STEP Mentors

My name is Sheilyn Rodriguez and I am from Worcester, Massachusetts. I grew up in a strict Puerto Rican household, therefore, I have a great work ethic and organizational skills. As strict as the household was, I am a very caring and loving person and I can't help but worry and care for others. I am a nursing major currently living on campus. I plan on becoming a nurse practitioner for the NICU as I see that this career fits my warm and welcoming personality. My experience in STEP has been a smooth sail into college. I love the program and now as a peer mentor, I hope to help my mentees navigate their troubles and support their decisions as they go along their first-year college experience.

Hello everyone! My name is Kaitlyn Meeks and I am a senior in the nursing program here at Salem State. I also have a double minor in human biology and psychology as well. I am a commuter from Lynn, Massachusetts, but I was born and raised in Canyon, Texas. My goal for the future is to become a scrub nurse or a nurse practitioner. One fun fact about myself is that I have traveled 23 states and have done something memorable in each state. My favorite trip was going to NYC last spring and touring Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The STEP program has made my first-year transition from high school to college very smooth, and that is why I am continuing my third year on as a STEP peer mentor. Outside of being a STEP mentor, I am a medical assistant for a pediatrics office here in Salem and Beverly. I can’t wait to meet all of you and hope to provide the same experience that I received my freshman year! Welcome to Salem State, Vikings!

My name is Alex Sheehan and I will be a sophomore this fall at Salem State. I am a first-generation college student and I am majoring in economics with a minor in math. I plan to continue pursuing higher education and possibly obtain a master’s degree or Ph.D. in my respective field. I joined STEP during my first year and the support and resources they have provided me with are invaluable. Now, as a STEP peer mentor, I am excited to do the same for my mentees! In addition to STEP, I am a member of the softball team as well as the honors program.

Hello, my name is Natalia Caron. I am from Lowell, Massachusetts and I am currently a junior here at Salem State University. I am majoring in early childhood education with a double major in geography. As a freshman, being apart of STEP was probably the best decision I made. This program has helped me to succeed in all aspects of my life, not just academics. My STEP coach helped me to get involved on campus and it even resulted in me becoming the treasurer of the education club! I am so excited to be working with everyone this year and being able to lend a helping hand when needed. I hope to be able to make everyone’s first year here at Salem State the best it can be!

My name is Gisady (gi-sad-dee) Mendoza, and I am from Peabody, Massachusetts! My pronouns are she/her/hers. I am currently a junior with a major in chemistry and a concentration in biochemistry. Some things I like to do for fun is to go longboarding, hanging with friends and family, graphic designing/video editing, reading books, traveling, exercising, and eating food! I am also involved in the Honors Program at Salem State University. My favorite things about SSU is how close to home I am and how affordable it is. My other favorite things about SSU are the library, professors, STEP, and the Honors program. When I was a first-year, everyone at SSU was so friendly and welcoming it made me feel good. Back when everything was on campus, you would be able to catch me either at the dining halls eating or at the library studying!

I joined the STEP program because I wanted to be a successful college student and get all the resources and information to be one. It made my freshman year more manageable and less stressful. It helped improve my communication and time management skills as well. As a second-year STEP peer mentor, I am excited to allow other first-year students. I had a great experience with STEP and I hope to help others have an amazing experience as I did.

My name is Zainab Abd Alkaby, I am from Iraq but I was mostly raised in Lynn, MA. This is my third year at Salem State as a biology major with two minors in chemistry and physiology. My ultimate goal is to become a licensed dentist. I love helping people out, as I needed help my self. Transitioning into college was one of the toughest obstacles that I’ve overcome and I believe all first-year students can also. STEP is an amazing way to ease into the campus lifestyle, and I’m glad that I’m a part of a great resource. I am so excited to meet and work with all of you in the fall! Please don’t hesitate to ask me about anything!   

Hello! My Name is William Reagan but you can call me Will. I am from Holden and Rockland Massachusetts so if you live nearby to either of those towns, hey there neighbor! I will be a Honors sophomore in the Fall and I am currently undeclared but thinking of majoring in something business related and possibly get my masters as well. I joined STEP in my first year and it was such a helpful resource to me. Especially with everything going on (The thing that shall not be named). I now hope to become a mentor myself to help incoming freshmen as they transition to college.

My name is Damaris Lopez and I am a nursing major. I am going to be a sophomore and this is my first year as peer mentor. My pronouns are she/her. Some of my interests are watching anime, reading, and playing games like ACNH and Minecraft. I am so excited to meet you all!

Hello, my name is Melissa Noel. I am an Early Childhood Education major and am currently a sophomore at Salem State University. This will be my second year being a part of the STEP program. I joined the STEP program because I was extremely nervous about my transition from high school to college. This program helped to make it smooth for me and I hope it does the same for you. 

Hi everyone, my name is Maeve Carson! I’ll be a sophomore in the fall, I’m a commuter student but I hope to move back on campus when everything settles down; I currently live in Halifax, Massachusetts. I recently switched my major to Undeclared but I know that I want a career where I can help, mentor, and guide other people. Joining STEP in my freshman year was, without a doubt, the best decision I made. STEP offers great resources I never would have known about as well as the support I needed to push out of my comfort zone, especially when it came to socializing with other people. I was worried going into my first year, and I knew with everything going on that I was going to be way more isolated than I normally would. Once I met other people from STEP, I didn’t feel as scared or alone. I can’t wait to meet everyone and provide other mentees the same help and support I got during my freshman year!