2020-2021 Executive Board
Mohit Dighamber
President
Hi! My name is Mohit and I am the President for our QSN chapter! I am a sophomore from Ohio majoring in Physics and minoring in both Mathematics and Philosophy. I love MIT because it has allowed me to meet so many different people, from professors to students, who are all making the world a better place in their own unique ways. Outside of QuestBridge, I am also active in the ASA, TechX, TDC, HMMT, and a UROP in astrophysics. In my free time, I also enjoy learning about astronomy, reading philosophy, and playing piano. Fun fact about me: I have moved a total of ten times in my life. :]
Shelby Laitipaya
Vice-President
Hello! My name is Shelby Laitipaya and I’m the Vice-President of the MIT QSN! I am a rising sophomore majoring in Course 9 (Brain & Cognitive Sciences) with an intended minor in Biology (7) and maybe even Music (21M). In my first year, outside of QuestBridge, I was most active as one of the Community Service Chairs for McCormick Hall and a volunteer through Cambridge School Volunteers. I also enjoy a lot of personal hobbies like music and have been focusing on playing guitar this summer. I absolutely love QuestBridge, the inspiring community, and am so grateful for the immense and boundless opportunities that it has and continues to provide me with. Fun fact about me is that I have dermatographia (‘skin writing’).
Juan Aleman
Treasurer
Ayo ayo!!! My name is Juan Aleman, and I am your QB Treasurer! Woohoo monies!!! I am a rising junior studying Course 10B (Chemical Biological Engineering), pre-med, and concentrating in Writing. At MIT, I am an exec member of DanceTroupe, a member of the Lion Dance Team, and a volunteer at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. I am grateful to QuestBridge for giving me the opportunity to meet and interact with so many creative and innovative thinkers. Fun fact, I can play the marimba with four mallets
Eleane Lema
alumni relations
Heyo! My name is Eleane Lema (she/her/hers) and I am the FLI Director of the MIT Quest Scholars Network Chapter! I am a rising senior studying Course 5-7 (Chemistry and Biology) and minoring in Anthropology. On campus, I am a dancer and choreographer for MIT Dance Troupe, in Next Sing A cappella, a student assistant for the PKG Public Service Center, and a friendly MedLink. I love QuestBridge because it has given me opportunities that I never imagined I could have, including a supportive and inspiring community of questies <3. A fun fact about me is that I can somewhat ‘throat sing’.
Pedro La Rotta
Webmaster
Hey hey, my name is Pedro La Rotta and I am the Community Relations Chair of our QSN Chapter! I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Computer Science in preparation for the singularity. On campus I am involved in Greek Life (TDC woot woot), the PKG Public Service Center, Career Fair, and am a Pleasure Educator. I love Questbridge because it reminds me of the struggles we’ve all had to go through to get to where we are. Fun fact about myself is that I was born in Bogotá, Colombia 🇨🇴
Athena Nguyen
Support
Hi! My name is Athena Nguyen and I am the jacks-of-all-trades officer! I am a Biological Engineering major (Course 20). I love MIT and I think it’s the best school in the world! Here, I’m a tour guide, a MedLink, a researcher, and of course an officer of the MIT Questbridge Chapter! Questbridge has given me a family and a great sense of community. Fun fact: I have reread the Percy Jackson series at least 13 times.
Tatum Wilhem
fli@mit liason
Hi! My name is Tatum (she/her/hers) and I am a rising sophomore in course 10-eng. On the Questbridge Exec team, I’m working on the FLI collaboration efforts with the First-generation Program and CASE! A few things that I do outside of the QB chapter here at MIT: I row on the Lightweight Rowing team, UROP in the Little Devices Lab, and am a part of the Burton 1 community. I love Questbridge because it unites an amazing community of people who are very diverse, yet can relate to similar struggles. Fun fact: I love watching the tv show Jeopardy and I watched it almost every night throughout high school!
Keaten Clarno
marketing
hello! my name is keaten (they/them/theirs), and i am the new social media chair for our QSN chapter! i am a rising sophomore majoring in course 8-flex (astrophysics) and potentially philosophy as well. who knows?? at mit, i am involved in mit students for the exploration and development of space (MIT SEDS), mit’s cube satellite team, and i have a urop in observational astrophysics at the kavli institute for astrophysics and space research. as you can probably tell, i love space and physics. however, i also enjoy hanging out with friends, reading, and swimming in the summer! i also love the questbridge family at mit <3 they are supportive, loving, and accepting. fun fact: i have only broken one bone in my body — my pinky, and it has made my pinky so disformed… yikes.
Oomi Pammit
programming
hi hi 🙂 I’m Oomi (pronounced “OH-me,” she/her/hers), and I’m the new event coordinator for QB Exec! I’m a rising sophomore in 6-3 (or 11-6?) from Los Angeles. I don’t know where to begin on how much opportunity MIT has afforded me– I can say I’m part of UA Sustainability, pika/Simmons, Marine Robotics Team, Fruit Club, Interphase EDGE as a TA, UROPs, all that jazz– but the personal and academic growth that my mentors, professors, and friends (including my fellow Questies!) have helped me reach, even in just the past year, is too much to put into a small blurb. Take pride in your Questbridge chapter; we’re all here to support each other 😀 dm if you want rants about what MIT life is like as a Questie(/current events bc I know we need to talk about this)
Brian Avendano
first-year engagement
Hello everyone. My name is Brian Avendano (he/him/his) and I am the class of 2024 transition coordinator for the MIT QuestBridge Chapter which means you prefosh can ask me all your burning questions. I am a rising sophomore studying 6-2 (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) and maybe 8 (physics) too. On campus, I am a brother of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, a musician in the MIT Cross Products (A cappella) and MIT Guild of Bellringers, an ‘athlete’ in intramural smash, soccer, and foosball, a member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and UROP student. QB has been amazing because it connects me with people who better understand my background and struggles, and it is an environment where we all encourage and support each other. Fun fact about me is that I’ve been in the ER 30+ times. Feel free to reach out