Past Reach Ambassadors

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.

Nurfara Faisal (she/her/hers)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Major: Computer Science, Undergraduate

Hi! I am Fara, and I speak Malay, English, and basic Mandarin. I can also read Arabic and Korean. I am interested in performing arts, traveling, and languages. You can probably see me singing and/or dancing on stage during cultural events organized by the Malaysian Students Association of UW-Madison! As a REACH ambassador, I am eager to share the rich culture of Malaysia with the local Madison community on top of experiencing other cultures as well.

Francisca Andrea Nuñez Ferreira (she/her/hers)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Concepción, Chile
Major: Geoscience, Graduate

Hi, I’m Francisca and I speak Spanish and English. I love to travel and my main interests are glaciers and volcanoes. Knowledge of the way the universe is shaped and the way our planet contains so many mysteries is something that has always interested me. As a Reach ambassador, I would like to talk about Chile’s landscape and general culture. I expect to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

Estefanía Galindo (she/her/hers)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Barranquilla, Colombia

Major: Spanish Linguistics, graduate

¡Hola! My name is Estefanía, and I speak Spanish, English, French and basic German. I love learning languages, eating, and dancing! The only food I do not like is spicy, but I can try everything else. I would like to learn more about other cultures, traditions, and food. I am looking forward to sharing many interesting aspects of my country and culture such as music, dancing, and food with the UW-Madison and Madison community, so everybody knows a little bit more about Colombia.

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.

Kitty Huang (she/her)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: New Taipei City, Taiwan
Major: Curriculum and Instruction, Graduate
Hello, I’m Kitty from Taiwan. I speak Mandarin, English, and a bit of German. I adore traveling and just completed an amazing 6-day road trip from Madison to LA, where I experienced different landscapes across states. Recently, I’ve taken up longboarding, and I’d love to skateboard with anyone interested. As an International Reach Ambassador, I’m thrilled to share Taiwanese culture and mouthwatering food. Meeting new people and embracing diverse perspectives energizes me, and I can’t wait to make new friends and learn together!

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.

Nima Keivani (he/him/his)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Tehran, Iran

Major: Ph.D. French / G.T.A. French elementary and Intermediate French

Dorud! Hi there! It’s Nima, I speak Farsi (my mother tongue), English, French, (and a bit of) Italian, and can understand written Arabic and Ecclesiastical Latin. My passions in life? Poetry, language teaching, and drama! I’d always love to meet new people and get immersed in multiculturality. #Woman_Life_Freedom. Rouze khoubi dashte bashid (have a great day in Farsi!)’

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.

Yeounji Kim (she/her)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea

Major: Pharmacy, Graduate

안녕하세요. My name is Yeounji, and I speak Korean and English. I’m a second-year pharmacy student, and my interests are global health, drug development, and Pharmacoeconomics. I would love to ice skate, travel, and find new recipes. As an international Reach Ambassador, I hope to share Korean culture, cuisine, history, and entertainment with every student at UW-Madison.

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.

Xinyu Li (she/her/hers)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Shenzhen, China
Major: Computer Science, Undergraduate
Hello everyone! My name is Xinyu Li (Chloe). I am good at speaking Mandarin and English. I used to study at China Agricultural University then I transferred to UW-Madison. Based on my academic experience, I have gained a comprehensive understanding of different teaching environments. Thinking back to my high school days, I was the director of the Chinese Traditional Dress Club, and this experience fueled my passion to share Chinese culture. This passion accompanied me through college and I was fortunate enough to perform a traditional Chinese dance at a China-Africa dialogue meeting in Beijing. Currently, at UW-Madison, I do part-time work at Wisconsin Discovery Institute as a student researcher. I am also deeply involved in AI-related entrepreneurial activity with a group of peers. I am very excited to be a Reach Ambassador and can’t wait to share my rich experience and unique learning journey of traditional Chinese culture.

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.

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.

Deborah Oluwakemi Akinwole (she/her/hers)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Ondo State & Oyo State Nigeria (Lived in Lagos State and Ogun State)
Major: Special Education-Research and Theory-Track Masters
Bawo ni? How you dey? Deborah is my name and I speak Yoruba, English, Pidgin-English and Igbo. I love sharing about Nigerian currency, its value, beauty and history. Informing people about international currency and their values provides one with historical knowledge that will be worthy of note. I also love to talk about our native foods (Jollof Rice, Amala and Ewedu, etc.,) and Fashion. I am excited to participate in a cultural exchange that showcases the vibrant Yoruba culture while providing insights into the diverse cultures of Nigeria. I am particularly intrigued by the opportunity to immerse myself in the various cultures thriving at UW-Madison. A o pade layo!

Maxwell Ozioma Chibuogwu (he/him/his)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Benin City, Nigeria
Major: Plant Pathology, Doctoral

How far na! My name is Maxwell and I speak English and Nigerian pidgin fluently. I understand Ika, Igbo, basic Yoruba and little Hausa (kadan kadan). I am interested in sharing (to young people and adults) about Nigerian culture, environments, foods, and lifestyles. With a focus on correcting stereotypes that people might subconsciously hold. I hope to use this opportunity to integrate with different American communities and share first-hand experiences in Nigeria that will offer a correct representation of the realities.

Jinwan Park (he/him/his)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Busan, South Korea
Major: Political Science, undergraduate

안녕하세요! My name is Jinwan, and I speak Korean and English. My interests include international politics, watching movies, and multiple sports. As a Reach ambassador, I hope to share socioeconomic and cultural aspects of Korea and build a more inclusive environment for international students on the UW campus.

Vaidehi Patil (she/her/hers)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Mumbai, India
Major: Biomedical Engineering, doctoral

Hi, I’m Veda and I speak English, Marathi, Hindi, and a little French. I am passionate about travel, food, languages, reading, and textiles/fashion. I hope to connect with people and facilitate a dialogue regarding cultural differences and how we can be more understanding of each other.

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.

Yihan Wu (he/him/his)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Jinan, China

Major: Neurobiology, Undergraduate

大家好!I’m Yihan Wu, a proud ‘global badger’ all the way from Jinan, China, now studying at UW Madison. The best part about my time here? Definitely the chance to meet people from every corner of the world. We share stories about everything from what we like to eat to what we believe in, and this is exactly what drew me to International Reach – I can share my stories about China and learn so much about their cultures too.Besides that, I love drone photography, and I have taken a lot of beautiful drone videos and photos in Madison and many Chinese cities. I also like guitar, cooking Chinese dishes (I want to learn to cook global food too!), cycling, and running!

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!

Seung Yun Kim (she/her)

Credentials: International Reach Ambassador

Hometown: Pohang, South Korea

Major: International Studies, Undergraduate

안녕하세요! My name is Seung Yun and I speak Korean, Chinese, and English. My interests include art, music, and traveling. In my free time, I enjoy going to art museums, reading mystery novels, and going shopping with my friends. As an International Reach Ambassador, I would love to share many interesting aspects of Korea and culture such as music and food with other students and Madison communities.