Gavin Defina

Class of 2025

Hometown: Middletown, New Jersey

Major(s): Sustainable Community Development and Geography (GIST) Double Major, International Scholars Program Certificate

Campus Involvements: CHC Ambassador Coordinator, Vice President of Membership for the Student Alumni Association, Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Student Representative on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, Intramural Soccer Captain, Jewish Student Union, Campus Tour Guide, Orientation and Transitions Leader, and New Student Orientation and Transitions Student Staff Member

How did you find a sense of community and belonging at CHC and UMass? What experiences or resources helped you feel connected and supported? 

Besides pursuing involvement with student organizations and campus employment, I felt connected to the university at large and supported in my academic endeavors when having meetings with various resources on campus. Meeting with peer advisors and professional staff at Advising Centers, Career Centers, the Learning Resource Center, the Writing Center, and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Studies supported my academic journey and connected me with the opportunities I did not expect at the university level. For example, when meeting with a Peer Research Advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Studies during my Freshman Fall semester, I was connected with the major I have today! 

What advice would you give to incoming students? 

My advice is to apply to internal scholarships, grants and financial aid applications at UMass Amherst and in the Commonwealth Honors College. The financial aid and scholarship package you received during the high school admissions cycle is not the final amount of finance you can obtain to support your university tuition. Specifically, the Commonwealth Honors College offers scholarship, grants and fellowships for CHC students only!