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Twice as much success for twins - William & Michael Wininger
A quest to help fight cancer - Jennifer Bordonaro

William and Michael Wininger inspire each other to excel

William Wininger '04 (CLAS) came to UConn planning to study mathematics, but it is his identical twin, Michael '03 (CLAS), who became the math major. Mike was the one who wanted to go abroad and explore the world. Yet it was Will who studied at Oxford and has career aspirations in international human rights. This tendency for role reversal is what Will calls "the forward pass." In effect, one moves the other down the field and both go further than either could have imagined alone.

Photo: Peter Morenus

Twin brothers, Michael '03 (CLAS) and William '04 (CLAS) Wininger have encouraged each other's success at UConn.

Thanks to the Wininger twins' capacity to inspire one another, both have earned Dean's Scholarship Awards and have been named New England Scholars. Will is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, Mike a member of Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honor society.

The twins part ways, however, in their academic pursuits. Will's interest in civil rights led him to pursue a dual degree in political science and African-American studies. He has since developed a passion for the legal issues of the oppressed and disenfranchised.

Last summer, he was an intern for the Coalition for the International Criminal Court at the United Nations in New York. He also interned with the International Human Rights Consortium at the U.N.'s European office in Geneva, where he presented a paper on Zimbabwean electoral politics.

Will has studied Arabic at UConn and worked as a human rights monitor for the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Hartford. He plans to pursue graduate studies in Middle Eastern or Islamic studies. Will, who will complete his degree requirements for African American studies in May, has fulfilled his political science requirements and won the senior writing prize for his thesis on abstract political theory.

Mike received degrees in physics and mathematics in December. His studies at UConn included research in the atomic molecular optics laboratory of Prof. Winthrop Smith, where he helped build a diode laser. A competitive marathon runner (he qualified for the Boston Marathon this spring), Mike's career interest is focused on rehabilitation technology. He would like to develop better wheelchairs and other devices that will increase mobility and independence for people with disabilities. Last year, his desire to affect the lives of handicapped people led him to co-found the Cool Kids Club, a UConn student organization whose purpose is to provide recreational activities for kids with disabilities.

"You can say that William is using one hemisphere of the brain - he likes political science - and that Mike is all science," says Mike. "But we both really want to help people who are less fortunate in their circumstances in life."

The brothers speculate that their parents, both teachers who have lived "principled lives," have greatly influenced their life choices. As for their prospects for success, the Winingers give credit to UConn.

Echoing remarks by Thomas J. Wolff '56, an honorary award recipient at UConn's mid-year commencement, Will declares, "The University owes me nothing; I owe the University everything. It's really an amazing place, and we're very grateful to have gone there, and wherever we go, we'll always take UConn with us."
- Leslie Virostek

Intellect and persistence lead to success

Photo: Peter Morenus

A Nutmeg scholar in her second year at UConn, Jennifer Bordonaro has already completed enough credits to achieve junior status. This past December her academic intensity earned her another distinction: a place in the selective University Scholars program. A benefit of this special designation is that it allows her to put her primary academic interest - cancer research - at the center of her studies.

All University Scholars are involved with intense, focused research projects culminating in a high-level of scholarship or creative accomplishment.

Bordonaro, a molecular and cellular biology major, explains that chemo-therapy is usually administered to cancer patients intravenously, exposing the whole body to the aggressive medicine, which can be devastating to healthy cells and to the immune system. Working with laboratory mice, Bordonaro is conducting research under the direction of Liisa Kuhn, assistant professor of biomaterials at the UConn Health Center, exploring alternate methods of administering chemotherapy treatment.

"We're looking to inject the medicine into the solid tumor so that there is less destruction of the body's regular defenses," says Bordonaro. She believes the research will demonstrate that targeting the tumor will not only prevent the immune system from being harmed but will also "recruit" immune cells to help combat the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.

"It is rare to find a student with the focus to succeed in medical research that Jennifer has," says Kuhn. "She is an outstanding student because she has the combination of intellect and persistence that will lead to success in whatever she pursues."

Bordonaro's academic focus has not kept her from involvement in a variety of other activities. A mentor to incoming honors students, Bordonaro has also served as a Husky Ambassador, showing prospective students what life at UConn is like. She is the academic chair for Alpha Beta Epsilon, an academic fraternity for biology majors, and is a member of the pre-med club and a number of organizations and honor societies.

Bordonaro's interest in medicine began in childhood when her 2-year-old brother, now a healthy 16-year-old, was treated for cancer. The experience helped determine her ultimate goal to become a doctor. She says she is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the fight against cancer. "In doing this research, I feel like I can help in some way."
- Leslie Virostek