INTERNATIONAL REACH AMBASSADORS
Sarah Almutawa (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Alhasa, Saudi Arabia
Major: Biology, Undergraduate
Hi! I’m Sarah from Saudi Arabia, and I speak both English and Arabic. I love to read and ride my bike by lake Mendota. I strive to be a mental health and climate change advocate. I wanted to become an International Reach Ambassador so that I could spread my culture to as many people as possible in the Madison community. I’m excited about sharing my experiences with all of you!
Joel Baraka (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Kampala, Uganda
Major: Civil Engineering, Undergraduate
Hi! My name is Joel Baraka, and I speak Kinyabwisha, Swahiri, English, Basic Runyoro and Luganda. I love spending time with young children and listening to all the cool things they want to do when they grow up. I am looking forward to connecting with children and sharing what my educational experience has been.
Cecilia Cui (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Chengdu, China
Major: Physics & Legal Studies, Undergraduate
你好 (Ni hao)! My name is Cecilia or Yixin, and I speak Chinese and English. My interests are traveling and cultural traditions. I would like to share my own experiences as an international student to the Madison community and the university, and also eliminate bias and build communication between international students and local students.
Yiting Duan (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Beijing, China
Major: Journalism & Economics, Undergraduate
你好呀Hey, this is Yiting! I can speak Mandarin and English. During my spare time, I love cooking desserts, watching TV series, and hiking. I hope in ISS REACH I can find more friends who love to communicate cultural differences and get a deeper understanding of diversity.
Elaf Ghawas (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Al-ahsa, Saudi Arabia
Major: Biology, Undergraduate
As-salamu alaykum! My name is Elaf, and I speak Arabic and English. I am interested in presenting traditional clothes, music, cultural traditions, and food. I am hoping to foster great communication skills, gain a better understanding of other cultures, and connect with the community.
Swee Ying Hoo (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Kuala Lampur, Malaysia
Major: Nutrition and Dietetics, Undergraduate
Hi! My name is Swee Ying, I am able to speak fluently in Chinese, English and Malay (which is our national language), I do speak basic German as well. My passions are exploring new places and their cultures. I also enjoy cooking during my leisure time. I would love to be able to meet new people from different cultural backgrounds and learn new perspectives from others, while sharing Malaysian culture to the community and UW-Madison.
Hiya Jain (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Major: Psychology, Undergraduate
Namaste! My name is Hiya and I speak Hindi, English, Telugu, Marwadi and a little bit of Tamil. My interests include Traditional Dance and Music, Food, Unknown cultural traditions and Mythology. I would love to learn about different cultures and also share knowledge about the culture I belong to.
Sourabh Kenjale (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Pune, India
Major: Computer Science, Undergraduate
Namaskar! I am Sourabh Kenjale and I speak Marathi, Hindi, and English. I am very passionate and a huge fan of Indian Classical Music and human relations mixed with technology. I am eager to bring Indian culture to all Madisonians. I’m down to meet up, talk, try out new things, and most importantly, learn what I don’t know.
Thitipong Lawphongpanich (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand
Major: Computer Engineering, Undergraduate
Swasdee krub, I am Thitipong! You can call me “Tap.” I speak Thai and English. My interests include food, language, and performing arts. I would like to create a strong connection between international students and local students. At International Reach, I hope I can get a deeper understanding of other cultures and diversity by meeting people with diverse backgrounds and conducting an intercultural dialogue.
Ama Mohammed (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Kumasi, Ghana
Major: Professional French Program, Graduate
Akwaaba! My name is Ama, and I speak Twi, English and French. My interests include folklore, history, food and music. I would like to meet (virtually!) with people from diverse backgrounds, share experiences, and enhance my intercultural skills.
Lam Nguyen (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown:Vinh Phuc, Vietnam
Major: Marketing, Undergraduate
Xin chao! My name is Lam Nguyen. Vietnamese and English are the two languages I speak. I have vested interest in food – particularly food history, Vietnamese traditions and their roots. In my free time, I like watching anime and reading nonfiction. As a Reach Ambassador, I would like to help others learn about Vietnam and Vietnamese culture, while also educate myself on intercultural issues.
Eric Peng (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
Major: Finance, Economics, Undergraduate
Hey guys! My name is Eric, and I speak Mandarin and English. I love talking about food, sports, traveling, and other fun stuff about Taiwan. I am excited to connect with people from different backgrounds and share my experience as an international badger.
Eyad Reda (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
Major: Civil Engineering, Graduate
Hi or Salam Aleekom!! My name is Eyad, and I speak Arabic and English. My interests include politics, economics, human rights, food and customs or traditions. I would love to talk and share what I have on the current political landscape, economic situation and human rights conditions in the Egypt and the Middle East in general. Meeting people with different backgrounds and conducting an intercultural dialogue is one of my sought goals while being an international student in UW-Madison, while sharing my culture and traditions to others as well.
Nishant Verma (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Singapore
Major: Biomedical Engineering, Doctoral
Hallo! Heyyyy! Namaste! My name is Nishant, and I speak English, Hindi, and enough Chinese to make folks laugh. My interests include the often unspoken consensus of societal values and individual values as well as the role of government in society. I would like to share my view of society in different cultures and my time in the US. I want to meet new people and appreciate their views.
Reina Yano (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Kumamoto, Japan
Major: Rehabilitation counseling, Graduate
こんにちは(Konnichiwa), I am Reina! I came from Tokyo before moving to Madison, but I have lived in many places inside Japan with my family and they’re now in Kumamoto (the bear next to me is Kumamoto’s character, Kumamon!). My interests include clinical psychology, counseling, and public policy (especially welfare and employment policy). In my free time, I enjoy going to musicals or art museums, playing the piano, and hanging out with my friends for gourmet or shopping. I am a social person who loves to talk and connect with people and so excited to work with people in the Madison community and UW!