Meet Our Peer Mentors

Claire Garretson '25, Peer Mentor Leader

• Hometown: Crystal Lake, IL
• Majors: Communication & Media Studies and French Studies
• Minors: Business Management, Marketing, and European Studies
• Involvement: Peer Mentor Leader, Chapter President of Alpha Omicron Pi, Secretary for the Class of 2025, Presidential Fellows, President of Omicron Delta Kappa, Junior Fellow for the Libby & Douglass Cater Society
• I chose to be a Peer Mentor because I love welcoming new students to a school that I truly love so much! WAC has been the launchpad for so many of my dreams, and I have found the most incredible people and opportunities here. As a Peer Mentor Leader, it's my goal to empower our team of exceptional Peer Mentors to lead and set the tone for the Washington College experience, and to help each new student find their unique niche here.

Bryson Ostrum '26, Peer Mentor Leader

• Hometown: Hagerstown, MD
• Major: Physics/engineering dual degree program
• Involvement: Peer Mentor Leader, Student events board, Pride in athletics club
• I chose to be a peer mentor due to the incredible impact the program has for incoming students and the Washington college community as a whole. The never ending networking and family like relationships with new people on campus, it’s a no brainer to be apart of the team.

Emma Parker-Watt '25, Peer Mentor Leader

• Hometown: Elkton, MD
• Major: Environmental Science 
• Minor: Public Health 
• Involvement: Peer Mentor Leader and Co-apiarist for the Garden Club
• I chose to become a Peer Mentor to help give incoming students the best experience they can during there time at Washington College. I wanted to share with others how great their time can be here if they have the right resources and outlook.

Zach Affeldt '25

• Hometown: Savage, MN
• Majors: International Studies and Political Science
• Minors: German and European Studies
• Involvement: Peer Mentor, Honor Board, Institute of Religion, Politics and Culture, Student Government, German Club, Swim Team
• I love WAC because it’s a great place to explore a variety of interests. Along with that, the college hosts faculty who are excited and committed to ensuring a rich learning environment.

Ziggy Angelos '25

• Hometown: Monkton, MD/Chicago IL
• Majors: Psychology and Art double major!
• Involvement: Peer Mentor, Exec board of SAGE, Zeta tau alpha, The Collegian Art director
• To support new students in their transition and make change at WAC! (Ps: I love my coworkers!)

Ben Erickson '25

• Hometown: Northbrook, IL
• Majors: History 
• Minors: Anthropology
• Involvement: Phi Delta Theta President, Wellness Advocacy Coach, SGA
• I chose to be a peer mentor because I want to make a positive impact on campus and help the incoming students with their transition into life at college. 

Heather Fabritze '25

• Hometown: Lehigh Valley, PA
• Majors: English and Communications and Media Studies
• Minor: Journalism, Editing, and Publishing
• Involvement: Student Government Association, The Elm, Zeta Tau Alpha
• The simple answer is that past Peer Mentors who had an amazing effect on me told me I could do it, and I wanted to pass that same experience onto other students. WAC has so many opportunities just available for the taking as long as you know where to look, and the Peer Mentor team acts as the guide for those opportunities.

Emma Fisher '25

• Hometown: Middletown, DE
• Majors: Biology
• Minor: Public Health
• Involvement: Womens Lacrosse Team, Watersports Club, Presidential Fellow, Tri-Beta Honor Society, Best Buddies, On-campus Athletics Department Student Worker
• I love WAC! I want to be able to meet new people, make new friends, and show off all the fun possibilities that WAC has to offer!

Kai Follett '27

• Hometown: Media, PA
• Majors:  English
• Minor: Secondary Education
• Involvement: Secretary of Student Life at the SGA, Vice President of Programming & Enrichment for Alpha Omicron Pi, and Secretary of the Dance Club
• I had such a strong connection with my Peer Mentor. She was such a large help during my transition to college and has become one of my close friends. I want to pay it forward and provide the same connection and great experiences for the incoming class.

Justin Fitzpatrick '25

• Hometown: Wilmington, DE
• Major: Communications and Media Studies
• Involvement: Men’s swim team, lead content creator for athletic dept, FCA, teach swim lessons, third year of PM, did RA 1 year,
• I wanted to help incoming freshman make wac feel like home.

Hunter Frederick '25

• Hometown: Laurel, MD
• Majors: Economics and Political Science double major
• Involvement: Student Government, Kappa Sigma, Men's Rowing, George's Generals, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
• I chose to be a Peer Mentor because a lot of the upperclassmen who had a positive impact on me as a Freshman were Peer Mentors. Being in the role gives me the opportunity to do the same for others.

Gracelyn Goforth '26

• Hometown: King, NC
• Majors: Political science
• Minor: Philosophy 
• Involvement: Captain on the softball team, SGA, SAAC, 2026 class secretary
• I chose to become a peer mentor because my peer mentors helped me feel welcome my first year and I want to help incoming people have an amazing experience 

Karol Guamanzara '27

• Hometown: Queens, NY
• Majors: Biology and Hispanic Studies 
• Minors: chemistry and public health  
• Involvement: Equestrian team/club, a Washington scholar and part of LSU  
• Since my peer mentor played a significant role my freshman year, I decided to become a peer mentor in order to support new freshmen into having a smooth transition into college and making connections.

Cara Olivarez '26

• Hometown: Felton, DE
• Major: Biology and Hispanic Studies
• Minor: Chemistry and Public Health 
• Involvement: Equestrian team/club, a Washington scholar and part of LSU
• Since my peer mentor played a significant role my freshman year, I decided to become a peer mentor in order to support new freshmen into having a smooth transition into college and making connections.

Stephen Hook '25

• Hometown: Catonsville, MD
• Majors: Political Science and Communications and Media Studies double major
• Involvement: President of the Class of 2025 (SGA), President and Co-Founder of PoliTalks, Campus Rep to Transform Mid-Atlantic, and sit on various academic committees.
• I chose to be a peer mentor to provide incoming students with the experience that I believe every student should receive. Supporting students through their first year at WAC is one of the most rewarding jobs I've done and that's what brought me back!

Tiyaba Jamil '27

• Hometown: Halethorpe, MD
• Majors: Chemistry and Psychology Double Major
• Involvement: On campus I am a Honor Board panelist and the VP of Makerspace and Asian Cultural Club.
• I choose to be a peer mentor because I wanted to welcome and assist new students as they transition onto our campus!

Lauren Paules '26

• Hometown: Blandon, PA
• Majors: Biology (pre-vet track) 
• Minors: Chemistry and Dance
• Involvement: Captain on the women’s swim team, class of 2026 treasurer, SGA senator, honor board panelist, Biology Lab TA, chemistry tutor, dance club, cater society fellow
• I chose to be a peer mentor because I want to be a go-to person for any incoming student in this new and exciting part of their lives and be able to watch them make life long connections 

Faith Poulton '26

• Hometown: Kennett Square, PA
• Majors: Sociology 
• Minors: Justice Law and Society and Social Welfare
• Involvement: I am the VP1/treasurer of Zeta Tau Alpha. I am a member of WACapella and a senator in our school’s student government association. I am the social media chair for EROS and am involved in the theatre department here at WAC. I am also a George’s General.
• I chose to be a peer mentor because my own peer mentors were so integral to my success here at Washington College and I wanted to be that person for incoming students.

Jireh Ray '27

• Hometown: Bel Air, MD
• Majors: Sociology/Black Studies & Social Welfare
• Involvement: Cleopatra sisters, Equestrian Team, Black Student Union
• I want to help make a positive lasting impact on incoming freshman

Kelsey Sanderell '27

• Hometown: Malvern, PA
• Majors: Physics & Environmental Science
• Involvement: Class of 2027 Vice President, Organizations Committee Chair (SGA), Women's Rowing Team, Alumni-Student Relations Committee Student Representative, Presidential Fellow
• I really wanted to help new students and play a role in making campus a fun place for everyone!

Nick Scelfo '25

Hometown: Morristown, NJ
Majors: Environmental Studies
Minors: Anthropology
Involvement: Public Safety Liaison, SGA Senator, Phi Delta Theta, Goolden Goose Bar & Pub
Why a Peer Mentor?: When I was a freshman, the mentors helped me out, and it really helped me integrate into college. I will be friends with these people for the rest of my life and I look up to them, Rodger, John and Cole where some of the first people I met the first week of college and they helped me integrate into an amazing community and I want to help someone do the same thing

Isabella Sorhegui '26

• Hometown: Naples, FL
• Majors: Economics and Philosophy
• Involvement: Tennis Team, Presidential Fellows, Economics honors Society
• I chose to be a Peer Mentor so I could become a positive influence in the Washington College community.

Bridget Tiffey '25

• Hometown: Columbia, MD
• Majors: Human Growth and Development with an Elementary Education Certication
• Involvement: Presidential Fellows, Women's Lacrosse, George's Generals, Study Abroad, Best Buddies, Fellowship Christian Athletes
• I just LOVE Washington College! Being a PM allows me to show incoming freshman why I do. I am so excited to guide incoming freshman during their transition to college. Roll Shore!

Zach Tipton '27

• Hometown: Gettysburg, PA
• Major: Biochemistry/Pre-med (M); public health (m)
• Minor: Public Health
• Involvement: Secretary of academics for the SGA, member of the swim team, founder of the Shoreline Socials, and treasurer of the American society of biochemistry chapter
• I had such a positive experience with my peer mentor and my FYS group that made me want to help create similar experiences for incoming freshmen while getting to make new connections with my peers and faculty/staff on campus.

Mel Tuerk '26

• Hometown: Allentown, PA
• Major: Anthropology and Env Studies
• Minor: Chesapeake Regional Studies and Museum, Field, and Community Education
• Involvement: SAGE, EROS, SGA, George's General
• My peer mentors were an integral part of my transition to Washington College and I look forward to playing a similar role for incoming students!

Terrance Vincent '27

• Hometown: New Orleans, LA
• Major: Neuroscience
• Involvement: Men’s basketball, Voter Engagement, BSU, Presidential Fellow, Intercultural Ambassador  * Photo by Miranda Parrish
• I wanted to help people feel heard, comfortable, and represented as much as possible, all while meeting new people and learning new things 

Kyle Wyngaard '27

• Hometown: Middletown, DE
• Majors: Economics Major
• Minors: Finance
• Involvement: Kyle is the Financial Controller of the SGA, Brother of Phi Delta Theta, Representative on the Alumni-Student Relations Committee, and Member of the French Club.
• I became a Peer Mentor because I want to have a positive impact on the incoming class at WAC. Peer Mentor is such a unique position that helps you build lasting connections and develop as a student leader on campus.