Liam Bland is a sophomore in Columbia College majoring in Political Science. Originally from Syracuse, NY, Liam spent much of his high school career working with a non-profit youth leadership program, bringing young people from around Central New York together to create healthy environments in their hometowns and high schools. From this experience, Liam gained an interest and passion for community organizing that followed him to Columbia, leading to his current work for Community Impact as an administrative assistant, as well as his work for The Future Project, a NYC based program that partners a high school student with a coach who will aid them in developing a project to benefit their school communities and discover their own personal passions. Liam’s other interest, politics, has led to his current position as a Class of 2015 Representative to the Columbia College Student Council.  

Brooke Burrows is a sophomore at Columbia College studying Human Rights and Psychology. Originally from Brevard, North Carolina, Brooke spent her junior year of high school studying abroad in Germany. This experience helped to fuel a love of traveling and learning about different cultures and communities—two things that have influenced both her time in NYC and her future goals. Brooke currently serves as a Lead Activist for the Columbia Democrats, Policy Director for Columbia University Students for Human Rights, and a leader for Columbia Urban Experience, a pre-orientation program designed to get students involved with community service in the city. By partaking in the Kenneth Cole Program, Brooke looks forward to making sustainable and effective change by helping to engage and work with local communities. 

Darius Grayer is the third oldest in the line of ten children from Kansas City, Missouri. He is a sophomore pursuing a Bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering with a minor in East Asian Studies. Darius has worked for Community Impact for the past two years and is also a returning oarsman on the lightweight rowing team. This past summer, he  completed the first half of officer training for the United States Marine Corps and will return to complete the second half next summer. Upon graduation and the successful completion of his next phase of training, Darius will be commissioned as a second lieutenant.  

Priya A. Gunaseharan is a junior at Columbia University looking forward to graduating pre-med, with a B.A. in Columbia’s Center for the study of Ethnicity and Race Individualized Study Program. She has plans to pursue an M.D. soon thereafter. She has a particular interest in queer and minority communities’ mental health, and how systems of education may or may not take in to account the mental health of students. She will be an advocate for those with mental illnesses, and members of other communities who historically have not been included in medical literature/procedures when she enters the medical field as a professional. Priya feels fortunate to be a part of the Kenneth Cole Community Engagement Program, through which she can further her understanding of community needs. 

Terranisha Hiley was born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana where she first found her passion for community service in her own low-income neighborhood. To escape economic hardship, she put all her efforts into academics. She graduated as valedictorian and moved on to Columbia University with a full scholarship provided by QuestBridge. She is a sophomore in the college majoring in Urban Studies with a specialization in Anthropology and is simultaneously pursing the pre-medical track. She wants to earn her MD/MPH to become a research pediatrician in a low-income area, giving back to her community by working on various national chapter boards to improve and reconstruct healthcare laws that oppress minorities. She also hopes to start various non-profits to further provide for her community. She is looking forward to the life long leadership skills, experience, and connections that will arise from this amazing summer as a Kenneth Cole fellow! 

Elliot Kwon will be a rising junior this upcoming summer majoring in Architecture with a specialization in Urban Studies. As current president of Habitat for Humanity as well as board member for Project for the Homeless, Elliot is very much involved with community service organizations that deal with homelessness and housing policy. Through the Kenneth Cole Fellowship, he hopes to gain more experience in engaging with and assisting urban communities to fully realize their potentials to become safe, vibrant neighborhoods or cities. He aspires to become a "socially responsible architect," one who persistently advocates for and actively engages with the community for whom he plans and designs.

Armando Lozano was born and raised in Mission, Texas where he immersed himself in community service activities that taught him to follow his passions. As a sophomore in Columbia College studying Ethnicity and Race and Political Science, Armando hopes to further social justice through a legal career after graduation. Currently he volunteers with the Heights to Heights mentorship program where he serves as a role-model to youth from Washington Heights. He is also Co-President of Chicano Caucus, a Mexican-American organization that focuses on social justice. After completing his undergraduate studies, Armando aspires to go to law school and use a legal education to create changes in our legal system that foster community organizing efforts locally and across the country. He wants to make an impact this summer working with the Kenneth Cole Community Engagement Program just as much as he hopes his work will make an impact on him.  

Trinidad Reyes was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents immigrated from Mexico to the United States in hopes of finding the “American dream.” While in Chicago, Trinidad attended Pritzker College Prep.  During her summers she took classes at the University of Chicago. She graduated valedictorian of her class. Upon graduation she interned with McDonald’s Corporate in Oak Brook, Illinois. She interned in their Global Inclusion and Intercultural Management Department. Trinidad is a sophomore at Columbia University, majoring in Political Science with concentrations in Russian Language and Culture and Business. She attends Columbia University on a full scholarship provided by QuestBridge. At Columbia, Trinidad is an active member of Columbia University’s Women’s Rugby Team. She also tutors Mexican-American students in the Bronx every week. 

Yonghak Roh (CC’15) is an international student from South Korea with much interest in the humanities, pursuing Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Political Science, and International Relations. Born in Seoul, he lived in Korea and Japan prior to attending Tabernacle Christian School (’07) and De La Salle High School (’11) in California, where he developed his passion for the Latino community and greater international affairs. Before joining Columbia , he was an active leader in cultural groups including La Familia, a Latino culture group, and SCORE (Student Coalition on Respectful Education), a student-led organization promoting awareness of cultural and social diversity. Yonghak continues to develop his interest in international relations and community engagement at Columbia, currently working closely with the Hispanic Coalition NY, Inc. to develop a mentoring program for Latino youths and serving as social and cultural awareness chair of 2012-2013 GEQUA-Ecuador. He hopes to continue his service in the international sector and most importantly to continue to immerse himself in great communities of friends who enjoy diversity of cultures and backgrounds.

Chaeyeon Song is a current sophomore at Columbia University majoring in Operations Research with minors in Economics and Entrepreneurship. Born in South Korea, she moved to Canada at a young age where she began to discover her passion for social entrepreneurship through a nation-wide summer program called Shad Valley. During her time at Columbia, she hopes to learn how to fulfill community needs in the engineering as well as entrepreneurial field, particularly in areas of finance and business management. She wishes to become a venture capitalist later on so that she can provide small businesses with the resources they need to contribute to the community with their ideas. She also enjoys playing the drums, playing squash, and reading during her free time. Chaeyeon is excited to be part of the Kenneth Cole Community Engagement Program where she has the chance to gain firsthand experience in making a change in the community.

Andrea S. Viejo is a sophomore from Monterrey, Mexico majoring in Political Science and Sociology, with a concentration in Business administration. At Columbia, Andrea has been a columnist for the Columbia Daily Spectator and a contributor to Nuestras Voces, the only Spanish publication on campus directed towards the neighboring Hispanic community. She has also been an active member of the TEDxColumbiaCollege team, the alternative spring break trip GEQUA Ecuador, and a Mathematics tutor. Since moving to New York, Andrea developed a particular interest in US relations with Latin America; she is an activist for Latino immigrant rights and advocates against the violence resulting from the Drug War. Andrea feels fortunate to be a part of a program like the Kenneth Cole Community Engagement Program in a community as diverse and dynamic like New York City.

Yvonne Vogt is a junior in Columbia College studying Sustainable Development with a concentration in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She was born in Monterrey, Mexico but moved to Greenwich, Connecticut when she was six and has lived there ever since. At Columbia, she is the co-leader of the Dining Committee of Eco Reps, which functions as a liaison between students and Columbia Dining in order to maintain and improve its commitment to sustainable practices. In her spare time she enjoys yoga, biking, cooking, and playing tennis. In terms of civic engagement, she is interested to learn how the community can work towards developing more sustainable practices. She hopes to gain valuable work and life experiences being an active member of the community through the Kenneth Cole Fellowship.