Nadia  Di Marco 

Major:  Clinical Psychology
Exp'd Graduation:  2009	Age:  26
None.

Nadia Di Marco is a current REAL Jr. She is 26 years old. Born in Connecticut and raised in Oregon, Nadia's been moved around a lot. She never liked school so decided not to go on with college after graduating High School in 1999. Instead of college she moved to NYC, back to Oregon and then finally Boston. She got a job and worked her way up at an HVAC/R supply house and made her career selling HVAC/R parts and equipment. Although the money was great she wasn't happy and knew she needed a degree. After starting community college she realized her academic potential and applied to Tufts. Fortunately she was accepted in the REAL program as a Clinical Psychology major. After she graduates she wants to Teach English as a foreign language.

Eric  Erkenbrack 

Major:  Biology	2nd Major: Philosophy
Exp'd Graduation:  2008	Age:  27
None.

Eric came to Tufts from Minnesota, the land of lakes and which is Dakotan for murky water. Actively pursuing research in the Orians Laboratory, he is attempting to develop a viable strain of the world's first tomacco plant. Eric is obsessed with evolutionary theory and the academic controversies therein. After Tufts, he plans on spending the rest of his life accumulating as many degrees as possible.

Akiva M. Friedman-Rosner 

Major:  Political Science
Exp'd Graduation:  2010	Age:  28
None.

Akiva is from New York.

Shayna  Long 

Major:  English	2nd Major: Film Studies Minor
Exp'd Graduation:  2009	Age:  26
None.

Shayna graduated high school with decent grades, was accepted to all the 3 colleges to which she applied without a way to pay for them. Instead she decided to work full time, attempting community college on her own dime. Six years or so later she woke up with a job that paid bills but didn't make her happy, an Associates in Liberal Arts and no clear path. It took: the application to Tufts, people believing in her and intense motivation to get it done. Dean Herbert is a saint! She looks forward to finishing the English/Film Studies degree and continuing to grad school for Film Studies. Someday she hopes to be working in academia inspiring students/being inspired by them exactly the way she feels it happens here at Tufts. She would like to add that the whole "being back in school full time" and giving it her all is being made possible at least 50% by her supportive husband Chris who not only works a lot so she doesn't have to, but also listens to her drone on about postmodernism, Japanese, film theory, professors and their wacky methods...his patience keeps her more sane than the psych meds. :)

Joseph  Neal 

Major:  English
Exp'd Graduation:  2008	Age:  57
None.

Joe claims "I was born at a very young age". While he is currently the President of the Returning Students Organization, much about him remains shrouded in mystery.

Javed  Rezayee 

Major:  Political Science	2nd Major: Political Science
Exp'd Graduation:  2009	Age:  31
None.

Javed is from Afghanistan and previously worked for the United Nations' refugee and disarmament agencies.

Lisa  Tonello 

Major:  Psychology
Exp'd Graduation:  2008	Age:  It's a secret!
None.

I am a Psychology major due to graduate in May 08. I have two daughters, one who just started her freshman year at Emerson College, majoring in Broadcast Journalism, and another who is learning disabled and attending the Riverview School in Cape Cod. My plan for the future is to work with leaning disabled children/adolescents in a non profit setting.

Diego  Villalobos 

Major:  Anthropology
Exp'd Graduation:  2009	Age:  27
None.

Diego was born in Alajuela, Costa Rica. He grew up in a small family surviving from small-scale sustainable agriculture and community trade. He lived life, day by day, playing with friends and farm animals. However, the World Bank?s structural economic readjustment programs of the 80?s contributed to his family?s agricultural income lost, and forced them to move to an urban center of the country. Encourage by his mother, Diego finished high school and learned English. Although he considered attending college in the capital, he decided to explore other interests. After working for an online gambling company for about two years, Diego embarked in some years long adventures: living with indigenous communities, practicing adventure sports, volunteering in development projects, and traveling through Central America and Colombia. He then became an Outward Bound instructor for four years where he met his wife. With her support and encouragement Diego resumed his education in Colorado University, Boulder and then transferred to Tufts in 2006. Diego is currently majoring in Anthropology and is a Tisch College scholar; he is also involved as the RSO secretary and is leading the student programs BUILD and CAPP. With very few semesters to finish, Diego has started to think in a future in international affairs and development.