My name is Sarah Hill and I am a sophomore at UMass. I am from Rochester, New York. I came across BDIC when I became frustrated by the restrictions of the department I was in. I am very happy with my decision to create my own major! My concentration is International Real Estate and Entrepreneurship. During college I plan on getting my Real Estate license and selling some homes throughout the school year. I plan on graduating a semester early, and my last semester will be spent studying abroad in Italy. After the semester ends I plan on staying in Europe for six months. This time will be dedicated to traveling around different countries and analyzing the markets. Eventually I plan on owning an International Real Estate Investment Consultant Company. BDIC has allowed me to create a major that targets my career and do something that I love. When I am not studying hard and the weather is nice I love to play volleyball and to be out on the water jet-skiing. When there’s snow on the ground I love to go up to the mountains with my father and snowmobile.  Traveling is my obsession, and I can’t wait to incorporate it into my career.

Lisa Millette is a new BDIC peer advisor this semester. Her concentration is titled Sustainable Structures and Community Development.  The idea for the concentration stemmed from a disappointment in growing up without a neighborhood community and a hope to push the Green Revolution through its current trend into a true everyday practice of sustainability. Outside of school, in addition to fireside chats and long walks on the beach, Lisa also enjoys getting caught in the rain.

I’m Nikki Tishler, a sophomore at UMass Amherst.  I’m a BDIC major concentrating in Social Justice and Community Development.  I hope to attend law school and work in the field of human rights law or become a professor.  This is my first semester as a peer advisor, and it is fantastic!  I love seeing what other students are interested in pursuing and keeping my mind open to new concepts and ideas.  I am a member of the Citizen Scholars Program through Office of Community Service Learning (OCSL) and have incorporated this into my concentration.  I volunteer at the Amherst Survival Center where I work in the kitchen creating delicious concoctions, like a sweet brown sugar tofu stir-fry I made last week.  I’m a human rights activist, with most of my work revolving around the current genocide in Darfur, Sudan.  I work for STAND: (Student Anti-Genocide Coalition) as the Massachusetts State Outreach Coordinator.  In my itty bitty bit of spare time I like to read, spend time with my horse Harvey and my dog Riley, act, and drink tea.  I happen to be a tea connoisseur and can discuss tea for hours.