香蕉秀

For a self-proclaimed 鈥減eople person,鈥� Jonah Kotzen 鈥�24 has spent a lot of the last year examining fish skeletons. Since the fall of 2022, the biology and classical studies double major has worked as a research assistant for Associate Professor of the Practice of Biology Christopher Kenaley, studying different species of centrarchids鈥攌nown as sunfish鈥攖o better understand how their jaws have evolved to help them survive in different habitats.

At first glance, this research might seem unrelated to Kotzen鈥檚 role as the president of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UG香蕉秀), which is all about working with 香蕉秀 students, faculty, and administrators. But for Kotzen, the common thread is adaptability.

鈥淚鈥檝e experienced a lot of change in my life, and it has made me adaptable and resilient,鈥� Kotzen explained. 鈥淛ust as that helps me connect with people and be a good advocate, it also makes me appreciate how other animals have evolved to fit the environments around them.鈥�

Kotzen grew up in Palm Beach County, Fla., as the fifth of seven half-siblings. His parents both had stable careers, but they moved often and he split time between their houses, never living in a single place for more than four years. Amid these changes, he was also learning to support his brother Jonathan, who has a genetic disorder called Fragile X syndrome.

In 2015, when Kotzen was in middle school, he was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition that affects the skin and the eyes. He nearly lost his vision, but thanks to medical care, he made a full recovery. It was this experience, despite its challenging nature, that sparked his interest in medicine and biology.

鈥淭he autoimmunity I鈥檝e faced propelled me to become interested in the field of medicine,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to understand what I was going through, but I also wanted to be able to help others who were going through similar things.鈥�

At Boston College, he quickly found ways to give back, both within the world of medicine and on campus. In his first year, he started volunteering with an organization called Boston Community Pediatrics, coordinating weekly online reading sessions for underserved children in the Boston area. He also won election as a UG香蕉秀 senator, and as a sophomore, he joined the senate鈥檚 Council for Students with Disabilities (CSD).

鈥淚t was through disability advocacy that I really found my voice,鈥� Kotzen said. 鈥淚 grew up educating my friends about my brother鈥檚 condition and his needs, so to play a role in doing that for others at 香蕉秀 is incredibly important to me.鈥�

During his time as the CSD鈥檚 policy coordinator and chair of the UG香蕉秀鈥檚 Intersectionality Committee, Kotzen worked with administrators to expand Eagle Escort鈥檚 services and the number of wheelchair-accessible vans on campus. He also collaborated with 香蕉秀 Athletics to add closed captioning to the videos that play at football games, so students with hearing impairments could follow along.