Meet The PSU Future Connect Team

My name is Marina Barcelo and I’ve worked at PSU since the fall of 2015, where I served as the School of Social Work’s Student Inclusion Coordinator and a member of the Practicum Education Team. In these roles, I primarily supported first-generation and BIPOC students on their journeys at PSU. I love working with students, and am excited to connect with Future Connect Scholars at PSU!

A little bit about me: I hold a MSW and MA in Women’s & Gender Studies from Loyola University Chicago. I am a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer and a Certified Childbirth Educator. I love kombucha, reality t.v., weightlifting, and The Lord of the Rings. 

My name is Laurie (She/Her). I was a Future Connect student at Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast with coach Flamur Vehapi. I started my college journey in 2021 when the campuses were still shut down.  Figuring out what I wanted to study was tough, so I took lots of exploratory classes at PCC. After a few creative business classes, I fell in love with studying marketing. I took an extra year at Mount Hood Community College (MHCC) to get my prerequisites completed, and now I am here at PSU finishing up my junior year!

The Future Connect program at PSU was incredibly beneficial for me as a student. It allowed for a smooth transition, introduced me to important campus resources, and even helped me find friends to attend campus events with. Now, I'm eager to become a peer mentor myself and am looking forward to meeting you and hearing your story!

A little bit about me: I love horses, and I am an equestrian. I have a certificate in accounting. When I am not studying, I like to go thrift shopping and complete puzzles with my mom. I have a Siamese cat named Mishka (Little Cub in Russian). When I graduate with my marketing degree, I want to start my own marketing company that empowers the small businesses around Portland!

My name is Alice Yvonne Evans (she/they), and I was a Future Connect student at PCC Sylvania with coaches Annette d’Autemont and Lisa Lam! I started my college journey in 2019, however when the lockdown happened, I moved away from home, did some self exploration and took a gap year from school. I became grounded with nature during this time, which allowed me to find more of my values and grew curious about school again. Through a scholarship opportunity to study abroad called Carpe Mundi, I traveled all around Ecuador for two months, which solidified my love for nature and inspired me to transfer to PSU and study Environmental Studies and receive my  ITECK  (Indigenous Traditional Ecological Cultural Knowledge) certificate. My love for travel has continued to grow, and I have also traveled to Japan to study Community and Public Health. I hope to move abroad or out of state once my time working here at PSU is complete. 

A little bit about me: I graduated from PSU this  June! I enjoy traveling and adventuring in my free time, and seeing lots of live bands and artists perform. I grew up on the Oregon Coast, so during my free time, I’ll be walking by the sea picking up pretty agates and shells (along with any beach debris). I am passionate about restoration and sustainability, and am looking into careers focused on supporting nature education! Future Connect gave me the tools and support to know when to ask for help, and seek guidance. I value working with Future Connect students as their mentor at PSU and supporting everyone’s unique journeys as transfer students.