Wendy van Giezen is an alumna of the 2017 CLS Chinese program in Changchun, China. Wendy graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and global & international studies. She is currently preparing for graduate school, where she will pursue a Master of Public Health. Wendy enjoys a good read, tea culture, learning to cook local cuisines, and sharing her love for study...
Halina Shatravka is an alumna of the 2017 CLS Russian program in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. She graduated from Fordham University in 2017 with a B.S. in neuroscience and is currently a student at Eastern Virginia Medical School, where she studies clinical reproductive science. Halina also works as a Junior Embryologist at the New York Fertility Institute. She aspires to conduct scientific research a...
Akshayaa Chittibabu is an alumna of 2017 CLS Korean program in Gwangju, South Korea. Akshayaa is currently in her senior year as a pre-med student at the University of Connecticut, double-majoring in Biological Sciences and Sociology. She plans to pursue an MD/MPP dual degree and a career in public service as a physician. Akshayaa hopes to use her medical training to provide care to immigrant and ...
John Black is an alumnus of the 2017 CLS Arabic program in Amman, Jordan. He also participated in the 2014 CLS Arabic program in Nizwa, Oman. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. John grew up in southern Oklahoma and loves cycling, reading, and visiting state capitols. He will matriculate this fall at the Georgetown University Law Center i...
Jessica Garross is an alumna of the 2017 CLS Urdu program in Lucknow, India. Jessica is a recent graduate of the University of Arkansas, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in international business economics with minors in Arabic and international development. In her free time, Jessica likes to run, read, and be outdoors. In the future, Jessica plans to use her Urdu skills to work in refugee res...
Leisha Guzman Torres is an alumna of the 2017 CLS Chinese program in Suzhou, China. She is currently working on a master’s degree in linguistics at the University of Puerto Rico. Leisha is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico and loves reading, playing with her dog, going to the beach with friends, and baking. Leisha aspires to become a professor of language arts or second language acquisition. ...
Baltazar Hernandez is an alumnus of the 2017 CLS Russian program in Vladimir, Russia. Baltazar grew up in Chandler, Arizona and completed a bachelor’s degree program in public policy and business at Arizona State University. In 2017, Baltazar interned at the Congressional Research Service in Washington, D.C. He now works as a center coordinator at School of Politics & Global Studies at his alma ma...
Ethan McHugh is an alumnus of the 2017 CLS Arabic program in Ibri, Oman. He recently graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religious Studies. He is currently interning at the Nashville International Center for Empowerment where he assists refugees and immigrants through an adult education program. In the fall, he will begin a master’s degree pr...
Halcyon Ruskin is an alumna of the 2017 CLS Azerbaijani program in Baku, Azerbaijan. In addition to Azerbaijani, Halcyon also speaks French and Russian. She recently graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in French and international policy studies. Halcyon now works as a research associate at a company that provides research services in 23 languages. She is excited ...
Adam Matvya is an alumnus of the 2017 CLS Punjabi program in Chandigarh, India. In 2018, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University. He loves 19th Century Russian and American literature, as well as postcolonial and contemporary South Asian works. Adam will start a master’s degree program in Middle Eastern Studies this fall at University of Chicago. Ada...
