First-Year Counselors

The First-Year Counselor Program was established in 1938 and has been ever since an intrinsic and essential component of Yale’s advising system for first-year students. The program has evolved in many ways over the years, but the general purpose of the program has remained the same: to help ease the transition of incoming first-years to the academic, social, and cultural life of Yale College. Find out more about the First-Year Counselor Program here.

Trumbull is lucky to have a team of seven great First-Year Counselors. Together they make Bingham an especially wonderful place for all first-year Trumbull students.

Trumbull First-Year Counselor Team

Tasha Boyer

Tasha was born and raised in Chugiak, Alaska and contrary to popular belief, she can’t see Russia from her house. After studying four foreign languages and changing her major repeatedly over the better part of three years, Tasha finally decided to major in Psychology. She conducts research at Head Clark’s Relationship Science Lab and plans to study human empathy and wellbeing for her senior thesis, though she hasn’t a clue what she wants to do after graduation (oops!) Tasha is Artistic Director of Groove Dance Company and co-founded The Odd Ducks Sketch and Stand-Up Comedy organization with her friends after they were all rejected from comedy groups on campus. She is also a member of the Student Association of Thais at Yale (SATAY) and a FOOT Leader. In her free time, Tasha writes, meditates, choreographs, binge-watches Planet Earth, and camps out at the Trumbull booth. Though she can’t fold a fitted sheet, Tasha can finish an entire order of Yorkside buffalo mozz sticks—she welcomes any and everyone to join her. Moo-rah!Email Tasha

Charlotte Brannon

Charlotte is from Houston, Texas, and totally supports the Astros. She is majoring in English and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, and hopes to go to medical school or graduate school (for biology). She does research in a lab that studies the physics and molecular biology of individual and collective bacterial migration. She thinks it’s pretty cool stuff. She loves Yale and New Haven, and might be found walking up science hill for the fourth time of the day, or getting dinner in the Trumbull dining hall at 4:59pm. Charlotte loves being in Yale Ballet Company, and also enjoys shadowing surgeons at Yale New Haven Hospital, watching movies with her suite mates, attending Montessori Model United Nations conferences, and being a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She has recently gotten really into "Breaking Bad" and computer science, and would love to chat about either. She is majorly excited to meet the Class of 2022!Email Charlotte

Zeshan Gondal

Zeshan was born and raised in the great city of Brooklyn, NY and is double majoring in Global Affairs and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. In his time on campus, he has involved with the Yale Chaplain's Office, Dwight Hall Socially Responsible Investment Fund (DHSRI), the Yale Muslim Students Association (MSA), and the Yale International Relations Association (YIRA). He loves hiking and traveling, and studied Arabic in Morocco after the summer of his first year. Zeshan is a huge Knicks fan, even though they manage to disappoint him each year, and is patiently waiting for the year they finally bring home a title. Until then, he can't wait to meet the Class of 2022! Email Zeshan

Shah Khan

Shah grew up in the small town of Grayson, Georgia just outside of Atlanta and came to Yale as a first-gen student (thanks to Questbridge and FSY!). He loves sweet tea, Waffle House, and all things South. Shah is majoring in Statistics and Data Science, where he does a lot of work applying machine learning techniques to economics research and analyzing minimax rates. Outside of crunching numbers for fun, Shah is involved in the Yale Precision Marching Band, where he plays cowbell to his hearts content. In his free time, you can find Shah laying on the grass on Cross Campus, cheering at a Yale sporting event, or eating his way through New Haven. He can't wait to welcome the class of 2022 to the best residential college at Yale!Email Shah

Logan Lewis

I call Washington, D.C. home - and yes, I really mean D.C.! Home also consists of my two incredible little sisters, Maya and Aleyah. At Yale I study Ethics, Politics, and Economics, and outside of the classroom you can find me cheering on my acapella group the Baker's Dozen or playing Trumbull IMs. You can also join me in the AfAm House to study in its beautiful library, attend a Black Men's Union discussion meeting, or just to hang out! I'm passionate about the people around me, classes with the perfect balance of theory and praxis, and talking about skyscrapers, cars, planes, and trains. I also look fondly on my first year in Trumbull and the many great conversations had in Bingham Hall!Email Logan

Nitya Rayapati

Nitya is from Austin (the best city!) though she’s come to love the seasons of the Northeast. She’s a History & Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major and especially interested in interdisciplinary approaches to science. She’s writing her thesis on 1970s American healthcare history and in New Haven she teaches health and sex education in public schools through Community Health Educators. Nitya also enjoys doing graphic design for various groups on campus. She’s been invoked with the Asian American Cultural Center (check out the beautiful, well loved kitchen!) as a peer liaison. Outside of school, Nitya loves hiking, reading Zadie Smith novels, attempting to write, eating large scoops of raw cookie dough from the Trumbull buttery, Shonda Rhimes tv shows, exploring new places, and watching movies. She’s very excited to meet the Class of 2022!Email Nitya

Stephanie Spear

Stephanie was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i and is double majoring in Astrophysics and Anthropology. She has conducted research Astronomy for the several years and is now continuing this research on the STARS II Fellowship. Outside of the classroom, you can find her working at Trumbull events as a Media Tech or giving tours on campus as both a Campus Guide and the Head Science Tour Guide. She is also one of the co-founders of the UN Ivy STEM Connect Program, a science outreach program aimed at creating an international network and mentorship system for underrepresented students in science. When she’s at home, Steph spends all of her time at the beach and stuffing herself with delicious food. Though the former is a bit harder to do at Yale, she’s always down to get food (Vivi’s, Bonchon, Junzi… you name it and she’s there)! She can’t wait to explore New Haven with the Class of 2022 and welcome them to the best residential college! Moorah! Email Stephanie