The TRIO peer leaders help fellow TRIO students thrive at Carleton through a variety of efforts. Peer leaders plan and coordinate many activities, mentor first year students, and help the TRIO staff develop successful programs.
The TRIO interns are current TRIO senior students and have been a TRIO Peer Leader for at least a year. This position allows a TRIO senior to experience the professional work of the TRIO office in the form of a work study position.
Peer Leaders and TRIO Interns

Hello! I am Francisco Arenas (He/Him) and I am a first-generation Mexican-American Computer Science major at Carleton College! I am from North Hills, CA. I love to watch sitcoms like Parks-and-Rec, bake for my friends and family, and sketch out anything I find interesting! I also can’t go a day without music from my favorite artists, such as Omar Apollo, Kali Uchis, and Adele, but the list is endless!

Hello! I’m Norman Colindrez, a Senior from Rhode Island. I’m majoring in Political Science/International Relations, Pre-law. Apart from policy and giving you uncertified legal advice, I’m involved with FOCUS, MOC, and 1Gen. In my free time, I enjoy playing horror games, biking downtown, and hanging out with friends. I love listening to rap and R&B; you’ll never see me listen to country. I’m a Total car guy who dreams of owning a 1988 Honda CRX. I’m thrilled to collaborate with all of you and contribute to creating a nurturing environment for the best college experience!

Hey hey! My name is Esmeralda (Esme) Garcia-Ramirez (She/Her) and I am a sophomore from Laurel, Delaware. I am a prospective biology major on the pre-med track looking towards a career as a pediatric orthopedic because of my, terrible, past reputation with sports. You’ll most likely find me hidden in Hulings or Sayles, as they are my favorite spots to study on campus and because the cafes are nearby. You may spot me at the Rec Center a lot! Outside of TRIO, I’m a member of Womxns Soccer Club (other wise known as Cloccer!), FOCUS, and the SpaceHogs Microbial Research Team. In my free time, I love working out, long walks, playing my guitar, reading fiction, and playing a competitive Uno game. I’m thrilled to collaborate with a dynamic team and engage with fellow students!

Hi! My name is Krystal Gutierrez (she/her) and I’m a sophomore from Houston, Texas. I’m a prospective Biology or Psychology major on the pre-health track. Outside of TRIO, I’m a Posse Scholar, a Women of Color Plus Board Member, a Latin American Student Organization (LASO) member, and in the Student Senate. I enjoy going to cultural events, spending time/studying with my friends, listening to music, watching movies, reading, and crocheting. As a TRIO Peer Leader, I’m looking forward to making endless friendships and contributing to belonging at Carleton by providing guidance and a safe space where everybody feels included!

Hi! My name is Alyssa Guzman (she/her), and I am from Houston, Texas. Although I attend school across the country, TRIO and other campus communities have helped me feel right at home. At Carleton, I plan on declaring in American Studies and double minoring in Educational Studies and Mathematics. You can find me pestering tutors at the CMC or the all-mighty Sayles. Hands down, mole (a Mexican dish) and espagueti verde are foods that can send me into the most beautiful food coma. My favorite show would have to be Bridgerton along with Queen Charlotte, but the best season to exist is season 2. I am so excited to meet you all and get to know you!

Hello, my name is Gloria Kossigan and I am from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Some fun facts about me is that I enjoy bizarre food combos, but my favorite weird combo of all time is Carleton’s vegetarian sausage with cream cheese and sriracha. It is a must try!!! I am also a weirdo because common foods that people like I don’t like. For example I don’t like fries, ice cream, fried chicken or burgers. On campus, my favorite place to study is Anderson and LDC. I am a pink girl though I don’t really wear pink.

Hello, my name is Heidi Mckim and I am a current sophomore and studio art major from a small town in Missouri! At home I enjoy reading (my current favorite is The Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard) and spending time with my niece and nephew or visiting my grandparents. At Carleton, I enjoy being outside and can be found walking the various trails in the Arb, especially during the warmer months when the prairie flowers have freshly bloomed. If I am not outside or hiding away in my room, I like visiting my friends and hanging out in Weitz or Boliou. I love to peruse the halls and look at all the new art pieces students have been working on, especially in the ceramics department as that is my preferred medium 🙂 I look forward to being a TRIO Peer Leader and getting to meet new people!

Hi, my name is Edith and I’m majoring in Biology and minoring in Nueroscience. I am from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Some of the fun stuff I like to do is bake, I have made banana bread, brownies, and cookies. I also like to watch lots of Netflix and have binged just about all the documentaries. One fun fact people are always surprised by is that I have 5 huskies and 2 cats.