Shizhou Chen (she/her) had never sung before when she found Cantare as a 6th grader in 2008. She signed up to be part of Nova’s inaugural season and she was immediately drawn in.

Shizhou moved to Oakland’s Chinatown neighborhood with her parents from China as a second grader. While developing English language skills, she also developed a love for math. Shizhou earned a full-ride scholarship through the national program QuestBridge and attended the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her degree in Actuarial Science and Finance in 2019, minoring in Math and Art History.

Shizhou returned to Oakland and became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. She is currently in Transamerica’s Actuarial Development Program, which enables recent graduates to gain industry experience and helps her pay for exam fees and training to earn her credential. She’s happy to have found a stable career where she feels she can make a difference. She also volunteers at Alameda’s REAP center, and loves learning about gardening and growing food.

Ryan Chen (he/him), is studying Mechanical Engineering and Anthropology at UC Irvine. He lives a full life on campus, including being a member of the UCI Rocket Project, being a part of the Dragon Boat race crew, and providing mentorship to his peers. In the summer of 2021, he worked at Tesla, where he enjoyed having a behind-the-scenes view of the customer service experience. All these accomplishments would not have been possible, he says, without the support and guidance he received from Cantare. Beginning in kindergarten to graduating high school, singing with Cantare helped him strive to be a better version of himself through dedication and practice. The experience also reinforced the many ways we can contribute to our community and give back in acts of service.

Marri Cleghorn (she/her) graduated from California State University Fullerton with a BA in Theatre in 2018. Marri moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, modeling, and music. Cantare encouraged her passion for performance, which has led to her doing what she loves in her chosen career. Ever since she joined Cantare's Rising Stars choir at Lafayette Elementary School in 2004, she has enjoyed performing in front of an audience. From her choir experiences she developed performance skills that serve her in her adult life and profession. Marri is featured in a new Body Shop commercial that highlights body positivity, self love, and diversity. The commercial is on YouTube, all over social media platforms, and has even been showcased on billboards in Times Square. She is thankful to Cantare for helping to shape her into the person she is today.