RISE Scholars
About
The Revolutionary, Inclusive, Sustainable Engineering (RISE) Scholars Program offers engineering students a variety of specialized opportunities — both academic and social.
The RISE (Research, Innovation, and Student Engagement) program helps engineering students at UMass Amherst build community, explore opportunities, and navigate the transition to a large, research-focused university. While UMass offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular pathways, RISE creates a smaller, supportive network where students can connect across majors and class years.
Through a mix of academic and social programming, RISE scholars engage with faculty, alumni, and peers while exploring key themes such as leadership, sustainability, innovation, and belonging. Workshops, events, and a first-year seminar support students’ academic success, professional development, and overall well-being.
At its core, RISE fosters a sense of connection from the very beginning of students’ time at UMass, helping them form lasting relationships, discover their interests, and take full advantage of the university’s resources.
The profiles below highlight the experiences and perspectives of RISE scholars, offering a closer look at how students shape—and are shaped by—the program.
Asmy Sylvain '26
Name: Asmy Sylvain
Hometown: Stoughton, MA
Major: Civil Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I worked as a Structural Engineering Intern at VHB over the summer.
School-related activities you are engaged in: Vice President of the UMass Amherst Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, Soccer, Weightlifting
Future Goals: Pursue an MBA while working full time as a civil engineer.
Hometown: Stoughton, MA
Major: Civil Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I worked as a Structural Engineering Intern at VHB over the summer.
School-related activities you are engaged in: Vice President of the UMass Amherst Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, Soccer, Weightlifting
Future Goals: Pursue an MBA while working full time as a civil engineer.
Aoife Ruth '26
Name: Aoife Ruth
Hometown: Milton, MA
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I worked in Germany for 3 months and almost exclusively remember words related to grocery shopping
School-related activities you are engaged in: Founded UMass Gaelic Football, Researcher in the Kearney Lab
Hobbies/Interests: Being active & getting outside - run, swim, lift!
Hometown: Milton, MA
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I worked in Germany for 3 months and almost exclusively remember words related to grocery shopping
School-related activities you are engaged in: Founded UMass Gaelic Football, Researcher in the Kearney Lab
Hobbies/Interests: Being active & getting outside - run, swim, lift!
Sophia Zeng '26
Name: Sophia Zeng (She/Her)
Hometown: Boston, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I like to learn how to play different musical instruments. Currently, I'm learning the guitar and harmonica.
School-related activities you are engaged in: SASE Mentor
Hobbies/Interests: Hiking, photography, trying new foods/restaurants
Future Goals: Travel more and experience different cultures
Hometown: Boston, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I like to learn how to play different musical instruments. Currently, I'm learning the guitar and harmonica.
School-related activities you are engaged in: SASE Mentor
Hobbies/Interests: Hiking, photography, trying new foods/restaurants
Future Goals: Travel more and experience different cultures
Sreeniyathi Kasireddy '26
Name: Sreeniyathi Kasireddy
Hometown: Newton, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I am originally from India and moved here 4 years ago!
School-related activities you are engaged in: HackUMass Hardware team, Admissions Diversity Fellow, Resident Assistant
Hobbies/Interests: Drawing and Reading!
Future Goals: I want to focus on growing my expertise and applying it to innovative projects that push my skills further.
Hometown: Newton, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I am originally from India and moved here 4 years ago!
School-related activities you are engaged in: HackUMass Hardware team, Admissions Diversity Fellow, Resident Assistant
Hobbies/Interests: Drawing and Reading!
Future Goals: I want to focus on growing my expertise and applying it to innovative projects that push my skills further.
Chandler Cheron '26
Name: Chandler Cheron
Hometown: Hyannis, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I love Haitian Pate Kòde and in the future plan on taking cooking lessons
School-related activities you are engaged in: NSBE: Senator, Resident Assistant in Pierpont/Moore Custer
Hobbies/Interests: Personal fitness, binge watching shows, and playing with Bruno (Pet Dog)
Future Goals: Graduate and land an engineering role
Hometown: Hyannis, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I love Haitian Pate Kòde and in the future plan on taking cooking lessons
School-related activities you are engaged in: NSBE: Senator, Resident Assistant in Pierpont/Moore Custer
Hobbies/Interests: Personal fitness, binge watching shows, and playing with Bruno (Pet Dog)
Future Goals: Graduate and land an engineering role
Tori Ritter '26
Name: Tori Ritter
Hometown: North Falmouth
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I have lived in Texas, Scotland, and Singapore before coming to UMass Amherst!
School-related activities you are engaged in: Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), LRC Peer Tutor
Hobbies/Interests: I love to go to the gym, watch movies and tv shows, and spend time with my friends and family!
Future Goals: I want to develop therapeutics that improve lives!
Hometown: North Falmouth
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2026
Fun fact about you: I have lived in Texas, Scotland, and Singapore before coming to UMass Amherst!
School-related activities you are engaged in: Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), LRC Peer Tutor
Hobbies/Interests: I love to go to the gym, watch movies and tv shows, and spend time with my friends and family!
Future Goals: I want to develop therapeutics that improve lives!
April Fei '27
Name: April Fei
Hometown: Northvale, NJ
Major: Electrical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I beta read books for published authors!
School-related activities you are engaged in: IEEE, Sigma Delta Tau sorority, SWE
Hobbies/Interests: Theatre architectural layouts, writing novels, embroidery, NASCAR, and collecting/sending postcards
Hometown: Northvale, NJ
Major: Electrical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I beta read books for published authors!
School-related activities you are engaged in: IEEE, Sigma Delta Tau sorority, SWE
Hobbies/Interests: Theatre architectural layouts, writing novels, embroidery, NASCAR, and collecting/sending postcards
Parinitha Venkata Reddy '27
Name: Parinitha Venkata Reddy
Hometown: Bangalore, India
Major: Computer engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I can speak 5 languages!
School-related activities you are engaged in: President - UMass fencing club. Vice President- Kannada student organization. Events Chair- Society of Industrial and Applied Math. SI Leader for ECE 210
Hobbies/Interests: Fencing, badminton, running
Hometown: Bangalore, India
Major: Computer engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I can speak 5 languages!
School-related activities you are engaged in: President - UMass fencing club. Vice President- Kannada student organization. Events Chair- Society of Industrial and Applied Math. SI Leader for ECE 210
Hobbies/Interests: Fencing, badminton, running
Nicole Aredes '27
Name: Nicole Aredes
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Major: Civil Engineering & Portuguese
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I have a goal of reading 20 books this year! You can always find me with a book in my bag :)
School-related activities you are engaged in: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)!
Hobbies/Interests: Crochet, cooking, reading
Future Goals: I hope to work in sustainability and have lots of time to develop my hobby skills!
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Major: Civil Engineering & Portuguese
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I have a goal of reading 20 books this year! You can always find me with a book in my bag :)
School-related activities you are engaged in: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)!
Hobbies/Interests: Crochet, cooking, reading
Future Goals: I hope to work in sustainability and have lots of time to develop my hobby skills!
Laura Martin Mendez '27
Name: Laura Martin Mendez
Hometown: Madrid, Spain
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I play the piano
School-related activities you are engaged in: SHPE treasurer, BME DEI committee, RISE, SWE, BMES
Hobbies/Interests: Gymnastics, ice skating, rock climbing, and cooking
Future Goals: Get a PhD
Hometown: Madrid, Spain
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I play the piano
School-related activities you are engaged in: SHPE treasurer, BME DEI committee, RISE, SWE, BMES
Hobbies/Interests: Gymnastics, ice skating, rock climbing, and cooking
Future Goals: Get a PhD
Pranav Kadam '27
Name: Pranav Kadam
Hometown: Pune, India
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I am ambidextrous and like playing badminton
School-related activities you are engaged in: I am secretary at the PIT club and a Peer Mentor this semester for the Riccio College of Engineering
Hobbies/Interests: Playing Esports, reading light novels and mangas, I like designing Circuits and coding
Future Goals: My aim is to join a leading semiconductor company, designing and optimizing innovative circuits to advance cutting-edge chip technologies and system-on-chip solutions.
Hometown: Pune, India
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2027
Fun fact about you: I am ambidextrous and like playing badminton
School-related activities you are engaged in: I am secretary at the PIT club and a Peer Mentor this semester for the Riccio College of Engineering
Hobbies/Interests: Playing Esports, reading light novels and mangas, I like designing Circuits and coding
Future Goals: My aim is to join a leading semiconductor company, designing and optimizing innovative circuits to advance cutting-edge chip technologies and system-on-chip solutions.
Maria Vazquez '28
Name: Maria Vazquez
Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Major: Electrical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
Fun fact about you: I know every lyric in Thanks for the Dance
School-related activities you are engaged in: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers treasurer
Hobbies/Interests: I love to play guitar, read, surf and rock climb
Future Goals: Innovate renewable energy for its reliability and accessibility
Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Major: Electrical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
Fun fact about you: I know every lyric in Thanks for the Dance
School-related activities you are engaged in: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers treasurer
Hobbies/Interests: I love to play guitar, read, surf and rock climb
Future Goals: Innovate renewable energy for its reliability and accessibility
Joshua Hoffman '28
Name: Joshua Hoffman
Hometown: Andover
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
School-related activities you are engaged in: Rise, Wind and energy club, ASME, Dean’s JEDI Advisory Group
Hobbies/Interests: Golfing, soccer, basketball
Future Goals: Successful Engineering career
Hometown: Andover
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
School-related activities you are engaged in: Rise, Wind and energy club, ASME, Dean’s JEDI Advisory Group
Hobbies/Interests: Golfing, soccer, basketball
Future Goals: Successful Engineering career
Anna Jane Erickson '28
Name: Anna Jane Erickson
Hometown: Middleborough, MA
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
Fun fact about you: I am the only girl with three brothers!
School-related activities you are engaged in: Intramural volleyball, Mau Theta Tau, Society of Women Engineers
Hobbies/Interests: Volleyball, Art, Tennis, Ping Pong, Gym, hairdressing
Future Goals: Be an Engineer
Hometown: Middleborough, MA
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
Fun fact about you: I am the only girl with three brothers!
School-related activities you are engaged in: Intramural volleyball, Mau Theta Tau, Society of Women Engineers
Hobbies/Interests: Volleyball, Art, Tennis, Ping Pong, Gym, hairdressing
Future Goals: Be an Engineer
Yaw Boadi-Acheampong '28
Name: Yaw Boadi-Acheampong
Hometown: Malden, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
Fun fact about you: I am the youngest child with four older sisters.
School-related activities you are engaged in: UMass Transit Bus Driver, EWB Ghana Project Member, Engineering Career Center Peer Advisor, NSBE Member, Professional Development Chair for RISE
Hobbies/Interests: Digital Design, Video Editing, Working Out, Traveling
Future Goals: My goal is to use the skills I’ve gained to contribute to meaningful work in the computer-engineering industry. I also want to keep improving my craft and turn my digital design hobby into a side hustle.
Hometown: Malden, MA
Major: Computer Engineering
Expected graduation month/year: May 2028
Fun fact about you: I am the youngest child with four older sisters.
School-related activities you are engaged in: UMass Transit Bus Driver, EWB Ghana Project Member, Engineering Career Center Peer Advisor, NSBE Member, Professional Development Chair for RISE
Hobbies/Interests: Digital Design, Video Editing, Working Out, Traveling
Future Goals: My goal is to use the skills I’ve gained to contribute to meaningful work in the computer-engineering industry. I also want to keep improving my craft and turn my digital design hobby into a side hustle.