Mahmoud Alhaddad

Mahmoud Alhaddad of Prospect Park, N.J. is a senior Biology major with a 3.5 GPA and has made Dean’s List several times.

At Ramapo, Mahmoud has conducted research with adjunct professor Dr. Cailin O’Connor and associate professor Dr. Joost Monen. His research encompasses the ecological and molecular aspects of biology. His study with Dr. O’Connor aims to mitigate bird mortality rates on the heavily forested campus to prevent premature aviation deaths. His research with Dr. Monen and a team of novice scientists worked with the head brewer of Ramstein Brewery to prolong the production of isoamyl acetate, a molecule produced by yeast to give a banana flavor profile to beer.

Mahmoud also makes sure to stay active with his EOF community, participating in the mentorship program with his career advisor. He served as a biology teaching assistant during his sophomore Spring semester to gain a better understanding of academia. He has also been recommended to tutor his peers by Dr. Ashley Stuart for the highest-level biology course, Cell and Molecular Biology.

After graduation, Mahmoud plans to pursue a degree in the medical field and is currently a medical assistant at an Urgent Care.

Nathalia Moral

Nathalia Moral of Elizabeth, N.J. is a senior Biology major with a minor in Neuroscience. She has maintained a 3.7 GPA and has made the Dean’s list multiple times. 

At Ramapo, Nathalia is an active member of the Biology Club, Pre-med/Pre- Health club, and Alpha Phi Omega. In Alpha Phi Omega, which is a professional fraternity focused on community service, she is an Alumni Relations Officer and keeps in contact with alumni and holds events for them. 

Off-campus, Nathalia participates in Make the Road New Jersey, which is an organization that focuses on building power for immigrants, the working class, and minorities. She also holds a position at a clinic as a physical therapy aide for the company Professional Physical Therapy where she leads and monitors patients through rehabilitation exercises.

Nathalia’s plans post-graduation is to obtain more experience in research and working at a lab and to continue her education by pursuing a master’s degree. 

Jennifer D. Morales

Jennifer D. Morales of Hillsdale, N.J. is double majoring in Biology and Spanish. She is on a Pre-Medical track, has a minor in Neuroscience, and is completing the Spanish for Health Care and Human Services Certificate. 

Jennifer is a proud member of the EOF Program and has a 3.45 GPA. At Ramapo, Jennifer is an active member of Theta Phi Alpha and is a Care Aide on campus. She plans on attending medical school in the future and hopes to become a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

Jennifer says as she reflects, “My past work experiences as a care aide, medical scribe, and medical receptionist strengthens my desire and passion of being in the medical field.”

Gabriela Tactuk

“I hope that one day I can be an honorable representation of Latino culture in the medical field,” says Gabriela Tactuk, a Pre-Med Biology student from Englewood, N.J. Gabriela is a student in the EOF Program and the Honors Program. She has a 3.7 GPA and has made the Dean’s List several times. 

Gabriela has been a Biology Lab Teaching Assistant twice and a Supplemental Instructor for the 2019 EOF Program, where she worked closely with a professor to enhance student comprehension in the Social Science Inquiry course. 

She works as a scribe for a surgeon in Oradell and is an avid volunteer at Englewood Health. After graduation, Gabriela hopes to get a master’s in Molecular Biology, matriculate into medical school, and become a Trauma Surgeon. 

Rachel Stone

Rachel Stone of Little Ferry, N.J., is a senior Biology student with a GPA of 3.7. While pursuing her degree, she has worked on campus as a Laboratory Assistant in the Biology Department. Off- campus, she works as a medical scribe at the Good Samaritan Hospital.

In the summer of 2018, she volunteered abroad in a non-profit mission team providing free medical and dental services to underdeveloped communities. She plans to pursue her interest in medicine after graduation.