Fall 2019 Scholars

Emma Anthony '22

Emma is a sophomore from Reston, VA. Majoring in International Relations and Anthropology, she is particularly interested in culture, sustainability, and international development. On campus, Emma is active in the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and enjoys playing guitar, reading, and interacting with like-minded students . During her semester in DC, Emma is excited to gain a more hands on experience into the world of international trade, business, and cultures. She hopes this program will help her have a better sense of a post-graduate path.

Riley Busbee '21

Riley Busbee '21

Riley is a junior originally from Roswell, Georgia and she is majoring in Government. On campus, Riley is heavily involved in the International Relations Club; she was the Under-Secretary General of Specialized Agencies for the William and Mary High School Model United Nations Conference (WMHSMUN). It has also allowed her to travel across the world to places such as Spain and Panama to compete in Model United Nations conferences. Riley is also a freshman RA and loves the opportunity it gives her to welcome the newest group of students to William & Mary. She is currently working with the US State Department through their Diplomacy Lab to research the effect of social media on conflict in Ethiopia. Outside of classwork and extracurriculars, Riley likes to spend her free time hanging in her hammock by the Sunken Garden, walking in Colonial Williamsburg, or playing pool with friends.

Haojun Gao '19

Haojun Gao '19

Haojun is a senior from Taiyuan, China, majoring in Economics. He is former President of Poker Club in W&M. He previously interned at the China Merchants Bank New York Branch, affiliating clients with multiple institutions including Geller & Company, Cushman & Wakefield and Christie's etc. His interests include travel, basketball, and all poker games.

Lan Peng '21

Lan Peng '21

Lan is a junior from Beijing, China. Majoring in International Relations and Economics, she is particularly interested in international political economy, business, cultural promotion and global development, especially the developments of China, US and Japan. Therefore, she decided to study abroad in the US. Last semester, she exchanged to a university in Japan. She believes that studying and living in those countries would promote her understanding about politics and business of US and Japan.

Lan is also very open and willing to try new and different things. She can speak 3 language pretty well and has traveled to over 6 countries which cultivated her interests in international society. In high school, she produced and published a novel to support LGBT group. Although only a sophomore, Lan has done 4 different internships in varied industries, including audit, think tank, publisher and education. She thinks that students should try their best to experience as much as possible in their youth.

Although having many varied and colorful life experiences, she thinks that they are not enough. She has not found a thing that is interesting and meaningful enough for her to devote her life. In the future, she plans to work as a consultant before pursuing a higher level of education. She believes that real work would promote her understanding about her life goals. And consulting, in which she would have chances to learn many new industries and knowledge, is a good starting point.

Michael Preston '22

Michael Preston '22

Michael is a rising Sophomore from Long Island, Ny, interested in majoring in Accounting or Finance. He is an active member in the Sailing Team at William & Mary and is also the current head instructor at the Southold Yacht Club in Southold, Ny. He also enjoys giving to others as he has been to Nicaragua three times on service trips building houses, teaching school lessons, and donating thousands of dollars to underdeveloped communities. Through the DC Semester Program, he hopes to gain a different perspective on trading networks between nations and further his understanding of international diplomacy.

Sophia Sabardine '21

Sophia Sabardine '21

Sophia is a junior studying Government and Marketing. As a multilingual and internationally-oriented individual with a Persian and French upbringing, she takes a strong interest in international relations, business and sustainability. Being exposed to a multitude of perspectives and ways of thought has encouraged Sophia to peruse a career in the international sphere. At William & Mary, Sophia is involved in independent research, the Middle Eastern Student Association and club soccer. In her free time, she loves to spend time outdoors and do trapeze. She also enjoys skiing, traveling and meeting new people. She is honored and excited to be studying in DC this semester.

Sherry Shi '21

Sherry Shi '21

Sherry is a junior from Tianjin, China, and she’s majoring in Government and Economics. On campus, Sherry is a research assistant at AidData, where she works on information collecting and data organizing for the TDF Team. Her academic interests include political theory, international affairs, global security, and civil rights issues. She is also invested in the study of US-China relations and has interned with the Beijing office of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She is fluent in English, Chinese, and Japanese, and loves travelling and experiencing different cultures. This fall, Sherry will be interning at the Asia Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the improvement of lives in Asian developing countries. She is also planning to go to graduate school and to pursue a career in law in the future.

Yuetong (Vivian) Xi '20

Yuetong (Vivian) Xi '20

Vivian is a senior at the College of William & Mary from Hefei, China, majoring in Psychology & Economics. She is particularly interested in the field of international marketing and international economy, and global finance. After interning at a marketing retail company, she decided to pursue a Master’s and possible future career in the field of marketing strategy and analysis. In her spare time, she reads a lot about global trends related to international relations and global commerce. At W&M, she served as an international peer leader to welcome students from all different cultural backgrounds, and continued to check in with them. For the upcoming DC semester, she is really excited to learn more in the field of marketing promotion, and to get in touch with real work field in international finance or commerce, and the classes provided in the program.

Olivia Yang '20

Olivia Yang '20

Olivia is a senior from Richmond, Virginia majoring in Public Policy with a minor in Business Analytics. On campus, Olivia is a research assistant at the Social Networks and Political Psychology (SNaPP) Lab, where she implements a variety of research methods for analyzing political rhetoric. Additionally, she is part of a student research group at the Global Research Institute working on a project concerning Chinese media for the US Department of State. Olivia is a member of Asian American Student Initiative, which is a student organization dedicated to intersectional APIA activism and solidarity with marginalized communities. Before this study-away experience, she studied abroad at Charles University in Prague and currently retains her conversational Czech language skills.