Financial AidMeet the Ambassadors

Amr Al Dayeh ‘26

Hometown: Damascus, Syria
High School: United World Colleges East Africa / Al Saade High School
Major (or potential major): Computer science, psychology, math, neuroscience
Activities on Campus: Peer Advocate for Sexual Respect, Jazz ensemble, Center for International Students Engagement, OLIO editor, Community Standards Review Board member.
Hobbies: Obsessing over Frank Ocean, Arctic Monkeys, and Taylor Swift. Spending quality time with friends. Watching the sunset. Petting cute dogs and cats.

As an international student from a war-torn country, and as someone whose mother-tongue is not English, navigating financial aid was one of the hardest parts of applying for colleges. Not only was it a completely different system in a different currency and scale, but it was also a determining factor of where I would plan to go for the next four years. 

Knowing first-hand the importance of financial aid in the lives of many, I am very happy to be part of making it more accessible for everyone as a peer ambassador.

My main goal is to create a welcoming environment where students can learn about financial aid from someone that has been in their shoes. These things are inherently hard to talk about and navigate, and that’s why us peer ambassadors exist and are more than happy to help! Please reach out if you need any help, you do not have to navigate this alone! (also, tell me all about your pets!)

Arjun Kejriwal '24

Hometown: Mumbai, India
High School: Dhirubhai Ambani High School
Major (or potential major): Computer Science and Mathematics
Activities on campus: Math Club, Trading Club, Men's Soccer Club, South Asian Student Association
Hobbies: Travelling, Adventure, Video Editing, Guitar, Poker, Watching Movies

Coming to college in the United States as an international student is not easy, but Amherst's financial aid office made this transition possible. One of the main reasons I chose to be a Peer Ambassador is to give back to the program that gave me the opportunity to be here. I strongly believe that your financial background shouldn't come in the way of your access to quality education and varied resources, so I strongly advocate for bridging the information gap between the financial aid office and students not only at Amherst but also high school students looking to apply to Amherst.

I would say that I am a very caring, responsible, and friendly person in general, so don't hesitate to say hi whenever you see me! I love all kinds of adventure and sports, and hit me up if you are a Manchester United fan!  

Awa Diop '26

Hometown: New York City, New York
High School: Riverdale Country School
Major (or potential major): English, Black Studies, Political Science
Activities on Campus: Black Student Union, African and Caribbean Student Union, Indicator
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, reading Zami by Audre Lorde while drinking hibiscus tea, listening to music and watching Starstruck

My name is Awa Diop, and I am a Freshman at Amherst College. As a first generation college student from a low-income background, navigating financial aid was an integral part of my college process. Luckily, Amherst’s financial aid office was very helpful and provided me with adequate support to navigate what could otherwise be a very stressful process. 

As a Financial Aid Peer Ambassador, I hope to provide the same comfort and support for perspective and enrolled students at Amherst. These conversations can be a lot easier to have with students who have gone through the financial aid process during admissions and understand the low-income experience on a college campus. I was a Summer Bridge student this past summer, and learning about all the financial resources on campus eased a lot of my worries going into the school year. In this position, I would like to provide other students with the same experience of knowing all the financial resources that are available through the financial aid office.

While this was a “happy-ending” type of story for me, it took months of understanding not only what forms to submit and what specific terms were referring too, but also took patience and persistence even when you aren’t sure if what you’re submitting is actually necessary.  As a Financial Aid Peer Ambassador, I hope to help all students who receive any sort of financial aid. Whether that be partial tuition or a full tuition financial aid package, I am excited to share what I learned in the process and also how to understand the package that each student is giving. Amherst is a college where your tax bracket shouldn’t matter factor into you furthering your studies and goals and I hope to represent that in the coming semesters!

If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at anino22@amherst.edu!!

Danielle Torres Werra '25

Hometown: Merced, CA
High School: Merced High School
Major (or potential major): Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought
Activities on Campus: Softball, Amherst LEADS, SAAC, CACSAC
Hobbies: Reading, listening to music, watching netflix

My name is Danielle Torres Werra. I’m a sophomore at Amherst College. Before Amherst, I saw myself attending a state school in California. I would’ve never thought that the most affordable option for me would be all the way across the country from where I lived, much less a place like Amherst College. The generous financial aid package I received from Amherst totally changed the course of my college education. However, upon receiving my award letter my parents and I were left with many questions regarding family contribution and what exactly all those numbers meant. The Financial Aid Office was very helpful in answering our questions and alleviated a lot of our financial stress. 

As soon as I found out about the Financial Aid Peer Ambassadors, I knew that I had found a place where I could use my own experiences and knowledge to help alleviate the financial stress and uncertainty many current and prospective students will experience and are experiencing as a result of not knowing much about financial aid. I hope to help bridge the gap between the student body and the Office of Financial Aid.

Muntaha Mamun '25

Hometown: New York City
High School: Brooklyn Latin School
Major: Political Science and English
Activities on Campus: The Womxn of Color Collective, The Law Review, and Questbridge
Hobbies: Crocheting, visual collages, making scenario-specific playlists on Spotify, and thrifting.

As a low-income and first-generation student, it was really daunting and isolating to navigate the college application process, particularly the financial aid process, by myself. However, I am really grateful to be an Amherst student not only for my incredibly brilliant professors and thought-provoking and engaging classes but also because of the extremely accommodating and generous Amherst financial aid system. Furthermore, I am really excited to be a financial aid peer ambassador to work on projects and events that further help students understand the resources and support available through the Fin Aid office. I am also investing in strengthening financial literacy among FLI students through my role, along with working with other peer ambassadors to advocate for student matters regarding financial aid. And feel free to reach out to me via email (mmamun25@amherst.edu) if you have any questions or feedback! 

Joshua Balderas '25

Hometown: Fullerton, CA
High School: Buena Park High School
Major (or potential major): Mathematics
Activities on campus: Amherst Military Association, Sea Mammoths (Sailing)
Hobbies: Piano, Reading, playing board games, and Dungeons & Dragons.

Immediately after high school I enlisted in the United States Air Force. I served 9 years as a Weather Forecaster, Staff Weather Officer with the Army, and Space Weather Forecaster for the Space Force. It’s because of my military service that I have the privilege to be able to attend university (let alone Amherst College!). I strongly believe that your financial background shouldn't limit your access to quality education. I also advocate for bridging the information gap between the financial aid office and the current or prospective students at Amherst. As a non-traditional student, a transfer student, and as one of the few military members on this campus, I’m more than likely familiar with issues you might be facing so feel free to reach out!

If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jbalderas25@amherst.edu !