2008 Rowe Scholar: Michael Tassavor

December 17, 2013

Michael Tassavor loves flying, whether it’s traveling, playing Flight Simulator, or simply watching planes take-off and land. He hopes to get a private flying license one day. In the meantime, the student from Rocky Hill, Connecticut will focus on medicine. Michael is a graduate of Rocky Hill High School and the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science and is part of the Combined Program in Medicine at UConn. He has attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, and has shadowed an ophthalmologist volunteering in Iran. Mike was a participant in the Health Professions Partnership Initiative programming.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Neal Stewart

Neal Stewart is a graduate of Frank Scott Bunnell High School and is from Stratford, Connecticut, but he’s also a world traveler, having visited 14 different countries! He will be majoring in Physiology and Neurobiology with a focus on pre-dental studies at UConn. His experiences in the health fields include volunteering at a nursing home, assisting with Red Cross blood drives both as a donor as well as a volunteer, and working at clinics for AIDS testing and support.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Phoebe Menacherry

Phoebe Menacherry is a graduate of Hill Regional Career High School and is from Orange, Connecticut. She will be a Physiology and Neurobiology major at UConn, but has already spent a semester taking courses at the University of New Haven. Phoebe has also had the opportunity to attend a weekly lab at Yale School of Medicine in which she learned about the human body via cadavers. She has spent time volunteering at the Hospital of St. Raphael’s Short Term Surgery Unit and the Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Christopher Dipollina

Christopher Dipollina is from Waterford, Connecticut. He graduated from Waterford High School where he had the opportunity to take Anatomy classes that included dissections and the study of disease. He was also the captain of the Waterford soccer team and has spent time working at a soccer camp. Christopher intends to major in Pathobiology at UConn.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Justin Crim

Justin Crim, a graduate of Berlin High School, is from Berlin, Connecticut. He will be a Biology major at UConn, and hopes to become a physician. He enjoys spending his time doing volunteer work, and is proud of the part he played in a canned food drive for the local food pantry in which his group alone raised over 2,000 cans.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Patrick Cooper

Patrick Cooper is from Woodstock, Connecticut. He graduated from Woodstock Academy where he was the captain of the varsity lacrosse team. He is a student in the Combined Program in Dental Medicine, as well as a Chemistry major at UConn. His interest in the health professions was sparked when he volunteered in the Physical Therapy department at Day Kimball Hospital. He honed in on dentistry when he made a medical ministry trip to Honduras, serving as an interpreter for the dental team. Patrick is also interested in business, skiing, and competes in Irish Dance, ranking in the top 25 in North America.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Vanessa Carmona

Vanessa Carmona was born in Colombia, but grew up in East Haven, Connecticut where she graduated from East Haven High School and ran for the cross country team. She intends to major in Biology at UConn, with the goal of becoming a pediatrician. She has extensive experience working in the health fields, including 200 hours volunteering at Yale-New Haven Hospital, serving as state treasurer of the Connecticut chapter of Health Occupation Students of America, and working in a nursing home as a state certified nurse’s assistant.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Jonathan Caez

Jonathan Caez

Jonathan Caez hails from New Britain, Connecticut. He is a graduate of New Britain High School, where he earned his Medical Response Technician license. His interests vary widely, from music, to baseball, to video games. His newest interest stems from a recent step he took outside his comfort zone – trying out for the school musical, in which he landed a solo. While Jonathan may not pursue an acting and singing career, he definitely wants to do more exploration in the health fields. Like his other interests, the topics that appeal to him in the medical field are varying and include Neurobiology, Cardiology, Psychology, and Chemistry.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Ashley Bonet

Ashley Bonet is from Southington, Connecticut. She graduated from Southington High School where she was the captain of the color guard team for three years. Through her volunteer work she has come to realize that she enjoys working with children and so would like to be a pediatrician. She has also volunteered at nursing homes and has worked with her aunt, a certified nursing aid. She will be majoring in Biology but also has an interest in Psychology and the construction of the mind.

2008 Rowe Scholar: Gresa Ajeti

Gresa Ajeti is from Hartford, where she recently graduated from Bulkeley High School and the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science. She will be majoring in Pharmacy and, in fact, had the opportunity to work in a hospital pharmacy this summer. She has also worked in a lab conducting research that dealt with resveritrol, which is an essential ingredient in red wine and reduces the risk of a heart attack. In her spare time, she likes to brush up on her knowledge of Chinese. Gresa was a participant in the Health Professions Partnership Initiative programming.