global ambassador group

Meet Your 2018-2019 Global Ambassadors

Lauren Barr

Lauren-barrCountry of Origin: United States

Languages: English, Japanese

Majors: International relations, Japanese

Year in College: Fourth Year

I have studied abroad in Japan twice, so I understand the initial feelings of excitement and nervousness you may have coming to a country with a culture far different from your own. I will be here for you to give advice and am looking forward to sharing some great experiences with you in the future!


Karen Cai 

karen-cai

Country of Origin: United States

Languages: English, Mandarin

Major: Food Science

Minor: Psychology

Year in College: Second Year

I'm a first generation Chinese-American, born and raised in the North Bay (of the San Francisco Bay Area). During my free time, I love to be as active as possible. I would be down to play any sports, go hiking, or even just head downtown to grab some coffee and talk! My first year at UC Davis has included lots of exploring, whether roaming the campus or discovering new food places to eat at. I would love to tell you about what I've learned so far and continue exploring together next year! I can't wait to meet you all and have an exciting school year! 


Helena Chang

helena-chang

Country of Origin: Malaysia

Languages: English, Mandarin (moderate), Malay (moderate)

Major: Microbiology

Year in College: Fourth Year

I am super down for spontaneous card games or board games, movie nights and jam sessions. I love food so we can bond over the deliciousness of every dish or even have cooking time together! I have been at UC Davis for quite a while now, so if you need advice on academics or anything in life, I can definitely share my perspectives with you. I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you better, my friend!


Kymberley Chu

Kimberley-chu

Country of Origin: United Arab Emirates (I grew up there) and Malaysia (nationality)

Languages: English, Spanish, Malay (elementary), Arabic (elementary), Hokkien 

Majors: International Relations, Cognitive Science

Year in College: Second Year

I grew up in Dubai and I'm thrilled to welcome you all to Davis. Here at UC Davis, I'm mostly involved in the women's rowing team and the DICE Lab (Dynamic Interactions in Cognition and Emotion). My hobbies include: reading, hiking, rowing, grabbing coffee and hanging out with friends. I'm looking forward to meeting and connecting with mentees on a deeper cultural and intellectual level, I hope your college experience will be exciting and fun! 


Jeremy Raka Chuardy

Jeremy-Chuardy

Country of Origin: Indonesia

Languages: English, Indonesian, Mandarin (moderate)

Major: Food Science and Technology 

MinorTechnology Management

Year in College: Third Year

I was born and raised in Bali, Indonesia also known as Island of Thousand Gods to a lot of tourists! I came to Davis two years ago to study food because I LOVE FOOD. You can find me serving food at Cuarto Dining Commons, or tutoring students at AATC Tutoring Center! I am also involved in Student Organizations such as the Food Tech Club, Davis Christian Fellowship and PERMIAS (Indonesian Davis Students Association). In my free-time, I like to cook all kinds of dishes I am craving, play guitar/piano, or work-out (trying to pick-up the slack) or play basketball. I love reading One Piece, watching funny shows like Brooklyn Nine Nine, or sleeping. You can come talk to me about anything! Also, I can help and guide you if you have questions about applying for internships, job interviews, resumes, science courses, tutoring help or all sorts! I would be more than happy to share all the experiences (some tough) I went through as an international student with any of you.


Stephen Chung

Stephen-chungCountry of Origin: Taiwan

Languages: Mandarin, English

Majors: International Relations, Economics

Year in College: Third Year

I am a third-year International Relations and Economics major at UC Davis. In my first two years in Davis, I made a home for myself in various student groups and had the privilege to work alongside brilliant local and international students in leadership roles. I strongly believe in the benefits of being in student organizations, and I am more than willing to share my knowledge with anyone interested. In my free time, I like to hit the gym, watch NBA games, and play the drums. I am thrilled to meet you all next Fall, and I can't wait to hang out and go on spontaneous excursions in Davis and beyond!


Bradley Fong

bradley-fong

Country of Origin: United States

Languages: English, Spanish (elementary)

Major: Cell Biology

Minor: Technology Management 

Year in College: Second Year

I am definitely up for any spontaneous adventure (so long as it fits in all of my mentees' schedules) and food or drink hangouts. I would be more than happy to answer any questions you guys may have about the campus, classes, internships, and much more. I'm so excited to meet all of you and hope we can build many incredible and memorable experiences together!


Clarissa Hsi

clarissa-hsi

Country of Origin: United States

Languages: English, French (basic), Mandarin (basic)

Major: Communications 

Minor: Textiles and Clothing

Year in College: Third Year

 I'm so excited to be your mentor for this school year! I love to watch TV and go on adventures and explore new places to eat, hangout, and take those Instagram-worthy pics. I currently work for Unitrans (a BIG part of Davis culture/history) and The California Aggie (our official campus newspaper). I am set to be co-president of SFA (Student Fashion Association) for the upcoming year, and am a member of SOS (Ski or Snowboard club) and the Greek organization Alpha Delta Pi. I look forward to providing advice on as much as I know regarding campus life, classes, internships, friendships, relationships, parties, and more. Meet you soon! 


Elaine Huang

Elaine-huang

Country of Origin: Taiwan

Languages: English, Mandarin, French (elementary), Korean (elementary)

Major: Nutrition Science

Year in College: Second Year

I was born in Taiwan but grew up in Shanghai, China. I am happy to share my experience in Davis with all of you! I like jogging in the ARC (our campus gym), cooking on my own, and watching random videos and tv shows on YouTube. Feel free to join me or introduce me your hobbies! Besides the Global Ambassador Program, I am also involved in Student Nutrition Association and Taiwanese Student Association on campus. If you are interested in any of them, I will be willing to share my experience in those clubs. I may not be able to answer all of your questions, but I will always try to lead you, encourage you, and support you until you find your own answer. 


Gina Hur

gina-hur

Country of Origin: South Korea

Languages: English, Korean

Major: English

Minor: Communications

Year in College: Fourth Year

Hello there, incoming Aggies! As someone who’s moved around quite a bit between two countries (South Korea and U.S.), I’ve dealt with my fair share of third culture kid struggles. That being said, one of my goals as a global ambassador is to help my mentees make the best of their starting year at UC Davis without falling too hard during their adjustment. I love playing, listening to, and talking about music. I’m also a self-proclaimed meme expert and foodie. I look forward to meeting you all and hope that we’ll make happy and meaningful memories together!


Ayesha Ishtiaq

Ayesha-ishtiaq

Country of Origin: Pakistan

Languages: Urdu, Hindi, Farsi, English

Major: International Relations

Year in College: Third Year

I kind of really, really love pasta.

Had to get this extremely significant personal information out of the way before the rest of the introduction. I am from Pakistan and a fierce protector and defender of the land. I love to know about world events, history, literature and as a Pakistani; cricket as an obsession is never far behind the list. However, I am extremely useless when it comes to Mathematics or anything science related. But don't worry, I am very good at finding resources that help (needing a ton for myself) if you need any! I also like to take a lot of pictures since I am a huge hoarder of memories. I love films, documentaries, photography and theatre. Besides this, I love exploring and spontaneous adventures. I will be doing my best to make sure you have a great stay at UC Davis academically and socially. I am extremely excited to welcome you to the Davis community and make sure you have an exciting time here where you are able to nurture yourself. Welcome to Aggie Land! 


Natasha Khoo

Natasha-khoo

Country of Origin: Malaysia

Languages: Malay, English, Hokkien

Major: Sustainable Environmental Design

Minors: Education, Environmental Policy and Planning

Year in College: Third Year

I was born in Australia, grew up in Malaysia, and moved to California in high school. I currently work two on-campus jobs and I am apart of several clubs on campus. I am also involved with Chi Omega Fraternity, the largest women's fraternal organization in the world, and I served as the treasurer; working with the chapter's Executive Board. During my free time, you can find me either at home binge watching Disney TV shows/movies or on food adventures with my friends. I'm super excited to meet the incoming Aggies and help them find their second home at UC Davis!


Matthew Davin Kuangga

Matthew-KuanggaCountry of Origin: Indonesia

Languages: English, Indonesian, Mandarin

Major: Computer Science and Engineering

Year in College: Second Year

Hello there, young wanderer. Freshmen year wasn’t too long ago for me, so I understand. In my free time, I would go swimming, run at the Arboretum or just wind down and sleep at home. I am working towards maintaining a healthy balance in academics, socializing, exercise, and rest. I am also involved in a lot of student clubs and organizations, you’ll get acquainted in no time! Aside from being human, my other skills include being there for you and crashing in bike circles. I am looking forward to meeting you all and to the great times we’ll share in and out of Davis.


Ishan Noname

Ishan-Noname

Country of Origin: India

Languages: Hindi, English, Japanese (learning)

Major: Managerial Economics

Minors: Statistics, Japanese, Computer Science

Year in College: Second Year

Transition from one country to another can be difficult, but help can make that journey amazing. This is what I experienced when I was a mentee in my freshman year. Thus, I would be really happy to help you get familiar with this new and interesting atmosphere that you will be a part of. I like traveling, watching anime, learning about different cultures and doing interesting things. I am really excited to meet all of you to make some flabbergasting memories within our diverse community.


Jing Peng

Jing-Peng

Country of Origin: China

Languages: Mandarin, English

Major: Clinical Nutrition

Year in College: Second Year

I was a mentee in freshmen year, and I am excited to be a mentor in my sophomore year. I love everything with dark chocolate including chocolate cakes and chocolate ice cream. I like traveling and exploring interesting places, and I am willing to find interesting places in Davis with all of you. I am happy to share my experience to all of you and help you get familiar with UC Davis. Can't wait you meet all of you guys!


Stephanie Qiao

Stephanie-Qiao

Country of Origin: China

Languages: English, Mandarin, German (conversational)

Major: Economics

Minors: Communications, German

Year in College: Second Year

Hi, I’m Stephanie Qiao. I was a mentee in my first year, and now a mentor this year. I really enjoy listening to music, especially R&B, k-pop and much more. I also like Zumba, that I started to try since I came here. I definitely go to every zumba-thon in ARC. I’m super excited to be a mentor and appreciate the chances to be friends with you. I’d like to answer all your questions and provide suggestions to help you in UC Davis. Looking forward to meeting you soon!


Lucila Sanchez-Ortega

Lucila-Sanchez

Country of Origin: Mexico

Languages: Spanish, English, French (basic)

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Year in College: Third Year

Born and raised Mexican, I came to the states at the beginning of my high school career. I am a natural tourist, avid photographer and dancer. I enjoy the outdoors just as much as a good telenovela. I'm also very passionate about my academics, so if you ever need a tutor or someone to go on 1am ice cream runs with, then I'm your gal. I'm super excited to expose you to the best of UC Davis while keeping and open mind and learning as much as I can from you. Congrats on becoming Aggies! 


Priyanka Sanghavi

Priyanka-Sanghavi

Country of Origin: United States

Languages: English, Gujarati (basic), Spanish (basic)

Major: Cognitive Science

Minors: Linguistics; Sustainability of the Built Environment

Year in College: Third Year

I decided to become a mentor because I enjoy making people better informed. Academics are very important to me, so I am happy to guide mentees through the transition into UC Davis’s academic environment. However, we all need breaks from school from time to time, so I also want to create meaningful community bonds with the mentees in this program.


Wendy Shi

Wendy-Shi

Country of Origin: China

Languages: Mandarin, English, French (elementary)

Major: Statistics

Year in College: Second Year

As a mentee like you in my freshman year, I am excited to be one of the Global Ambassadors. I am happy to help all of you to get familiar with UC Davis. I could help you with classes, clubs, internships, and recreations on campus. I like traveling and doing exciting things. I hope we could be good friends and have fun together!


Ivan Urena-Valdes

Ivan-UrenaValdes

Country of Origin: United States

Languages: English, Spanish

Majors: Applied Statistics; International Relations

Year in College: Third Year

I am the type of person who doesn't like to sit in one place for very long so if you like to play any type of sport or spend time outdoors, I'm always happy to join! I have worked with first years in two different jobs so I will do my best to answer any questions you might come across in your first year. When I am not in school, I love going hiking, cycling, running, reading books, or just laying in a hammock. I am passionate about international education and I am very excited for this opportunity to be working with all of you!


Feline Wang

Feline-Wang

Country of Origin: China

Languages: Chinese, English, Japanese (elementary)

Majors: Statistics; Economics

Year in College: Second Year

As a person who has gone through all the struggles that you guys might face (hopefully not ) in a brand new phase of life, I definitely understand you and am here to help you! I am a crazy cat lover who does not have her own cat, a traveler whose ultimate goal is to visit all the great museums around the world ( I love museums!), and an "epicure" who is enthusiastic about trying out great food! Hope we can make tons of wonderful and fun memories together!


Tracy Yang

Tracy-Yang

Country of Origin: Taiwan

Languages: Mandarin, English, Taiwanese, Japanese (conversational)

Major: Food Science

Year in College: Fourth Year

As a food science student, I am super passionate about going on food adventures; so if you need a friend to grab food with or to try out new food with, please don't hesitate reaching out to me. During my free time, I mostly hangout with friends or go to social events because I really like to talk (I often talk too much) and make new friends; but besides hanging out with humans, I love to just watch netflix, explore new recipes, sing songs (maybe with my guitar), go to farmers market, and play aquatic sports. I have some super powers, and they are: drawing weird human faces, photoshopping funny pictures, doing cinema makeup and mimicking famous people.

Let's go on adventures, no matter if it is for parties, food, karaoke, (horror) movies, anime, art, water sports, hiking, photo shooting, or even doing make-up tutorials.


Connie Yau Ng

Connie-Yau-Ng

Country of Origin: Panama

Languages: Spanish, English, Cantonese (conversational), Mandarin (conversational)

Major: Economics

Minor: Technology Management

Year in College: Fourth Year

I like to read fiction (Hunger Games is my favorite book series!), try new food, traveling and hanging out with friends. I tend to go to many random adventures so if you are interested let me know so I can bring you along! I am also in the process of mastering my baking skills. As your mentor, it will be my pleasure to be your guide and friend in this new journey in your life. More than anything I look forward to learning from you and your unique background.