Meet the Balfour Student Board – Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program

The Balfour Student Board (BSB)

The Balfour Student Board (BSB) champions the BHSP pillars of leadership, service, and intellectual engagement by connecting scholars through purposeful programs, events, and workshops. Our mission is to foster community across cohorts and the broader Notre Dame campus, while hosting inclusive and fun opportunities that strengthen relationships and create lasting impact. We support the Balfour mission with pride, energy, and collaboration, and work alongside other student organizations to broaden our reach. Through workshops, socials, panels, and service events designed by scholars for scholars, we aim to expand Balfour’s presence on campus and beyond, always welcoming new ideas and feedback to make our programs even better.

Guiding this mission is our leadership team, a dedicated group of student leaders who represent our community with energy, creativity, and purpose. Each member brings unique experiences, passions, and values to their role, shaping the programs and initiatives that strengthen Balfour. Get to know our leaders below, and explore their stories to see how they are making an impact on campus and beyond.

**Name:** Sophia Torcelino
**Role:** President
**Majors:** English & Psychology
**Class Year:** C/O 2026
**Bio:**
I am from the tropical island of Guam and am proudly Filipino. I joined BSB because leading this community allows me to step up to inspire and support others. For fun, I enjoy spending time with friends, exploring new places, and cooking different dishes. I’m excited to grow and make a positive impact through BSB.
**Leadership Value:** Commitment
**Dream Job / Goal:** To open a Catholic Worker
**Fun Fact:** I like to collect Pokémon cards
**Other Leadership Roles:** Basilica Lector, Catechist Academy

**Name:** Marcello Santana-Aubert
**Role:** Vice President
**Majors:** Finance, Accounting, & Global Affairs
**Minor:** Philosophy
**Class Year:** C/O 2028
**Bio:**
Hi everyone, my name is Marcello, and I’m from Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a first-generation Cuban American, there were many things I had to figure out for the first time, but I was fortunate to have mentors and people who supported me along the way. Their impact shaped how I view leadership: showing up for others the way others showed up for me. That’s why I joined BSP, to give back in the same way others have generously supported me. Outside of BSP, you can usually find me working out at Dillon — feel free to come get a lift in with me!
**Leadership Value:** Humility & Tenacity
**Dream Job / Goal:** Investment Banker at Goldman Sachs & Founder of a Charity
**Fun Fact:** I am Batman
**Other Leadership Roles:** VP of Innovation for Impact, Treasurer of First Gen ND, Student Leader for First Gen Careers

**Name:** Ozi Akukwe
**Role:** Secretary of Communications
**Major:** Mechanical Engineering
**Class Year:** C/O 2028
**Bio:**
I’m from Houston, Texas, and I’m Nigerian. Fun fact: I lived in Nigeria for some of my childhood. I joined BSB because I felt a strong community in Balfour and wanted to do more for the program — this is my way of giving back for all the relationships and support that have been provided to me. I also love representing what a great program Balfour is to people who might not know much about it. To me, leadership means bringing a community together toward a common goal, and I hope to help with that as part of the board. I have an unhealthy obsession with tennis, but I also love winding down with crocheting and YouTube.
**Leadership Value:** Commitment
**Dream Job / Goal:** To become a prosthetist or work in the design process of rollercoaster rides
**Fun Fact:** I have torn my ACL
**Other Leadership Roles:** Department of Communications, Notre Dame Student Government

**Name:** Nathaniel Mahadeo
**Role:** Academic Commissioner
**Majors:** Political Science & Computer Science
**Class Year:** C/O 2027
**Bio:**
I am from Bradenton, Florida, with a multicultural background — my mom is from Russia and my dad from Trinidad and Tobago. I joined BSB to pay forward the support I received through Balfour, and I hope to help my fellow Balfours leverage Notre Dame’s resources to unlock new opportunities. In my spare time, I enjoy playing guitar with Notre Dame’s Mariachi group and on my electric guitar in my dorm.
**Leadership Value:** Respect
**Dream Job / Goal:** To serve as a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court
**Fun Fact:** I love cooking vegan dishes and desserts, though garlic naan is my weakness!
**Other Leadership Roles:** Tutor and college preparation advisor with Amikka Learning

**Name:** Evyanna Vo
**Role:** Service Commissioner
**Major:** Biology (Premed)
**Class Year:** C/O 2028
**Bio:**
If I were a fruit, I’d be a lychee, a little tricky to pronounce at first, but once you get it, it sticks. I think that describes me pretty well: approachable once you know me, with more beneath the surface than you might expect. I grew up in rural Tennessee in a Vietnamese-American family, where the long rolling hills taught me what it meant to go the extra mile just to get to an opportunity. I joined BSB to learn from others and grow alongside them, because leadership, to me, is about showing up, listening well, and creating space for others to succeed. I hope to help build a stronger Balfour by understanding what makes us so special as a community and welcoming growth as we walk alongside one another. Outside of BSB, I enjoy crocheting, though I sometimes undo projects after a rogue stitch!
**Leadership Value:** Empathy
**Dream Job / Goal:** To become a physician who practices compassionate care
**Fun Fact:** On my first day with the FAST Medical Team, I had to deal with a lot, and I mean a lot, of puke 🙂
**Other Leadership Roles:** iGEM Founding Member, OMNIEC Research Team Manager, Galvin Graduation Committee, Bio Mastery Research Team

**Name:** Kaelyn Maddox
**Role:** Senior Cohort Representative
**Majors:** Psychology & Spanish
**Class Year:** C/O 2026
**Bio:**
I’m from Villa Rica, Georgia, and I’m majoring in Psychology and Spanish. I joined BSB to help my fellow Balfours grow in personal and academic success. To me, leadership means being able to meet each individual where they are and accompany them in their journey. A fun fact about me is that I love learning languages — in addition to my Spanish major, I also study French.
**Leadership Value:** Empathy
**Dream Job / Goal:** To earn a Ph.D. in Education and work in higher education promoting college access for minority students
**Fun Fact:** I “played” golf in high school
**Other Leadership Roles:** Residential Assistant (RA) for Welsh Family Hall, Small Group Leader for Chi Alpha

**Name:** Erick Israel Azocar Lopez
**Role:** Junior Cohort Representative
**Major:** Biochemistry
**Class Year:** C/O 2027
**Bio:**
I am originally from Mexico but now live in Indianapolis, Indiana. Being a Cohort Representative allows me to foster a community where we can all depend on each other during difficult times. I take pride in being part of Balfour, and I view my leadership role as the glue holding the Junior Cohort together. In my free time, I enjoy painting and drawing.
**Leadership Value:** Integrity
**Dream Job / Goal:** To become a medical oncologist and advocate for the Hispanic community in the United States by addressing systemic and linguistic barriers
**Fun Fact:** I learned how to drive at the age of 8 in Mexico
**Other Leadership Roles:** Student Sacristan at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Medical Interpreter for GLOBO, Volunteer at the Sister Maura Brannick Health Center

**Name:** Samantha Sanchez
**Role:** Sophomore Cohort Representative
**Major:** Electrical Engineering
**Class Year:** C/O 2028
**Bio:**
Hello everyone! My name is Sam, and I’m from Chicago, Illinois. I joined BSB to grow as a leader while learning how to empower others and build community. Leadership to me means taking initiative, supporting others, and finding creative solutions to challenges. Outside of academics, I enjoy traveling with my family and exploring new hobbies such as sewing and playing the piano.
**Leadership Value:** Commitment
**Dream Job / Goal:** Electrical Engineer at Nvidia and owning a flower shop
**Fun Fact:** My first pet was a chicken that ended up scratching me and running away
**Other Leadership Roles:** Website Director of Engineering Leadership Council, Academic Commissioner for Flaherty Hall, Calculus Team Leader, Innovation for Impact, IEEE

**Name:** Tiana Guadalupe Lopez
**Role:** Freshman Cohort Representative
**Major:** Marketing
**Class Year:** C/O 2029
**Bio:**
I am a first-generation Latina from Los Angeles, California, proudly Mexican-American with roots in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. I joined the Balfour Student Board to guide, assist, and watch my peers grow throughout their journey at Notre Dame. One thing to know about me is that I love dancing, especially traditional cultural dances like Folklórico.
**Leadership Value:** Collaboration
**Dream Job / Goal:** To become the CEO of a company
**Fun Fact:** I love solving puzzles!

For more information on the BSB, or if you have any comments or questions, please reach out to bsb@nd.edu or tjonesde@nd.edu.