Identity, Power, and Profit

Joey Houska (they/them) is a senior from Kent, Ohio, although they currently reside in Lanexa, Virginia. In addition to double majoring in GSWS and psychology, they enjoy studying art and performance. Since summer 2023, Joey has been working with Professor Gaynes in the Art Department and the Toano Historical Society to create an interactive walking tour of nearby town Toano, inspired by the avant garde art tradition of mythogeography. Apart from academics, Joey founded the new iteration of Lips Zine in 2021 alongside Simmi Cilluffo and has served as a student representative on the GSWS executive committee.

Vivian Henniger is a senior majoring in Business Analytics with a supply chain emphasis and minoring in Film and Media Studies. Before transferring to W&M, she spent three years (2019-2022) living in Australia and earned her associate degree in business administration through J Sargeant Reynolds Community College. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies and tv shows, and traveling, especially to national parks.

Leila is a sophomore who intends to major in Marketing at William & Mary. She grew up just outside of Washington D.C. in Arlington, VA, where she attended Washington-Liberty High School. She now plays on the Tribe Women's Soccer team and has helped lead the team to two back-to-back CAA championship tournament appearances. Outside of being a student-athlete, she enjoys being outside with friends, watching sports, reading and traveling. Additionally, she is fluent in Spanish. Her multicultural background of being 25% Puerto Rican and 25% Colombian, along with her previous Spanish-Immersion schooling has allowed for this accomplishment. She is experienced in both communicating with different groups of people and being a part of a team. She is very excited to participate in this D.C. Winter Seminar.

Jeff is a senior attending the Raymond A. Mason School of Business as a Finance Major. He grew up in Anaheim, California, before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps shortly after graduating from High School in 2006. As a Marine, Jeff held numerous job titles, such as Marine Infantryman, Helicopter Technician, and Marine Recruiter, to name a few. While stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, he met his now wife Meghan, and they built a family throughout the remaining time in service. After being Honorably Discharged from the Marines in 2018, he began his academics at Virginia Peninsula Community College and transferred to William and Mary to embark on his ambitions. Jeff's hobbies include exercising at the gym, and playing with his dog, Cody, and kids, Connor, Jack and Charlie. He hopes to work in Finance with a bank. He looks forward to using the D.C. Seminar as a resource of knowledge to lead him to understand the demands of consulting nonprofits in advising and accommodating children in low income communities build on the education resources and succeed. He now lives in Yorktown with his wife Meghan and Kids, Connor, Jack, and Charles.

Maria is a senior studying international relations at William & Mary. She loved the DCWS 2023 so much that she decided to give it another chance!

On campus she is the DEI Chair for the Latin American Student Union. Also, she is the founder and president of the ALPFA student chapter at W&M. Lastly, she is a research assistant for Dr. Shauna Gillooly under the Global Research Institute.

Melissa is a senior majoring in business analytics and minoring in data science from Annandale, VA. Before transferring to William & Mary, she obtained her associate's degree at NOVA. She enjoys reading fun novels, watching reality TV, and solving puzzles in her free time. She is always looking to try new food suggestions in the DMV area. Melissa is currently a member of the Latin American Student Union. She looks forward to meeting new people and hearing their stories.

Samantha is a Senior at William & Mary majoring in Government. At William & Mary, she is involved with the Honor Council, Students for University Advancement, and works at the Career Center. Her research focuses on political behavior surrounding the death penalty in the United States. At the DC Winter Seminar, Samantha is looking forward to learning more about her peers, and getting connected with William & Mary's DC community.

Sophia Davison is a senior studying psychology. She is from Arlington, Virginia, and is proud to identify as a Latinx-Native American woman descending from the Pima tribe in Arizona. Her passions include spirituality and mindfulness, gem and mineral collecting, and most of all, the people and pets that she loves. After graduating from William & Mary, she hopes to move on to earning her PhD somewhere in the DC/Virginia area where she can pursue her life goal of helping those in need of mental health services, and specifically those in low-income and at-risk communities.

Martha Darbre is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Data Science at William and Mary. She is from Northern Virgina, and enjoys cooking, going to the gym, and dedicating time to master the art of crochet. On campus, Martha is a Wellness Ambassador at the Wellness Center, and a research assistant for the Psychology department. She spent her summer as a recreational therapist intern where she facilitated sensory based programs for senior residents suffering from Stage 4 dementia at a retirement home. Post grad, Martha hopes to pursue a Masters in the fields of social work and public health.

Saya Miyake is a Sophomore studying Government and International Relations here at William and Mary. She is an exchange student from Keio University in Japan and is eager to learn diverse subjects and thoughts. Experienced in initiating cultural exchange programs during high school and university, her learnings of living as an international student in the U.S. drove her to participate in this course. Outside of the classroom, she belongs to the W&M badminton club and the Japanese student organizations and enjoys English parliamentary debate in her home university. Exercising the takeaways of the course, she wishes to learn how to make communities more inclusive regardless of various differences.

Saad is a senior at Willam & Mary majoring in computer science. He transferred to William & Mary with an associate's degree in science with a specialization in computer science. Currently, he works as a student assistant in the library at Mason School of Business. He hopes to work with something relating to UX/UI or data science when he graduates. Some things that he enjoys are basketball and traveling.

Catherine is a junior at William & Mary from Arlington, VA. She is a double major in Business Analytic (Data Science Emphasis) and Psychology, with a concentration in Management & Organizational Leadership. Outside of her academics, Catherine serves as Philanthropy Director of her social sorority and is a cycling instructor at the Campus Recreation Center. In addition to this, Catherine has participated in many campus opportunities, including serving as a lab assistant in a Neuroscience Lab and as an orientation advisor to incoming students. Catherine is a passionate, caring individual dedicated to making a difference in her community and serving as a leader to others. Her favorite aspect of William & Mary is the welcoming atmosphere and plethora of student opportunities. In her free time Catherine enjoys reading and scenic walks through Colonial Williamsburg.

Amelia is a sophomore from Charlotte, NC, studying Finance and Economics. She is excited to be in D.C. this winter and looking forward to taking a deep dive into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and collaborating with fellow William & Mary students. On campus, she is involved in Women in Business, Finance Academy, and Panhellenic Council. In her free time, Amelia enjoys walking through CW, going out to eat with friends and trying new foods.

Mai is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Chemistry on the pre-med track. As an aspiring pediatrician, Mai has a passion for working with children. She volunteers as a tutor for Griffin School Partnerships and works with elementary-age children to provide literacy support and mentorship. Mai is also involved in research, and she works under Dr. Isabelle Taylor in the Chemistry Department to study protein-protein interactions in P. aeruginosa and their roles in quorum sensing. Outside of her studies, music is a big part of Mai's life. She plays viola for the W&M Symphony and also takes voice lessons!

Emeline is a sophmore studying government with the hopes of attending law school after completing her undergraduate degree. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, the opportunity to explore a new city while advancing her understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion excites her. On campus, Eme is a proud member of the William & Mary varsity field hockey team. Beyond athletics and academics, she enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music, and watching Modern Family.

Alanna Korff is a sophomore from Vienna, Virginia planning to double major in marketing and psychology. On campus she works for Residence Life as a facilities assistant, is am a member of Kappa Delta sorority, and is a member of the rock climbing club.

Alisa is a junior at College of William and Mary, majoring in Business Analytics with Data Science Emphasis and Concentration in Marketing, and minoring in Studio Art. She also plans to double major in Data Science.

Beyond academics, she is a photographer. She loves the nature and photographs many things: from forest, ocean, to even hummingbirds. She is patient and detail oriented, to the extent that she can even count the feathers.

She is an artist, not just traditional art, but also digital art. She is not confined to the classic, but she also explores emerging media.

She is an outdoor enthusiast: from roller blading, running, to biking. She constantly seeks challenges, to go beyond her boundaries, to become faster, and stronger.

She is many things. She is a self-explorer, challenge-seeker, curious to learn, creative to create, and passionate to persist, and she believes that her diverse perspectives will lead her to even greater opportunities in the future.