top of page
CSC Ambassadors.png

COVID Safe Campus
Ambassadors Program

Meet the Campus Ambassador Program Alumni

COVID Safe Campus Ambassadors are members of a cross campus network of student advocates leading mutual aid efforts and implementing ground-level disability justice informed peer support, advocacy, and educational initiatives on their campuses to promote COVID safety and disability inclusion in higher education.

​

Last semester, we distributed approximately 8,400 high-filtration masks to help students upgrade their protection and encourage community care.

​

Get to know the alumni of our inaugural Campus Ambassador cohort below!

Spring 2023 Cohort Alumni

Alex M.

Northeastern University
Abigail T. 

Northeastern University
Blessing Akum Audu 

University of Illinois at Chicago
Bria Trotter

University of Louisville
Britni Buell

University of Texas at Austin

Beq Yonaka 

Reed College
Cornelius Hecker 

University of Colorado Denver
Cat LaCourse

Johns Hopkins University
Celeste Tooth 

Maryland Institute College of Art
Claire Wang

Northeastern University
Gauge P. Burnett 

New Mexico State University
Gloria Sun 

Johns Hopkins University
Hazel Anderson 

Michigan State University

Hannah Derue

McGill University

Jessica Leigh Hester

Johns Hopkins University

Kristin Entler 

University of Arkansas

Kristin Funk

Indiana University

Margaret Dick 

University of Minnesota Rochester

Melina List 

Emerson College

Mahum Rahman

University of Illinois at Chicago

Olivia Billis 

Smith College

Renata Muñoz 

Haverford College

Sy Bedrick 

Rhode Island College

Saadet Durmaz

Indiana University

Sarah Mensah Asantewaa

Northern Arizona University 

Sophia K. Vlahakis 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tenley Nordstrom 

San Diego State University

Vanessa Sun 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Campus Ambassador Bios

asterisk* beside school name indicates a Campus Ambassador Team

Alex M. (she/they)

Northeastern University*

Alex is a third-year B.A. student studying History, Culture, and Law at Northeastern University. Alex joined the Campus Ambassador Program to fight for comprehensive COVID protections for workers and students on their campus and to help provide protective resources from the ground-up in the meantime. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Alex is a labor solidarity and mutual aid organizer, amateur squirrel photographer, climber, and yard sale enthusiast.

Abigail T. (she/her)

Northeastern University*

Abigail is a freshman biology student at Northeastern University. Abigail joined the Campus Ambassador Program to keep the community safe. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Abigail, serves as a student athlete. 

Claire Wang (she/her)

Northeastern University*

Claire is a fourth-year B.S. computer science & math student at Northeastern University. Claire joined the Campus Ambassador Program to connect with other students who value COVID safety and disability justice. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Claire is involved with student organizations focused on labor solidarity, anti-militarism, and dance.

Blessing Akum Audu, B.S, M.S (she/her)

University of Illinois at Chicago

Blessing-Akum is a first-year MPH student studying Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Blessing-Akum joined the Campus Ambassador Program to minimize the spread of the corona virus through increased masking. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Blessing-Akum, is a sound the alarm volunteer with the American Red Cross. 

Bria Trotter (she/her, they/them)

University of Louisville

Bria is a fourth-year B.A. Sustainability student at the University of Louisville. Bria joined the Campus Ambassador Program to make public spaces safer and more accessible and to provide COVID-related education. In addition to serving as a CSC Ambassador, Bria serves as a Board Member of the Black and Brown Honors Society.

Britni Buell (she/her)

University of Texas at Austin

Britni is a second-year B.A. student studying History, Rhetoric, and Social Anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin. Britni joined the Campus Ambassador Program to create a safe and inclusive environment for other disabled, chronically-ill students and faculty through an intersectional collective action frame, which she hopes will motivate UT’s administration and peers to adopt a praxis of solidarity with its most vulnerable population. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Britni works to educate and mobilize voters throughout any given year, is a Victorian Gothic interior design enthusiast, and enjoys heating pad slumber parties with her three majestic felines. 

Beq Yonaka (they/them)

Reed College

Beq Yonaka is a senior B.A. anthropology student at Reed College. Beq joined the Campus Ambassador Program to help encourage masking on campus and protect campus service workers. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Beq, serves as a peer leader in the Students with Disabilities Coalition and does professional access consulting for the College.

Cornelius Hecker (he/him)

University of Colorado Denver

Cornelius is a Psychology student at the University of Colorado Denver. Cornelius joined the Campus Ambassador Program to help protect and show solidarity with high risk students and faulty. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Cornelius, serves as a founding member of the Auraria Cross-Disability Alliance.

Cat LaCourse, B.S. (she/her)

Johns Hopkins University*

Cat is a 5th year PhD student in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine program at Johns Hopkins University. Cat joined the Campus Ambassador Program to increase COVID awareness and make campus life more safe and accessible. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Cat is on the Coordinating Committee for TRU-UE, the graduate student union.

Gloria Sun, B.A. (they/them)

Johns Hopkins University*

Gloria is a first-year MPH/MBA student at the Johns Hopkins University. Gloria joined the Campus Ambassador Program to promote awareness of the ongoing pandemics we are collectively living through, so that all of us -- especially those who are high-risk and disabled -- can survive and have bright futures. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Gloria is a mental health, eating disorders, and chronic illness advocate, and recently started researching long Covid for their capstone.

Jessica Leigh Hester (she/her)

Johns Hopkins University*

Jessica is a 2nd-year PhD student in the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Jessica joined the Campus Ambassador Program to lobby to make campus safer and more inclusive for everyone, and especially chronically ill and disabled students, faculty, and community members.

Celeste Tooth (they/them)

Maryland Institute College of Art 

Celeste Tooth is a junior interdisciplinary sculpture major with minors in gender studies and illustration at Maryland Institute College of Art. Tooth joined the campus ambassador program because they believe that educational institutes should be safe and accessible for all students. In addition to serving as a CSC Ambassador, Tooth is a Diversity Coordinator for MICA's Office of Culture and Identity, a Transform Mid-Atlantic Civic Fellow (TMACF), and a curator.

Gauge P. Burnett, B.A. (he/him)

New Mexico State University

Gauge Burnett is a second-year master's student in Mathematical Sciences at New Mexico State University. Gauge joined the Campus Ambassador Program to promote accessibility and inclusion as part of a larger Reproductive Justice movement at NMSU. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Gauge serves as the president of Students for Reproductive Rights at NMSU and treasurer for his school's LGBT+ Graduate Student Organization. Come see him in the Math Success Center for free masks and homework help!

Hazel Anderson, B.S. (she/her)

Michigan State University

Hazel Anderson is a second-year Ph.D. student at Michigan State University. Hazel joined the Campus Ambassador Program to educate people on actions they can take to protect themselves and their community against COVID-19. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Hazel is active in science communication with the MSU Science Festival. 

Hannah Derue, BASc. (she/her)

McGill University

Hannah, 2nd year MSc. Student in Neuroscience, McGill University, because I believe in a campus which is accessible to all members of the community and respects the growing scientific evidence that long COVID exists and deserves greater attention and investment in scientific research, I also serve as the PGSS Representative to the University Health and Safety Committee (UHSC) at McGill, Institute Representative at the Graduate Student Association in Neuroscience (GSAN), member of the McGill Win4Science program, and although my main project investigates opioid tapering paradigms within the context of chronic pain, I enjoy staying up to date on new publications in the field of neuroimmunology. 

Kristin Entler, M.A. (they/she)

University of Arkansas

Kristin Entler is an MFA candidate at the University of Arkansas. Entler joined the Campus Ambassador Program in an effort to increase access to tools that can help end the global pandemic for all members of society. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Entler serves as poetry editor for the literary journal, NELLE; and as Access Coordinator at the Open Mouth Literary Center. 

Kristin Funk, LCSW, LCAC (she/her)

Indiana University*

Kristin is a second-year PhD student at the Indiana University School of Social Work. Kristin joined the Campus Ambassador Program to promote visibility for disability justice and collective action to keep all folx as safe as possible by working together. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Kristin is a mama, and serves as a researcher, Digital Gardener, and student advisor to various campus groups.

Saadet Durmaz, MA, MSW (she/they)

Indiana University*

Saadet is a second-year Ph.D student at the Indiana University. Saadet joined the Campus Ambassador Program to repair the social safety net for people with disabilities on college campuses. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Saadet serves as IU School of Social Work representative for Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition, Graduate and Professional Student Government, and She is the Liaison for the IU faculty council DEI committee. Saadet is originally from Turkey and lives in Ann Arbor Michigan. 

Mahum Rahman (she/her)

University of Illinois at Chicago

Mahum is a second-year B.S student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mahum joined the Campus Ambassador Program to improve health outcomes and increase awareness of disability justice. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Mahum serves as a member of UNICEF and The Women's Health Initiative. 

Margaret Dick (she/her)

University of Minnesota Rochester

Margaret is a third-year B.S. of Health Sciences student at the University of Minnesota Rochester. Margaret joined the Campus Ambassador Program to advocate for the use of high-quality masks in response to the ongoing pandemic. 

Melina List (they/them)

Emerson College

Melina List is a sophomore B.A student at Emerson College. Melina joined the Campus Ambassador Program to collaborate with others promoting COVID safety and disability justice across a variety of colleges. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Melina serves as the Co-President of Access: Student Disability Union at Emerson College and the Editor in Chief of Generic Magazine through Undergraduate Students for Publishing at Emerson.

Olivia Billis (she/her)

Smith College

Olivia is a fourth-year B.A. student studying Sociology at Smith College. Olivia joined the Campus Ambassador Program to raise awareness about the importance of COVID safety and Disability Justice. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Olivia serves as the leader of her school's Disabled Students Alliance.

Renata Muñoz (he/they)

Haverford College

Renata is a second-year B.A. Anthropology major and Health Studies minor student at Haverford College. Renata joined the Campus Ambassador Program to fight for community care and resist the normalization of COVID infection through the principles of Disability Justice. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Renata serves as the Advocacy Project Organizer for Disability Advocacy for Students at Haverford (DASH), a DASH representative at their school's Affinity Coalition Group, a co-head of their school's abolitionist group, Students for Abolition, Liberation, and Transformation (SALT), and a co-head of their school's student audio and lighting technician group, BLAST. 

Sy Bedric(they/them, zie/zim, fae/faem)

Rhode Island College, School of Social Work

Sy Bedrick is a first-year Masters of Social Work student at Rhode Island College School of Social Work. Sy joined the Campus Ambassador Program to find community and support in their fight for equitable and safe access to education as a disabled and high risk student. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, Sy works as a gender diversity educator and advocate, center coordinator at Youth Pride Inc., a nonprofit supporting LGBTQQIA2S+ youth. Sy is also a worker/owner at LUNA Community Care, the first disabled workers co-operative in the U.S., dedicated to creating an affirming support space for neurodivergent adults. Sy also serves as Co-Chair on the Education and Outreach Committee at SHIP, a nonprofit organization that promotes sexual health and pleasure. 

Sarah Mensah Asantewaa, M.A. (she/her)

Northern Arizona University

Asantewaa is a first-year Interdisciplinary Health PhD student at Northern Arizona University. Asantewaa joined the Campus Ambassador Program to help promote healthy behavior among students and staff and help curb COVID-19 on campus.

Sophia K. Vlahakis (she/her)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology*

Sophia is a third-year Aeronautics and Astronautics PhD student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Sophia joined the Campus Ambassador Program to help build community and provide support for disabled and high-risk individuals on her campus who have been left behind by negligent policy decisions. In addition to serving as a CSC Campus Ambassador, she serves on the Health and Safety Action Team of the MIT Graduate Student Union.

Vanessa Sun (she/her)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology*

Vanessa is a first-year Geochemistry PhD student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Vanessa joined the Campus Ambassador Program to help make her school a more COVID safe place.

Tenley Nordstrom, B.A. (she/they)

San Diego State University

Tenley Nordstrom has a BA in Feminist Studies from U.C. Santa Cruz. They are currently a second year MSW/MPH candidate. Their academic areas of interest include ontology, value theory, and their impacts on subject formation through the lens of colonialisms; specifically, examining the intersections of race, gender, and disability. Joining COVID Safe Campus is an extension of their work in advocacy and policy. She is co-founder of Payments4Placements at SDSU. 

bottom of page