Kosove Scholars
Sean Varughese
(He/Him)
Kosove Position: Treasurer
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Undergraduate Scholar
Sean is a senior majoring in Biomedical Sciences in pursuit of a career in medicine- specifically emergency medicine or Otolaryngology. He served as a mentor for elementary school students who sought to improve at reading, through the program “Teen Trendsetters” from the Barbara Bush Foundation of Family Literacy. He also Co-founded “Water to Life”, a non-profit project aimed at providing clean drinking water to underserved communities within India. Thus far, three bore wells in Uttar Pradesh have been built to provide for families that did not have a clean source of drinking water locally. In his free time, Sean enjoys powerlifting and spending time with family. Sean shares that working alongside the other Kosove Scholars in community service inspires him and is always an enjoyable time.
Elle Acosta
(They/Them)
Kosove Position: Historian and Media Director
Majors: Biology with a concentration in Evolution and Ecology and Women & Gender Studies
Undergraduate Scholar
Elle Acosta is a third year member of the Kosove Society. They are majoring in biology at USF in the hopes of becoming an environmental activist and traveling the world, hopefully including Antarctica, to study a wide variety of ecosystems. In high school, they refounded their school's Gender and Sexuality Alliance and was the president of the club for two years. They were also the treasurer of the school's activism club and a senior class officer during their senior year. Elle has volunteered at multiple nonprofits, including their city's animal shelter and LGBTQ youth organization. Some of their favorite activities are singing, reading, baking (and eating sweets in general), and kayaking.
Anthony Carmona
(He/Him)
Kosove Position: VP of Legacy
Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
Minor: Biomedical Physics
Undergraduate Scholar
Anthony Carmona is a junior pursuing a degree in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Biomedical Physics. He is a provost scholar, a member of the Phi Delta Epsilon pre medical fraternity, and the secretary of the Mexican American student association. He loved tutoring and working with the youth during his time in high school and worked with the Hispanic services council to help Hispanic students in his area with their schooling needs. He plans to go to medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon and help people in countries that do not have access to adequate medical care. Anthony loves to run and draw in his free time. His goal in life is to provide aid and a friend to as many people as possible which he feels will be fulfilled by a career in medicine.
Pablo Puga
(He/Him)
Kosove Position: VP of Community Service
Major: Marketing
Minor: Legal Studies
Undergraduate Scholar
Pablo Puga is a fourth-year student in the USF Business Honors Program pursuing a major in Marketing with a minor in Legal Studies. During his time at USF, he has held various positions with nonprofit organizations in both Tampa and his hometown of Miami. In Miami, he was given the opportunity to serve as a marketing intern for the Little Lighthouse Foundation, South Florida’s top volunteer organization. During his time in this role, he initiated and maintained various essential corporate partnerships with local businesses that continue to support the organization and their mission of assisting underserved children and their families throughout South Florida. In Tampa Mr. Puga has been heavily involved with Feeding Tampa Bay starting out as a Student Ambassador, being promoted to the role of Student Ambassador Captain to spearhead the expansion of their Student Ambassador program and he most recently held the position of Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator. Pablo hopes to attend law school following his undergraduate education and further develop the skills necessary to continue to give back to his community to the best of his ability. Overall, Pablo is extremely thankful for the opportunity to be able to develop relationships with the members of the Kosove Society and work to volunteer alongside other service-oriented individuals.
Audra Nikolajski
(she/her)
Kosove Position: President
Majors: English and Political Science
Minor: Global Studies in Education
Undergraduate Scholar
Audra is a fourth-year student in the Judy Genshaft Honors College with a passion for education. Audra has served as the Volunteer Committee Co-Chair for the JGHCSC and is currently a Community and Leadership Co-Coordinator. She is a co-Editor in Chief for Thread, USF’s Literary Magazine, and a passionate Peer Mentor Lead for the honors college. Audra is also the Wrangler for the Order of the Golden Brahman as well as an English tutor. She co-created a Canvas course to reduce disparities of students with disabilities and is currently conducting research on the impact of community gardening in postsecondary education. Audra recently completed the Global Citizen Project and spent her summer studying abroad in London. She is dedicated to storytelling, literacy, and service and is developing and teaching an honors course that will combine these attributes. Upon graduation, she hopes to obtain a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, as she aims to be an author and professor while advocating for educational reform in the political sphere and in the classroom. Audra is incredibly honored and grateful to be a part of the Kosove Society.
Dana John
(she/her)
Kosove Position: Member
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Undergraduate Scholar
Dana John is an IB graduate from Strawberry Crest High School. She is a National Merit Scholar and graduated top 10 in her class. She was awarded the Athena Society Young Woman of Promise Award and was given the opportunity to intern for Congresswoman Kathy Castor. She served as President of “Chargerthon,” during which she broke the school record with a 133% increase in membership and by raising over $43k for the kids at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. She will continue her passion for Dance Marathon by joining USF’s “Bulls for Kids.” She also served on the Presidential Board of United Relief and took on various projects such as improving the educational system in a small rural village of Costa Rica. She was involved in National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. She was a national FBLA competitor and served as Florida’s District 8 FBLA Vice President. She is active as a Youth Coordinator at her church to plan events, conferences, and fundraisers. Dana currently works as a Medical Assistant in hopes of becoming a doctor one day. She is majoring in Biomedical Sciences and is part of the Judy Genshaft Honors College. She is beyond thankful for the opportunity to join the Kosove Society and continue to make a difference in her community.
Yusuf Qureshi
(he/him)
Kosove Position: Member
Majors: Biomedical Sciences and Economics
Undergraduate Scholar
Yusuf Qureshi is a recent graduate of Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, Florida and the co-founder of Back on Track America. He started attending USF at the age of fifteen as a dual-enrollment student, and as a senior in high school, he went full-time as an early admission student. His high school period was marked by the completion of more than eighty college credits, earning him a spot in the top one percent of his graduating class. Yusuf aims to pursue a double major in biomedical sciences and economics on the premed track.
Outside of the classroom, Yusuf was very involved in extracurricular activities. He founded the photography and editing club at his high school and was an officer in Science National Honors Society, Mu Alpha theta, and International Student Association. As a senior in high school, he was selected to be the director of communications for the Undergraduate Research Society likely becoming the only high school student to hold a leadership position in USF history. Over the past year, Yusuf has been conducting public health research in the Dominican Republic as part of a collaboration between the Kerolle Initiative and the Honors college. He has been focusing on improving hypertension knowledge in rural Dominican Republic Communities and hopes to publish his work soon. The work that Yusuf is most proud about is that of his non-profit Back on Track which helps to fight food and housing insecurity through student-led volunteering. In the Tampa Bay area, Back on Track's 250+ plus members have done over 6,000 volunteer hours at various food banks and homeless shelters. Seeing Back on Track's success in Tampa, Yusuf and his team have worked to expand Back on Track’s mission across the nation. They currently have chapters in more than ten states and aim to be in twenty five by 2025.
Lauryn Tanner
(she/her)
Kosove Position: Member
Majors: Biomedical Sciences
Undergraduate Scholar
Lauryn Tanner is a graduate of the Collegiate Academy at Leto High School in Tampa, Florida, where she served as president of the Black Culture Club, President and Founder of Beyond the Book Club, and was a member of the Red Cross Club, National Honors Society, DECA, PTSA, and Mu Alpha Theta. Lauryn established a Little Library at Leto to provide free books to the community. She is a member of the Brain Expansion Scholastic Training (BEST) Academy which partners with the USF to provide resources to high-school students interested in pursuing healthcare. She is a member of the Judy Genshaft Honors College where she is majoring in Biomedical Sciences. Lauryn competed as a varsity athlete with Team Tampa Rowing for 4 years and continues her passion for rowing with the USF Rowing Club. She is an Athena Society Young Woman of Promise and a Positive Coaching Alliance Triple-Impact Competitor. Her ultimate goal is to travel the world and provide dental care to those in need as an orthodontist. When she’s not rowing or studying, she loves singing, writing, and going to the beach.
Jordon Myrick
(she/her)
Kosove Position: Member
Majors: Sociology and English with a concentration in Creative Writing
Undergraduate Scholar
Jordon Myrick is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing degrees in Sociology and English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Passionate about storytelling and community engagement, Jordon spent her high school years volunteering as an elementary school tutor, teacher’s aide, and youth group student leader. With a commitment to fostering equity and increasing the visibility of underserved communities through storytelling, Jordon began her experience at USF working as a staff writer for the Oracle newspaper. She also worked as an English, Grammar, and college preparedness tutor for high school students in the Tampa Bay community. Currently, she is an active member of the Judy Genshaft Honors College, serving as an Honors Ambassador and Peer Mentor. She works with the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS) as an undergraduate research assistant and essayist. Additionally, Jordon has participated in the 2023 Brush Arbor Community Engaged Field School, a summer program based in Starkville, Mississippi, that teaches university and graduate students how to perform decolonial, Anthropological research through the preservation of a local, historically Black cemetery. In her free time, Jordon enjoys reading, listening to music, spending time with loved ones, and going on nature walks.
Sasha Fowler
(she/her)
Kosove Position: Member
Majors: Masters in Educational Leadership and Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management
Graduate Scholar
Sasha Fowler earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature at USF and is so excited to continue her graduate degree as a bull with the Kosove Society! Sasha comes from a generation of immigrants that left the Dominican Republic to build a dream for their families in the states. Today, her family’s perseverance resounds deeply in the work that Sasha is doing to ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain. Sasha is currently pursuing a Master’s in Educational Leadership with a graduate certificate in non-profit management. After working as a high school English teacher for six years, she realized that her calling extends way beyond the classroom. She aspires to work in an administrative role at both the district and state level, so she can work to close inequitable achievement gaps. Moreover, she wants to be part of a paradigm shift that enables teachers to redefine what it means to be an influential educator. Most importantly and dear to her heart, Sasha is passionate about mentoring young women. She started her own non-profit organization, BLOOM Girls Club which creates a space that empowers young women to tap into their full potential. It is important for every student to know that they matter and are seen. Her hard work has awarded her top 12 candidate for Hillsborough County Public Schools teacher of the year award and has been voted most inspirational teacher twice. Moreover, she has been an active member of different organizations such as Florida Multicultural District- AG working as a young adults coach and youth leader. This allowed her to not only empower underserved youth, but to also serve the community by feeding the homeless, volunteering at health fairs, and leading conferences to equip students with the necessary resources to be successful. For Sasha, it is important to do all things for the glory of God in excellence and in love. She is humbled and honored to know that an organization like Kosove is willing to invest in her future in such a generous way. She is extremely thankful and will do all she can to make the Kosove family proud!
Maria Ramirez
(she/her)
Kosove Position: Member
Major: Masters in Criminology
Graduate Scholar
Maria A. Ramirez is a first-year Master's student in the criminology program. Her academic journey took root at the University of South Florida, where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in criminology alongside a minor in political science. Maria's path to success led her to secure an invaluable internship at the renowned Rossen Law Firm, a leading criminal defense law firm in South Florida, where she refined her legal skills and deepened her understanding of the justice system. Combining her passion for justice with a heart for others, she later found purpose as a dedicated victim advocate and intervention specialist at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, providing unwavering support and comfort to those in need. She enjoys painting, having a good laugh, helping others, and performing new activities!
Alexis Soyster
(she/her)
Kosove Position: Member
Major: Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesiology
Graduate Scholar
Alexis is a graduate of both the University of South Florida, where she earned her B.A. in History and her B.S in Marketing, and Florida State University, where she earned her B.S. in Nursing. In her undergraduate study, Alexis was a member of the Sigma Theta Tau and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies, and was a recipient of the Eileen Mahan Scholarship, the Capital Regional Health Scholarship, and the Florida Academic Scholars Award. After graduation, Alexis worked as a registered nurse in a vascular intensive care unit at Tampa General Hospital, where she was a preceptor for new nurses, worked as a charge nurse, and chaired her unit council. Alexis was also a charge nurse on an overflow ICU unit opened during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Working as a nurse through the pandemic inspired Alexis to improve her nursing knowledge and practice by pursing a doctorate degree. She is currently a student in the College of Nursing at USF, where she is obtaining her Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesiology. She serves as the student government president for her cohort, where she serves as a liaison between administration and her student peers and organizes events with the college. In this capacity, she organized a supply and donation drive for nurse anesthesiology students at FGCU who were displaced by hurricane Ian. During her free time, Alexis enjoys volunteering at the Judeo-Christian Clinic and Trinity Café. She is also an avid baker of macarons and cakes. In the future, Alexis hopes to continue to be a positive force for change towards healthcare equity and equality.
Andrea Bustamante
(she/her)
Kosove Position: Member
Major: Masters in Marketing
Graduate Scholar
Andrea Bustamante is a graduate student in the USF Marketing M.S. program. She is also a project manager at EMB Builders & Contractor, the social media manager at Innovative Technology Education Fund, and the former Hispanic Professional Women’s Association communications chair.
In 2021, Andrea graduated as a USF King O’ Neal scholar with a B.A. in Global Business and a B.A. in English. During her undergraduate experience, Andrea held various leadership positions, studied abroad in London and Barcelona, presented in two research conferences, and was a mentee in the Hispanic Professional Women’s Association’s Mentorship Program.
Andrea’s time with Kosove began in 2017 when she was inducted as an undergraduate scholar. Since then, Andrea has served as VP of Community Service, On-campus President, Alumni Board Member, and Alumni Vice President. She is grateful for the opportunity to return as a graduate scholar.