IMJR Graduates 2024-25 | Individualized & Interdisciplinary Studies Program

Individualized Major: Law and Society

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I decided to become an individualized major because I wanted the opportunity to take as many law-related courses as possible to prepare me for my future goal of attending law school. Through my individualized major, I was able to take interesting law courses outside of the Political Science Department, learning about topics like media law, philosophy of law, legal history, ethics, and accountability.

Future Plans? I am attending UConn School of Public Policy to finish my master's degree in public administration as part of their fast-track program. I also hope to apply to law school in the future!

Individualized Major: Data Science

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose an Individualized major in order to pivot to coursework I was more comfortable in, from both a student and personal perspective. I was originally a Computer Science major but felt that it didn't play to my strengths in the way I had hoped for, especially in regards to my mental health struggles. It has taught me that sometimes our plans we set for ourselves will not work out, and despite this the tools and vision for said plans don't have to be thrown out, just evolved.

Future Plans? Call me crazy, but in my life, plans (at least in a traditional sense) don't always feel like the best course of action. Our world is consistently expanding, both in breadth and depth. I don't know where I will be in 3 months let alone 3 years, but I am hoping no matter where I am, despite not knowing what path I'll take, my destination will be one that makes me happy.

Individualized Major: Sports Promotion & Entrepreneurship

Graduation Date: December 2024

Why Individualized? The individualized major allowed me to build out a major that's well-aligned to the specific field that I want to be in. The traditional marketing major would teach me the foundations of marketing, while the DMD's digital marketing major would teach me more of a digitized and social media version. By taking the same courses that would be offered in one or the other and combining those with sports courses, I feel like I've come out so much more prepared to approach a job in athletics.

Future plans? I'd love to continue building out my creative agency Nclusve. We focus on building content and branding strategies for sports, food, and lifestyle brands. I would also love to gain some experience and connections by working with either a sports agency, sports media company (ESPN, FOX, CBS, etc), or even within a league/team.

Individualized Major: Global Health

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? Creating my plan of study for my Individualized major allowed me to truly take classes that interested me and I would enjoy and be engaged in. I always wanted to do something that could lead me to a career in Bioethics, and I think by having an individualized major in Global health, I have given myself the proper foundation and background knowledge needed for that. Creating this major has also taught me to be organized and plan ahead of time.

Future Plans? I plan to attend law school with a focus on bioethics and medical law. I want to apply the knowledge I’ve gained from my global health major to help create a more ethical and inclusive healthcare system—one that ensures equal access to high-quality care for all. Before that, I’m taking a gap year to work and travel.

Individualized Major: Criminal Behavior

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose to do an individualized major to give myself a holistic experience in understanding behavior. The deeper I dive into my studies, the more I understand that everything that someone does influences their internal cognition and their external behaviors. Being an individualized major allowed me to analyze behavior from all perspectives to ultimately determine what makes people act in "criminal" ways.

Future plans? Short term, I plan to study the effects of public policy and leadership on criminology - hopefully, this will culminate in a Master's degree (or two). Long term, I hope to work in management of Federal Law Enforcement to provide and implement true equitable safety for all people that call America home.

Individualized Major: Systems Neuroscience

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? The IMJR program provided me with the opportunity to take my education into my own hands — by being able to target various fields of interest, I believe I was able to learn from a well-rounded curriculum using everything “neuro” that UConn had to offer.

Future Plans? I plan to pursue a PhD in neuroscience in the near future in order to continue working in research and maybe academia. By focusing on research, I hope to add more knowledge to the growing realm of neuroscience.

Individualized Major: The Science of Sales & Social Capital

Graduation Date: December 2025

Why Individualized? The IMJR Program at UConn allowed me to create a major that best suited my needs. This program allowed me to formulate a plan of study in direct connection with my academic desires, combining my interest in communicative tactics with the professional sales process.

Future Plans? With one more semester remaining at UConn, I plan to finalize my future plans. Experiential learning this summer should prepare me for business/sales roles. I also hope to employ what I have learned throughout this major in my future entrepreneurial endeavors.

Individualized Major: International Human Resources

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I wanted to specialize in a unique global approach to the HR landscape! As the world becomes increasingly globalized, and with more and more companies going international, I felt that it was an important niche that needed to be tapped into, to help bridge cultures together in the workplace.

Future plans? I'll be converting from temporary to full-time at my job, then saving up money to go to Japan for language school. From there, who knows!

Individualized Major: Fashion Business Inclusivity Studies

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? Designing my own major through the Individualized Major Program gave me the creative freedom to pursue what truly inspires me. With incredible support from advisors and faculty, I built a path rooted in my passions—not limited by traditional departments. The opportunity to study abroad expanded my perspective and deeply enriched my learning. This program opened space for me to explore ideas that mattered to me and showed me that I didn’t have to fit into a box—I could build something entirely my own.

Future plans? After graduation, I’m launching a gender-inclusive luxury fashion brand focused on redefining style beyond the binary. As a fashion entrepreneur, creative director, and stylist, I’m building a label that merges bold design with inclusivity, challenging industry norms and making space for authentic self-expression in high fashion. Alongside this, I’ll be developing other creative projects—including dance works, podcasts, and platforms that uplift and celebrate the queer community.

Individualized Major: Global Studies and Cultural Identities

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose the individualized major because traditional programs didn’t fully capture my interests in global studies and cultural identities. My study abroad experience then deeply reinforced this, making me even more interested in designing a path that aligns with my goals. I’m so thankful for the flexibility the IMJR program gave me to shape my education around my aspirations!

Future Plans? I’ll be joining the Geospatial Center at Yale University, where I’ll be working on Instructional Design and Production, focusing on mapping for the New Haven community and beyond, as well as content creation. In the spring, I will be applying to graduate programs in public policy to keep building on my passion for global and community-focused work.

Individualized Major: Global Health, Gender, and Reproduction

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose to create this individualized major to explore the complex intersection of gender and health from both sociological and biomedical perspectives. I wanted to better understand how gender acts as a social determinant of health and how systemic inequities shape clinical outcomes, particularly in reproductive and global health. This major allows me to bridge the gap between theory and practice through combining coursework, research, and community engagement to prepare myself for a future in medicine where I can deliver inclusive, informed, and culturally competent care.

Future Plans? I will be attending medical school this fall at UConn School of Medicine!

Individualized Major: Community and Environmental Health

Graduation Date: December 2024

Why Individualized? Throughout my freshman and sophomore years of college, I found myself wanting more than what any single or double major could give. I began as a Biology major, then an MCB and Sociology double major, but I found that the individualized major was the best way to get exactly what I wanted out of my studies.

Future plans? I am currently working at Holy Family Home and Shelter, the largest family homeless shelter in Eastern Connecticut. As I continue there, I also plan to start graduate school, either in Public Health or Social work.

Individualized Major: Global Health Studies: Society and Health

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose to pursue an individualized major because it offered the ability to explore public health through a multidisciplinary lens. This path allowed me to engage in health-focused research across various departments, including allied health, anthropology, and human development and family sciences. It allowed me to be intentional with my coursework, selecting classes that were both intellectually stimulating and fulfilling. This also helped me build strong connections with faculty and led to research opportunities such as the BOLD Women Scholarship Program.

Future Plans? I will be joining the University of Connecticut's master's program in HDFS, specializing in health, well-being, and prevention.

Individualized Major: Crime, Law, and Inequality

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose an individualized major so I could design a plan of study that not only focused on criminal law and justice but also critically examined how these systems impact marginalized groups. I wanted the flexibility to study the intersections of crime, law, and inequality through multiple disciplines including sociology, political science, and human rights. This allowed me to explore disparities in policing, prosecution, and incarceration while centering issues of race, gender, and class that traditional criminal justice programs may overlook.

Future Plans? After graduation, I plan to work within the court system for a year or two to gain hands on experience before pursuing higher education, ideally law school. I am passionate about both victim advocacy and criminal defense, with a strong interest specifically in public defense. My ultimate goal is to use my education and experience to advocate for fairness, dignity, and justice within the criminal legal system.

Individualized Major: Reproduction and Youth Health

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I wanted to take a holistic approach into medicine, and realized to do so an individualized major would be best. Therefore, I decided to do an individualized major in Reproduction and Youth Health to incorporate the humanities with the hard sciences while simultaneously learning social sciences with a research lens.

Future Plans? After graduation, this summer I will be doing an internship abroad focused on the medical field specific to maternal and youth health. Following the summer, in the fall I will be starting at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill in a Master's of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health. I am excited to spend the summer abroad learning about new cultures, health practices, and experiences, then to bring that to my master's program starting in the fall. After my master's program, I plan to go to medical school.

Individualized Major: Health Policy and Racial Disparities

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? During high school, I became knowledgeable about healthcare disparities through a capstone project. I knew that I wanted to continue this work and build my knowledge in college. However, the courses I wanted to take regarding Health Policy were in numerous schools and colleges and there was no plan of study that supported the diverse range of classes I wanted to take. So, I decided to take the UNIV 2600 course on interdisciplinary studies and create my own plan of study to support my interests. Now, I am learning about the policies that impact different groups of people through the social institution of healthcare and realities of the implications of these policies.

Future Plans? Attend medical school and open a primary care clinic!

Individualized Major: Sustainable Communities

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I experienced a sweet sense of humility and commitment in being able to create a major marked by my desires and passion. I chose to pursue an Individualized Major because, like countless other students in the program, am invigorated by learning opportunities that go beyond fulfilling educational requirements. As a life-long learner, I am forever grateful to be an Individualized Major because though we design the major, it transforms us to be permanent stakeholders in our learning.

Future plans? The core question of my major is: how do we cultivate communities that are rooted and sustained? Communities that can endure the trials and suffering of this life - whether that be environmental, social, spiritual, etc. As a practical continuation of this question, I'll work full-time with The Navigators, a Christian organization that explores faith with college students. This vocation will kick off with spending the summer staffing a cross-cultural internship in Uganda and Boston; then, I'll return to UConn in the Fall to explore spiritual realities with students. I am also exploring an opportunity to continue in the (environmental) sustainability world through community engagement. I'm beyond excited for what's to come and so grateful to the IMJR team for walking alongside me on this journey!

Individualized Major: Global Business in Health Innovation

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose to pursue an Individualized Major in "Global Business in Health Innovation" because it aligns perfectly with my passion for bridging the gap between science and business in the healthcare sector. While studying Biomedical Engineering initially, I realized I craved a broader perspective on health that could encompass both my technical expertise and strategic thinking skills. My Individualized Major has allowed me to tailor my studies to precisely fit my unique interests and career goals, integrating courses in global health, business development, and research methods. Through this specialized curriculum, I aim to become a leader in driving positive change and innovation in healthcare.

Future plans? In the future, I plan to continue my involvement with Future Health Leaders, a club I co-founded and currently serve as the vice president, as it allows me to facilitate connections and support within the healthcare community. Additionally, I will continue my role as the Chief Operating Officer of a pharmaceutical company, leveraging my experience to contribute to its growth and success. My ultimate career goal is to also be in operations, strategy, and business development within the biotechnology sector. Considering further education, I am considering pursuing an MBA to deepen my understanding of business principles and enhance my leadership skills. Looking ahead, I aspire to establish a nonprofit organization dedicated to student education or providing assistance to those in need, allowing me to give back to the community and support future generations in achieving their goals.

Individualized Major: Consumer Behavior

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? “I chose an individualized major in Consumer Behavior because I wanted the freedom to explore what really drives people’s choices, from marketing and psychology to design and retail spaces. This program allowed me to shape a path that well reflects my interests and career goals, and it’s given me the chance to study what I’m genuinely passionate about.”

Future Plans? After graduating from UConn, I’m taking some time to travel around Europe with my best friend—something we’ve been dreaming about for years. I’m excited to explore new places, relax, and get inspired before starting the next chapter of my life. When I’m back, I plan on jumping into a full-time role in interior design, where I’m looking forward to creating spaces that not only look great but also make people feel at home.

Individualized Major: Global Health, Human Rights, and Food Justice

Graduation Date: May 2025

Why Individualized? I chose my individualized major to pursue healthcare not from just the biomedical framework but also from a social and environmental understanding that acknowledges the complex social determinants of health that differentially influence the health experience across communities. Creating an individualized major allowed me to connect my passions for health equity and food justice and learn about the methods that have already been implemented to advocate for change. Through my coursework, I could build a background in the human rights framework, theory, and language that I can use to fight for health to be treated as a right; the impacts of food systems and nutrition on human and environmental health and how to counter the damages of industrial agriculture and the harms of food inequality; and how these factors manifest across countries. Through an interdisciplinary individualized major in addition to my background in molecular and cell biology, I aimed to integrate the biological with the social and environmental aspects of health and use my education as a source of power to promote health equity at both local and global scales.

Future Plans? I am applying to medical school in hopes of becoming a primary care physician. I hope to continue being involved with health advocacy, community health initiatives, and global health in addition to providing clinical care. I plan advocate for legislative changes that increase access to Medicaid healthcare for undocumented patients and hope to volunteer for organizations locally and globally to expand access to healthcare.

2025 IMJR End of Year Celebration

Jordan Aeschlimann

Matthew Batterton

Makenzie Cossette

Steve Daigle

Zachary Demanche

Ioannis Doukas

Matthew Elliott

Nicholas English

Melanie Ford

Isabella Gonzalez

Catherine Grenier

Justin Guinta

Jordan Howe

Medha Illindala

Ishrat Khan

Karen Lau

Ryan Lipinski

Lucas Lloyd

Kevin Ly

Ahmya Mccoy

Ahona Mukherjee

Yelena Muralles

Claire Murphy

Honor Neal

Lydia Nyarko

Deon Portes

Herbert Pramono

Lourdes Richards

Isabella Rubin

Benjamin Russell

Krithika Santhanam

Sydney Seldon

Sophie Takmopoulos

Alexandra Torres-Munoz

Antonia Tzepos

Mariam Vargas

Samantha Wakely

Grace Xiong