STEP Mentors

Hello everyone! My name is Katelen Pangilinan and I am currently a senior at Salem State. I am a nursing major in a minor in biology and psychology and a commuter from Lynn, MA. My goal for the future is to become a neonatal nurse. An interesting fact about me is that I have a twin sister and we do not look anything alike. Also, my transition from high school to college was very smooth because of the STEP program. Being a part of this had made a positive impact, which is why I chose to become a STEP peer mentor. I can't wait to help many students and give them an experience that I enjoyed very much. I look forward to meeting with all of you!

Hello! My name is Sydney Adie and I’m from Stoughton, MA. I live on campus during the school year and also work for residence life as a desk supervisor. I’m a senior at Salem State who’s majoring in communications with a concentration in advertising. My minors are graphic design and English, and in my free time I enjoy painting and drawing as well. I’ve been in STEP as a mentee for the past two years and am very excited to give incoming students the same support and encouragement that I received throughout the program. Looking forward to meeting everyone soon! 

My name is Stephany Bernadeau and I am currently a junior here at Salem State University. I am majoring in nursing, minoring in biology and psychology. I’m from Boston, Massachusetts but I live on campus during the school year and originally, I am from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. My goal for the future is to become a forensic traveling nurse. My first-year experience with STEP is something I will treasure for the rest of my time in school. STEP has help me a lot with the transition from high school to college both academically and socially. As a STEP peer mentor, I want to be able to help others have as good of an experience as I did. I’m glad I will have the chance to work with all of you this upcoming year, can’t wait to meet all of you! See you soon!

My name is Lenn Darla Jean Gilles. I am a Nursing Major and a commuter. I am a first generation student and I am currently a junior at Salem State University. I aspire to be a nurse midwife and I have a passion for makeup. This will be my third year being part of the STEP program. I joined the step program because as a first generation student I didn't have the resources and information from my parents regarding what I needed to be a successful college student. With the help of STEP, the program was able to provide me with necessary information and help in order for me to have a smooth transition my first year here at Salem State University.

My name is Suzanne Musema. I am currently a junior at Salem State University majoring in Social Work. I have recently declared a minor in women and gender studies. I want a career where I work directly with my community, helping people reach their full potential and succeed in life. I live in Lynn, Massachusetts and commute to school. My involvement with STEP my freshman year made the school year a lot more manageable and less daunting. So as a first-year STEP mentor, I am excited to be given the opportunity to do the same for someone else. I look forward to meeting all of you.

Hello! I'm Kelly and I am currently a sophomore here at Salem State, majoring in chemistry with a biochemistry concentration and minoring in French. I was born in France, but I moved to the United States when I was ten. I am also part of the Commonwealth Honors Program. On my free time, I volunteer at the Pediatric floor at Mass General. I hope to find a career where I can help individuals in need, while combining the passion I have in the sciences. STEP has played a tremendous impact during my first-year at Salem State. This program helped me grow and learn more about myself, while helping my transition from high school to college. Having the opportunity to make a positive and successful impact throughout your first-year at Salem State means a lot to me, as a peer mentor. I am truly excited to meet every single one of you this year and make memorable memories!

Hello everyone! My name is Kaitlyn Meeks and I am a  sophomore this upcoming fall. My major is nursing and I am a commuter from Lynn, Massachusetts. My goal for the future is to become a scrub nurse. One fun fact about myself is that I am from Texas and have only lived in Massachusetts for a year now. The STEP program has made my first year transition from high school to college very smooth and that is why I wanted to become a mentor this year. Outside of being a STEP mentor, I am also apart of Greek life and am in one of the sororities on campus- Theta Phi Alpha. I can’t wait to meet all of you and hope to provide the same experience that I received my freshman year! 

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, 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 practioner 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.