Reflections and next steps for Drew’s graduates
June 2026 – Now that the academic year has ended, we turn our attention to the first steps the Drew University Class of 2026 will take as they share memories and appreciation for their time in The Forest.
Read on to learn where some of Drew’s outstanding recent graduates are headed next, and how their Drew experiences helped them reach their goals.
Emily Shirk
Major/Minor: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology major, Public Health Minor
Hometown: Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
Post-graduation plans: I will be doing a year of service as a patient advocate in Washington, DC. After that, I am planning to attend medical school.
Clubs/Sports: Drew Women’s Volleyball team, TriBeta Biology Club, Action Scholars, and Global Medical Brigade. I also did immunology research in the “Barkaway” (Prof. Brianne Barker and Prof. Stephen Dunaway) lab, and I was a writing fellow.
Advice for Drew students: Take advantage of as many opportunities as possible! Drew has so much to offer: from classes and clubs to events and support systems, there are many opportunities for students to learn and grow.
Favorite spot on campus: The library and Commons!
Achievements at Drew: Phi Beta Kappa, Dean’s List, TriBeta Biology Honor Society, Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemical Honor Society, Academic All-District (2023, 2024), Landmark Conference All-Sportsmanship Team (2025), Chi Alpha Sigma National Athlete Honor Society. I’ve also received three grants for my immunology research from ICUNJ, TriBeta, and Dean Cucci.
Reflection on your time at Drew: I am so thankful for the last four years here. It really has become my second home. I have met lifelong friends and learned so much–both in my major and in other disciplines. I will miss the Drew community so much next year.
Shoutout: I have so much appreciation for all of the professors in the biology department. It has been a privilege learning from them all for the past four years. They are all so passionate about what they teach, and it’s clear that they care about their students.
Priscila Quinteros
Major/Minor: Political Science major, minor in Law, Justice, & Society.
Hometown: Elizabeth, New Jersey (originally from Ecuador).
Post-graduation plans: I will be attending the Harvard Graduate School of Education to pursue my master’s degree in Education Policy and Analysis with a concentration in Global, International, and Comparative Education, with long-term goals of attending law school and building a career in corporate immigration law, helping individuals, families, and businesses navigate the immigration system while expanding access to opportunities through education and public service.
Clubs: I served as Leadership Chair of the Drew Commuter Association, participated in the Action Scholars program, and served as the Community Commuter Advisor.
Favorite spot on campus: The library was always one of my favorite places. It became a second home where I studied, reflected, and worked toward the goals that once felt out of reach.
Advice for Drew students: Take advantage of every opportunity, even if it feels intimidating at first. Build relationships with professors, seek out leadership roles, and never underestimate the power of persistence. Some of the most meaningful opportunities in my life came from simply taking a chance and believing in myself.
Achievements at Drew: Through the Action Scholars program, I completed more than 200 hours of community service and developed a passion for civic engagement and social impact. I served as Leadership Chair of the Drew Commuter Association, interned with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) supporting immigrant and refugee communities, and will continue my commitment to public service this summer as an intern in the Office of Assemblyman Sterley Stanley.
Academically, I graduated Cum Laude and earned recognition on the Dean’s List. One of my proudest accomplishments was receiving the Janet T. Siler Memorial Award for Best UN Paper through Drew’s United Nations Semester, led by Professor Carlos Yordan. I was also selected for the Her Bold Move Future Leaders Fellowship and accepted as a scholar in the 2026–2027 LSAC Plus Guided Cohort. To further prepare for a future legal career, I completed Harvard Law School Online’s Zero-L Program.
Perhaps the greatest testament to the opportunities Drew provided me is that I was admitted to several prestigious graduate programs, including Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, and CUNY.
Reflection on your time at Drew: Drew transformed my life. As an immigrant who was born and raised in Ecuador, I arrived with big dreams but many uncertainties about what my future would look like. After graduating from Union College of Union County, I applied to several universities, but because of my immigration status at the time, many institutions were unwilling or unable to support my circumstances. Drew was different.
From the moment I arrived, I found a community that believed in my potential. Drew provided me with mentors, opportunities, and experiences that allowed me to grow academically, professionally, and personally. Through leadership roles, internships, community engagement, and meaningful relationships with faculty and staff, I gained the confidence to pursue goals that once felt out of reach.
My journey at Drew would not have been possible without the unwavering support of Sunita Bhargava, Director of Transfer Student Services. During some of the most difficult moments of my college experience, she was a source of guidance, encouragement, and hope. She believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself and consistently went above and beyond to help me succeed. I often say that she was an angel during my hardest days, and I will always be grateful for the impact she had on my life.
Today, as I prepare to begin my master’s degree at Harvard University, I carry with me the lessons, relationships, and values that Drew helped cultivate. Drew did not simply educate me, it empowered me to believe that no dream is beyond reach.
Shoutout: One of the greatest strengths of Drew University is its people. The professors, mentors, and staff members who dedicate themselves to their students are what truly make Drew such a transformative place. I have been fortunate to learn from individuals whose guidance extended far beyond the classroom and helped shape both my academic journey and future aspirations.
I would especially like to recognize Professor Sangay Mishra, whose mentorship profoundly influenced my intellectual and personal growth. As an immigrant student, many of the themes we explored, including migration, belonging, citizenship, identity, and social justice, resonated deeply with me. Professor Mishra challenged me to think critically, engage with diverse perspectives, and understand immigration not only as a political issue but as a profoundly human one. His mentorship strengthened my commitment to educational equity, public service, and advocacy for immigrant communities. More importantly, he consistently encouraged me to think beyond limitations and to recognize the value of my own experiences and voice.
I am also deeply grateful to Professor Carlos Yordan for his unwavering support during the United Nations Semester. Under his guidance, I researched Political Corruption and Ecuadorian Migration: Evaluating the United Nations Convention Against Corruption’s Efforts Since 2005. When I applied to Columbia University, I was required to submit a research paper as part of my application. Before I knew that the paper would receive the Janet T. Siler Memorial Award for Best UN Paper, Professor Yordan encouraged me to trust my instincts and submit my work with confidence. His mentorship throughout the research and writing process gave me the reassurance I needed to believe in my own abilities. Receiving the award and later being admitted to Columbia University made that experience even more meaningful.
I would also like to thank Sean Hewitt, Professor Mecca Madyun, and Professor Jonathan Golden for their dedication to civic engagement, leadership, and social justice. Through the Action Scholars program, my team developed Pathways to Success: Empowering Immigrant Students at Drew University, a research project that examined how Plyler v. Doe continues to shape the experiences of immigrant and undocumented students in higher education. We explored the intersections of legal status, mental health, belonging, access to financial aid, and internship opportunities while conducting stakeholder interviews and policy analysis to identify barriers and opportunities for institutional change. The project allowed me to combine research, advocacy, and personal experience while developing recommendations to promote greater equity and inclusion on campus.
My admission to Harvard is not simply my achievement. It is a shared achievement. While hard work and determination are important, I firmly believe that a student’s success is shaped by the professors, mentors, and staff members who invest in them, challenge them, and believe in them. The mentorship I received at Drew helped transform my aspirations into accomplishments and gave me the confidence to pursue opportunities that once seemed beyond my reach. As I begin my master’s degree at Harvard University, I carry with me the lessons, values, and encouragement of the Drew community, for which I will always be grateful.
Alpha Sesay
Majors/Minor: Public Health and Business majors, minor in Anthropology
Hometown: Somerset, New Jersey
Post-graduation plans: Taking a gap year to gain experience.
Clubs/Sports: DASA, BIPOC Mentoring, Active Minds, Track & Field, Club Soccer.
Advice for Drew students: Don’t be afraid to start over. It’s a blessing.
Achievements at Drew: 2023 Presidential Scholarship, Action Scholar Scholarship, Academic Excellence Scholar, Class of 2026 Student Leader Award, three-time Community Leader Award, and Class of 1985 Senior Gift Award. I was a pedagogical intern, wrote a thesis on the role of religion and spirituality in an informal marketplace in Sierra Leone, and did an ethnographic research study of first-year students and a financial literacy study project.
Reflection on your time at Drew: My time at Drew has been a period of growth both academically and personally. I’ve built meaningful relationships, gained valuable experiences, and developed skills that will stay with me beyond graduation. The supportive community made a lasting impact on my journey.
Shoutout: I’d like to give a shoutout to Professors Dawson, Johulin, Joelle, and Alisa Whitmore for their guidance and support throughout my time at Drew. Their mentorship played a meaningful role in my academic journey and helped me grow both intellectually and personally.
