A collection of captivating and inspiring profiles from the University of South Florida's 2018 Spring Graduating Class
Peter Kivuva
Bachelor's in Finance
For Peter Kivuva, education has been the foundation of his values and the catalyst
that has changed his life. As a first-generation university graduate, Kivuva has sought
out experiences and opportunities that have helped broaden his outlook and shape his
future. Last year, he worked as a finance and accounting intern at the International
Transport Workers Federation in London and took a job as a seasonal au pair in Madrid,
teaching English to three young children. He currently serves as the assistant dean
of pledge education for Delta Sigma Pi and is the alumni ambassador for the USF Education
Abroad/American Institute for Foreign Study. In 2015, Kivuva was the recipient of
the Accountancy Achievement Award and in 2016, he was named a Benjamin A. Gilman International
Scholar. This year, he was named to the USF Muma College of Business 25 Under 25 roster.
After graduation, Kivuva will move to New York City for his dream job with Goldman
Sachs.
Meredith Bissette
Bachelor's in Health Sciences
When Meredith Bissette was first diagnosed with cancer her sophomore year of college, the USF softball player knew she was in for a fight. Chordoma is a rare form of bone cancer that affects approximately one out of every one million people per year. Doctors found the baseball-sized tumor during her second season as a Bull and began treatment almost immediately. Now, more than two years, several surgeries and many chemotherapy treatments later, Bissette is cancer-free and getting ready to graduate alongside the same friends and teammates who supported her during her battle. She plans to continue her education and work toward becoming a physician assistant – helping those facing battles of their own.
John Voelpel
PhD in Philosophy
At 81-years-old, John Voelpel is the oldest graduate walking across the commencement stage this semester. Voelpel spent a career practicing environmental law before returning to graduate school at USF in 2003. As an attorney, he represented a variety of clients throughout his nearly 30 years in the industry, sometimes fighting against environmental regulations – something he says he regrets. So, working under the guidance of USF Professor Martin Schönfeld, PhD, Voelpel hopes to even the present scales and now be part of the solution through research, writing and education. And while it’s taken him longer than average to finish his PhD, he says it was a challenge he knew he had to complete.
Abby Pribish
Doctor of Medicine
“At USF, I have always felt supported and empowered by incredible educators and mentors. I am grateful to have found a medical school that encourages its students to develop and meaningfully explore their interests, and to become well-rounded clinicians and leaders.”
Throughout her time at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Abby Pribish has tirelessly worked to make a positive impact on the local community. As an avid volunteer and former co-president of USF’s Tampa Bay Street Medicine, Pribish spent countless hours providing free medical care to underserved populations across the city. Pribish is also the first Morsani College of Medicine student to receive acceptance into the three prestigious medical honor societies – Alpha Omega Alpha, Gold Humanism and the Morsani College of Medicine's Robert A. Good. She recently accepted an internal medicine residency position at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School in Boston, where she plans to explore her interests in health equity and addiction medicine.
Prin Ocea
Bachelor's in Women's and Gender Studies
As a student activist and GLAAD Campus Ambassador, Prin Ocea is passionate about empowering leadership and emotional wellness for LGBTQ+ youth and creating programs for LGBTQ+ people to find community and support. Ocea identifies as a queer genderqueer person and has struggled with mental illness most of their life, even taking time away from USF to focus on their mental health. Because of their personal experience and struggle with mental illness, Ocea returned to USF dedicated to helping other LGBTQ+ people, especially youth, find love and power in themselves so they have the strength to achieve their full potential. Ocea has worked across campus and throughout the local community developing student organizations and programs aimed at helping the LGBTQ+ community. Ocea plans to take a year-off from school to work for a local non-profit creating empowering LGBTQ+ youth programming, then go on to get a master’s degree in social work.
*As a queer genderqueer individual, Ocea uses the pronouns they/them.
Mayah Knight
Bachelor's in Nursing
One of the first things Mayah Knight noticed about USF was the diversity of its student body. Wanting to make a lasting impact on the world, Knight knew the immeasurable value the blend of opinions and experiences would bring to her undergraduate studies and her future success. As a student leader, she served as a resident assistant in Poplar Hall, a Global Citizens Project student leader, president of the USF Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is a proud member of the Zeta Upsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Currently, Knight is an RN student intern at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital where she hopes to work as a pediatric nurse upon graduation. She plans to continue her education and obtain a doctor of nursing practice degree, with a hope to one day open a clinic in a minority-based community to provide health care and patient education.
Matthew Willman – Jonathan Willman
Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences
Born just minutes apart, Jonathan and Matthew Willman have grown up doing just about everything together. In fact, when they came to USF as transfer students, they decided to work toward majors and minors in the exact same subjects – taking every one of their classes together. As undergraduates, they were both able to get coveted student-research positions in Dr. Kevin Nash’s lab at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute studying neuro-degenerative diseases. While it may seem unusual for them to spend that much time together, the brothers say it’s actually made them more successful. They’ve always had a study partner, support system and when one misses a class, the other can fill them in later. Now, the Willmans graduate from USF’s Honors College as King O’Neal Scholars with perfect 4.0 GPA’s. They plan to continue working in the lab and hope to attend medical school together, although they say it already looks like they’ll pursue different specialties.
