Yale University
Office of International Students & Scholars
Office of International
Students & Scholars
Phone: 203.432.2305
Fax: 203.432.7166
email: oiss@yale.edu
Yale College International Peer Liaisons
These undergraduate students are here to help you connect with the wealth of support at Yale College. They will be delighted to hear from any incoming freshmen if you have questions or concerns. Or you can write to them just to say hello!
2011-2012 International Peer Liaisons |
Hana Awwad
hana.awwad@yale.edu
Hey there! Yes, you with the face. I hear you're coming to Yale. And I hear you're an international student. My kind of Yalie :)
I can't wait to meet you and get to know you better throughout the next few years. But for now, here's what you need to know about me: My name is Hana Awwad (I hope my un-pronounce-able name is a testament to how international I am). I'm a rising sophomore in Davenport, and happen to be deeply in love with my residential college. I have no idea what I want to major in. It will probably be Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Or Psychology. Or maybe Global Affairs. See? No idea.
I'm spending some of my summer learning about multilateral diplomacy in Switzerland, and the rest of it back home in Palestine, so hit me up if you're in the neighborhood. My favorite things include Thai food in New Haven, unexpected good weather, deep and meaningful conversations, mail, poetry slams and a cappella concerts, and weekends in New York City. My favorite study spot at Yale is the windowsill in the Calhoun library overlooking Elm Street. Favorite class so far: English 114 ‘Writing Seminars I.' Favorite café in New Haven: Jojo's Coffee & Tea. Favorite Yale traditions: Freshmen Olympics, Spring Fling, and Fire-side Chats.
And yourself?
Email me at hana.awwad@yale.edu and see you in August!
Ana Grajales
ana.grajales@yale.edu
Hi everyone! I’m a rising junior from Cali, Colombia, in Jonathan Edwards College. After very seriously considering Ethics, Politics and Economics (E,P&E), Political Science, Latin American Studies and History. I am glad to say I am a guinea pig for a new major called Global Affairs. I will gladly talk to you about all said majors!
One of my favorite things at Yale (this is a difficult topic for me) is blue-booking. Every year I plan out the rest of my academic career, and somehow there’s always a surprise class I find during shopping period that ends up making my semester. As soon as classes are up on OCS I can spend hours looking around. I love shopping for classes (and other stuff), it’s the best part of each semester, where everything feels new and exciting and everyone has time to hang out.
But please don’t freak out about the million classes you can take! Don’t feel overwhelmed—we’re here to help you avoid things like that. As you will soon learn, there are many people here available for help of any kind and I would encourage you to approach us if you need anything at all.
[At the risk of not sounding very original] … I’m REALLY excited to meet you all and I’m looking forward to having an amazing 2011-2012 with you guys!! Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions! (ana.grajales@gmail.com). Have a wonderful summer! You really deserve it.
Efe Chantal Ghanney
efe.ghanney@yale.edu
Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My name is Efe Chantal Ghanney but I go by Chantal. I am a rising Junior in Saybrook from Accra, Ghana but consider myself a citizen of the world since I have spent time living in the UK, here in the U.S. and recently a semester in Paris, France!
I am a premed student and a potential double major in Chemistry and French (weird combination, I know but I am hopelessly in love with the two fields). If you love to dance, then you have found yourself a permanent dance partner because there's nothing that could keep me away from a dance floor!
I am looking forward to finally meeting you all and and witnessing your transition into this incredible institution. Irrespective of your interests or background, you are bound to be embarking on the best four years of your life!
Email me (efe.ghanney@yale.edu) / facebook me (Efe Chantal Ghanney) / skype me (efe.chantal.ghanney) / call me (2037472164), I will be here!
See you soon!
xoxo
Esete Kabtamu Woldemariam
esete.kabtamu@yale.edu
HIIIII! Selam! Bonjouurr!
My name is Esete Kabtamu Woldemariam. I am a rising junior from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, residing in MORSE College. The next thing you probably want to know about me is my major. Well, after hopping from one field to another, I think, I have finally decided what I want to study for the next two years of my college years - Economics and Environmental studies. If you are undecided about a major, do not fret. You have come to the right place. Please take the next year to explore and discover what you really like studying. Warning: this is the first of the plethora of advice I will impart to you once we meet so get ready!
As for my interests outside of school, I love playing soccer with friends, running, dancing, and meeting new people from various backgrounds. If you like any of the things mentioned above or if you hate any of them, then I got a feeling that we will become great friends!
There is a lot to learn about me, but unfortunately, the allotted space is not enough; therefore, I would be more than happy if you could shoot me an email (esete.kabtamu@yale.edu) so we can get to know each other better before school starts.
Finally, enjoy the rest of your summer and get excited, to say the least, for the most amazing four years of your life!
xoxo
Esete
Tyler Elkington
tyler.elkington@yale.edu
"Hey guys! My name is Tyler Elkington and I am a rising senior in Pierson College. I grew up in Vancouver, Canada before coming to Yale in 2008. My college experience has been amazing so far, and I'm really looking forward to senior year.
At Yale, I double-major in Economics and East Asian Studies (China). Academically, I am also really interested in global energy consumption and production. I even started off as an Environmental Engineering major, so if you are interested in that program I can hopefully help out! In my spare time, I volunteer at a school in New Haven, play squash with friends, and work on a startup that I am involved in with some other Yale students.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions (moving in, what to bring, orientation, classes, double majors, etc.) You can reach me anytime at tyler.elkington@yale.edu. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you this fall!"
Lingyuxiu Zhong
lingyuxiu.zhong@yale.edu
Hello all!
It’s great writing to you—and I can’t help but imagine the merriness when all of you arrive on campus and we finally meet in August!
My name is Lingyuxiu Zhong, but I go by either Ling or Yuxiu. I am a rising senior in Morse College, majoring in history. I am particularly fascinated by British military history since the 1900 (quite unusual for a Chinese girl, my mom says? But you will realize that nothing is unusual here at Yale) and hopefully will write my senior thesis on it.
My Yale career has been an absolute roller coaster, and so far I have loved both the ups and the downs (perhaps in hindsight.) My favourite experience at Yale includes being a campus tour guide, working at the Yale British Art Centre, and studying at the McDougal cafe in the HGS. You know when they say that college years are formative to your character? I think it’s absolutely true, and I’m so grateful that I ended up at Yale because it had such a positive influence on me.
When I was a pre-frosh I used to be confused by the email bombardment from different people, but really, as a peer liaison now I am super excited to meet you all! Email me at lingyuxiu.zhong@yale.edu, call me at 203-988-0052 or facebook me at Lingyuxiu Zhong. I’m here to listen and to answer questions!
Hope you have a good summer and see your lovely faces in august,
Yuxiu
Dushika Setukavala
dushika.setukavala@yale.edu
I am a rising Senior(! When did that happen?) in Pierson College from Colombo, Sri Lanka. I am so very excited to be a Peer Liaison this year and to get to know all of you international freshman. I trust that the next four years are going to be the most challenging and interesting years of your life so far and I hope you'll are looking forward to this transition as much as we are to welcome you! There are too many things that I love about Yale, to list, so I'm hoping Senior year will go by at snail-speed.
I am a Biology major, interested in going to Medical School in the near future, so I've been through all those nasty pre-med requirements and will be more than happy to answer any related questions. You can reach me at dushika.setukavala@yale.edu and I look forward to meeting you all so soon!
Have a wonderful rest of the summer!
related links
Consider signing up for OIS, a program designed to introduce new international students to Yale and to the city of New Haven.
