Alexandra Kleinman is an undergraduate studying Linguistics through Yale’s Eli Whitney Students Program for non-traditional students. She is passionate about supporting the success of YPEI students in her role as an Academic Strategies Mentor. As an adult returning student, Alexandra has found immense value in peer mentorship and the Academic Strategies Program on Yale’s campus, and is dedicated to expanding these resources within YPEI.

Emily Horning (she/her) is an academic librarian with over 30 years of experience teaching college students. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in history, as well as a Master’s degree in library science, all from the University of California, Los Angeles. With Lauren Slingluff, she oversees library and research support and teaches a series of workshops called College-Level Research Skills, which are designed to help YPEI students think critically and make judgments about any information they find and use – skills that will empower them as citizens, to express informed views and engage fully with society. She is honored to work with the students and team at YPEI, and looks forward to the day when a college education is readily available to everyone who wants it.

Han Pimentel-Hayes is a Dwight Hall Urban Fellow and Academic Strategies Mentor with YPEI. She is a GED graduate & community college transfer from Kansas majoring in American Studies at Yale. Han has previously worked to prepare students for the GED examination as an adult literacy volunteer, as a journalism mentor in New Haven public schools, and as a member of the Poorvu Center for Teaching & Learning Advisory Board. They joined the YPEI team during the ’23-’24 academic year, helping to facilitate study halls and math club. Han is honored to continue working with YPEI this year and is thrilled to step into the role of transcription network co-coordinator, serve as a research assistant for capstone projects, and provide additional academic support as an ASP mentor.

Kavya is a senior in American Studies. She became involved with YPEI as a study hall volunteer and is excited to continue the work this year through the Dwight Hall Urban Fellowship. She loves being a thinking partner for students as they develop papers and has worked as a writing tutor on campus for three years. She cares about reading poems, growing food, and swimming outside.

Olivia is a senior Political Science major on the Intensive track. Outside of YPEI, she is a Research Assistant with the Liman Center working on ballot access in prisons and solitary confinement. She has interned in public defender offices and loves working with clients and seeing them progress over time. She is most excited to work on updating reentry guides and making individuals' transition back into their communities as smooth as possible.

Carmen is a senior from Brooklyn. She studies self-governance and twentieth-century autonomous movements as a dual BA/MA student in History. She likes adapting to surprises and hates making decisions - so she studies and works towards sustaining participatory decision-making processes. She has worked on oral and archival research projects with movements in Latin America and has organized with students in New York City, Birmingham, and New Haven. She likes walking and reading, gathering discordant groups in funny ways, and asking questions. She is thrilled to be working with YPEI as a Dwight Hall Urban Fellow.

Felice Dong (she/her) is a Yale College senior majoring in Statistics and Data Science. She has spent the past three summers serving as a First-Year Scholars at Yale counselor, supporting first-generation, low-income students in their transition to Yale. On campus, Felice contributes to Parkinson’s and economics research, works in sports communications for Yale Athletics, and has guided high school seniors through college applications as a Matriculate adviser. After interning at Freedom Reads, a nonprofit expanding literary access in prisons, Felice is excited to continue her work in educational equity as an Academic Strategies Mentor for YPEI.

Karley Yung (she/her) is an Academic Strategies Program mentor for YPEI. She is a senior in Berkeley majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a certificate in Education Studies. Outside of YPEI and the classroom, Karley is an Asian American Cultural Center Peer Liaison and involved menstrual equity efforts with YaleBleeds. She is super excited to be involved in YPEI.

Lauren Slingluff is the University Librarian at University of New Haven and supports the research request network and library instruction. She received her bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University with a major in Religious Studies and a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies, and obtained a Master’s in library and information science from Simmons College. A third-generation library worker, she is passionate about equity and access and has presented and published on topics of social justice, trauma-informed libraries, and leadership practices within academic librarianship.

Rudy Cordero is an Academic Strategies Mentor for YPEI. He is a Senior in Trumbull majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science. On campus, Rudy has served as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant in the Math and CS department, an ONEXYS Supercoach, and was recently awarded the John Alan Lewis Summer Research Fellowship as a Mathematics and Computer Science major. He has supported YPEI initiatives since the 2022-2023 academic year and is excited to see the program grow.