Bryan Segarra Fund

Bryan Segarra Muse Scholarship Fund

As we continue to mourn the passing of our beloved Muse Scholar Bryan Segarra, we congratulate our four Segarra Scholars: two first-year Muse Scholars, Perla Aquino and Jhonnattan Paulino and sophomores Victory Ogunnaya and Valeriia Chendyrova.

Bryan graduated Hunter in 2016 with a BA in Art History, and was enrolled at Hunter in the Art History MA program in 2019. He was a talented musician who played in multiple bands, including “The Hand Me Downs,” with fellow Muses, Gregory Rocco and Caleb Andriella. Art and music were his passions. He was a committed student, artist and friend. He is sorely missed.

Perla Aquino was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. Since the age of 5, she’s been invested in the arts as a member of the Riverdale Children’s Theatre (RCT). With a vehemence for aiding the blossoming of arts in young communities, she volunteered with RCT as a teaching assistant for the Broadway Babies and Kids classes. 

Perla was awarded the Jennifer Huvane Scholarship award for RCT’s SummerLights camp and she was a member of the Engaging Latino Communities for Education (ENLACE) program. Additionally, she was commended on her academic excellence through the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program and National African American Recognition Program.

Perla plans on majoring in economics and receiving a Business Certificate. She plans on joining arts clubs and economic-related clubs at Hunter, as well as applying for fellowships and scholarships.

In her leisure time, she enjoys advocating for marginalized communities through media platforms, streaming music of all kinds (especially Korean Pop), playing Sudoku, and spending time with family and friends.

Jhonnattan Paulino, Born in Florida, now living with his family in New York, remembers his mother always stressing the importance of getting an education as a stepping stone to succeed in life. This pushed him to excel in high school, where he received an IB Scholarship and earned some college credits.

At Hunter Jhonnattan plans to be a film major with a minor in creative writing or literature. He enjoys spending his time bonding with fellow Muse Scholars during outings; enjoys taking part in the enriching community found in the Hunter  Student Center, and has taken special interest in the books currently available at Hunter’s gigantic library as it furthers his ability to develop his own stories. 

By graduation, Jhonnattan aspires to produce a book, create T.V. shows and/or movies, and get work in the entertainment industry.  After Hunter, he is considering continuing his studies in graduate school in film.

Victory Ogunnaya was born in Brooklyn and raised in St. Albans, Queens. She loves writing, games, music, and watching cartoons and shows. She is majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, and is pursuing a minor in Music. Victory plans to graduate from Hunter College in 2025. She aspires to be an author, as well as a mentor for students at after-school programs.

Victory is honored to accept this scholarship in memory of Bryan Segarra. The Muse program has impacted her life in such a positive way in these past few months, and she is beyond grateful to have been given this opportunity by the program. Muse is such a loving and tight-knit community of creators, artists, and visionaries, and she continues to be amazed by the work that she and her peers create.

For Valeriia Chendyrova, it is an honor to be part of the Muse program because it offers students an opportunity to work with other creatives. At Hunter, she plans to pursue a BA in Studio Art. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Valeriia intends to apply to graduate school to further her knowledge of her craft and its history. She would like to become not just a practitioner but also an educator. After watching her parents live in appreciation of and with a sense of longing for their homeland and culture, she knew at a young age that she also wanted to cherish her heritage and give back to her community one day.

Much of her art work is related to the effort of achieving the American Dream, or a version of it, while also acknowledging the challenges and limitations that hold people back.

Besides drawing inspiration from her background as a Russian American, she is continuously on a search for self and in the pursuit of understanding human purpose through paintings and multimedia projects. As an immigrant artist, she also desires to create a safe space for other creators that struggle to feel at home in a new country.