Middle East & CIVIC Academic Event

Majors: International Affairs, Public Health
Minor: Biology
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

Calli is a junior from Chapel Hill, NC. She is studying International Affairs and Public Health with a minor in Biology and is also a member of the University Honors Program. Outside of SIR, she is a GW tour guide, plays ultimate frisbee on the GDub Women’s team, and serves as a research assistant in GW’s Political Science department. In her free time she enjoys reading, hiking, and going to as many concerts as possible.

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Chemistry
Concentration: Global Public Health
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

Rachel was born and raised in Oak Lawn, Illinois, and is a sophomore studying International Affairs with a minor in Chemistry. She is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and has spent many years volunteering at summer camps. While at GW, Rachel has gotten involved with the resident hall association as a building representative and plays trombone for the GW bands. Outside of class, she enjoys crocheting, listening to Taylor Swift, and watching lots of rom-coms.

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Psychology
Concentrations: Asia, International Politics
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

Caroline is a senior originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. At GW, Caroline has a focus on Asia and Psychology and is excited to start learning Korean next semester. Caroline’s favorite classes so far have been North Korean Culture with Professor Kim and Security in East Asia with Professor Harold. Caroline joined SIR in January 2019 and since then, has interned at the State Department, learned how to sew, seen a ton of live theater, and maintained the same haircut since middle school. Caroline is so excited to be a part of E-board, and can’t wait to work more with this great team.

Major: International Affairs
Personal pronouns: he/him/his

Andrew lived in the Philippines until the age of 10 before moving to the US. However, he is a South Korean National. Andrew serves in the Residence Hall Association and works for GW Faculties and/or the CLRE. His academic interests focus on human rights, international law, and geopolitical crises. Outside of GW, Andrew enjoys photography and playing the violin.

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Public Health
Concentration: International Development
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

Ria is a junior from Basking Ridge, New Jersey. In addition to her involvement with SIR, Ria serves as finance chair on GW Raas and volunteers as an EMT in her hometown. During her time in DC, she has interned for the Embassy of Jordan and the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. In her free time, Ria enjoys trying new coffee places, watching reality TV, and reading.

Majors: International Affairs, Finance
Concentration: International Development

Sheena is a sophomore and an international student from Guangzhou, China. She came to the United States for an exchange experience in her junior year of high school in Green Bay, WI, and she decided to stay to finish her education. In addition to being an academic chair in SIR, Sheena is also a member of the research department of the Chinese Development Student Think Tank, and a project manager in AIESEC. Outside of academics, she loves dancing, especially Chinese Traditional Dance, Jazz, and K-Pop dances. She also enjoys baking (a hobby she picked up during quarantine), learning Spanish, and traveling.

Major: International Affairs
Concentration: Security Policy
Personal pronouns: he/him/his

Declan was born and raised in New York City and is a rising sophomore in the Elliott School studying international affairs concentrating in security policy. At GW Declan is a member of strategic crisis simulations and occasionally writes opinions for The Hatchet. Currently, Declan is a field intern on Andrew Yang’s mayoral campaign in New York. Outside of school he enjoys cooking, exploring new places, and nerding out over random political issues.

Majors: International Affairs, Economics
Minor: Marketing
Concentration: International Economics
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

Camilla is a senior studying International Affairs and Economics with a minor in Marketing. A California native, she’s lived in both Los Angeles and the Bay Area and also attended international school in Shanghai in between. She has interned in the State Department, worked as a Research Assistant, and interned in the technology industry at both startups and a Fortune 500 company. She is interested in global business and the rapidly innovating world in both professional and social spheres. In her free time, Camilla enjoys museums, karaoke, parks, exploring cities, and always learning something new.

Major: International Affairs

Concentration: International Development

Minor: Sustainability

Nupur is an international student from Kenya. She is a sophomore. She is also member of an on-campus community service sorority, Epsilon Sigma Alpha. She is also part of the Residential Engagement Team as a Resident Advisor for upperclassmen.

Majors: International Affairs, Economics
Concentration: International Economics
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

Sophia is originally from South Windsor, Connecticut. Her academic areas of interest include global capital markets, international banking, and global development. Sophia attributes her passion for international affairs to her trilingual upbringing and wanting to learn more about how languages and cultures intersect with policy. Outside the classroom, Sophia enjoys playing tennis and tasting all of the assorted DC desserts. You can most likely find her working at your local Trader Joe’s or exploring nearby cafes.

Majors: International Affairs, History

Minor: Chinese

Concentration: Asia

Dante is a senior studying international affairs and history with a focus in Asia. Outside of SIR, he serves as the senior video editor at The GW Hatchet, producing video content for the GW and D.C. community. He hopes to use his video editing skills to become a documentary maker in Southeast Asia after graduation. He also has worked as a research assistant at The Caspian Policy Center and as a program intern at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy in D.C. Originally from New York City, he enjoys taking long walks in the city and riding public transportation.

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Applied Ethics
Concentration: International Development
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

V is a sophomore from North Carolina, which is why she will often complain vaguely about “yankees” and the lack of good southern food in Foggy Bottom. Her academic interests lie in sustainable development and the role of ethics in conducting development work. Beyond serving as an academic chair for SIR, V is also involved with the Elliott School through her work with the Sigur Center for Asian Studies and as a student advisor to the LEAP Initiative. In her free time, V plays the violin and enjoys spontaneous trips to the various museums in DC.

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Psychology
Concentration: Conflict Resolution

On campus, Maisa is actively involved with the Dean’s Scholars Program and the Muslim Students’ Association. She is currently working on a research project examining the development of Mental Health and Psychosocial Services (MHPSS) for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. In her free time, she spends her time baking, painting, late-night walking, and watching every British mystery show in existence.

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Applied Ethics
Concentration: International Development
Personal Pronouns: she/her/hers

Vinithra (V) is a junior originally from the great state of North Carolina. She is interested in US-Asia relations, particularly sustainable economic development and foreign investments in Southeast Asia. In addition to SIR, she is a part of MZZ Ventures, a student consulting club, and the LEAP Student Advisory Committee. In her free time, she works on her goal of watching every major sitcom of the past 30 years.

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Computer Science
Concentration: Security Policy
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

Vicky is a senior from Boston who’s pursuing a major in International Affairs and a minor in Computer Science. Her academic interests are emerging technologies and great-power competition, with side focuses in Latin American politics and Cold War history. When she’s not angrily typing her way out of runtime errors on her latest CS project, she enjoys jamming on her ukulele and reading Spanish literature to keep up her language skills.

Major: International Affairs
Concentration: Security Policy

Maddie is a junior from Massachusetts. Her interests within IA include natural resource and environmental policy, transnational crime, and geopolitics. On campus, she currently serves as co-president of GW Youth Diplomacy and Language Institute, a community service organization that brings free after-school foreign language education to DC public elementary schools. Outside of school, you can usually find Maddie scootering around on her quest to find the best desserts in DC!

Major: International Affairs
Minor: Geographic Information Systems
Concentration: Security Policy
Personal pronouns: he/him/his

Blaise is originally from Florida but grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. Academically, Blaise studies security politics but still hasn’t fallen in love with one area or topic. Blaise has spent a lot of his life working in dining rooms and the hospitality business his family operates. GW and the DC area has become his home now, though. Blaise enjoys running on the national mall in the rain or grabbing cupcakes in Georgetown. Most notably though Blaise enjoys spending time with friends, which Blaise can’t wait to do with SIR this year. As EVP, Blaise wants to run a cohesive e-board that is focused on working with membership to build community for everyone in our organization.

Majors: International Affairs                                                                                                    Minor: Sustainability
Concentration: International Development, Global Public Health

Emma is a sophomore from the suburbs of NYC. Born in El Paso, TX, she is adopted, which explains her distinctive but proud Jewish, Indigenous Latinx identity. Beyond SIR, she currently serves on the JEAO (Justice, Equity, Anti-Oppression) Committee with Sunrise GW. She is also a member of No Lost Generation. Her interests include playing and watching tennis, running, cooking, traveling the world, and binge-watching shows while indulging in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or Nutella. When in DC, you can find her running up and down the national mall at sunrise and exploring every restaurant there is.

Majors: International Affairs, History
Minor: Chinese
Concentration: Asia
Personal pronouns: he/him/his

Dante is a senior studying international affairs and history with a focus in Asia. Outside of SIR, he serves as the senior video editor at The GW Hatchet, producing video content for the GW and D.C. community. He hopes to use his video editing skills to become a documentary maker in Southeast Asia after graduation. He also has worked as a research assistant at The Caspian Policy Center and as a program intern at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy in D.C. Originally from New York City, he enjoys taking long walks in the city and riding public transportation.

Major: International Affairs, Political Science
Concentration: International Politics
Minor: Public Health

Matt is a sophomore and is originally from Wisconsin, but moved to Michigan this past winter. In addition to his involvement with SIR, he volunteers for various environmental conservation groups in the DMV area and participates in GW’s intramural basketball. He is currently an intern at The Borgen Project as a part of their Political Affairs team. In his free time, he enjoys sightseeing, hiking, and playing basketball.

Major: International Affairs
Concentrations: Asia, Global Public Health

Lily is a junior from Buffalo, NY, but she loves living in DC. In addition to Sigma Iota Rho, she is a GW TRAILS guide, where she leads students on weekend and adventure break trips outdoors and serves on their Diversity, Inclusion, & Accessibility Committee. Lily is currently interning at The Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization, where she works in two policy programs: International Partners, which oversees the Institute’s 11 international partners in Europe, India, New Zealand, Mexico, and Japan, and Ascend, which focuses on ideas and collaborations that move children and their parents toward educational success and economic security. Last summer, Lily volunteered as an English Foreign Language Teacher for third grade students in the rural province of Nantong, Jiangsu, China, where she lived with a host family and developed her Mandarin Chinese. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, swimming, traveling, and anything outdoors!

Majors: International Affairs
Concentration: Security Policy

Avanti is a sophomore from Georgia. She’s also lived in India and Brazil (and most recently, the Vern). She’s also a part of the Global Bachelor’s Program Belfast cohort and formerly, the Women’s Leadership Program International Arts and Culture cohort. This past Fall, Avanti was SIR’s VP of Marketing, and this year, she is the Under-Secretary General for regional bodies and councils at the annual WAMUNC XXIII. In her free time, Avanti loves watching films, painting, and karaoke.

Majors: International Affairs, Economics
Concentration: East Asia

Joseph is a sophomore at George Washington University, currently located in Japan. His study of focus is on international affairs and economics. He has a strong passion for the economic and cultural dimensions of international affairs, particularly in East Asia. On (virtual) campus, he also serves as the co-programming chair for the Japanese Cultural Association. He also teaches part-time at a local test-prep academy. He is a huge fan of soccer, both as a player and a watcher, and enjoys exploring Japanese hot springs during the holiday seasons. He spent six years in China as a child and can speak Japanese and Mandarin.

Major: International Affairs
Concentrations: International Politics, Comparative Political, Economic, and Social Systems
Minors: Psychology, Political Science

Sahar is a junior in the Elliott School who is involved in several organizations such as Allied In Pride, Anything but Colonial Coalition, and GW Chamak. She is also in the Deans’ Scholars Program. You can usually find her editing videos, drinking way too much cold brew and bubble tea, and virtually working on her internship for a social justice nonprofit organization.