relationship with a mentor who can guide me based on what they’ve learned from their own enthusiasm and success. I believe this mentorship will allow me to navigate a successful transition from Raritan Valley to Rutgers Business School and beyond. I look forward to our collaboration,