The 2026-2027 Peer Student Success Team Mentors
PSST is a mentorship program designed to provide an academic and social support system for incoming first year students, transfer students, international students, and prospective students who are joining the Lee Honors College.
Their roles include:
- Facilitating one-on-one meetings with mentees during the fall and spring semesters.
- Communicating via e-mail on a weekly basis with mentees regarding honors college requirements, events, opportunities, and self-care strategies.
- Attending, coordinating, and facilitating honors college events, programs, and/or community service opportunities for mentees (in-person or online).
- Meeting with prospective honors students and/or attending honors college recruitment events.
Jake Waterlander, PSST Coordinator
Major: Biology
Minors: Chemistry, Mathematics
Year: Senior
Hometown: Mattawan, MI
Hi everyone! My hobbies range from video games to walking in nature and many things in between. Many of my favorites come from the 80s like music, movies, etc. I have played soccer since I was a kid and while I do not play as much anymore, I certainly love watching it! Additionally, one of the defining parts of me is that I am a Christian. I do not know exactly what I want to do in the future, but I love microbiology and all things living. I am very excited to be a PSST mentor again and to help make the LHC community lively and fun!
Anastasiia Hrukach, Assistant Coordinator
Major: Chemical Engineering
Minors: Biological Sciences, Mathematics, Chemistry
Year: Senior
Hometown: Chernihiv, Ukraine and Traverse City, MI
Hi guys! I am super excited to meet everybody and make cool memories this school year! I enjoy running, hiking, playing pickleball, volleyball, tennis and so much more. If you ever need a buddy to do anything, just let me know! I am also an active member of engineering RSOs, EcoBroncos, tennis and outdoor clubs. I am always up for a new adventure and love exploring new places.
Megan Vander Kooi, Assistant Coordinator
Major: Interior Architecture and Design
Year: Third
Homework: Byron Center, MI
Hi! I am so excited for my second year being a mentor! Some hobbies I enjoy are ceramics, crafting and baking. I love spending time in nature, running or going to the beach. I also play the viola and the piano and I love to listen to music. My favorite artist is Billie Eilish. My favorite show is One Day. I have two dogs who are named Chloe and Choncho.
Dante Allen
Majors: Anthropology & Psychology
Year: Senior
Hometown: Holland, MI & Saltillo, Mexico
Hello! I’m really interested in studying human evolution and behavior, especially in areas of prosociality and cultural behavior. I’m the President for Psi Chi and a member of the Anthropology Student Organization. Some facts about me: I have a pet chihuahua (Lola) and a tarantula (Walking Heart). My favorite book is Jurassic Park, my favorite video game is Borderlands and my favorite sports are hockey and soccer. This summer I was part of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeology Field School for a second year, which was a lot of fun.
Meghan Buckwalter
Major: Nursing
Year: Junior
Hometown: Okemos, MI
Hi everyone! Some hobbies I enjoy are reading, crafting, playing sports, baking and thrifting. I also love spending my free time hanging out with my friends and family. I come from a big family, which made me love being around lots of people. I studied abroad in Costa Rica last year, which was a blast. I can’t wait to meet everyone and have a fun year!
Joslyn Figueroa
Majors: Aviation Flight Science & Aviation Management and Operations
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Highland, IN
Hi everyone! This is my first year being a LHC mentor! I spent my first year at the LHC working at the front desk, where you can still occasionally find me. Outside of the LHC, I am an active member of the Women In Aviation chapter at Western and serve as the Outreach Coordinator. I am also a member of Delta Zeta Sorority and serve as a WSA representative! After Western, I plan on continuing my path toward becoming a pilot for the airlines. In my free time, I enjoy going for walks, going to cafes and playing pickle ball with my friends. My favorite season is fall, so I am especially excited for the school year to begin! I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and having a great year!
Amanda Gowey
Major: Aviation Flight Science
Year: Junior
Hometown: Shoreline, Washington
Hi everyone! I started working at the Lee Honors College my sophomore year and I loved it Outside of school, I have recently taken up birding and I enjoy being outside in nature. I alsoenjoy longboarding, puzzles, painting and recently started crocheting! I love dogs and I havetwo back home that are now 13 years old. The Honors College has helped me meet a lot of people throughout college and find support both in and out of academics, and I hope I can help others feel the same moving forward!
Eiman Intikhab
Majors: Pre-Law Track, Double Major in Political Science & Philosophy
Minor: English: Literature and Language
Year: Senior
Hometown: Portage/Kalamazoo, MI
Hi everyone! My name is Eiman (ee-mahn) and this will be my third year being a PSST Mentor. I’ve loved every minute of it and I’m super excited to continue working at the LHC and building meaningful relationships! It has been a wonderful addition to my college experience and I hope to be a vessel in providing other students with the same. Outside of PSST, I’m the President of the Muslim Student Association, Allocations Secretary of our student government, the Western Student Association, and Intern for Judge Sharma at the 9th Circuit Court. In my free time, I like anything outdoors, playing soccer or video games, and spending time with friends and family. My dream hangout is eating good food with my girls, dressing up and taking pictures.
Kaylee Jangda
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Chemistry
Year: Junior
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Hi everyone! I am so excited to be a LHC mentor this year! I am a pre-vet student planning to apply to veterinary school next year! Here at WMU, I am involved in the Women in Stem, pre-vet and Special Olympics clubs! I am also on the Women's Club Basketball team! Outside of school and clubs, I enjoy hiking, working out, reading, volunteering at the animal shelter, spending time with friends and family and listening to music! I have a dog named Gladys and a cat named Marty! I am so excited to be a part of the LHC PSST and am looking forward to getting to know everyone!
JJ Jeon
Majors: Aviation Flight Science & Aviation Management and Operations
Minor: General Business
Year: Junior
Hometown: Suwon, South Korea
Hello! I’m Jiwon, but I also go by JJ, so feel free to call me either! My ultimate goal is to become a pilot. I enjoy working out in my free time, especially boxing and cardio. I’m also interested in healthy eating, so I enjoy cooking meals for myself. I’m a member of PAPA (Professional Asian Pilots Association), and this is my second year as a PSST mentor. I’m excited to meet you all!
Andrew Kelly
Major: Sales & Business Marketing
Minors: Business Communication, General Business
Year: Junior
Hometown: Fenton, MI
I chose WMU because I was impressed with the Sales program and I knew a bigger school wasn’t for me. Being at a smaller school has allowed me to make connections and be involved. I am currently an active member of SBMA, WMU Ski and Snowboard Club, and a fraternity. I enjoy skiing, golfing, fishing and many other outdoor activities. In the summer, I love to wake surf and wakeboard on the water. I consider myself an adventurous person and this past summer I completed an internship in Oregon. During the weekends, I found myself visiting many different National Parks and enjoying the scenery that Oregon has to offer. This was a life-lasting experience that I'll hold on to forever. I am excited to be returning for my second year as a PSST Mentor and to see what the 2026-27 school year holds for me.
Tyler Kitchen
Major: Accounting
Minor: General Business
Year: Junior
Hometown: Portage, MI
Hello! This is my third year at WMU and I am studying accounting with a passion for business. I chose WMU because it was close to home, and I had been on the campus many times before becoming a student here. I love doing anything outside, including soccer, tennis, basketball and running. Outside of sports, I like to lift weights and read in my free time. I also love to listen to all kinds of music, and I am trying to learn how to play the guitar. I am so excited to meet everyone!
Elsa Marotzke
Major: Social Work
Minor: Psychology
Year: Junior
Hometown: Grosse Pointe, MI
Hi! I enjoy learning new things and having new experiences. One of my goals in life is to acquire as much knowledge as possible, so one of my favorite things to do is master as many skills as I can, useful or not. To name a few, I’ve recently spent the summer teaching myself chess, hacky sack, euchre, golf and pickleball. I am in the process of learning acoustic guitar, reading many literary classics and am working on my Spanish and culinary skills. This is my second year as a mentor and I have big plans ahead to make it even better than last year. One of my favorite parts of this job is figuring out how to get my mentees involved and build my relationship with them through fun events that resonate with them while also providing them with new experiences.
Francesca McCaughan-Perkins
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Year: Junior
Hometown: St. Joseph, MI
Hey y’all! This is my third year as a member of the Lee Honors College and my first year as a PSST mentor. I have many hobbies, but the major ones include cooking/baking, hiking, and playing GTA V. When I’m hiking, I love to bring my camera along so I can take photos and videos of the wildlife. (Right now, my favorites to get on camera are chipmunks. They’re just so cute!) Additionally, I do occasionally rock climb and I love aquariums/aquatic life, especially shrimp. I keep a shrimp tank and I also have a wide variety of plants in my apartment, and of course, I never forget to water them. Another favorite of mine is coffee—any shape or form will do; I could probably live off of affogati. I’m super excited for this year, and I’m looking forward to all that it brings!
Jessica Muller
Major: Product Design
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Livonia, MI
Hi, I’m Jessica, but most people call me Jess! Outside of school, I love spending time outdoors camping and hiking. You might also find me at the Rec playing volleyball, pickleball or tennis with my friends, or getting a workout in. I also enjoy crafting and can never turn down a trip to the thrift store! I love staying involved on campus and will be holding Executive Board positions in both IDSA and ALD this year. Reach out if you're ever curious about getting more involved in student organizations or finding opportunities on campus! I am really looking forward to being a mentor this year and getting to know my mentees!
Jen Nguyen
Majors: Aviation Flight Science & Aviation Management and Operations
Year: Senior
Hometown: Kent, Washington
Hi everyone, my name is Jen and this is my third year as a PSST mentor! Aside from flying, I enjoy volunteering and being involved in my community whether it’s with aviation or sustainability. I love going to cafes and taking walks as well. If you were to stop me on a walk right now, I would probably be listening to something by underscores or Mac Ayres.
Avery Perleberg
Major: Psychology
Minor: Human Resources Management
Year: Junior
Hometown: Byron Center, MI
Hi everyone! I am beyond excited to be a returning mentor this year. Outside of school, I enjoy teaching dance, thrifting and spending time with my family and friends. I am also an avid reader of psychological thriller and self-help books. This summer, I had an internship with Pine Rest where I helped with the assessment and diagnosis process. I also worked as a server at a country club! Some of my favorite things to do as a Bronco are to attend the WMU hockey games and football tailgates :) I can’t wait to see what this year brings for the Honors Broncos and help new students find the best path to success for their futures!
Margaret Rodgers
Majors: Vocal Performance and Arts Administration
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Marshall, MI
Hi! I am so excited for my first year as a mentor. My hobbies include reading, music, sewing and movie watching! My favorite movie is The Princess Bride. I am now the Event Committee Head of Sigma Alpha Iota and a member of the WMU Choirs. This summer I was the Concert Logistics Intern at Frederick Meijer Gardens. I cannot wait to meet everyone and know this will be an amazing year!
Mady Rumsey
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Engineering Management
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Muskegon, MI
Hi everyone! I cannot wait to be a PSST mentor this year! On campus, other than being a mentor, I am a member of Women in STEM, Women in Engineering, Alpha Lambda Delta, and soon to be more clubs. When in doubt, you will probably find me floating around Floyd Hall (Engineering Campus), or in Sangren trying to study for my course load. I am also involved in a statewide leadership organization, CVFC, which helps adolescents embrace the qualities of becoming a leader and to BE better every day. In my free time I love to cook, read, craft, enjoy the arts (museums, musicals, you name it), and spend time with my wonderful friends! I have a very outgoing personality and I love to chit chat and am currently embracing trying new hobbies like yoga and journaling! My top artists are Malcolm Todd and Steve Lacy, but my music, movies, shows and book tastes really have no genre and I tend to love it all. I cannot wait for what the year has in store and go Broncos!
Hadeel Shebrain
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Chemistry
Year: Junior
Hometown: Portage, MI
Hi! I am so thrilled to be a mentor this year. The LHC has supported me throughout my time here at WMU and I look forward to sharing that experience with others! I am also a member of the Women in Stem and Refugee Outreach Collective e-boards. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling, pottery, reading and listening to music (bonus points if my friends are involved). I love to take part in creative activities, like building LEGO models and painting. I look forward to meeting you all and can’t wait for a great year together!
Lillian Ulmer
Majors: Social Studies
Minor: American Sign Language Studies
Year: Senior
Hometown: Livonia, MI
Hi! My name is Lily and I’m so excited to be a PSST mentor this year. In my free time, I enjoy working out, going on hikes, seeing new places and listening to music. You will most likely find me with friends, out on a walk or strolling through a record store. I can’t wait to have a great year with you all!
Aiden Ward
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Medical Humanities
Year: Second (Transfer)
Hometown: Decatur, MI
Hi, people! I’m so excited to join the mentor team at the LHC this year! Currently, I am majoring in Biochemistry with a primary interest in pharmacological research. In my free time, you could likely find me cooking some weird recipe I found on TikTok, thrifting around Kzoo or gaming (my current obsessions have been swapping between DBD and Baldur’s Gate 3). I also absolutely love discovering new artists to listen to while I’m walking or studying around campus, and I can yap all day about a band I discovered the week prior. Here’s to a great year, and I can’t wait to get to know you all!
Halle Woodard
Majors: Public Health
Minors: Holistic Health and Integrative Wellness
Year: Junior
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
Hi! I am so excited to be back for my second year as a PSST mentor! The LHC is my favorite place and I hope it will be yours too by the end of the year. On campus, you’ll find me coaching Cycle classes at the Student Recreation Center, at the Student Center working in the WSA Allocations branch or over at the College of Health and Human Services studying. I am the Vice Chair of the WMU College Democrats and I play IM Co-Rec soccer in the fall. I love working out, cuddling with my kitten Ruthie, reading romance books, hanging out with other PSST mentors and crafting!