VCU Service-learning program undergraduate assistants
Misha Adams 
E-mail: adamsmm@vcu.edu
Misha is a junior at VCU majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Marketing and Spanish. This year Misha is assisting Virginia Casanova in the FRLG 490/INTL 492: New Communities Internship service-learning course.
Galen Canhan
E-mail: canhamga@vcu.edu
Galen is a senior at VCU majoring in Urban Studies and Geography and minoring in Environmental Studies. She grew up in Newport, Rhode Island and has worked in construction and house painting. She is currently an intern at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. This year Galen is assisting Kim Gower in the MGMT 325: Organizational Communication service-learning course.
Elle Chang
E-mail: changel@vcu.edu
Elle is a senior at VCU majoring in Political Science and International Studies. She is from Charlottsville, loves biking and has traveled extensively around Asia. Elle is the vice president of Green Unity for VCU, the only environmental group on campus, and has interned with Refugee and Immigration Services. This year Elle is assisting Cindy Kissel-Ito in the RELS 340/INTL 341: Global Ethics and World Religions service-learning course.
Holly Guelig
E-mail: gueligha@vcu.edu
Holly is a senior at VCU in Psychology and a member of Psi Chi. She has been a mentor for at-risk children at Camp Westview on the James, has volunteered for SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) and has traveled to Guatemala to help build stores for Mayan communities. This year, Holly is assisting Grant Warren in the CRJS 352: Crime and Delinquency Prevention service-learning course.
Calesha Hayes
E-mail: hayescw@vcu.edu
Calesha is a senior at VCU majoring in Psychology. Calesha grew up in Newport News, Virginia and has volunteered in a Richmond hospital in the maternity department and completed a child psychology service-learning course. This year Calesha is assisting Gaye Cutchins in the SOCY 336/WMNS 336: Violence against Women service-learning course.
Dennis (Toure) King.jpg)
E-mail: kingdt@vcu.edu
Toure is a senior at VCU majoring in Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness and Criminal Justice. He is a member of VCU’s NAACP Chapter and believes in the power of community engagement to save lives. This year, Toure is assisting Cindy Kissel-Ito in the RELS 340/INTL 341: Global Ethics and World Religions service-learning course.
Jason Lasica
E-mail: lasicajr@vcu.edu
Jason is a senior at VCU majoring in Sociology. When Jason is not in class or out in the community volunteering, he keeps the coffee flowing at Starbucks in the library. This year, Jason ‘re-upped’ as a service-learning teaching assistant and is again assisting Jennifer Garvin-Sanchez in the RELS 340/INTL 341: Global Ethics and World Religions service-learning course.
Jessica Liggon
E-mail: liggonjd@vcu.edu
Jessica is a senior at VCU majoring in Community Health Education and minoring in Spanish. Jessica is a member of the Community Health & Wellness Network and plans to become a public health nurse. This year, Jessica is assisting Joanne Richardson in the HPEX 450: Program Planning and Evaluation service-learning course.
Gabrielle McDonald
E-mail: mcdonaldgc2@vcu.edu
Gabrielle is a senior at VCU majoring in Sociology and Political Science and minoring in Nonprofit Management and Global Studies. She is from Hampton, Virginia and holds leadership positions at VCU in Operation Smile, VCU’s NAACP chapter, and Partnership for Service. She loves to travel, has participated in a medical mission with Operation Smile and hopes one day to do AIDS/STD prevention work with women and children in Africa. This year, Gabrielle is assisting Deron Phipps in the PSY 491/SOCY 391/CRJS 491: Youth in Corrections service-learning course.
Morgan McGettrick
E-mail: mcgettrickml@vcu.edu
Morgan is senior at VCU majoring in Social Work. Originally from Midlothian, VA, Morgan is a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. This year, Morgan is assisting Helen Ruth Aspaas in the GEOG 102: Introduction to Human Geography and GEOG 303/INTL 303: World Regions service-learning courses, which enroll over 100 students.
Brooke McKay
Email: mckayba@vcu.edu
Brooke is a senior at VCU majoring in Psychology. She is currently a volunteer at a local transition community center for people with serious mental illnesses and has in the past volunteered at Central Intake, a local homeless crisis center. This year, Brooke is assisting Robyn Diehl in the CRJS 491: Justice System Survey service-learning course.
Corey Nicholls
E-mail: nichollscl@vcu.edu 
Corey is a senior at VCU majoring in Elementary Education. As a member of a military family, Corey moved around a lot but she has resided in Springfield, VA for the past 11 years. Corey enjoys her work as a lead teacher at a daycare and is also a member of the Student Virginia Education Association and Phi Delta Kappa. This year, Corey is assisting Helen Ruth Aspaas in the GEOG 102: Introduction to Human Geography and GEOG 303/INTL 303: World Regions service-learning courses, which enroll over 100 students.
Plamen Nikolov
E-mail: nikolovpp@vcu.edu
Plamen is a junior at VCU majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Physics. He was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and immigrated to Virginia as a young child. Early in life, Plamen fell in love with neuroscience and has had aspirations to work in neurosurgery/neural engineering ever since. Plamen is the treasurer of Breakology@VCU, a group that promotes hip-hop culture in the VCU-Richmond area. This year, Plamen is assisting Gerry Miller in the EGRB 491: Service-Learning in Rehabilitation Engineering course.
Lorien O’Connor
E-mail: oconnorlm2@vcu.edu
Lorien is a sophomore at VCU majoring in Biology and minoring in Psychology. She grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania and enjoys screen printing and spending her free time down by the James River. This year, Lorien is assisting Ed Crawford in the BIO 497: Ecological Service-Learning course.
Amanda Reames
E-mail: alreames@vcu.edu
Amanda is a senior at VCU majoring in Biology. Amanda runs in long distance races and is about to complete her first half-marathon. She has served as a mentor at Cosby High School and volunteers at the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood. This year, Amanda is assisting Seth Leibowitz in the HUMS 391: Mentoring and Peer Advising at Cosby High School service-learning course.
Christopher Schoen
E-mail: schoenc@vcu.edu
Christopher is a junior at VCU majoring in English and History. He has been a professional actor with Theatre IV in their show “Hugs & Kisses,” which teaches children about sexual abuse prevention. This year, Christopher is assisting Cindy Kissel-Ito in the RELS 340/INTL 341: Global Ethics and World Religions service-learning course.
Wes Smith
E-mail: smithwa2@vcu.edu
Wes is a senior at VCU majoring in History and Secondary Education. Originally from Stephens City, VA, Wes lists wrestling and the outdoors as his hobbies. He is an assistant wrestling coach at George H. Moody Middle School and recently made his film debut in the VCU service-learning YouTube video “Making the Connections”. This year, Wes is assisting Helen Ruth Aspaas in GEOG 102: Introduction to Human Geography and GEOG 303/INTL 303: World Regions service-learning courses, which enroll over 100 students.
Royena Tanaz
E-mail: tanazr@vcu.edu
Royena is a sophomore at VCU majoring in Bioinformatics on the pre-med track and minoring in Biology and Chemistry. Royena grew up in New York City but is originally from Bangladesh. This year, Royena will be assisting Seth Leibowitz in the HUMS 391: Mentoring and Peer Advising at Cosby High School service-learning course.
Charles Thompson
E-mail: thompsoncs3@vcu.edu
Charles is a junior at VCU majoring in English. He enjoys writing and hopes to someday become an English professor. This year, Charles is assisting Sara Wilson-McKay in ARTED 402: Secondary Materials service-learning course.
Girlie Veloso
E-mail: gveloso@vcu.edu
Girlie is a senior at VCU majoring in Elementary Education. She is an alumnae member of AmeriCorps where she tutored and mentored Richmond elementary school students. Girlie enjoys working in her community where she has been involved with various projects including Adopt-A-Street, Reedy Creek Clean-Up, Carver Health Fair, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the Maymont Park Clean-Up. This year, Girlie is assisting Helen Ruth Aspaas in the GEOG 102: Introduction to Human Geography and GEOG 303/INTL 303: World Regions service-learning courses, which enroll more than 100 students.
Dallas Woods
E-mail: woodsdj@vcu.edu
Dallas is a senior at VCU majoring in History and Secondary Education. He is from Richmond, Virginia and is an accomplished ice hockey player. He currently serves as an assistant captain for VCU’s ice hockey team and won Most Valuable Player during his freshman year. This year, Dallas is assisting Helen Ruth Aspaas in the GEOG 102: Introduction to Human Geography and GEOG 303/INTL 303: World Regions service-learning courses, which enroll more than 100 students.
Mei Yam
E-mail: yamms@vcu.edu
Mei is a senior at VCU majoring in Biology. She belongs to VCU’s Chinese student organization and VCU’s pre-pharmacy club. This year, Mei is assisting Helen Ruth Aspaas in the GEOG 102: Introduction to Human Geography and GEOG 303/INTL 303: World Regions service-learning courses, which enroll more than 100 students.
Amritha Yellamilli
E-mail: yellamillia@vcu.edu
Amritha is a junior at VCU majoring in Biology. Her hometown is in Cupernno, California. Amritha has served as a mentor at Cosby High School. This year, Amritha is assisting Seth Leibowitz in the HUMS 391: Mentoring and Peer Advising at Cosby High School service-learning course.
Norfin (Nory) Uneeda
E-mail: none currently
Born in 1964, Nory is the oldest member of this year’s SLTA group. Nory loves to travel and enjoyed her recent trip to Gjol, Denmark to trace her genealogy. Nory is a performance major who has already made cameo appearances in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Simpsons, Friends, and The Office. Nory brings good luck to the VCU Service-Learning Program and spends most of her time hanging around the Service-Learning Program Office at 817 South Cathedral Place.