Summer Mentors

Hey ya’ll! I’m Kaylen Breeze, a second-year from North Carolina State University majoring in Animal Science with an intended minor in Nutrition. I’m a Goodnight Scholar, an active member of the MANNRS association, and a member of the Elon Academy Omicron class. I’m super passionate about research and giving back to the community. In my free time I like to try new foods, play volleyball, hang out with friends, and listen to music. This is my first year as a CAT Summer Mentor and I’m super excited to spend the summer with you all!

Hello! I am Jaylem Cheek, a rising sophmore from Burlington, N.C., majoring in Astrophysics and minoring in Applied Mathematics. I am an Elon College Fellow, and an Odyssey Scholar. I was a part of the Omicron Cohort, I created a club with 2 other students called the Elon Astronomy Club, and I also enjoy Esports. I am now a Teaching Assistant for Intro to Astronomy on campus. I really look forward to meeting the new Elon Academy students, and I am super excited to share the same love that my CAT mentors shared with me!

Hey all! I am Taylor Duque, a First-Gen student from Graham, N.C. I was a part of Graham High School’s Pre-Collegiate Academy, where I was awarded my Associate in Arts. Now, I am an Elon Odyssey Scholar and a Communication Fellow majoring in Communication Design and Media Analytics. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, watching shows, being outdoors, and more. I also love watching my peers grow as people and professionals. With that being said, I’m excited to work with Elon Academy and can’t wait to meet my mentees!

Hey! I’m Edward Hernandez, a first-year student at Elon, double majoring in Marketing and Business Analytics. I am from Burlington, N.C., and I even graduated from the Alamance Burlington Early College with an Associates in Science. I was also a part of the Omicron class at Elon Academy. At Elon, I am the treasurer of the Latinx-Hispanic Union, an Odyssey Scholar, and I am the Office Assistant for Elon Academy. In my free time, I love riding my bike, traveling, playing games, and spending time with my friends. I love the program and my time with Elon Academy, and I am so excited to be a Summer Mentor to have a great and fun summer!

Hi! I am Emily Menjivar, a sophomore from Burlington, N.C. I am majoring in Special Education and Elementary Education, with a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. This is my first being a Summer Mentor and I am excited to work with the program. In my free time I enjoy baking as well as unwinding and binge watching shows.

Hi! My name is Gabriela Vazquez but everyone calls me Gaby.  I am from Graham, N.C. and I graduated high school with an Associate in Arts. I am now working towards my Bachelors degree at Guilford College, where I am majoring in Criminal Justice. I am also a Bonner and Algernon Sydney Sullivan Scholar! I enjoy being apart of many communities at Guilford such as Hispanos Unidos de Guilford and The Quaker Leadership Scholars Program. These communities have allowed me to learn more about myself and have introduced me to many people who I now call my family.  I am apart of the Nu Class in Elon Academy, and I absolutely admire what the program has helped me accomplish during my time as a scholar! In my free time I enjoy traveling, spending time with friends and family, and practicing good mental health! I am beyond excited to be working with the Elon Academy Team as a Summer Mentor again this year!

Hi There! My name is Cooper Oates, I am currently a rising sophomore at Western Carolina University but plan to transfer to a community college to earn an associate in Engineering then transfer to university and earn a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. Some things about me are that I enjoy watching movies, spending time with my pets, playing video games, and I am part of Elon Academy’s Omicron cohort. I am excited to be part of the Elon Academy summer program and meeting all the cohorts who will be attending!

I’m RyAnne, and I’m super excited for my second summer with Elon Academy as a mentor! I enjoy spending time with friends and family, drawing, and reading. I can’t wait to meet all the new scholars and have a blast this summer!