By Angel Bhandari
What a year! JuSTEMagine's senior team members rose to the occasion and made the program the best it could be. We are sad to see the team's many outstanding seniors go, but we know they are headed in the right direction, and we can't wait to see what they will accomplish in the future. Strong-minded leaders who were dedicated, diligent, and clever made up this year's class, which resulted in a group that generated amazing discoveries and had a positive influence on the JuSTEMagine community. They contributed countless hours of volunteer work to support events, assisted JuSTEMagine's growth into new states and nations, and helped us in general get to where we are now. Salutations to the outstanding 2023 senior class!
Board Members:
Claire Cenovic
During Claire’s time at JuSTEMagine, she served as the 22-23 President of JuSTEMagine. She served JuSTEMagine’s Board in multiple capacities since she joined in 2019. As President, she had tasks such as running Board meetings, creating partnerships with other organizations, and attending events. Her favorite role within the organization was running JuSTEMagine’s social media pages. She says “I love creating content and sharing JuSTEMagine’s mission with as many people as possible!” Her favorite JuSTEMagine memory was the first STEM Kit Assembly she took part in. Since the idea of STEM Kits originated during the COVID-19 Pandemic, JuSTEMagine volunteers were unable to get together and create the kits in person. So Prairie STEM, a STEM nonprofit organization, sent supplies for hundreds of STEM Kits to JuSTEMagine volunteers’ houses. One morning, she walked outside her house and saw stacks and stacks of large boxes filled with STEM Kit materials. She says “While the sight of all of the boxes was slightly overwhelming at first, I knew these kits would have a great impact on students who were unable to attend school and receive an education during the pandemic, so I completed the kit assembly as quick as I could.” Claire will be attending Barnard College of Columbia University in the fall. We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in New York, NY! We know you will accomplish everything you put your mind to!
“Volunteer selflessly and with a purpose. Volunteering is sometimes done to complete a volunteer hour requirement at school or look good on a resume, but that isn’t what volunteering is about whatsoever. If you dedicate your time to JuSTEMagine—or any organization for that matter—and go in with an open mind, I guarantee you will be surprised by how many life skills and friendships you make along the way.”
Swayam Kontamwar
During Swayam’s time at JuSTEMagine, he served as the 22-23 Co-Director of Technology. He was in charge of maintaining the website, building connections with other organizations, and building educational apps for other nonprofits. His best memory was the first app he built with Spark Positivity. He wasn’t the director then but that experience really made him fall in love with CS because he finally got to see it used for practical application. The fact that a group of teens could take on a task like that really inspired him. Swayam will be attending Brown University this fall! We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in Providence, RI! We look forward to seeing your future accomplishments!
“Try and take advantage of your position. It’s really cool to be a part of this organization and you can explore a ton of different things: tech, advocacy, business, etc. Plus, everything you do is for a good cause, so try and do as much as you can—you’ll get a lot out of it.”
Riddhi Munjewar
During Riddhi’s time at JuSTEMagine, she served as the 22-23 Co-Director of Technology. She worked with a non-profit organization along with a team of developers to design and create an application. During this time, she was able to develop teamwork and communication skills, along with being able to increase her knowledge of Flutter. Along with this, she was also responsible for managing JuSTEMagine’s website and adding updates as necessary. Her favorite memory was when the organization got together one day for a Positive in a Box Assembly. She says “Not only was it a great opportunity for team bonding, but it also allowed me to see the impact of JuSTEMagine and Praire STEM’s work directly!” Riddhi will be attending Raikes School at the University of Nebraska Lincoln this fall! We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in Lincoln, NE! We know you have a very bright future ahead!
“Teamwork is crucial for progress and reaching goals. And don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for help!”
Serena Zezulak
During Serena’s time at JuSTEMagine, she served as the 22-23 Director of Events. She assisted in identifying and managing JuSTEMagine's Girls in STEAM and STEAM Night outreach, which aimed to provide STEAM experiences and confidence to young students. She was always seen volunteering in many of JuSTEMagine events, with a smile on her face. Her outreach efforts were undeniable, and she really was such a strong leader. Serena will be attending the University of Notre Dame this fall! We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in Notre Dame, IN! We look forward to seeing your future success!
Amuda Balu
During Amuda’s time at JuSTEMagine she served as the 22-23 Co-Vice President as the Director of Curriculum. Amuda will be attending the University of Texas in the fall! She helped JuSTEMagine in multiple ways as Vice President. She assisted in managing the JuSTEMagine Board, overseeing all of JuSTEMagine's ongoing outreach, and leading the STEM curriculum team. We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in Austin, TX! You radiate so much positive energy, and will be missed!
Mona Lao
During Mona’s time at JuSTEMagine, she was the 22-23 Director of Esports. Mona oversaw JuSTEMagine's video game outreach, creating a strong foundation for future members to build off in future years. Mona will be attending the University of Nebraska Omaha in the fall! We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in Omaha, NE! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your efforts!
Aanya Mishra
During Aanya’s time at JuSTEMagine, she was the 22-23 Director of Legislative Advocacy. Aanya oversaw JuSTEMagine's efforts to advocate for increased STEM/SEL education funding through legislative advocacy. She organized and attended visits to advocate at the State Capital in Lincoln. Aanya will be attending the University of California at Berkeley in the fall! We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in Berkeley, CA! We know you are on to incredible things!
Chapter Leaders:
Victoria King
During Victoria’s time at JuSTEMagine, she was the founder of the Macon Chapter and the 22-23 Director of Outreach and Expansion. During her time here, she planned a Girls in STEM event, wrote for the Imagining Publication, planned an Out of This World STEM event, and distributed STEM kits to underprivileged kids. Her favorite memory of JuSTEMagine was planning the Out of This World STEM event! She enjoyed researching different events for kids. She says “I liked correlating robotics with space and making slides about the Mars rovers.” Victoria will be attending Dartmouth College in the fall! We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in Hanover, NH! Thank you for spreading our organization!
“I would advise future JuSTEMagine members to be in consistent communication with the other members, especially if you’re in a state other than Nebraska. communication is key to getting things done efficiently. I would also advise them to be creative when thinking of ways to teach STEAM to K-12 students. ”
Emma Crawford
During Emma’s time at JuSTEMagine, she was the Founder and President of the Louisiana Chapter. Emma will be attending Tulane University in the fall! We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in New Orleans, LA! Thank you for helping!
Ashwin Giritharan
During Ashwin’s time at JuSTEMagine, he was the Founder and President of the Basking Ridge Chapter! Ashwin will be attending Rutgers University in the fall! We are excited to see all that you accomplish in New Brunswick, NJ! Can’t wait for your future success!
Natalie Quinn
During Natalie’s time at JuSTEMagine, she was the Founder and President of the Chicago Chapter! Natalie will be attending George Washington University in the fall! We know you will do great things in Washington, DC! Keep smiling!
Thank you to all our Board members, Chapter leaders, volunteers, and more! Without you, we genuinely could not have accomplished anything! Everyone at JuSTEMagine is supporting you in your future pursuits since you're all going to do great things! Once again, congratulations to the class of 2023!
We wish you all the best Claire, Swayam, Riddhi, Serena, Amuda, Mona, Aanya, Victoria, Emma, Ashwin, and Natalie!
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