INTERNATIONAL REACH AMBASSADORS
Duraid Abukhamseen (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Safwa, Saudi Arabia
Major: Environmental Science, Undergraduate
Hi! My name is Duraid Abukhamseen. I speak Arabic and English. I love watching sports, learning about new cultures, and trying new things. I really hope to share a piece of my culture with the UW community and learn more about the cultures around me.
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!
Oluwayinka Arawomo (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Ondo State, Nigeria (Lived in Lagos State)
Major: English (Composition and Rhetoric), Ph.D. Candidate
Bawo ni? Yinka is my name and I speak Yoruba, English and Pidgin-English. I love sharing about Yoruba Traditional Clothing and inviting others to participate by trying them on. I also love to talk about our native foods and the Yoruba traditional wedding. I look forward to a cultural exchange that projects the richness of the Yoruba culture and gives a peek into the rich and diverse cultures in Nigeria. I am also fascinated about experiencing other cultures thriving in UW-Madison.
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.
Chen Shien Chia (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Malaysia
Major: Chemical Engineering
Apa khabar? My name is Chia and I speak Malay, Chinese, English, Teochew, and Hokkien. I am immensely grateful for being able to live in a beautiful, diverse, and multicultural country called Malaysia. I love sharing Malaysian food with my friends in America and sometimes invite them over to make traditional desserts together. We make ‘ondeh-ondeh’ which is a traditional dessert made with pandan (screwpine leaf) infused dough and filled with Gula Melaka or palm sugar. I look forward to sharing the uniqueness of Malaysia with more people at UW-Madison.
Joan Chimezie (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Imo, Nigeria (born and bred in Lagos, Nigeria)
Major: Botany, Graduate
Hello! My name is Joan (Jo!!), I speak English, Pidgin English, Igbo, and Yoruba (spent all my life in western Nigeria, haha). My interests include Traveling, watching crime investigation documentaries, and anime, and having good conversations. I hope to share my experience as a Nigerian student here in Madison and connect with other international students! I hope for people to see and learn about my country directly through “my eyes” and not from what they might have heard or read.
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.
Dipika Garg (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Punjab, India
Major: Business Administration, MBA in Supply Chain Management
Namaste! My name is Dipika, and I speak Hindi, Punjabi, and English. I love to travel and explore various cultures, cuisines, and people to find amusing similarities across the globe between cultures, beliefs, and people’s emotions. As an international student at UW-Madison, I can’t wait to share my culture with other students and meet people from all around the world! I’m down to meet up, talk, try out new things, and most importantly, learn what I don’t know. I am also very passionate about women in technology and STEM areas, so feel free to reach out if that is something you would like to talk about.
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.
Arjun Iyer (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Major: Computer Sciences, Statistics, Undergraduate
Hi! I’m Arjun from India, and I speak English, Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi. I love to learn about different cultures mainly since I have travelled with my parents to over 30 countries. My aim is to efficiently apply my skills in Computer Science to improve ease of technology use in third world countries. I would love to present anything relating to technology and culture. I wanted to become an International Reach Ambassador so that I could share my culture with the UW-Madison community and network with ambassadors from other countries. I look forward to my term!
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.
Aruna Kallon (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Kenema, Sierra Leone
Major: Educational Policy Studies, Graduate
Hi! My name is Aruna, and I speak Mende, Krio and English. My interests are books, cultural traditions, soccer, nature and landscapes. I am eager to meet people from diverse cultural settings within the UW and Madison communities and share about my country, culture and experiences.
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.
Ankit Kulshrestha (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Singapore
Major: Computer Science, Undergraduate
Hi! My name is Ankit and I speak English and Hindi. My interests include sports like basketball and badminton, discovering new music of (almost) any genre, and meeting new people and learning about their cultures. I would love to share about Singapore’s variety of food, languages, and traditions. I’m excited to meet people from all walks of life and share about my hometown and my experience as an international student.
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.
Nuohao Liu (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Zhengzhou, China
Major: Material Science & Engineering, Doctoral
大家好!Hello everyone! My name is Nuohao and I speak Chinese and English. I’m very glad to meet friends from all over the world and introduce our culture and interesting things to everyone. I love playing the piano and enjoy lots of sports like basketball, table tennis, and badminton, especially playing with new friends. I believe through the cultural exchange we can get a view that how big the world is, and by standing together, we’ll feel how close the distance between each other could be.
Praveen Maripelly (he/him/his)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Telangana, India
Major: Fine Arts- 4D, Graduate
Namaste! My name is Praveen Maripelly, and I speak Telugu, Hindi, English, basic Gujarati and German. My interests include community well being, arts, cultures and traditions, social engagement and languages. I would like to connect with communities from different cultures and backgrounds, and share aspects of my culture to UW Madison and the community.
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.
Joud Mohammed A Almozaiyn (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Major: Political Science and International Studies, Undergraduate
Asalam Alaykom! My name is Joud like that Beatles song! I speak Arabic, English, and a hint of French. Exchanging cultures and connecting with people from all around the world is something I’m very passionate about. I hope to share my knowledge about Saudi culture, and traditions, and shed a light on the false stereotypes associated with it! Oh! And my interests include reading, digital arts, and the occasional crocheting. Masalamah!
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.
Mojca Penca (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Major: English (Literary Studies), Graduate
Živjo! My name is Mojca. I speak Slovenian, English, and French and I understand enough Croatian, Spanish and Korean to watch TV dramas. I’m interested in the conflicts and confluences of popular culture and media narratives, especially as they shape our perceptions through cultural membership. As an ambassador, I’m hoping to meet other international students and compare our experiences of studying abroad as well as communicate with other audiences about our gaps in cultural literacies, European perceptions of American politics, and most importantly, Central European cuisine (and yes, I do mean bread).
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.
Vanessa Soendjaja (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Bandung, Indonesia
Major: Food Science, M.S.
Hai! Apa kabar? (that’s how are you in Bahasa Indonesia). My name is Vanessa Soendjaja and I am from Indonesia. I speak Bahasa Indonesia, English, and basic Mandarin. I am also trying to learn Korean (so I can watch my favorite Korean dramas without subtitles). I am so thankful to have grown up in such a diverse and beautiful country with SOOO much delicious food and I can’t wait to share my experience with everyone at UW-Madison. I am also looking forward to learning more about other countries and cultures from people I will meet through REACH.
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.
Yawei Wang (she/her/hers)
Credentials: International Reach Ambassador
Hometown: Guangzhou, China
Major: Human Development and Family Studies, Undergraduate
Hi everyone! My name is Yawei. I can speak Mandarin Chinese and English fluently. I can also speak a little bit of German, Japanese and French. Learning languages are so fun! After spending my early childhood years in Texas and California for seven years, then moving back to Guangzhou for 11 years, I have been able to greatly understand two unique and special cultures thoroughly. Furthermore, this life experience has allowed me to perceive the world from many different perspectives and has contributed to my growth mindset. As a Reach Ambassador, I can’t wait to share more about my thoughts, my life experiences, and my wonderful Chinese culture with everyone.
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!