"I have recently returned from a semester abroad in Beijing, Mainland China. In the fall of '23, I spent a semester abroad in Taipei, Taiwan. During both of these periods, I was able to observe and study firsthand the cultural, political, and urban differences between the two capital cities and the unique geopolitical situation between Taiwan and Mainland China. While in Beijing, I undertook a full-time Mandarin language pledge, which was challenging, but bolstered my speaking confidence tremendously. While in Taipei, I interned at the Taipei Times. Upon completing the previous semester in Beijing, I graduated with two bachelor's degrees, in anthropology and Chinese. In addition to these two semesters abroad, I have extensively traveled East and Southeast Asia, spending considerable time in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and others."

Concentration: Politics and Security

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Academic Background: B.A. in Anthropology & Chinese, Washington State University