Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program Coordinators

The Harvard Recruitment Program is staffed by current Harvard undergraduates and admissions staff who are dedicated to diversity and to recruiting talented students. It is important to note, however, that the students are not involved with the admissions process itself. Inquiries about how decisions are made, admissions criteria, etc. should be directed to the Admissions Office.

African American Coordinators

Ronnye Rutledge '12
Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Harvard House: Cabot
Concentration: Human Evolutionary Biology
Secondary Field/Citation: African-American Studies, Spanish
Hi! I’m a senior Human Evolutionary Biology Concentrator with a secondary in African-American Studies. Aside from working in the admissions department, I’m involved with a peer counseling and sexual health advocacy group and I’m vice president of Harvard College Faith and Action, which is a campus Christian fellowship. I have a passion for science and have interned at Johns Hopkins University. This year I am working on my thesis project within the Reproductive Ecology Department at Harvard. Over the past three years I’ve had to opportunity to spend two summers abroad in Argentina and Uruguay. This past summer I was working with an indigenous population in Argentina and conducted a sexual health survey. In my spare time I enjoy going to the theatre, Zumba classes and learning American Sign Language. After college I plan on attending medical school and hopefully, with my Spanish citation in tow, work in global healthcare.

Bryant Wright '12
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Harvard House: Eliot
Concentration: Joint Music and African-American Studies
I am a rising senior at the college; originally from Rochester, I was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. During my time here at Harvard I have been actively involved in a variety of social and service organizations including the Black Men's Forum, Harvard College GLOW (Gay, Lesbian, Or Whatever) a string quartet, and the Black Student’s Association. As a violist, I have spent my college summers attending various summer music festivals around the country. I am enrolled in the 5-year Harvard/New England Conservatory Double Degree Program, and enjoy splitting my time between academic, musical, and social commitments. After graduation I am looking to pursue a career as a classical musician. I look forward to answering any questions you have about Harvard.

Asian-American Coordinators

Ana Choi '13
Hometown: Mission, Texas
Harvard House: Leverett
Concentration: History and Literature
I was born in Spain, and I lived in Korea, then Mexico, before settling down in South Texas. Living in so many different countries has given me an appreciation for diversity, which is what I love most about Harvard. I hope that through my work in the UMRP, I will be able to contribute to the amazingly diverse group of students that I have met so far at Harvard. During the school year, I am a staff member for Harvard Model United Nations and Harvard National Model United Nations, which gives me the opportunity to interact with students from around the world. I am also an active member of the Korean Association, which has provided me with a tight- knit, supportive community as well as the opportunity to stay in touch with my ethnic heritage. My experience at Harvard so far has exceeded all of my expectations, and I have no doubt that the next two years will be even better.

Laura Kim '13
Hometown: Briarcliff Manor, NY
Harvard House: Currier
Concentration: Psychology
Secondary Field: Global Health and Health Policy
I was born in Seoul, South Korea, but I have grown up along the east coast of the United States (MD, NJ, NY, and now, MA!). I love figure skating, so I am actively involved in An Evening with Champions – a nonprofit student group that raises money for cancer research through ice skating shows. I am also a cellist in Harvard’s Mozart Society Orchestra, a research assistant at the Laboratory for Developmental Studies, and a member of Harvard’s Asian American Christian Fellowship - all of which are amazing and unique communities full of passionate, hilarious, and inspiring people. Outside of the classroom, I love receiving snail mail, singing out loud (granted, it may not sound very good), seeking thrills (sky diving!), and brunch (dinner is a close second). I’d love to hear about your interests as well, and to tell you about all of the amazing experiences Harvard has to offer. Looking forward to your questions!

Latino/a Coordinators:

Juan Munoz '12
Hometown: La Puente, CA
Harvard House: Kirkland
Concentration: Neurobiology/MBB
Born in Los Angeles, I have lived in Southern California my whole life and know what it is like to grow up in a place where minority cultures are dominant. I graduated from West Covina High School in 2008 and then made the big move to the East Coast to fulfill my childhood dream of attending Harvard. Here, I have been able develop various academic and extracurricular interests. I am a pre-med student currently applying to medical school, where I hope to further explore my interest in the human nervous system. Passionate about event planning, I am a part of the Kirkland House Committee and the College Events Board. I am also involved in RAZA, Latinos in Health Careers, the Peer Advising Fellows program, and club/Intramural athletics. As a member of the UMRP team, I hope to encourage and support a diverse group of high school students to consider Harvard in their college application process, and with this, contribute to the amazing diversity that makes this campus so special. I love Harvard and I really enjoy sharing that with others, so feel free to contact me. I am always glad to answer questions.

Rosario Santillana '13
Hometown: La Puente, CA
Harvard House: Cabot
Concentration: Neurobiology
Secondary Field Global Health and Health Policy
Hi! I am Rosario, a rising senior concentrating in Neurobiology with a secondary in Global Health. I was born in Lima, Peru, but have grown up under the beautiful skies of Southern California! Moving to the East Coast to attend Harvard was definitely a big transition for me, but the years that I have spent on this campus have undoubtedly been the best of my life. Aside from working with this program, I am also involved with Student Mental Health Liaisons, an organization on campus that promotes mental health awareness within the student population. I am also a member of Refresh Bolivia, a global health organization that develops and implements water sanitation projects in Cochabamba, Bolivia. I have a passion for Latin America and medicine, and have been fortunate enough to have been able to travel to Peru and Chile in the past two summers to shadow physicians in rural settings and volunteer at public hospitals. I am currently a pre-med student and plan to apply to medical school in the near future. In my spare time, I enjoy playing intramural volleyball, watching movies, and having picnics in Boston Public Garden when the weather is nice. I am excited and happy to be part of the UMRP team, and I look forward to sharing with you all that is special about this school. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or would simply like to talk. I am here to help!

Mexican-American Coordinators:

Bryan Cortez '13
Hometown: Turlock, CA
Harvard House: Adams
Concentration: Social Studies
I was born and raised in Turlock, California. Turlock is known mostly as an agricultural community and I grew up surrounded by orchards and pastures. Moving to Harvard has been a welcoming experience for me because of how easily I was able to find several communities that supported me on campus.

I spent my last summer in Brazil and I am working on a citation in Portuguese. I also recently decided to join the pre-med track and have begun looking at opportunities in a career in medicine. I am a member or Raza, the Mexican-American organization on campus, as well as Fuerza Latina, a pan-Latino organization, Latino Men's Collective, and Latinas Unidas. I was recently elected to the Concilio Latino board and I am looking forward to helping coordinate large events for the Latino community at Harvard. Outside of the Latino community, I am involved with the Harvard College in Asia Program and I lead a small group for the Catholic Student's Association. In my free time I enjoy traveling, sports, cooking, weight lifting, and weekly dinners in Boston with my friends.

Native American Coordinator

Tia Ray '12
Hometown: El Centro, CA
Harvard House: Lowell
Concentration: Joint Anthropology & History and Science
I was born in El Centro, CA a very small town along the southern border of California near Arizona. I am an active member of the Native American community at Harvard, primarily through Native Americans at Harvard College (NAHC), the Native American sorority Alpha Pi Omega, and traditional dancing with the Harvard Indian Intertribal Dance Troupe (HIIDT). In addition to these activities I am the publicity chair for Adams House HoCo and a member-at-large for the IOP Policy Program. My academic interests include: museum representation of indigenous culture, repatriation, and the documentation of indigenous languages. I am writing my senior honors thesis on the development of community archaeology in the southwestern Yukon, Canada and Alaska. In my spare time I enjoy unwinding by watching reality television. As a former desert-dweller I have plenty of tips on adjusting to New England weather and concerns about moving away from home. Feel free to ask me about any and all questions you have about Harvard or college life in general!

April Sperry '13
Hometown: Lisbon, CT
Harvard House: English
Concentration: Winthrop
I was born and raised in a small town in south-eastern Connecticut. I am a member of the Mohegan Tribe and I’m an active member of Harvard’s Native community. I am also a member of Alpha Pi Omega, a Native American minority sorority. I am an English concentrator, seeking a secondary concentration in Archaeology and an Italian language citation. I love words and two of my main activities on campus are working as co-editor in chief for Harvard’s Voice student life magazine and acting as secretary for Winthrop’s Housing Committee. I love Harvard’s campus, people, and community so much that I’m working here at the UMRP so that I can gush about my school to prospective applicants. Feel free to ask me what I like, what I don’t like, and why you should consider Harvard!