Office of the Provost

The Provost’s Circle Scholars

• Complete Alphabetical List of Provost's Circle Scholars

2008-09

Lindsay Bronnenkant

Prior to coming to Rochester, I lived in Amherst, NY. I chose to come to Rochester primarily because it offered opportunities in my many domains of interest – academics, athletics, and music. I am a Brain and Cognitive Sciences major, and I may minor in Chemistry as well. I am also involved in a variety of activities on campus. In addition to playing field hockey, I play the French horn in multiple ensembles, and currently hold the position of Senior Officer of the Wind Symphony. I enjoy composing music as a hobby. After graduating from the U of R, I plan to go to grad school to pursue a PhD, become involved with research, and then – hopefully – eventually teach at the college level.

Lisa Cole

Currently I am a junior at the University of Rochester. My major is biomedical engineering, with a specific concentration in biomechanics. I also have clustered in religious studies, focusing on comparing the different religions of the world. I am a member of the Women’s Varsity Cross Country and Track teams. Running has always played a large role in my life, and to be able to continue to compete at the UR has greatly affected my college experience. Beyond running and school, I am also part of the honor society, Tau Beta Pi, and St. Sebastian Society, which is a community service group on campus. Beyond graduation, I hope to attend graduate school and am aiming for a Ph.D. in biomechanics or medical imaging.

Tara Gelb

I am from Baltimore, Maryland. I am a member of the field hockey team. I plan on majoring in Molecular Genetics with a minor in Psychology. I am a member of the Varsity Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the Secretary of the Tzedek group. I also tutor for biology and TA in economics. I received the Phi Beta Kappa Iota book award in 2007. I am a member of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III National Academic Squad and the All Academic Team. Outside the classroom I enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and many other sports. I decided to attend the University of Rochester because of the strong science program and the medium-size campus. After graduation I hope to continue school in some type of genetics masters program.

Suzanne Giunta

I am a member of the 2010 class of Biomedical Engineering. I am one of the captains of the cross-country team and also enjoy running indoor and outdoor track and field. Running year-round for UR has been a challenge due to time management, rigorous practices, etc., yet it has been one of the best parts of my life at college, as it is both a physical and a social activity. Running has become an integral part of my life over the past 7 years and it is something I hope to continue after graduation.

When I am not completing problem sets, in lab, or running, I enjoy giving tours to prospective students though the admissions office. Another favourite activity is backpacking, and I was lucky enough to spend this past summer at the University of Colorado researching articular cartilage and hiking the plethora of 14,000 ft. mountains in the Rockies. Post-graduation (which is shortly approaching!) I plan to join the Peace Corps or Teach for America to give some time back to the community, then continue on to graduate school for biomedical engineering.

Steven Guzski

I am from New Hartford, NY, and am a Junior Pitcher for the Varsity Baseball Team. I decided to come to the University of Rochester for its superb academic reputation, its beautiful campus, and its competitive baseball team. Currently pursuing a major in Financial Economics and a minor in Mathematics, I also have an interest in pursuing a career as an actuary and am currently taking the preliminary examinations to become certified. Along with baseball, I am also involved with Intramural Athletics, working several volleyball, basketball, and dodgeball games. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, watching movies, and relaxing outdoors in the Adirondacks. I earned Second Team All-University Athletic Association honors for baseball in 2008.

Kevin McDonald

I am originally from Greensboro, North Carolina. In addition to being a member of the University of Rochester Men's Soccer Team, I am pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media and a Certificate in World Music from the Eastman School, while pursuing a BA in Economics from the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering.. I was awarded All-Conference Academic Recognition for both the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In November 2008, I recorded the drum tracks for singer Madeline Forster's debut album "Just You, Just Me" set for release in April 2009. For spring and summer 2009, I am studying abroad at Le Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP) with Belgian drummer Dré Pallemaerts and Italian bassist Riccardo del Fra. I chose the University of Rochester because it was possible to play varsity soccer, study at a conservatory, and pursue an economics degree all at the same place. Upon graduation, I will move to New York City to pursue a career in jazz performance.

James Slentz

I am a junior Financial Economics major from Edmeston, New York. While at Rochester, I have competed with both the soccer (2 years) and cross-country (1 year) teams. I am a contributor to a local website devoted to economics and political philosophy, and my academic interests include Austro-libertarian theory and the Efficient Markets Hypothesis. I have been named to the Dean's list five times and am the recipient of a Rush Rhees Scholarship. During my free time, I also enjoy golfing, skiing, playing basketball, reading, and cooking out. I hope to get a job in the investment banking or private wealth management fields after I graduate next May.

Tyle Stelzig

I was born in Morgantown, WV, and at age 2 moved to Evanston, IL, and then to Bryn Mawr, PA, when I was 8. As a high school freshman I played soccer, wrestled, and went out for crew. I eventually resigned myself to Track and discovered that running suits me quite well. Training and competing helps me maintain a balanced perspective. To select a college I used simple-minded criteria: I wanted to feel like I was on my own, but close enough that I wouldn't have to fly on breaks. This gave me a donut-shaped map from which to choose a school!

I chose UR because I had the impression that UR students were well-rounded, diverse, and interesting, and that the faculty was welcoming. I'm pursuing a B.S. in Physics and an Honors B.A. in Math, with clusters in Philosophy and Economics. Other honors I've received or shared include the Stoddard Prize in Math, the Physics Honors Prize, and the Iota Book Award. Cross Country and Track have been a huge part of my experience at UR and the organizing principle of my life. The team is awesome. I’ll probably go to graduate school, but I’m toying with the idea of a Take 5 year. I can see myself teaching and doing research. I’m not sure whether I’ll pursue physics or math, but I want to end up near mountains and singletrack. I’d like to visit New Zealand and to bike across the country. I want to spend a few months living alone or with a few friends in a cabin in the backcountry.