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Lily Aucoin
Lily is a senior majoring in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry with a concentration in medicine. She grew up in Golden, Colorado and Houston, Texas. Lily has been doing gymnastics since the age of 3 and is a part of the varsity gymnastics team at Yale. She is a leader for Athletes in Action, a counselor for Camp Kesem, works as a certified nurse’s assistant, and volunteers at Yale New Haven Hospital as a Eucharstic minister.
In her free time, Lily enjoys hanging out with friends outside, going to Trader Joe’s and Costco, hanging out at Saint Thomas More, watching the same movies on repeat, and building legos! She likes dogs, hiking (especially in the Rockies), and Italian food! JE SUX!
Lily’s $0.02: Make the most of your time at Yale! Yale has so much to offer both academically and socially, and I would encourage everyone to really take advantage of it. Take that hard class or the one that sounds super interesting and get to know your professors! Get involved in various clubs or groups on campus and immerse yourself in those communities. Build and nurture the relationships you make in those communities; we were not made to do this alone!
Jennifer Centa
Jennifer (she/her) is a senior from South Carolina studying Statistics & Data Science, with certificates in Japanese and Education Studies. She spent a gap year studying at a university in Tokyo, fully funded through Yale’s Light Fellowship. On campus, she’s been heavily involved with the Yale International Relations Association, organizing educational leadership programs and Model UN conferences in Taiwan, Europe, and right here in New Haven. She’s also part of the Japanese American Student Union, served as a Peer Liaison for the Asian American Cultural Center (AACC), and spent three years as a Yale & You counselor supporting incoming FGLI students. In her free time, she bakes (subtle flex: she and her suitemates won last year’s JE Bake-Off), is getting back into reading for pleasure (please send book recs!), crochets, drinks too much matcha from the Elm, and enjoys attending productions on campus. She cannot wait to meet the Class of 2030 and welcome them to the best college on campus! JE SUX!
Jennifer’s $0.02: Yale is FULL of resources, but it’s on you to seek them out and advocate for yourself!! We’re always here to point you in the right direction, but honestly, the friendships and moments of clarity you’ll stumble into over these next few years will probably be some of the most chaotic and rewarding of your life. Lean on your FroCo, your Dean, your professors, your PIs, ask questions even when it feels intimidating, and let people help you. Push yourself to try things that scare you a little, you never know what you’ll end up loving. You belong here, and whatever you dreamed your Yale experience could be, you deserve to actually live it out.
Braeden Cullen
Braeden (he/him) is a Computer Science major who grew up in Barrington, Illinois, where he, along with his two younger brothers, raised an ever-changing cast of animals including frogs, bees, and chickens! On campus, he has led many a first-year into the wilderness as a FOOT leader and served as a Walden peer counselor. He is also involved in building Mars rovers with the Yale Undergraduate Aerospace Organization, whipping up delicious smoothies in the JE buttery, and conducting robotics research. In his downtime, you’ll find him listening to music, throwing pottery, working out at Payne Whitney, visiting the YUAG (right next to JE!), or hanging with friends in the Elm. He can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2030 to JE- go Spiders!
Braeden’s $0.02: Yale is truly a magical place of infinite opportunity, a blessing that in the same moment can be a source of anxiety. I would encourage students to ground themselves in the activities that bring them joy and to be intentional about maintaining those little habits or rituals that keep them feeling like themselves. Try everything, but stay true to yourself!
Andre Fa’aoso
Andre is a proud New Zealand-born Tongan from Auckland majoring in Ethics, Politics, and Economics. He has served as Events Director for the Indigenous Peoples of Oceania group at Yale, as Podcast Editor at the Yale Daily News, and as an Under-Secretary-General of Committees for YMUN Taiwan and Korea. His passion for journalism has been a guiding force during his time at Yale; as a Yale Journalism Scholar, he has interned at news outlets in his home country as a host, newsreader, and international correspondent. In his free time, he enjoys runs to East Rock with friends, binge-watching the latest box set or docu-series, or jamming out to house music, especially Kaytranada. He’s proud of the communities he represents and enjoys learning about different cultures and hearing about others’ lived experiences.
Andre’s $0.02: Commit to things that make you happy! Yale is so diverse that there’s likely a group or team that caters to your passions, so sign up and immerse yourself. For people who come from afar in particular, staying connected to the things that tie you to home makes the distance a lot less difficult. It’s often where you’ll find your real support network and lifelong friends.
Ethan Hsu
Ethan (he/him) grew up in Plainview, New York, just a short train ride away from NYC. He is majoring in Chemistry and Ethics, Politics, and Economics with a certificate in Global Health Studies. At Yale, he has represented students as Finance Director of the Yale College Council and on the Student Advisory Council at Yale Health. Outside of this, he has conducted research across the university: geopolitics at the Law School, wet lab work at the School of Medicine, and economics at The Budget Lab. He’s also a part of the Taiwanese American Society and the AACC. In Ethan’s free time, he enjoys making music with friends, ranting on Substack, and skateboarding. He is so excited to meet and welcome all the new frosh to JE and Yale!
Ethan’s $0.02: Try everything, especially the things you’d never have picked for yourself. Some of what I care about most now, I walked into with no intention of liking. Explore widely, then hone in and give your time to what you’d still care about in April without overcommitting. And lean on the people around you while you figure it out, us included, as we’ll always be your biggest supporters through it all!
Farrah Muhammad
Farrah (she/her) is a senior majoring in Black Studies. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, she now calls Phoenix, Arizona home. During her time at Yale, she has served as President of the Generational African American Students Association (GAASA) and the Yale Black Pre-Law Association (YBPLA). She has also volunteered with YUPP, YSASCA, and New Haven REACH. In addition, she has worked at the Yale Women’s Center and as a Writing Partner at the Poorvu Center. Farrah is also a proud initiate of the Pi Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Outside of school, she loves reading, drinking far too much coffee, and jogging. Farrah is so excited to serve as a FroCo and can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2030 to the JE family!
Farrah’s $0.02: First year can be a huge adjustment. Yale has so much to offer, and I encourage you to explore as much as you can at a pace that feels sustainable for you. Just as important as trying new courses, extracurriculars, and opportunities is learning about yourself and what it means to take care of yourself in a place like Yale. Embrace every opportunity to learn, both inside and outside the classroom. Yale is an incredible place for growth in every sense of the word!
Catalina Ossmann
Catalina (she/her) grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and is a Cognitive Science major studying the embodied and social influences on decision-making while pursuing the pre-med track. When she’s not hanging out in Upper Taft with her fellow Spiders, you can find her singing alto II with the Yale Glee Club! She has been a member of the Glee Club for the past three years, spent two of them as Social Chair, and is now excitedly planning the 2027 Winter Tour.
Outside of the Glee Club, her world revolves around medicine and the science of movement. She directs Patient Services at HAVEN Free Clinic, researches motor memory in the McDougle Lab, and shadows in orthopedic and pediatric surgery at Yale. She also volunteers with the Adams Neuroscience Center, where she is helping to develop a caregiver program for those with Parkinson’s disease—work that sits at the heart of her interest in movement, agency, and what medicine can restore. She’s also been a FOOT leader for the past two years and has her sights set on hiking the Presidential Range before graduation! This past summer, she worked with FIFA Medical and managed to catch at least part of all 104 World Cup matches, making her the self-proclaimed biggest soccer fan. She’s on the JE College Council and has also served on the YCC Events and Pre-Health teams, so come to her with any and all questions!
When she’s not doing any of that, you’ll probably find her in the JE gym, taking long walks through East Rock, hunting down a new coffee shop, or listening to anything Olivia Dean-adjacent. Catalina thinks JE is the best residential college—totally unbiased, of course—and can’t wait to meet the Class of 2030!
Catalina’s $0.02: Invest in your residential college. JE is the best college for a reason—we’re a tight-knit community, and the more you put into it, the more you’ll get back. Learn the dining hall staff’s names, play soccer with people you’ve never met in the courtyard, stop by Head Saltzman’s office hours, and grab coffee with Dean Robles. These moments might seem small, but they’re the ones that make JE feel like home. Most importantly, invest in your fellow first-years. Knock on doors, sit with someone new at dinner, and say yes to things, even when you’re tired. You’ll look back on your first year and be so glad you did. Some of my closest friends are fellow Spiders (shoutout Suite 16!), and they have made my Yale experience richer than I ever could have imagined.
Sofia Prieto Black
Sofia (she/her) was born and raised in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where she spent the first ten years of her life before moving to Oakland, California; she now calls Amsterdam home! She is majoring in Environmental Studies with a self directed concentration in Corporate Sustainability and is pursuing an Energy Studies Certificate. Moving through different cultures taught Sofia to pay attention to what people carry with them: their stories, values, fears, humor, and hopes. She is where she is today because of the people who raised, supported, and believed in her, and that has made community one of the things she values most. Connection brings her genuine joy because it is how she gives back what she has been given: warmth, care, light, and the feeling of being truly seen.
Growing up, Sofia watched tourism transform the coastlines and communities she called home, which made her realize that the stories we tell determine who and what we choose to protect, what we question, and what futures we imagine to be possible. While studying abroad in Sydney, Australia, last fall, she solidified this very passion for storytelling and the environment. That awareness sparked her want to create media that not only reveals the urgency of environmental challenges but also inspires true and genuine care, curiosity, and meaningful action.
At Yale, Sofia is a FOOT leader, works at the Yale Center for Business and the Environment, helps organize the Yale Environmental Film Festival, and can often be found working late night shifts at the JE Buttery. She has also loved serving the JE community through the Yale College Council as the college’s first year, sophomore, and junior representative. In her free time, you’ll probably find her swimming at PWG, embarking on an unnecessary side quest with friends, staying up way too late chatting, or having a mini dance party!
JE has been a place filled with so much love and laughter, and she cannot wait to help make it that for the Class of 2030!
Sofia’s $0.02: Be yourself. Your sparkle, your light, your warmth – they’re irreplaceable. As you navigate this new chapter, remember that you are here because of who YOU are. Don’t be afraid to let people see that. The friendships, opportunities, and moments that you will hold so close to your heart and will shape your Yale experience, won’t come from trying to be anyone else – they’ll grow from leaning into exactly what makes you, YOU!!!!!