Meet the Staff

The Orientation, Transition and Parent Programs team helps new students successfully begin their college journey. Through the "New to UB" programs students prepare for academic and personal success as new UB Bulls.

Full Time Professional Staff

Matt Ardila-Weigand

he/him

DIRECTOR
Hometown: Horseheads, NY
Years at UB: 22

UB students are smart, motivated, and passionate about making a difference in the world. It’s a privilege for me to work with and learn from them every day, as they prepare for life in and beyond college.

Chrissy Daniel

she/her

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Hometown: Willard, OH
Years at UB: 9

There’s something special about UB and the students who choose to study here. Our “New to UB” programs allow us to prepare students for a meaningful college experience from the start of their journey.

Val Luutran

she/her

COORDINATOR - STUDENT STAFF
Hometown: Holtsville, NY
Years at UB: 2

I love being part of the experience as new students begin their journey at UB, and that I get to work with a phenomenal team of student leaders who help make that transition smoother. The genuine love for UB that our students bring to Summer Orientation, Welcome Weekend, and Year One programs makes me feel lucky to come to work every day.

Ann Marie Lester

she/her

COORDINATOR - OPERATIONS AND LOGISTICS
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Years at UB: 3

Spending time away from my hometown caused my “BuffaLOVE” to grow exponentially. In my position, I love sharing my hometown love with all of UB’s newest Bulls, while also helping to create memorable programs that support their transition to UB!

Mar Price

she/her

GRADUATE ASSISTANT
Hometown: Horseheads, NY
Years at UB: 1

Transitioning to college is such a unique period of excitement, triumph, and growth. Seeing UB students become the authors of their journey is a fulfilling and rewarding process.

Orientation Team Leader Student Staff

Orientation Team Leaders (OTLs) are returning Orientation Leaders (OLs) who loved working with new students and families so much, they came back for a second year! OTLs work closely with OTPP professional staff to provide mentorship to both new students and Orientation Leaders, and support orientation program planning and implementation.

Meet the Orientation Team Leaders

Maddi Budniewski

she/her

Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Graduation year: Spring 2023

My advice to incoming students is to get involved outside of the classroom, but do so at your own pace. For my first couple semesters I didn't participate in much because I wanted to prioritize my academics during the transition to college. Since I’ve gotten more comfortable with my workload, I'm more active in the UB community!

Jöel Marcellus

he/him

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Major: Media Studies - Production Concentration
Graduation year: Spring 2023

I found my home at UB through joining various clubs and leadership programs, like running club. This first involvement kickstarted my UB journey because the members welcomed me with open arms, and joining just one club pushed me to look for others that interested me too!

Sammi Pang

she/her

Hometown: Queens, NY
Major: Business Administration
Graduation year: Spring 2023

Keep an open mind. Being open to new experiences, I joined a business fraternity that allowed me to pursue different leadership positions, develop my professional skills, and meet like-minded people. UB has tons of clubs, organizations, and events for you to put yourself out there too!

Orientation Leader Student Staff

Orientation Leaders (OLs) are undergraduate students who play an integral role in assisting new students and their families as they transition to life at UB. From orientation through your first semester, OLs are available to serve as mentors and share their expert insight as UB students.

Meet the Orientation Leaders

Meet the team and how they help new students figure out how to be "new to UB".

In this video OLs recite the "OL chant" over a Zoom call.

Welcome Weekend Leader Student Staff

Welcome Weekend Leaders (WWLs) are undergraduate student staff who implement Welcome Weekend, the official kick-off to the fall semester for new students.