2017 - 2018 CSUF Pre-Dental Society's Executive Board
President
Haydan Godfrey
Greetings fellow Pre-Dents! My name is Haydan Godfrey, a fifth year Biological Science major. This is my fourth semester in the CSUF Pre-Dental Society and I am honored to be the President of this club.
This club means the world to me as dentistry is my passion and I plan to own a practice myself one day. My goal is for all members to feel welcomed in this club and gain as much as possible through the many opportunities we offer monthly. I want to help all students get the kind of experience I have received as well as make sure we are prepared as professional members of the club to sharpen our communication and real world skills so that we may make the most of the wonderful opportunities we are given. I look forward to meeting incoming members and seeing the returning committed members!
My love of dentistry comes from enjoying working closely with children as I have taught swim lessons to children for five years, refereed soccer for six years, and have been a church small group leader for 2 years. My Orthodontist has influenced me and helped to make my decision of pursuing a career in dentistry along with my Dentist that I currently shadow with who has taught me what the actual life of a practicing Dentist is like.
In my free time I love to try new eateries with my girlfriend, go to the beach, and play sports. A couple of my favorite TV shows: Big Bang Theory, Fixer Upper, and Parks and Rec.
Please remember I am here to help in any way and I am excited for the future of the club.
Vice President
Lauren Ballesteros
Hi, my name is Lauren Ballesteros and I am the new Vice President for the Pre-Dental Society at Cal State Fullerton.
I am a fourth year biological science major, with a minor in anthropology. I joined PDS because I believe it is a great way to make connections with others, while learning more about what it takes to get into dental programs at various schools.
I previously wanted to be an orthodontist, but am now leaning toward becoming a general dentist, because I think it falls more in line with what I want to do in the future, and that is to give back not only to my own community, but to communities across our borders as well.
Aside from school work, I enjoy watching Mork and Mindy, listening to the RX Bandits, hanging out with friends, and taking my dog out on hikes.
If you have any questions and believe I can assist you, please feel free to contact me.
Treasurer
Gerimae del Rosario
Hi everyone! My name is Gerimae del Rosario and I am the 2018- 2019 Treasurer for CSUF’s Pre- Dental Society. I am a third year with a health science major and a minor in Pre-Health Professions.
In the future I plan on becoming an orthodontist and helping those who are in need. My goal is to help others boost their confidence with their smiles.
I have been a part of this club since my first year, and I have learned so much about the field of Dentistry and how to successfully prepare myself for applying to dental school. Being a part of this club has taught me so much, and I hope you can get something out of it too.
When I am not in class, I enjoy playing tennis and being a part of the CSUF’s tennis club. I love to go to Disneyland with my friends and my boyfriend, and I love finding aesthetic places to take pictures at. When I am not out and about I like spending time watching movies/shows, listening to music, and trying out new makeup looks.
I wish everyone the best of luck this school year, and please feel free to contact me for any questions or if you just want to chat. Thank you!
Secretary
Jenessa Marquez
Hi everyone, my name is Jenessa Marquez and I am a third-year Biological Science major and this year’s secretary for Pre-Dental Society. My love for dentistry first started when I went to my local dentist to change the rubber bands for my braces. This of course may not be your typical start of a dentistry career journey, but this simple procedure unexpectedly fascinated and excited me. In addition, I appreciated how the dental associates were so nice and welcoming. That was the start of my dental journey. I first started shadowing a dentist during the summer after my senior year in high school, and long after that, I continued to intern and shadow dentists for a total of three years. Fortunately, I was eventually given the opportunity to work at a dental office as a dental associate and receptionist. Working alongside with a dentist during procedures has allowed me to enhance my learning in dentistry and provided me with hands-on experience that only served to increase my passion for dentistry. Besides my involvements in dentistry, I am a youth leader for High School students at Saint Justin Martyr and I am also active in several clubs on campus which include: Titan Catholic, P.A.S.A, and the professional Biology Fraternity Beta Psi Omega.
During my free time, I enjoy playing piano, singing, and going on food adventures and to concerts. If you ever need anything too or have any questions don’t be shy and feel free to ask me, I am always willing to help!
Hi! My name is Stephanie Kim, and I am in CSUF’s post-baccalaureate program. I recently made the switch from pre-med to pre-dental, and I can’t be happier to have finally found my passion and calling in life. And this is thanks to PDS! I currently volunteer at a dental clinic in Buena Park that has a heart for the underserved community. Feel free to ask me more about it, whether you want to volunteer or receive check-ups and treatments! In my free time, I run; watch The Office, Korean dramas, and romantic comedy movies; and enjoy eating food with the people I love. I love all kinds of food, especially sushi, instant spicy ramen, and ice cream. I'm also a huge fan of dogs and stationary!
Dental Outreach Coordinator
Stephanie Kim
Hello everyone, my name is Aida Dadashzadeh and I am a fourth year Biochemistry major! I am incredibly thrilled to be the new volunteer coordinator and the new dental outreach coordinator. I feel like these two positions work in perfect conjunction to each other as positive forms of extracurricular stimulus.
My goal for this year is to spread my love for volunteering and education to others who feel the same about positively impacting fellow peers, colleagues, and potential patients and want opportunities to do so.
When I am not at school or working on extracurriculars, you will most likely find me at the beach. I love to swim, skate, surf, paint, and cook with my friends and family.
Thank You,
Aida Dadashzadeh
Dental Outreach Coordinator
Aida Dadashzadeh
Hello everyone! My name is Kimia Firoozi and I am the Volunteer Coordinator of the Pre-Dental Society here at California State University, Fullerton. I transferred from Fullerton College in the Fall of 2017 and have been part of the Pre-Dental Society ever since. I am currently a junior majoring in Cell and Developmental Biology with a minor in Chemistry.
When I was younger I knew I wanted to be a doctor and an artist on the side. When I started college, my brother had just graduated from dental school so after talking to him and some other family members, I did my research and decided it was the perfect career for me. Dentistry combines all my different passions and interests. Shortly after, I started shadowing a dentist and instantly fell in love with the career. I started to get more involved in dentistry and attended many events and dental programs. With dentistry, not only do I get to improve people’s oral health and relieve their pain, I also get to build long term relationships and hopefully go on mission trips to help people in other parts of the world! Helping others is my biggest passion which is why I have chosen this career path and why I do many volunteer work on the side. My goal is to organize events and find the correct volunteering opportunities to ensure we can get the best experiences and learning opportunities possible!
Some of my hobbies include painting, going to the movies, spending time with family and friends, volunteering, learning about other cultures, and playing different sports!
Dental Volunteer Coordinator
Kimia Firoozi
Hey Everyone! My name is Christian Allen Velarde. I am currently a fourth year at California State University Fullerton. I am majoring in Health Science and minoring in Chemistry. I have been an active member in the CSUF Pre-Dental Society for three years and am now starting my fourth year as the new ICC representative for this club.
For this upcoming school year, I am looking forward to distribute the information about the career of dentistry and inform others about how they can apply to dental schools. In addition, for this semester, I am also looking forward to welcoming new pre-dental students into the program while providing a welcoming atmosphere. This way, this will leave an impact on their journey to become a dentist, allow them to enjoy their experience in this club based on outreach programs, and encourage them to be more active in the club. I also want to work on getting our club noticed and promote the dental track to other students who are not sure about what they want to do.
Although my aunt had some influence on my career choice, it did not really hit me until I was making a memorial video of my best friend when he passed away. It was at this point, that I realized that he did not take many pictures due to the insecurity he had with his smile and the diseases he had acquired from improper hygiene. So, in the near future, I want to be able to alleviate this insecurity from many people around the world. Other than that, when it came to dentistry, I fell in love with the way art meets science. Also, in dentistry, I love how building a relationship with patients is important because it is similar to providing great customer service with regular customers. This way, more and more dentists become happier with this profession from the people they encounter and the relationships that they build. Patients will also return or reward the dentist of their hard work by referring others to the clinic in the future. Lastly, I love how dentists not only educate the public about proper hygiene, but they are also able to see the patient’s results from before and compare it to after.
Other than that, my hobbies include photography, cooking, video games, watching anime, playing basketball, working out, and modifying cars.
I am open to any questions you may have. Please do not be scared to contact me and send me an email. I am here to help anybody out in anyway.
Pre-Dental Society NSM ICC Rep
Christian Allen Velarde
Hello my name is Gabriel Kalash and I am the Social and Fundraising Coordinator for the Pre-Dental Club at California State Fullerton! I am a Fifth year Biology major and I believe that pineapple goes on pizza. In my spare time, I like to watch and participate in sports. Soccer is my favorite and I support The Egyptian National Soccer Team until my last breath. I will not bite so do not be afraid to say hello!
I first became interested in Dentistry when I was a freshman in college. That year I got my braces removed and it opened up my life to new experiences I was afraid of before. That is the type of change I want to introduce to other people who have been in my position before. I believe that having a great smile gives people the confidence they need to take on the world and I would like nothing better than to be that person that helps them to that goal.
Social/ Fundraising Coordinator
Gabriel Kalash