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Chloe Mayhew ’22 is pretty much unstoppable. From vice president of the Lambda Sigma Honor Society to representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to delegate for the Model United Nations team, she’s always looking ahead—and she says it comes from her parents. “I am a first-generation student within my immediate family, and every day I wake up thankful for the fact that I am attending an incredible four-year university, studying a field that I am very passionate about,” Chloe told us.

Initially, she was recruited by Kayte Kinsley, assistant athletics director and head field hockey coach, to play field hockey for Pace. It was her “commitment to the team” that inspired Chloe to attend, not to mention the location. “Pleasantville is just a short train ride away from New York City,” Chloe explained to us. “[It’s] a land of opportunity for professions in international relations.”

Joining the Pace field hockey team ended up being a perfect fit. “I have never before been a part of such a unique group of talented young women who share a passion for hard work, dedication, and loyalty to the team’s success,” Chloe said. “Our program is very young, as Pace Field Hockey played their very first season just 2015, and we have already achieved so much in such a short period of time, including a trip to the 2018 DII National Championships Festival during my freshman season.”

And travel is something Chloe has been doing long before she came to Pace. In high school, she participated in the People to People Student Ambassador Program, which offers one-of-a-kind travel opportunities to students. “From living with an Italian family in La Spezia, to making paella with professional chefs in Barcelona, this experience opened my eyes to this amazing world around me,” Chloe told us. It was what ultimately inspired her to major in global studies. “I became obsessed with learning about and comparing the different regions of the world, understanding the values of individual cultures, and comparing them to my own.”

That determination and deep respect for global affairs caught the eye of the Millennium Fellow committee last year, a prestigious honor of which Chloe was recognized. “It is truly a privilege to work alongside such motivated, like-minded, and kind-hearted intellectuals from across the globe that make up our Class of 2020,” she enthused. “I have every intention to make the most of this wonderful opportunity before me.”

We’re excited to hear more about Chloe’s many future successes as she completes her degree here at Pace. And she’s certainly keeping busy! Chloe recounted her 2020 New Years with us, which she celebrated on another continent. “I was visiting one of my teammates, Grace Henderson, who is a goalie on the Pace Field Hockey team,” she explained. “Over winter break, a few of my teammates and I took a trip to Australia where we met up with Grace and some of her local friends, and together we rented a 12-seater van and did the Great Ocean Road trip across Southern Australia.”

Biology and health science major Lara Ellentuck ’22 has been an animal lover from a very young age. “Growing up, I always had at least two pets by my side,” she told us. “This led me to discover a deep connection and motivation toward helping all animal species.”

It seemed only natural that she would come to launch the Pre-Veterinary Club at Pace, an organization dedicated to promoting veterinary medicine and creating a space where students can share their love of animals. “[We] provide members with opportunities in the veterinary medical profession,” she went on to explain. Most recently, they rolled out all new ways to get involved like discussions, workshops, trivia, and more.

Lara’s definitely qualified for this work, too. She’s interned at a local animal hospital as a veterinary assistant, an experience that left a profound effect on her. “[It] allowed me to get a glimpse of my future career,” she explained. “One day, I hope to teach students as my mentors taught me—with an open heart and an open mind to learning respect for every animal.” She’s looking forward to gaining even more clinical experience by volunteering and interning at local animal shelters and hospitals as well, even if COVID-19 put a brief hold on her plans.

“Since the pandemic started at the end of my sophomore year, all of my internship plans fell through,” Lara said. But she’s keeping her options open. “Currently, I am still searching for opportunities to gain experience with animals.” We know that she’ll land exactly what she wants!

In the meantime, Lara is working in the Pace mailroom as an assistant. Before that, she was a research assistant for the College of Health Professions—all big jobs when you’re also juggling classes and assignments, not to mention running a brand new student organization. It’s a lot of work for one person, but Lara is nothing if not incredibly driven and positive when it comes to what she wants.

After completing her undergraduate degree next year, Lara told us she plans on taking a gap year before heading off to attain the veterinary school requirement of 500 hours. “I am a big believer that everything happens for a reason,” she told us. “I hope that this gap year will allow me to work in the veterinary industry and grow to love my passion even more.”

We’re excited to follow Lara’s career and work in advocating for animal welfare! Be sure to check out all the latest events and opportunities from the Pre-Veterinary Club this month. All majors are welcome—the only requirement is that you have a love and respect for animals. The team is also on Instagram, Facebook, SetterSync, and their very own website. Give them a follow!

Content warning: brief mention of domestic violence and child abuse in the context of law.

Daniella Harris ’21 has made it her life’s work to advocate for others. She’s considered becoming everything from a doctor to a veterinarian to even a singer—all ambitious jobs that serve others in some way. Her plans really solidified, though, when she neared the end of her high school career.

“I knew that I wanted to be a lawyer from the moment I started the college application process,” Harris explained. “When Pace offered me an opportunity to complete my bachelor’s degree and my juris doctorate in six years instead of seven, I jumped at the opportunity—and here I am.” Harris is talking about Pace’s Criminal Justice BS/Juris Doctorate JD combined degree program, an opportunity to immerse oneself in criminal justice while applying that expertise to law.

What inspired her to pursue law in the first place? “My father, who is my hero and role model, had dreams to be a lawyer. He never graduated high school, [so he] went back years later to get his GED, and then obtained his college degree.” Due to health reasons, his plan of continuing on to law school didn’t pan out. He encouraged Harris to look into researching whether the field was right for her, and the rest is history. “Being a lawyer would give me the opportunity to stand up for others and let their voice be heard,” she said. A noble pursuit indeed.

Harris found plenty of opportunities to get exposed to what working as a lawyer might entail. In particular, Lecturer Maryellen Martirano’s class, “System Response to Domestic Violence and Child Abuse,” was like stepping into an episode of Law and Order: SVU. “Professor Martirano was a special victims prosecutor for almost 20 years, and she incorporated her [...] experience into the class.”

Through audio and digital recordings, actual crime scene photos, and guest visits from experts in the field, Harris was inspired to consider becoming a special victims unit prosecutor herself someday. “I am still unsure of the type of law that I want to pursue,” Harris admitted. “However, because of this class, I am planning to intern at the Domestic Violence unit at the Westchester County’s District Attorney’s office.”

She recently started interning for the Hillels of Westchester, which is part of the largest Jewish campus organization in the world. There, Harris has been working with the Ruderman Inclusion Program helping to promote disability inclusion on the Pleasantville Campus. “I like to think of Pace as a melting pot of different people and cultures, and so it is important that we include everyone,” she said.

This is a subject that’s very close to home for Harris, who recently wrote an incredibly moving feature published in The Forward about her experience as a woman with hearing loss. “I think it is extremely important to recognize that everyone, whether they have a disability or not, is a human person.”

When she approaches students and faculty members as a Ruderman Ambassador, Harris said she asks if they know anyone who has a disability. The common response? They do. “It is essential to [realize] that 20% of the population has a disability, and this statistic doesn’t [just] include people with a physical or visible disability. In other words: more people than you think can have a disability.”

If there’s one thing Harris would like more people to understand, it’s this: “A disability is not a disability, but rather an ability because it gives you the opportunity to prove people wrong.”

Cristina Fonte ’21 started teaching long before she ever set foot on the Pleasantville Campus. “I forced my family to play ‘school’ every afternoon with me,” she explained, having corralled her brother and parents to sit at imaginary desks just so she could assign them homework when she was just a child.

As Fonte grew up, her passion for teaching only grew stronger—as did her interest in pursuing leadership roles. She became an assistant at her dance studio helping to teach classes and, in her senior year of high school, she interned at an elementary school. That experience was what convinced her to consider childhood education as a major, which ultimately led her to Pace.

Pace students who pursue a major in education get the chance to start teaching in their third year. That’s not the case at many other universities, where students start teaching in their fourth year. Fonte says that was a big reason why she ultimately chose to attend. “Getting into the field a year earlier makes all the difference when I am applying for jobs,” she told us. “Knowing that I am going to have more experience working in classrooms is what will make me a better candidate for jobs in the future.”

Continuing on that same path, Fonte joined the Future Educators Association (FEA) upon arriving at Pace, and as of this year, she was named vice president. “I wanted to take on a greater role in inspiring future educators,” Fonte explained. They hold meetings to discuss current events, invite guest speakers, and play games—all to create a tight-knit support system. “Becoming a teacher, especially in today’s world, is a very scary thing. Having this club as a support system is a great way [for us] to talk each other through our fears and overcome obstacles.”

It was that sense of camaraderie that inspired Fonte to volunteer her time for Pace 4 Kids (P4K), an all-day dance marathon benefitting children treated at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Her brother was recently a patient there, and the experience had a profound effect on her. “He had blood work and testing done, medication, surgeries, and therapy—and with this care came great expenses,” Fonte said. “My family and I know what it is like to have the burden of medical bills on our shoulders, and I wanted to do everything in my power to help other people who are in that same situation.”

She’s done that and more by not only continuing to volunteer for P4K, but also becoming its president as of this year. Fonte welcomed guest speakers and patients from the hospital who shared their stories, which she said “gave everyone a perspective as to who is directly impacted by the money we work so hard to raise.”

What’s her advice to aspiring educators? “Remember why you decided to become a teacher in the first place. There are going to be days that seem impossible to get through. Maybe you will have a parent-teacher conference that didn’t go so well, or a bad observation. Don’t let those obstacles cloud your view of what your goal is: to educate and better the lives of your students.”

If you know Danielle Gehrlein ’21, you know she’s always had a passion for teaching. She’s a representative of student affairs for Pace’s School of Education (SOE), a consultant at the Writing Center, and she even volunteered in Ghana through the Play and Learn Foundation last summer to teach English and math. But her love for education began when she first started working with children—as a child herself.

“I began working with kids when I was ten years old by helping out a teacher in a preschool classroom. From there, my love for working with young children was born,” Gehrlein told us. Talk about a vocation! Eventually, she earned teaching assistant positions at two daycare facilities while in high school, working her way up to the upper elementary and middle school bracket. “I immediately found myself connecting with [my students] on a whole new level,” she enthused, and from that moment on, Gehrlein shifted her focus to teaching older students.

While she knew early on that she wanted to pursue childhood education as a major, it took Gehrlein some time before she found a college that felt right to her. “When I was touring colleges as a prospective student, my older friends always told me that when I found the school for me, I would feel it.  However, I didn’t believe them because after touring what seemed like hundreds of institutions, none of them stuck out to me.” Until she visited the Pleasantville Campus, that is. “There was something about its welcoming atmosphere that drew me in, [and] I fell more in love with what the school had to offer.”

Gehrlein has taken advantage of every opportunity available to her while at Pace, becoming an incredibly active representative of SOE. She’s also been lending her skills to the Writing Center since her second year, a position she was all too happy to talk about. “I have always loved writing, and tutoring students at Pace’s Writing Center is a way to help them improve and for me to put my passion to use,” Gehrlein explained.

Utilizing her passion for a higher purpose is something she’s been committed to since she was very young. “I began doing volunteer outreach projects [in] impoverished areas in Africa when I was in middle school,” she told us. “This is how I learned that the education children in Ghana receive is severely lacking. Knowing this, I felt I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing about it, so I made the decision right then that I would one day make it there to help.” And she absolutely did.

Through the Play and Learn Foundation, Gehrlein got the chance to volunteer in Ghana, tutoring young children English and mathematics and even helping the foundation operate their Mobile Library to improve literacy. She wrote about the experience on SOE’s blog, and we strongly encourage the read. Gehrlein's work truly exemplifies her passion for going above and beyond as an educator.

She’s also looking to continue traveling—a fact not many people know about her. “I have the travel bug now, and really [want] to go backpacking through Europe!” We can’t wait to see where Gehrlein’s passion for teaching takes her next.

Nicole Pivetti ’21 is always on the move. She’s a student-athlete and member of Pace’s volleyball team, training more than 20 hours per week on top of her part-time job—all while maintaining a 3.62 GPA. “My biggest motivation are my parents,” she explained. “I see how hard-working they are and I try to be as independent as I can [by] earning my own money. I use my planner a lot and I try not to procrastinate.”

That attention to detail and exceptional skill in organization has certainly paid off. Pivetti is majoring in international management at the Lubin School of Business, a subject she took a step further by pursuing higher education in another country. She grew up in Italy, and knew early on that she wanted to study in the US. “I wanted to [meet] new people, make new experiences, and have more opportunities for my future,” she told us about the decision.

Pivetti is an avid sports enthusiast, having played volleyball since middle school. When it came time to choose a university, she knew she wanted to continue her involvement in the world of athletics. “I decided to send videos of me playing volleyball to some coaches around the US,” she said. “My coach liked me and asked me to be part of the volleyball team so, here I am!” Karrin Moore is that coach, having just celebrated her 10-year anniversary at the helm of Pace’s volleyball team. She was also recently profiled by Pace Magazine.

“My favorite thing about volleyball is that it is not an individual sport,” Pivetti continued. “In order to win, the team has to play together. Our motto is ‘Do it for your teammates!’” And her dedication to Pace Athletics doesn’t stop there. Pivetti has also worked as a facilities assistant at the Goldstein Fitness Center, helping to organize and host special events, provide timely customer service at the front desk, and much more.

Currently, she’s interning a second time for international fashion company Max Mara, working out of their headquarters right here in NYC. Pivetti started out as a showroom sales assistant last year, and landed yet another position this year as a wholesale sales assistant supporting the brand manager. “I absolutely love interning at Max Mara,” she enthuses. “In [the] future, I hope to be a brand manager for a fashion luxury brand and be able to travel back and forth between the US and Italy.”

With her background in business, fluency in multiple languages, and keen eye for fashion, we know Pivetti has a bright future ahead of her. We can’t wait to see where she ends up next!

Brianna Adkins ’21 is at the intersection of two disciplines: communications and technology, and she’s paving the way for others with her fresh take on harnessing the power of media to make the world a better place. It comes as no surprise, then, that she’s taken advantage of everything Pace has to offer since coming here.

“My education at this University has opened doors for numerous encounters, job opportunities, and internships, and I can’t wait to see what I accomplish in the future,” Adkins told us. But it wasn’t all a walk in the park. “I have the opportunities to succeed, but they won’t fall in my lap. I have to fight and hustle for every chance to be a better student, editor, and communicator.” And she certainly has. Adkin’s list of accomplishments are extensive; from founding Pretty Smart magazine to being interviewed by Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls to attending and teaching at Kode with Klossy camp, her schedule is jam-packed. She even finds time to write for The Pace Press (and intern for them!) as well as Seidenberg’s blog, two well-known publications right here at Pace.

But despite her impressive writing credentials, Adkins ultimately didn’t focus on that particular subject when choosing a major. “I knew I wanted to explore options other than writing,” she told us, having started out as a Digital Journalism major on the Pleasantville Campus before settling on Communication Studies—on the New York City Campus. “[It] was definitely a transition, because I felt like it was freshman year all over again, but [...] my new major has opened up a brighter chapter for me. I’ve been studying media theories, how media impacts society, and so much more.”

Adkins is no stranger to using media as a tool to advocate for positive change. She launched Pretty Smartmagazine in high school as a means to promote body positivity through featuring women and girls of all different shapes and sizes. “I have the opportunity to highlight individuals who give others the guidance and encouragement to be better people,” Adkins enthused. “Whether it’s women who are leaders in STEM, journalists who cover positive or groundbreaking news, or activists who activate social change, I have the platform to give them a voice.”

It was through the work of another platform, Kode with Klossy, that Adkins was able to amplify her own voice. She’s worked for supermodel and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss as a teaching assistant at her coding camp, where she also attended. There, Adkins was featured alongside other Kode with Klossy scholars in a Wix commercial, went to a runway show in St. Louis, and met former Teen Vogue Chief Content Editor and current Out Editor-in-Chief Phillip Picardi. “I will always be grateful to Karlie and the Kode with Klossy community for the opportunities they’ve opened up to me,” she said.

Through her involvement at Seidenberg writing for their blog, Adkins continues to hone her tech savvy skills—and engage with others in the field. “I’ve interviewed students who are at the forefront of innovation through their positions at Pace’s Design Factory, those who are presidents of Seidenberg organizations, and others who are building incredible applications on their own or within groups,” she told us.

Perhaps all of this might seem strange for someone so talented with the written word, and yet, the two subjects aren’t so different to Adkins. “I love code because it’s the language of technology,” she explained. “With knowledge of coding, you have the opportunity to build applications and websites that can do so much good. I’ve used coding in jobs, for the Pretty Smart website, and [for] other occasions.” We foresee an incredibly bright future for Adkins, not to mention all the people she will continue to inspire throughout her career.

Nicole Ojeda ’21 grew up with a mind for business. As early as 14 years of age, she was working in a local eatery in her small town on Long Island. “I had many responsibilities and through them, I learned to appreciate the strategic management of a successful business.” Picking her major, then, was an easy decision. It was just a question of where she would lend her developing business talents.

The first in her family to go to college, Ojeda chose Pace for Lubin’s location at the heart of the business world and their “methods of merging business theories with business practices,” in her words. But she also chose Pace for the people. “The students, faculty and staff here [...] have a true desire to help one another pursue their true passions by collaborating with each other, leaving their comfort zones, and also motivating one another along the way,” she told us.

In keeping with her major of international management, Ojeda has secured an incredible amount of experience in high-level positions on the NYC Campus. She’s the executive secretary of Sabor Latino, executive president for the Student Government Association, vice president of Urban Sound, former intern at She’s the First, student leader at Bank of America, and she’s learned a lot. “When it comes to leadership, it is incredibly important to be self-aware, let go of any facades or hidden agendas, portray confidence, have good intentions, appreciate people’s differences, and create a safe and trusting space that will enthuse those one works with,” Ojeda explained.

“These methods end up building a two-way trust system that has proven to be successful in my experience,” she said, noting that identifying and building the strengths of her individual team members on any given project as another important factor in how she approaches managing her peers.

Ojeda’s eye for unique opportunities began early in her academic career at Pace. She auditioned for Urban Sound, the first-ever dance team on the NYC Campus to incorporate all cultures, when she was just a first-year student. “I was nervous yet excited. I’m glad I put my worries [aside] because I made the team.” It was only after a few weeks into that first semester on the team that Urban Sound needed a new Vice President, and Ojeda eagerly stepped up to fill the role. “Not only did I click with the members instantly, but the team became my creative outlet, my happy place, and eventually, my family.”

After joining the executive board, Urban Sound’s membership jumped from a minimum of five to a staggering 35 students. “Dance has always been a part of who I am,” Ojeda said. “My family has always embedded music and dance into all aspects of our life. Being of Afro-Colombian decent, naturally, our history is rich with dance.”

Her family is truly rich with history—she’s half-Mexican, half-Colombian, and the first in her family to be born in the US. Ojeda is fluent in English and Spanish, speaks French, and even knows conversational Italian. It’s no wonder that she was selected for a coveted spot at Bank of America as one of their student leaders where, at one point, they flew her and 220 other students to a summit in Washington, DC.

“It was an amazing experience because I realized that this program was not based on GPA, it was based on the quality of the people we were and who we were about to become in our future,” Ojeda said. “I can honestly say I wouldn’t be the leader I am today had I not attended this conference and met all those amazing students.”

We look forward to hearing about Ojeda’s many accomplishments to come.

John Carlo Bautista ’21 has cultivated an impressive set of skills in his time at Pace. He’s worked in compliance at Morgan Stanley, offered technical support at Apple, interned at the Westchester County Board of Legislators, and much more. That’s three different industries! Not to mention his work with Pace Mart, the student-run grab-and-go store on the Pleasantville Campus.

He knew about Pace well before he began making his mark here, though. Bautista’s mother attended, having studied on both the New York City and Pleasantville campuses, so he had a unique perspective when deciding where to apply. “I chose the Pleasantville campus since I was from New York City, and [I] wanted a change of scenery,” he explained. What made him stay, however, were two crucial things: the scholarships that were available, and the “many different people from different backgrounds [I met] through Pace organizations.”

Finance seemed like a natural fit as well when choosing a major. “I have always enjoyed working with numbers and data,” Bautista told us. But it was the Great Recession that swept the US in 2008 that inspired him to pursue finance as a career. “If I can, I would love to work to help prevent as large of a recession as the one we saw 10 years ago.” Not one to stop there, he took on a minor in information technology, having chosen it “as a result of my interest in electronics from childhood and in how computers function.”

Utilizing his skills across several disciplines, Bautista began working both as a Lubin student ambassador as well as an associate at Pace Mart. He’s now the HR Manager, having risen the ranks to his current role where he works directly with many of his peers. “I am passionate about mentorship,” Bautista said. “There are many Lubin students who have a lot of potential, but do not know about the many opportunities Pace offers or how to go about pursuing them.” That’s why he goes out of his way to help others, just like others have helped him. They “[help] each other out [...] finding internships and jobs, and selecting the correct courses.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that Bautista has exercised his civic duty and pursued internships in the political sphere. He’s managed two campaigns for city council as well as a school board, and even worked for the Westchester County Board of Legislators. That experience in particular changed his perspective when the chairman offered some sage advice: “‘You have no permanent friends. No permanent enemies. Only permanent interests.’” Bautista agrees. “Many people who, in the beginning, I would have never aligned myself with, I ended up working with later in politics. I also learned that it is important to ensure you always surround yourself with good people.”

Bautista has big plans for the future. He’s interested in working on Wall Street after graduation in compliance or risk management. “I am interested in looking at what kind of mechanisms financial institutions have in place to ensure that business conducted is not too risky [or] compromising of the financial security of individuals,” he told us, going on to explain, “Once mastering that, I plan to work full-time in politics either consulting or running for office myself to [ensure] individuals looking to run for office are successful.”

There is no doubt in our minds that Bautista will achieve everything he wants and more. We can’t wait to see where his achievements take him next!

You’ve probably seen Connor Morgan ’21 around the NYC Campus. As a communication studies major, he’s eagerly immersed himself in student life by taking on a wide variety of jobs, most notably as a cinematographer for Pace’s University Relations (UR) department. He was even named the Student Spirit Award Winner for 2019—and he has some serious Setter pride. Initially, though, he wasn’t so certain about applying to Pace. That changed pretty quickly.

“It wasn’t the spaces, the residence halls, or my major that [...] attracted me to it. It was the people I met,” Morgan said, having attended a PaceBound event when he was still in high school. “Every professor I spoke to, member of staff I passed by, and every student I had any kind of interaction with truly seemed so happy to be here. For me, Pace was the only place I saw myself truly succeeding.”

He nearly left mid-semester in his first year, however, when his small business began to take off. Morgan is an exceptionally gifted cinematographer, having launched 18 Mile Media when he was still in high school. But one last-minute decision “would literally change my life,” he told us, explaining that he applied to be an Orientation Leader—ten minutes before the deadline. Needless to say, Morgan was accepted. “It has opened up an incredible amount of doors for me, [and] it’s how UR found me and how I got so involved on campus,” he said.

Since then, Morgan has held numerous positions on the NYC Campus. He’s been a Pace Abroad Leader (PAL) tour guide, an Educational Media technician, and most recently, as a cinematographer for UR. “They had been working to introduce President Krislov, who was entering his second year here, to the Pace Community in a fun and light way. That’s where I came in.” Morgan worked on several videos since, including an ongoing five-part Pace Path campaign highlighting the program’s many unique opportunities. The internships portion was published just last spring.

“It’s my first time taking the lead on a large-scale project like this,” he enthused. Morgan is not only the cinematographer on the Pace Path campaign, but also a producer. Of all his projects with the University, he noted the Convocation 2019 video as one of his favorites to make. “It was so much fun to make, and really got the Class of 2023 ready for a fun two days. It was exciting to see how many parents and students spoke about it after it debuted.”

These days, Morgan is incredibly busy. His wedding videography business is booming, and it’s quite different compared to the work he does for Pace. “Weddings fall into a category [that] I like to call ‘event coverage,’” he explained. “You [can] have an idea of what you want to make in the editing room, but all you can really do is shoot the best you can and nail everything on the first try. There are no retakes on the wedding day.” He spends time crafting the narrative after he works a wedding, whereas for Pace, “it’s a little more lax. We can make our talent feel comfortable, and we have a pretty solid idea of what the final product will look like before we even start shooting.”

We’re certain Morgan’s diverse skill set and inspiring enthusiasm will lead him to endless opportunities in the future. He’s even giving back by awarding scholarships to other students, something he’s passionate about because “I wanted to give back to my high school by sharing just a little bit of my success, and to let them know that no matter how big they get, the community will always support them.”