Becki Baker

Director of Pre-College Programs

pronouns: she/her

Becki has worked in youth programming for 25 years. She holds degrees in History and Political Science from University of Missouri-Columbia and Art History from University of Missouri-St. Louis as well as a certificate in Marketing from WashU. Becki also completed the College Advising Program through Teachers College at Columbia University. Becki spent ten summers working for Camp Highlander in Mills River, North Carolina, five of which were as program director before joining WashU in 2010. Becki is an active member in the American Camp Association: Camps on Campus and Association for Pre-College Program Directors. Becki is an advocate for college access. She is dedicated to providing personalized advising experiences to ensure students are prepared for college success.

Becki grew up in St. Charles, Missouri where she now lives with her husband and 6 year-old daughter. She is an avid baker and enjoys spending as much time as possible outdoors. She loves documentaries and is a voracious reader of biographies, memoirs, and historical fiction, though most of her reading these days is spent on kindergarten favorites like Dr. Seuss, Pete the Cat, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Jakyla Willis

Program Supervisor

pronouns: she/her

Jakyla is an alumna of WashU who currently works in behavioral health. In undergrad, Jakyla majored in African and African American Studies and enjoyed taking Psychology classes. Both focuses helped broaden her knowledge on two subjects she finds extremely fascinating as well as important. As a Trio scholar, she was able to flourish in her classes while serving three years on Harambee Christian Ministries Executive Team.

In her free time, she enjoys reading books, discussing television characters, and listening to music. Two unique hobbies of hers include making digital designs and social media marketing. She is an advocate for the youth who she hopes to continue working with, preferably in the healthcare field. Most of all, Jakyla hopes to use her future degree(s) and experience to help children in marginalized communities. This will be Jakyla's fourth summer with our programs.

Christian Smalls

Program Supervisor

pronouns: she/her

Christian received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychological and Brain Sciences and is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work at WashU's Brown School of Social Work. She currently works in Behavioral Health at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. During her time as an undergrad at WashU, Christian enjoyed volunteering in the greater St. Louis community, working as a nanny, and being a leader for Overflow Christian Ministries on campus.

In her free time, Christian enjoys hiking, reading, building her music library, and crocheting. Christian is passionate about making meaningful connections with the people around her and hopes to use her education and experiences to continue to be an advocate for child and adolescent mental health. This will be Christian's second summer with our programs.

Nadia Perdue

Program Supervisor

pronouns: she/her

Nadia is a recent graduate of WashU, majoring in Global Studies and East Asian Languages and Cultures with a minor in Marketing. As a Bridging Scholar and inaugural cohort member of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission’s Summer Institute Program, she is passionate about promoting intercultural exchange and dialogue across borders. While in undergrad, she also heavily pursued her passion for music: She was an active member during all four years in the a cappella group After Dark, in addition to long-standing involvement at the 560 Music Center.

Outside of the classroom, Nadia enjoys listening to and creating music, cooking Indian food, and playing games from the Final Fantasy series. She is looking forward to becoming an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme in the fall, where she will continue to promote subnational diplomacy and intercultural exchange for the next generation of leaders.

Aurora Peng

Program Supervisor

pronouns: she/her

Born and raised in China, Aurora furthered her academic journey through three years of study in Australia. Currently a graduate student at WashU, she brings four years of higher education experience, including roles as an Academic Affairs and Research Coordinator and Student Advisor. Passionate about mentorship, she is committed to supporting students’ academic and personal growth. Her background also includes teaching, where she fosters inclusive learning environments and creates engaging curricula to empower students.

Outside of her professional work, Aurora enjoys outdoor exploration, reading, and spending meaningful time with friends. She finds joy in capturing the beauty of nature through photography and expressing her creativity through painting. A badminton enthusiast, she is also actively involved in volunteer work, contributing to community initiatives that promote collective growth. Through these passions, she maintains a fulfilling balance between her personal and professional life.

Addie Larson

Administrative Coordinator

pronouns: she/her

Addie is an Administrative Coordinator in the Arts & Sciences College Office where she supports various programs such as Phi Beta Kappa, Arts & Sciences Recognition Ceremony, and Pre-College Programs. Addie's long-term goals are to go back to school to earn her MSW and become a therapist. In her free time, Addie enjoys tending to, and learning about, her various house plants as well as spending time with her husband, children, and 2 crazy dogs.

Yiwen Zha

Marketing and Communications Assistant

pronouns: she/her

Yiwen is a junior at WashU, double majoring in Psychological & Brain Sciences and Marketing. She is involved with StudLife Newspaper and cultural organizations on campus, and you’ll sometimes find her behind the camera at school events—capturing moments that celebrate student engagement. She loves photography and sees it as a way to preserve meaningful, fleeting moments. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new food spots, hanging out with friends, and spending time with her family. This summer, she’s excited to be part of the team and looks forward to meeting new people, documenting their experiences, and contributing to meaningful work.

Isa Gelerter

Program Assistant

pronouns: she/her

Isa is a sophomore majoring in Mathematics and Secondary Education. She's lived in eight different places throughout her life, including Okinawa and Germany. In her free time, she loves to paint, hang out with friends, work out, and shop!

Bella Dai

Program Assistant

pronouns: she/her

Bella is a sophomore majoring in Statistics and Economics and minoring in Classics. She attended the Creative Immersion Institute Program as a high school student and received valuable memories from it. She actively engages in on-campus clubs, such as the voluntary club “Adopt-a-Grandparent” and the WashU China Connection (WUCC), to explore the connection between herself and the outer world. She enjoys chatting with senior adults and has volunteered at the Senior Health Center for three years. In her spare time, she loves to watch musicals, play the violin, cook food (She is especially good at cooking Chinese food!), read, travel, and write.

Bu Meh 

Program Assistant

pronouns: She/Her

Bu is a senior/3-2 MPH student Majoring in Anthropology: Global Health and Environment and pursuing a Master in Public Health at the Brown School. She was born in Thailand but raised in Tucson, AZ, and now lives in Michigan. A proud first-generation college student, she is currently serving in her third year as a Taylor Scholars Mentor–a program dedicated to supporting low-income and first-generation students as they transition into life at WashU. She is passionate about building meaningful connections, fostering inclusive communities, and creating spaces where students feel seen, supported, and empowered. She’s the middle child of five siblings and finds comfort in her mom’s spicy dishes and her sister’s homemade coconut noodles—two of her favorite tastes of home. She enjoys painting and unwinding with action-packed or feel-good rom-com films. In her free time, she can often be found FaceTiming her nephew, listening to music, or getting lost in a good book. 

Katelina Theerman Rodriguez

Program Assistant

pronouns: she/her/hers

Kate is a junior from St. Louis majoring in Sociology/Urban Studies with a minor in Organization and Strategic Management. She is passionate about equity in urban contexts and hopes to break into urban planning or community development in the future. For now, Kate loves all things music and media and is highly involved in KWUR, WashU's student-run radio, and Student Life, the student-run newspaper.  In her free time Kate enjoys crocheting, watching TV, hiking, and chit-chatting. She is looking forward to meeting new people and working with the team!

Richie Qian

Program Assistant

pronouns: he/him

Richie Qian is a rising sophomore, intended to major in Biomedical Engineering. Born and raised in Shanghai, China, he now also calls Montréal, Canada home. He participated in the Environmental Studies Institute back in the summer of 2023. Richie looks forward to meeting and helping participants of this year's program to make everyone feel at home. He is also excited to show people around the beautiful campus and the great city of St. Louis. Additionally, Richie enjoys sports and music in his free time. He is a die-hard fan of Packers and a passionate K-pop stan, especially the group Aespa.

River Alsalihi

Program Assistant

pronouns: she/her

River is a junior studying sociology and writing at WashU. In addition to her work for the Howard Nemerov Scholars program, she is an editor for StudLife’s Forum section, writes for Armour magazine, and hosts a show on KWUR 90.3 FM. River also enjoys playing piano and reading poetry.

Alana Mello

Program Assistant

pronouns: she/her

Alana is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology and minoring in Linguistics. She is from the Boston area and has two dogs named Baxter and Bailee. On campus, she’s part of a Student Emotions and Belonging Lab on campus, a TRIO Scholar, and works at the Washington University Nursery School as an assistant teacher. In her free time, Alana loves to read, write, bake, and go on walks. This summer, she will also be working at the WashU Nursery School Summer Camp!

Steven Kim

Program Assistant

pronouns: he/him

Steven is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Biology with a focus on the Neuroscience Track. He is also considering a double major in Health Care Management. On campus, he is actively involved with WashU's Emergency Support Team, the Campus Y's Field Day event for children in St. Louis, and works as a Danforth University Center Student Assistant (DUCSA).

In his free time, Steven enjoys following Korean baseball and works out daily at the Sumers Recreation Center. He also loves playing sports such as badminton, soccer, basketball, frisbee, and baseball. Feel free to reach out and say hello anytime!