Meet IMJR Students

When she applied to the Individualized Major Program, KristaJoy wrote about some of her fondest childhood memories: “I have camped out on deserted barrier islands in North Carolina where I have watched dolphins play and travel from ocean to inlet to bay and back again. I have seen footprints of turtles in the morning after they have laid their eggs … I have also camped out on islands in Penobscot Bay where I have watched seals play their games.” Having developed a passionate interest in the ocean, KristaJoy designed a major in Marine Biology that included courses from Marine Sciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Molecular and Cell Biology. Through the National Student Exchange, she was able to spend a semester at the Center for Marine Sciences at the University of North Carolina in Wilmington. Following graduation, KristaJoy applied for and received the laboratory technician position in the only marine biology lab at Yale University. She now manages a lab that does research on Long Island Sound invertebrates. KristaJoy hopes one day to teach children at an aquarium. Looking back, KristaJoy remarked, “I am extremely thankful that I chose to pursue an individualized major. I got exactly what I wanted out of my college education and settled for nothing less than the degree I desired.”

KristaJoy graduated summa cum laude from UConn with a BS in Marine Biology in May 2006. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Vilma Ilic began her studies at UConn in Fall 1999. After completing her first year, she decided to join the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. She was, as she says "challenged beyond my greatest imagination" as she worked in some of the most impoverished schools and communities in the nation. Reflecting on that experience, she noted, "My perspective on human life and the state of the nation changed and I became committed to work for the human rights of all people." Vilma's IMJR, "Human Rights," included courses on human rights theory as well as class, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender from political, sociological and literary perspectives. A minor in Women's Studies complemented her IMJR. While at UConn, Vilma conducted research with the UConn chapter of the Public Interest Research Group and interned at the Rainbow Center. After graduation Vilma taught English to refugees and immigrants in Germany. In Fall 2008, she will begin a graduate program in Social Work at Columbia University.

Vilma graduated from UConn in December 2005 with a B.A. in Human Rights.

When Kate Deer began her studies at UConn she knew she wanted to focus on understanding the emotional challenges children face when they are hospitalized. She applied to the IMJR program in September of her sophomore year with an IMJR focused on child life therapy. She identified several key areas of study, including developmental psychology, clinical psychology, family processes, and the sociology of health. As she pursued her studies she concluded that adding a Psychology major would give her a stronger grounding for her ultimate goal: obtaining a graduate degree in Psychology. Kate complemented her studies with work as a child care provider at UConn’s Child Development Lab and an internship at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Kate is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology at the University of Hartford where her focus is on pediatric psychology, specifically the psychology of children and adolescents who are hospitalized or dealing with illness.

Kate graduated magna cum laude from UConn in May 2006 with a double major in Psychology and Child Life Therapy. Kate was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Interested in the interaction between business and the law, Daniel Kidera chose to double major in Economics and Financial Law. In designing his individualized major in financial law, he selected courses from the political science, philosophy, economics and business administration departments. The IMJR capstone course provided Dan with the opportunity to investigate one of the most contentious recent Supreme Court decisions regarding the rights of business: the case of Kelo v. New London, CT on the use of eminent domain for economic development. While at UConn, Dan interned at Northwestern Mutual Financial Services, working in financial planning. He also volunteered in the re-election campaign of Senator Charles Schumer, and after graduation, began working in his office as a scheduler and assistant to the chief of staff. Recently, Dan had the opportunity to work as public policy consultant for Yahoo. In Fall 2008, Dan will begin law school at Villanova University.

Dan graduated from UConn in May 2006 with a double major in Economics and Financial Law.

Lia Mastropolo was an avid reader from an early age. She came to UConn as an English major and immersed herself in both literature and creative writing courses. An Individualized Major in Creative Writing allowed Lia to combine fiction and non-fiction writing courses with French language courses, and study abroad. During the Fall semester of her Junior year, Lia studied in London, taking a History of London course that exposed her to that city’s evolution as a cultural and artistic center and focused her attention on how writers engage with the society around them. Foreign language study also shaped Lia as a writer. Advanced courses in French grammar, composition, and, importantly, translation offered new perspectives on the structure, sounds, and texture of the English language. While at UConn, Lia was involved in the undergraduate literary and arts magazine, Long River Review, which published some of her award-winning work.  After graduation Lia got a job as a proofreader at a trade show company and has now moved into copy writing and marketing. She has continued to write stories and in 2006 her short story, “Mouse,” was published in the online literary publication, Pindeldyboz.

Lia graduated summa cum laude from UConn in May 2005 with a double major in English and Creative Writing. She completed Honors in English and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.