Chloe Catoya is a graduate student at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, pursuing her Master of Science in Media Management while working for the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) as a project coordinator. Before attending Fordham, Chloe received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a Music minor from Vassar College. With her passion and experience in storytelling, media, and entertainment, Chloe is thrilled to join the One Day Immersion team as a Student Star! She is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with peers and learn from industry professionals on a meaningful event designed to educate and connect attendees and speakers.

Bellavia Wilson is my name, currently in my junior year at Medgar Evers College pursuing Bachelor’s Degree in Science,Biology, aspiring to be a Physician Assistant in a few years to come. I am appreciative to the Office of Student Life and Dean’s Office for giving me the opportunity to be a representative for Medgar Evers College for this August Occasion. I'm honored to be a part of this and to support the program's goals. I intend to always be open minded to other opportunities that comes my way. My
quote to myself always is “Open-mindedness is a gateway to Networking”. Thank you for having me and I will be looking forward to have a good experience, learn to unlearn to better myself.

Allie Beekman is a current senior at Fordham University studying New Media and Digital Design with a double minor in Marketing and Film & TV. She hopes to work in Entertainment Public Relations after graduation this spring.

My name is Alyssia Schelfaut, I'm currently a senior at Fordham University studying Global business and concentrating in digital media and technology, as well as minoring in Economics. Originally from Belgium, I have had the opportunity to grow up moving to various countries and experiencing different opportunities. Now I work with various businesses in their social media, website design, marketing, etc. I am very excited to be working with ODI to help with this event!

Jyoshna is a graduate student at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, pursuing her master’s in Media Management. She is also a Social Media Chair at the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Advisory Board and is currently working at BD, as a Marketing Analyst Manager. Before moving to NYC, Jyoshna worked for five years at Marketing and Advertising agencies; strategizing & executing marketing campaigns, planning for year-long digital strategies, monitoring performance media, and growing an online brand presence for B2B and B2C brands. She is originally from India where she received her undergraduate degree in Mass Media with a specialization in Advertising. Jyoshna can speak four Indian languages, including English and has been to six countries. She is grateful for all the opportunities the school has provided her and is extremely excited for being a part of ODI.

TK

My name is Brian Garrett Jr., and I am a student at Medgar Evers College studying Public Administration. My ambitions are to become an attorney with an end to erecting some semblance of societal change. I am passionate and excited to join an organization at LawNY with different perspectives to learn from and whose values are rooted inside the community. Community building is essential to me, and by using the law as an asset, I am confident in positive change.

Kaitlyn Bailis is a senior at Fordham University studying Global Business with a concentration in Global Marketing with Consumer Insights. With previous internships at Warner Bros. Discovery and Allied Global Marketing, her passion for the Media and Entertainment space has grown extensively throughout her college years. In the future, Kaitlyn wishes to pursue a career path in Global Entertainment to further connect cultures from around the world.

Originally from India, Vaishvi is currently pursuing her MS in Media Management at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business. Prior to that, she pursued her BFA in Film and Media and specialized in Screenwriting and Direction. With more than 5 years of work experience, Vaishvi has worked in a range of roles from a Full-time Producer, to a Showrunner to the Co-founder of a creative studio with her sister, called 'Elder Younger Studios'. The animated content she produced as a Showrunner has been distributed to platforms such as Amazon Prime US, Battery Pop, and Roku among others. During her time as a creative leader, she found herself intrigued by the ever-evolving media business landscape especially, the OTT space, which mainly was the decision-making factor for her to pursue her further education here in the US. Currently, she works as a Media Analyst at VaynerMedia and also serves as the President of the student-run club, Media and Entertainment Alliance at Fordham. Her dream is to work as the Head of Global Content Strategy for a renowned OTT platform!

Fatimetou is currently finishing her first year as a Business major student at Northern Virginia Community College. She was born in Mauritania and moved to France after graduating from high school. Having grown up with the dream of improving the living conditions in Africa, she wanted to become a doctor. It was during a summer spent in her native country that she became more aware of the disparities in the African health system. By switching to a degree in healthcare administration, she knows her impact will be more meaningful. NOVA provided her with the best transition into the American higher education. As an international student, she cannot but feel involved with ODI's mission to close the gap for marginalized and underrepresented students. She’s filled with gratitude towards NOVA for seeing her potential and allowing her to flourish in such a setting.  She is equally grateful to ODI, Dolly Wolf and the Cable Industry for such remarkable outreach.

Hi! My name is Sofia Dengub, I am 18 years old and I am a Ukrainian refugee. Half a year ago my life changed because of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. I was forced to leave my home and start to build my life again. In Ukraine, I complete my first year of college at Ukrainian-American Concordia University. I got incredibly lucky to come to the USA and start my education at NOVA. I am so excited about sharing my knowledge, experience, and Ukrainian culture and looking forward to learning something new from other people. I can speak English, Ukrainian, Russian, and a bit of Germany so there must be no problems in meeting and communicating with new people. My main goal is to live a happy life and enjoy every day of it. I am waiting for that day when I will come home and I am sure it won't take so long! NOVA and ODI are an incredible opportunity for a fresh start. I am sure that it is here that I will get all the necessary life skills, and the basis of forming healthy communications and will provide an opportunity to try myself in everything to find my purpose. Thank you for all your support!

My name is Thomas Garlock. I am a student at Northern Virginia Community College where I am currently studying Communications. I am grateful to NVCC for its generous support, and I am proud to represent my school at the One Diverse Industry conference. I would like to be able to help the world in any way I can, and I see my participation at ODI as a unique opportunity to grow through leadership and service of sharing the knowledge obtained with fellow students upon conclusion of the event. I am very interested in cultural communication issues and look forward to learning how the media influences relationships between individuals and their communities, as well as how sports entertainment specifically can be used as a powerful tool for social justice, integration and inclusion. 

My name is Maria Mejia, and I’m at student at Fordham University majoring in Finance and Digital Media and Technology. I’m originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras but I moved to NYC three years ago for school.

Hello, my name is Justus McLean. I was originally born in Texas but having two military parents we moved a lot before settling in Northern Virginia where I call home. I’ve recently just returned to college to get my degree after taking many years off due to life and all its ups and downs and I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m truly blessed to have family who’ve supported me through ought my journey.   
I want to help and represent the communities that are being ignored and need it the most. The idea of a profession or organization focused on helping others regardless of circumstance is something I’ve dreamed about being a part of. I thank NOVA and ODI for this opportunity to see so many influential and amazing people who have accomplished so many things and put their self in a position to truly affect change. I hope to do the same and pay it forward.

Nataly is an international student from Colombia where she graduated from a high school specialized in pedagogical sciences. By moving her residence to the United States, she took several courses in areas ranging from cinema to business, thus acquiring the necessary knowledge of her environment and herself to decide to be part of Northern Virginia Community College. Nataly is currently a person dedicated to music, the arts and her career, seeking to progress and contribute not only to her current country of residence, but also to her country of origin.  Nataly is excited and grateful to have this fantastic learning opportunity and wants to thank Dolly Wolf, ODI and NOVA for making this happen.

Hello, and thank you for having me at One Day Immersion this year! My name is Asher Moore. I was born and raised in the United States, and what better place to have an education! I am appreciative that I have been given so many great opportunities in this country regarding education. However, this has not come without its challenges. In the sixth grade, I was diagnosed with social anxiety and major depressive disorder. You might be able to imagine how hard school was for me; living with this combination of illnesses. However, I believe that the fact that I was even invited to this convention shows how far I have come with overcoming these roadblocks. I would have never imagined that I would be selected for something like this, and I am incredibly proud of myself, and grateful!     Keeping that in mind, I would like to use the negative experience of going through mental illness, and use that to encourage others in any way I can. Whether it be through media or not, I plan to find a way to impact other mental illness survivors and those who are surviving in a positive way. I do hope that I can express these ideas through media, though. I am in love with television and movies! I love creating hero stories on my own and writing/performing music! I hope ODI will help me learn more about how to get into the media industry!    Finally, I would like to thank NOVA, ODI, Ms. Holsonbake, and my family. NOVA for bearing with me through trying times, and just being there as a viable option for students who come from a number of different backgrounds, and abilities. ODI for also providing opportunities for students who come from different cultures who may not otherwise have these opportunities without this program. Ms. Holsonbake for selecting me for the program to begin with, and seeing in me what I still struggle to see in myself most days. Last but definitely not least, I thank my family. I thank them for being my best friends and supporting me through my 20 years of life, no matter how mischievous I was, or how much help I have needed. Once again, I am sincerely thankful to everyone at ODI, NOVA, my professors, and my family for giving me amazing opportunities in life!

My name is Sofiya Dengub, and I am a current student at NOVA majoring in Communications. NOVA gave me an excellent opportunity to try myself in all possible fields and, ultimately, find my path. My career path has just started, but I am looking forward to seeing myself in the Psychology area with communication knowledge and skills. In my free time, I like to develop my personality by visiting museums, seeing exhibitions, or creating something independently. As a Ukrainian student forced to leave my own house, university, and friends, such an opportunity to join the ODI Conference 2023 is a true gift. My goal is still the same: I want to share my culture and knowledge while learning about the world and meeting new people and their cultures. I genuinely believe that we can make this world a better place with healthy and clear communication. I believe that with ODI, students can get essential practical experience in communicating and becoming a part of this world. I am so excited and grateful for this chance to share this experience with other unique and talented students!

My name is Dylan Carpenter and this is my third semester at NOVA. I’m majoring in communication with the goal of becoming a lawyer in the future. I play rugby and love to listen to music in my spare time, Hopefully, someday I can start DJing and make my own music as a hobby. I would like to say thank you to those who have made this event possible and to Professor Holsonbake who selected me to represent NOVA at ODI this fall. It has been a joy to get to know the people I’ve met and I can’t wait to continue making connections through this special event. This opportunity is a rare one and I’m extremely excited and grateful that I’m able to take part. 

My name is Jasleen Kaur, and I am currently pursuing a degree in cybersecurity. I was born in Maryland but raised in Virginia. Despite being born in America, I am a proud Indian with parents who have instilled great values. My interests include music, particularly listening and singing. Though my true passion is to create a positive impact in any situation. I believe that it is essential to spread positivity to make a bigger impact. For instance, by mentoring, volunteering, or by simply being a helping hand in time of need is one step closer to something great. I aim to also apply my cybersecurity skills in order to defend and protect users from being compromised. Additionally, I aspire to raise awareness and educate others about cybersecurity issues. These goals have a chance to be successful all thanks to NOVA for providing endless opportunities such as this opportunity to be apart of such an amazing experience.  I am beyond lucky and thankful to be able to have the chance to learn and grow from the ODI. It feels utterly unreal to be able to have an opportunity like this presented and sponsored.  I truly appreciate everyone that has made it possible to be able to be here. I’m so excited to be surrounded by such inspiring and self-driven individuals!

I am Jason Galdamez and I am currently studying at Northern Virginia Community College. My mother come from Vietnam and my father come from El Salvador and I am honored to have those heritages in my life! One goal I want to be successful in is to assist the affected communities who are not able to link with the resources they need! I want to give a huge shoutout to NOVA and ODI for giving me this opportunity! I never thought I would have the chance to be part of the team and work with a wonderful group of talented people who are dedicated to working hard! Thank you for putting your contributions into this wonderful event! You have changed many people's lives, including mine! I am ecstatic to be involved and showcased on being a leader!

My name is Emma Howard and I am honored to be a Student Star for ODI 2023! I’m in my second year at Northern Virginia Community College majoring in Liberal Arts. I have always had this passion for the arts with experience in many facets of the industry. In the Summer of 2021, I attended Governor’s School for Theatre and is a Cappie-nominated actor. I am planing to enter the arts industry as an educator and artist. I am very grateful to learn from the talented team at ODI who hold the arts industry in such high regard. I view the industry as an integral place for inclusion and influence. I am grateful to have the opportunity to have a meaningful impact on the industry. Media and the arts are universal and it is vital for the industry to reflect this truth, a truth which ODI strives for. I am definitely ready to contribute to ODI’s honorable effort in every way possible!

I am Melvin Jackson and I am currently majoring in information technology at Northern Virginia community college. I was originally born in Jamaica and I am from there, but I moved to America at the age of five. One goal I want to accomplish is to protect other people on the dangerous sides of the internet. Many people fall victim to these virus and scammers particularly which is not right so I want to help others and also kids to have better opportunities for technology! Also, truly I just want to say thank you so much to Nova and ODI for the overwhelming generosity in terms of sponsoring everything, I have never been or had the opportunity to visit to New York because, and to be able to go for such a wonderful experience is what has has me inspired and excited! I am beyond grateful that I even get to be a part of something like this at all so again. I just want to say thank you so much honestly to everyone to make this happen! 

My name is Jacob Clasen. This is my first full-time semester at Nova, I'm on my way to The University of George Mason for their Bachelor of Science in kinesiology. I've always loved being active so much so that I got my personal trainer certificate. I want to help people strengthen themselves in all aspects because when I help someone else gets strong they can help someone else get strong and it just builds upon itself to make a healthier world. Truly I just want to say thank you so much for your overwhelming generosity in terms of sponsoring this excellent conference. I've never been to New York before, and to be able to come to what is called the capital of the world in this circumstance has me so excited and grateful. I just thank you so much honestly from the bottom of my heart. Being able to come on a trip like this and experience an event like this  induces a sense of wonder and excitement for me , because media touches every aspect of our lives and to be able to get a little bit of understanding of the inner workings, I think, is just a really great gift and a truly once in a lifetime experience. This event will help me get a better idea of how to communicate my goals and dreams of helping others.