Meet Our Ambassadors

Elliott Alongi

First-year
Campus Involvement: Theatre Student Advisor Board, Theatre Scholarship
Why did you choose WU: I chose Willamette because I loved the environment of the theatre department and campus in general.
Fun Fact: I am learning how to knit and am making a hat for one of my friends!

Emma Bass-Kendall

Second-year
Campus Involvement: Alpha Phi, PHC, RA, Student Athletic Trainer
Why did you choose WU: I chose Willamette for the community that has been built on campus and the opportunities that are provided to students.
Fun Fact: I ride motorcycles!

Adele Benny

Third-year
Campus Involvement: Softball, Opening Days, Chemawa Indian School Tutor
Why did you choose WU: The welcoming and supportive community.
Fun Fact: I have a dog named Mojo!

Addy Bohag

Third-year
Campus Involvement: Alpha Phi, Server at Basil & Board
Why did you choose WU: The people made it feel like home and I fell in love with the campus!
Fun Fact: I’m a big theater kid at heart!

Robbie Daugherty ‘22

Campus Involvement: Varsity Swim Team Captain, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Sculpture Studio Assistant
Bistro order: Iced quad shot vanilla latte
Favorite song: "I Am Here" by P!nk
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? The community I felt while visiting.

Lauren Eisele-Yocum

First-year
Campus Involvement: Swim Team, Zena Farm Club
Why did you choose WU: I wanted a kind and welcoming community that allowed me to pursue my passions for art and swimming.
Fun Fact: I took two gap years between high-school and college to do service work and Wildland firefighting!

Celeste Gutentag

Fourth-year
Campus Involvement: Dance company, Theater Dance Showcase
Why did you choose WU: I felt at home in my surroundings, and I felt like I had a place I could grow into myself.
Fun Fact: I like to eat my pizza with honey on top and ranch on the side!

Marykate DeLuca ‘23

Campus Involvement: Softball
Bistro order: Iced caramel latte (with oat milk)
Favorite song: “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? WU offered me the opportunity to continue my athletic career in unison with top-tier academics.

Pierce Gallaway ‘23

Campus Involvement: Men's Soccer, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Bistro order: Iced latte
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? The extremely welcoming culture and the small school feel I felt on the visits I took in high school.
Fun fact: I have been to Africa and Europe in the same day.

Oliver Hamilton

Second-year
Campus Involvement: Headband, Chamber choir
Why did you choose WU: Small school, good people, pretty campus!
Fun Fact: I realllyyy like cheesecake!

Taylor Hamura ‘23

Campus Involvement: RA, Hawaii Club, Dance Co. Co-president, Cheer Team
Bistro order: Whatever cookie I’m in the mood for!
Favorite song: "No Other Love" by Common Kings
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? The people and the sense of community.

Jack Hanscom '22

Intern for Operations

Campus Involvement: Intramural basketball, Opening Days Lead Team
Favorite song: "BOY BYE" by Brockhampton
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? I loved the idea of having a small campus community where I could lean on my professors and peers for help or comfort!

Kaitlin Jenson ‘24

Campus Involvement: Pi Beta Phi, PHEAL Department Intern
Favorite song: "The Graduate" by Arcadian Wild
Fun fact: I have two family members named after soda!

Jordyn Johsnon

Second-year
Campus Involvement: Alpha Phi, Softball
Why did you choose WU: Softball and because of the ability to have a tight knit community.
Fun Fact: I lost 3 hydroflasks in 2021.

Maddy Kaplan '22

Campus Involvement: Jewish Student Union, Theatre Department, Pi Beta Phi
Bistro order: Dirty chai with a bagel and cream cheese
Favorite song: "Waterloo" by ABBA
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? The engaged and caring student body.

Mira Karthik

Second-year
Campus Involvement: CAFES, RA, Research Assistant, GPSS Tutor
Why did you choose WU: The small community, amazing program and ducks!
Fun Fact: I am a certified plant mom and have 20+ plant children in my dorm!

Natalie Klett

Second-year
Campus Involvement: CSL, Mill writing club
Why did you choose WU: I chose Willamette because it was the place I could see the most of myself reflected in.
Fun Fact: I wrote my college essay about a clay chicken!

Grace Kline

First-year
Campus Involvement: Co-President of Fabric, Yarn and Textiles CLub
Why did you choose WU: I love the small school atmosphere and many study abroad options
Fun Fact: I have a cat named Sherlock Holmes!

Amaya Latuszek

Junior-year
Campus Involvement: Collegian
Why did you choose WU: Close knit community
Fun Fact: I love to sing musical theater and choral songs

Linnea Lovtang ‘24

Campus Involvement: Chamber Choir, Voice Lessons, Goudy Staff
Favorite song: "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? When Covid hit, everyone came together to support each other.
Fun fact: My favorite socks say “kinda pissed about not being a mermaid”.

Gianna Marchese '22

Intern for Operations

On-Campus Extracurriculars: Softball, Alpha Phi 
Bistro order: Always the biggest cookie I can see in the case!
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? Softball, and it's gorgeous (duh).
Fun fact: I've been to Disneyland over 100 times.

Brady McDevitt ‘22

Campus Involvement: UpTop President, Dramatic Vocal Arts Board, Peer Academic Coach, TA for O-Chem, Chemawa Indian School Volunteer
Bistro order: Iced vanilla latte
Favorite song: "Evergreen" by Yebba
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? I loved the atmosphere of campus and the availability of the professors!

Ben Royer

Second-year
Campus Involvement: Opening Days Lead Team
Why did you choose WU: The sense of community
Fun Fact: I got lost on my first day of college.

Rachel Schmitt

Fourth-Year
Campus Involvement: Rugby, TA, Office of Spiritual and Religious Life
Why did you choose WU: The professors
Fun Fact: I built a wooden teardrop camper from scratch last year. Her name is Donatella.

Casey Swinkels '23

Campus Involvement: Housing (RA in Cascadia), Alpha Phi
Bistro order: Iced latte (with oat milk, two extra shots, and hazelnut)!
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? I visited and fell in love.
Fun fact: I played competitive kickball for eleven years and won three All-Star State Championships.

Irene Vera

Third-year
Campus Involvement: Willamette Academy, Cheer Team
Why did you choose WU: I wanted to experience a different environment from what I’m used to Fun Fact: I rescued my dog from the Mexican border!

Kali Woodward '23

Intern for Operations & Communications

Campus Involvement: Opening Days, Alpha Phi, Investment Club
Bistro order: Iced chai (with almond milk)!
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? I loved the community, and it just felt like home when I visited.
Fun fact: I used to live abroad when I was younger.

Sally Wooster ‘24

Campus Involvement: Debate Team, Sexual Assault Response Advocate
Bistro order: A latte and a chocolate chip cookie.
Favorite song: "Save Your Tears" by The Weeknd
Why did you choose WU -- in one sentence or less? It felt like the right fit, and I was excited to be on the debate team!