Meet the 2022 Orientation Leaders

Meet our 2022 Orientation Leaders that will be participating in your Orientation experience! These Orientation Leaders will be a great resource to answer any of your questions about Manhattan College.
  • Belisabel Batista

    Photograph of Besiabel Batista

    Hometown: Washington Heights, New York

    Major/Minor: Global Studies in Finance & Management

    MC Involvement: Entrepreneurship Club and the Women In Business (WIB) as a mentee.

    Why Did You Choose MC? After visiting several colleges, the only one that sparked my interest was MC. MC had everything that I was looking for in a college and more. One of the attributes that attracted me to MC was its great location because of the easy access to the city through the 1 train and the various food places near MC. Another attribute that sparked my interest in MC was the community because they were very welcoming and polite and because of the small size classes, everyone was familiar with each other. No other college is like Manhattan College.  

    Favorite Thing About MC: My favorite thing about MC would have to be the numerous opportunities that the campus offers, that will help you succeed no matter what major or minor you have. I find it really helpful that we have a tutoring center when you have issues with schoolwork and a resource center to help you attain anything you need for a class and a counseling center when you feel overwhelmed by college. Not only this but they partner up with a lot of well known companies and people to speak to students about anything and everything, which makes the whole MC experience even more great.

  • Martina Eichhorn

    Photograph of Martina Eichhorn

    Hometown: Cary, Illinois

    Major/Minor: Political Science

    MC Involvement: Fuerza Latina, Lotus Magazine, and BSU.

    Why Did You Choose MC? I knew MC would be able to offer me a diverse and loving community. I wanted to be surrounded with people with different opinions and views of life. The smaller campus also allows me to connect deeper with my peers and professor so much more easily. 

    Favorite Thing About MC: I love how green the campus is; it feels like you are in your own little world. The amazing and diverse location surrounding the school with good restaurants and easy access to the city. I also love how the smaller classes help you build stronger connections with your professors.

  • Megan Ganess

    Photograph of Megan Ganess

    Hometown: Middle Island, New York

    Major/minor: Business Analytics

    MC Involvement: After School Program tutoring elementary school children, LWGRC (Lasallian Women’s Gender & Resource Center) events are my favorite to attend.

    Why did you choose MC? I chose MC because of the location and the small class sizes. Having small classes where I can have more one-on-one engagement with the professor was a priority. The campus is also located near the 1 line so it’s always easy to hop on the train and take a trip into Manhattan.

    Favorite thing about MC: My favorite thing about MC is the beauty of the campus. No matter what the season is, the campus is transformed into a wonderful picturesque scene. My favorite season to enjoy is early spring when the magnolia trees blossom and the pink petals rain down from the sky. The MC campus is filled with so many beautiful plants, flowers, and trees. Sometimes I forget I’m located in the city.

  • Payton Hayes

    Photograph of Payton Hayes

    Hometown: Toronto, Canada 

    Major/Minor: Mechanical Engineering, Business; Minor, Mathematics Minor

    MC Involvement: Manhattan College Players, Society of Women Engineers, Mechanical Engineering Women, and the MC Futurist Society.

    Why Did You Choose MC? I chose Manhattan College for its campus environment and its close proximity to the city. I love the close family-like community that our campus embodies while still getting the feeling of living in a big city. 

    Favorite Thing About MC? My favorite thing about MC is the support I get from my fellow classmates and professors. I feel like everyone tries to help each other get to where we all want to be and people are always available to lend a helping hand.

  • Sara Lara

    Photograph of Sara Lara

    Hometown: Bronx, NY

    Major/Minor: Business Management 

    MC Involvement: Even though my involvement in MC is small, I do wish to be involved more in various clubs and events. Being a full time student, I’m usually at campus for many hours during the week and I try to go to any event that I’m able to attend during my day. One event that I went to and really enjoyed was the innovation challenge showcase of multiple groups ideas and companies they created. It makes you really astonished how so many people can be so creative and innovative with world problems.

    Why Did You Choose MC? I’ve lived next to Manhattan College for all my life. Whenever there is a community event for the neighborhood I would almost always join. I also have an older sibling who had graduated from MC a few years ago, so the influence and familiarity I have with Manhattan is greater than any other college.

    Favorite Thing About MC: The classroom environment. With only 25 students per class, the classroom has a much more welcoming feel when sitting in the room listening to the lecture. Since there is a smaller number of students in each class, there is more help academically in class between the student and professor. This is also a reason why I choose MC, with its familiar environment and comfortability in the classrooms that have similar numbers of students in each class that I’ve always studied in.

  • Shantel Perez

    Photograph of Shantel Perez

    Hometown: Riverdale, NY

    Major/Minor: Psychology

    MC Involvement: CRU, Campus Ministry, & the Multicultural Center

    Why Did You Choose MC? The moment I walked into MC I felt a warm feeling and immediately felt at home. I knew right away that MC was going to be a place I would call home. The warm campus atmosphere, the nature and the people made me decide that I can fulfill my utmost potential. 

    Favorite Thing About MC: My favorite thing would have to be the people and the atmosphere, even when you are having a bad day, everything feels so calm and peaceful. It’s easy to make friends on Campus. I haven’t encountered one person who wasn't friendly when I had concerns about something, whether it was to find a certain office, or location on campus. I was treated with respect from my peers. 

  • Jazi Riley

    Photograph of Jazi Riley

    Hometown: Lakeland, Florida

    Major/minor: Political Science and Philosophy

    MC Involvement: At MC, I am a part of Student Government as a Freshman VP. In addition, I am a part of the Arches Program, Emerging Leaders Program, and Black Student Union!

    Why did you choose MC? I chose MC because of the location and class sizes! The smaller class sizes allow our professors to invest in us and it is evident that they truly care and are passionate about teaching, which makes learning more fun. The location is truly perfect because you can escape the fast pace of the city and come to a more homey part of the Bronx!

    Favorite thing about MC? My favorite thing about MC is the community! Everyone I have interacted with has been very welcoming and kind. Being an out-of-state student is hard because you don’t see your family as often but the people on campus turn into a second family which makes it an easier transition.

  • Wilson Sabino

    Photograph of Wilson Sabino

    Hometown: Bronx, NY 

    Major/Minor: Biology 

    MC Involvement: Campus Ministry & the Multicultural Center 

    Why Did You Choose MC?: I chose Manhattan College because I believe it was a place that had a lot of social activities that I knew I would love to be involved in. I also chose it because of the beautiful campus and how easy it is for me to reach here while commuting. 

    Favorite Thing About MC: My favorite thing about MC is the retreats because I always get to meet new people. Another thing I like about MC is the number of facilities that they have for students who need help or just need time to recollect themselves.

  • Nerivette Santiago

    Photograph of Nerivette Santiago

    Hometown: Bronx, New York 

    Major/Minor: Communications with a concentration in Media Production & Music. 

    MC Involvement: Manhattan College TV 

    Why Did You Choose MC?: I chose Manhattan  College because of the Communications program and the different opportunities that are presented to us at MC. I enjoy the variety of classes and clubs that we have the chance to explore and find new interests. 

    Favorite Thing About MC: My favorite thing about MC is the welcoming environment. The professors are always happy to help the students as much as they can and the students who are in charge of different clubs don’t exclude anyone.

  • Brian Saul

    Photograph of Brian Saul

    Hometown: Georgetown, Guyana 

    Major/Minor: Business Management & International Business 

    MC Involvement: At MC, I am a sprinter on the Track and Field team and a member of the Manhattan Student Veteran Organization Social Media team. Additionally, starting this fall I will be a Residence Life Assistant.

    Why did you choose MC? I chose MC because of the location and the community. Being an immigrant, most of my family are in the New York area and the location of Manhattan College allows me to be close to family but still away at college. I also chose MC because when I visited the school the pride of being a Jasper was very evident. I wanted to be part of a program that even after I graduate, I can still look back and say I was a Jasper, and I will always be a Jasper. 

    Favorite thing about MC: My favorite thing about MC is the environment and how much the alumni are still involved. I think any program that has alumni involvement speaks volumes to the relationships that are being fostered at Manhattan College.