Student Staff

Rojina is a first-year student at MIT pursuing CS and Math with an interest in the intersection of tech and entrepreneurship. On campus, she’s involved in IEEE/ACM, research, and the South Asian Association of Students (SAAS). Outside of academics, Rojina is an avid fan of music. You’ll usually find her listening to a mix of Daniel Caesar, SZA, and the Arctic Monkeys, as well as a little bit of country. She also loves to travel, and if she could have one superpower, she would choose teleportation. As a Career Exploration Leader, Rojina is dedicated to helping her peers navigate the many paths available at MIT to find careers that truly align with their passions.

Norina Zhang is a junior studying Computer Science (6-4) and Mathematics (18). On campus, she is passionate about building and giving back to communities, and she is an active member of Sloan Business Club, Women Business Leaders, and Asian Christian Fellowship. She also loves traveling, meeting new people, and trying new foods, which makes her a huge fan of MISTI and GTL. In her free time, you can find Norina walking along the Charles, having late-night conversations with her roommate, and stalking her friends on Beli.

Kelly is a third-year undergraduate student studying literature and management. At MIT, she is a part of the Asian American Association, UA Student Support and Wellness Committee, and is a Wellbeing Lab Assistant. She has a huge interest in mental health, healthcare, and medicine. Besides being an MIT student and Peer Career Advisor, Kelly is an avid kpop listener, a huge foodie and Beli user, and spends time outside of class at a startup, EverLearn, where she is COO and a founding team member.

Michelle is a fourth-year PhD student in Course 1 (Civil and Environmental Engineering) with research interests in earth remote sensing and hydroclimatology. Her main research focus involves using remote sensing to make direct and global measurements of key environmental variables to understand the links between the water, carbon, and energy cycles on Earth. Outside of research, she is involved with MIT Emergency Medical Services as a volunteer EMT, Student Events Board, CEE CommLab, and CEE GradCom.

Before coming to MIT, Michelle graduated from UC Davis with her bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering. She has internship experience within both private and public sectors and academic experience writing journal articles and presenting talks at conferences. Originally from California, she is not prepared for the Boston winters and enjoys running, playing tennis, and snowboarding in her free time.

Apurva Varigonda is currently a sophomore at MIT pursuing a degree in Mathematics (Course 18). Her academic interests are in probability theory, theoretical computer science, and neuroscience, and she enjoys exploring the ways these fields connect with one another. In addition to her academic work, Apurva is enthusiastic about community building, event organizing, and outreach. Beyond the classroom, Apurva is actively involved in the arts and design communities at MIT. She sings with the MIT Ohms, the South Asian fusion a cappella group, and she contributes to MIT’s Design for America studio, where she collaborates on projects that use human-centered design to address real-world challenges.

Josiah Washington is a third-year student in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Their acadmic interests include transportation systems, alternative energy, and urban development. Outside of academics, Josiah can usually be found baking sweet treats, exploring Boston and Cambridge, riding roller coasters, and dancing with the student-led group, Sakata Afrique.