Thanks to a generous gift from Robert Y.C. Ho ’81, the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies at Claremont McKenna College launched an International Journalism Lab in the fall of 2015. The Asia Experts Forum is the web publication of the lab. The mission of this innovative project is to train student journalists in basic reporting and interviewing skills and provide a better understanding of important contemporary Asia-related geopolitical, economic, and cultural issues in depth through interviews with leading experts, practitioners, and scholars on Asia. Each year the lab recruits four to eight student journalists who take a course in international journalism and work with two faculty advisers in identifying newsworthy topics and potential interviewees, preparing for the interviews, and producing high-quality transcripts. The faculty directors of the lab have been Professor Minxin Pei and Professor Hilary Appel. The instructor of the international journalism course is Terril Jones, a graduate of Pomona College with more than three decades of professional experience with leading U.S. news organizations. Two previous student journalists participating in the lab later interned at the Wall Street Journal and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong in the summer of 2016.
Student Journalists
Caren Ensing is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College from Seattle, WA studying Government and Economics. She is interested in the intersection of international affairs, the environment, and human rights, particularly in the context of current U.S.-China relations, AI, and political polarization after studying abroad in Spain in high school and researching social media regulation through the Salvatori Center last year. Outside of the Keck Center, Caren spends her free time competing on the 5C Ski and Snowboard team and loves to backpack, climb, and read.
Kevin Wang is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College with dual majors in Economics and in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). He grew up in Shanghai, China. He is interested in international law, norms, and institutions, especially concerning armed conflict. He was previously an Arthur R. Adams Fellow at the Keck Center, where he researched China’s role in Ukraine. On campus, he is also a research analyst at the Financial Economics Institute, staff writer for the Claremont Journal of Law and Public Policy, and co-founder of the Piano Tuning and Repair Club. He enjoys reading, learning about random trivia, and hot chocolate in his free time.
Nitya Gupta is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College majoring in Economics. As an international student from Goa, India, she is interested in South Asia’s economic development, regional dynamics, and environmental sustainability, with a focus on how technology can drive progress in these areas. On campus, she is a News Editor for The Student Life, a sustainability reporting intern for the Roberts Environmental Center, and a mentor and Marketing Manager for I-Connect.
Former Student Journalists
Jian (Athena) Ke is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College and is looking to major in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. She is interested in economic and trade relations, cultural and academic exchanges, regional security cooperation, and joint initiatives in the US-Asian relationship. Over the summer, she was a research analyst at the Shanghai Securities Journal investigating the photovoltaic industry and its global evolution in a post-pandemic world. Outside of the Keck Center, she is a consultant at the Graphite Group, First Year Guide, and Mock Trial.
Pieter van Wingerden is a Government major at Claremont McKenna College, focusing on Indo-Pacific security and political issues. He is concurrently a research assistant at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government, President of the Claremont Dutch Society, and a left-handed pitcher for the CMS baseball team.
Zixuan (Evelyn) Wang is senior at Claremont McKenna College majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a dual degree in Economics. She spent her freshman summer working as an Editorial Intern at the Financial Times' Beijing Bureau. Through research, she contributed to seven published stories on various topics, such as human rights violations in Xinjiang and big data applications in the telecommunication industry. She was also recognized for direct contribution in a Big Read article for identifying and interviewing experts on the Hong Kong protests. On campus, she is also involved in CMC admissions as a Senior Interviewer and the Forum as Editor in Chief.
Kaito Komoriya is a senior majoring in economics and international relations. He is originally Japanese but grew up in Turkey and Qatar for most of his life. Kaito has a diverse range of academic interests from Japanese political economy, developmental economics, to Middle Eastern Politics. He was a Keck Fellow for the Study of Race in International Relations last semester where he wrote his paper titled “Honorary Status of Non-Whites: An Analysis of the Cognitive Dissonance of the Third Reich and Apartheid South Africa.” On campus, he is involved with the CMS cross country and track teams and the Kravis Lab for Social Impact.
Julia Schulman is a Government major hoping to pursue a legal studies sequence. She was born in the Bay Area, and attended part of Highschool in Italy. Her interests include law, international relations, and dance. She is a previous Appel and Dunbar fellow, and hopes to continue writing as she pursues her JD in the future.
Jorlen Garcia is an international relations and history dual major from Miami, Florida. Jorlen is interested in the intersection of politics, technology, media, and popular culture to understand how they each affect each other in the context of broader social movements. In line with this, Jorlen has co-produced the podcast, "Culture Wars: Spheres of Influence in International Relations," analyzing individual countries' soft power on the global arena. On campus, Jorlen is also involved with the Claremont International Relations Society and the Board of Trustees' Student Affairs Committee. After graduation, Jorlen would like to pursue international journalism, documentary film, and data privacy and security.
Jonathan Becker is a sophomore from La Verne, CA double majoring in International Relations and Chinese. Over the past summer, he researched the impact of the historic Chinese Tributary System on contemporary Sino-Korean relations. In the future, he hopes to pursue a career in international law to combine his three main interests: law, language, and culture.
Jessie Miller, from Denver, Colorado, is dual majoring in International Relations and PPE - Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Jessie was an Edward Haley Fellow at the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies, where she conducted an independent research project on the privacy implications of nations’ handling of sensitive COVID- 19 health and location data. Her research was recently published in the Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Politics, Economics and World Affairs. This past summer, Jessie interned at the Center for Global Security Research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where she studied implications of the global spread of AI surveillance technology.
India Soranson Way is a junior at Claremont McKenna College with a dual major in International Relations and Chinese. She is from Hong Kong and Australia. In the spring, India has co-produced the podcast, “After the Spring” which focuses on post-Arab Spring domestic politics in the MENA region. Over the past summer, she did research on the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the participatory politics of women in the organization. These two projects sparked her interest in journalism and AfroEurasia which is what she hopes her concentration will be for her international relations degree.
Grace Hickey is a senior at Claremont McKenna College majoring in International Relations. She is from Oakland, California. Grace has interned for South North Nexus, a nonprofit that focuses on helping smallholder communities around the world build resilience to climate shocks, and conducted research related to Chinese energy and climate security while working at the Center for Global Security Research. She is currently interning for the US Department of Commerce, where she focuses on green technology exports. On campus, she also works for SOURCE nonprofit consulting, and enjoys baking, painting, and reading.
Tallan Donine is a senior from Temecula, CA majoring in International Relations with a sequence in Human Rights, Genocide, and Holocaust Studies. In the spring of 2020, she participated in CMC's Washington Program where she worked closely on issues relating to South and Central Asia at the U.S. State Department. She is excited to broaden her understanding of politics in Asia throughout the year as an International Journalism Fellow and hopes it will inform her future human rights efforts.
Amari Huang is a sophomore dual majoring in International Relations and Economics with a sequence in Data Science at Claremont McKenna College. She is from Thousand Oaks, California and has developed a strong interest in East Asian politics and development from her bi-annual visits to Chengdu, China. Amari has also co-produced the podcast, "Hidden Figures: of Women, by Women, for Women" and worked as a fellow for the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies. On-campus, Amari is also the social media director of the Claremont McKenna College Model United Nations team and the Chief Operating Officer of the Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College. In her free time, Amari enjoys doing Chinese calligraphy, cooking, and listening to podcasts.
Nohl Patterson is a junior majoring in government and economics with a sequence in computer science from Pleasanton, California. Previous research experience includes analyzing U.S. and China comparative advantages for technology innovation, U.S. Cyber Security Policy, and Public Policy Processes in California. In his free time he runs track for CMS.
Nandeeni Patel is a senior from Murrieta, California pursuing a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Aside from working at the Asia Experts Forum, Nandeeni is an Athenaeum Fellow and Research Assistant at the Rose Institute of
State and Local Government. In her free time, she likes to discuss South Asian affairs, eat the Athenaeum’s cheese cubes, and watch Bollywood movies.
Patrick Coe is a senior dual majoring in Economics and International Relations. His interest in Asian business and economics stems from his upbringing, where he grew up going to international schools in Singapore and Shanghai for a combined 13 years while his father worked for Coca-Cola. Last year, he worked in the US Senate for a semester with CMC’s Washington DC program. He speaks mandarin and more recently researched the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on US-China economic decoupling as an Arthur R. Adams Fellow with the Keck Center.
Qingyang "Grace" Wang is senior dual majoring in economics and International relations at Claremont McKenna College. Last summer, Grace interned at the Freeman Chair for China Studies at CSIS, and explored various research topics such as China’s Grand Strategy, Finch Development, and Poverty Alleviation in China. On campus, Grace also serves as the Class of 2021 President. In her free time, Grace enjoys learning to cook, watching political satire shows, and discussing international affairs.
Sarah Chen is a sophomore with a dual International Relations and Economics major at Claremont McKenna College. She is from Anchorage, Alaska and she loves hiking in the snow! Along with working as an International Journalism Fellow, she also holds on-campus positions as a Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies Fellow, an Ethics Research Assistant for the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies, and a First Year Guide. Off-campus, Sarah is a mentor for Uncommon Good, and she has a remote internship focused on designing a table-top game based on intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities in the future. When she’s not studying at the library or at a Model United Nations practice, Sarah loves to read science fiction novels, catch up on the latest developments in artificial intelligence, and cook.
Lintong Lyu ’22 is a sophomore majoring in International Relations and Economics. Born and raised in Chengdu, China, he has developed his passion in journalism by writing stories for abused ethnic minorities, investigating illegal housing demolition, and participating in national journalism conference. He enjoys being a journalist because he thinks that’s how he can learn the truth of the world. In his spare time, he’s also a ballroom dancer and a singer.
Aleena Ali '17 is a senior majoring in Government and Economics. She is a Fellow in Asian Business and Economics. Aleena's academic and research interests include public and urban economics, inclusive growth in emerging markets, and democratic deepening in post-authoritarian states. She has interned at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C., the East-West Center in Honolulu, and the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives in Lahore, Pakistan. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting exhibitions and boutiques in Los Angeles, running, and indulging in superfoods. She was born and raised in Pakistan, and aspires to enter policymaking and politics in Pakistan.
Anna Balderston '18 is a sophomore Economics-Accounting major at Claremont McKenna College. She is interested in world financial markets, business, and U.S.-Asia relations. She has written about domestic and international politics, and likes analyzing different political economies in her writing. Some of her perspectives come from her experiences working and traveling abroad in places such as India, Greece, France and South Africa. She hopes to work abroad in the future.
Alexandra Cheng '18 is an International Relations-Film Studies dual major. She is a Singaporean-born Hong Kong-raised aspiring filmmaker with an insatiable wanderlust. She is particularly interested in how films depict and engage with various theories of international relations. Her interests include creative writing, eating and baking, dancing, visual arts, and watching movies. One day, she will run her own patisserie and/or chocolatier.
Seoyoon Choi '19 is a junior majoring in International Relations and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). Seoyoon was born and raised in South Korea but also lived in Maryland during her middle school years. On campus, Seoyoon is a consultant at the Center for Writing and Public Discourse, director for the College Programming Board, and Media Technology Assistant. Seoyoon’s research interests include democratization, influence of domestic factors on foreign policy decisions, military law, and legal and political implications of war crimes.
Claudia Chandra 20’ is a junior at Claremont McKenna College dual majoring in International Relations and French. She is interested in globalization and the socioeconomic changes occurring in Asia. She has interned at the Embassy of the United States in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is a campus ambassador for The New York Times. Her other passions include travelling, yoga, and photography. Claudia currently works as one of Keck Center’s international journalism fellow where she focuses on issues around Asian society and culture.
Kimaya de Silva '17 is a third-year from Colombo, Sri Lanka, double majoring in Anthropology and Psychology. As an international journalism fellow, her area of focus is culture in Asia. In her spare time she enjoys dabbling in dance, theatre and music. Last summer she worked as an intern at the Center for Poverty Analysis, an independent think tank promoting a better understanding of poverty-related development issues based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Michael Grouskay '17 is a senior studying international relations with a focus on security studies at Claremont McKenna College. He is originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, but he has also worked in Washington DC and New York City. Michael is one of Claremont McKenna's Athenaeum Fellows, a member of the CMC Model UN team, and the president of the Claremont International Relations Society. During the fall of his junior year, Michael studied abroad in Amman, Jordan, where he took courses on local language, politics, and culture. Michael is currently working as an international journalism fellow with the Keck Center's Asia Expert Forum, where he focuses on US-China relations.
Sam Fraser '19 is a senior at Claremont McKenna College studying international relations with a focus on Latin America. He was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but in recent years has lived in Austria, Argentina, and New York City. He is passionate about politics and human rights, and has worked in those subjects and others during internships with the Salzburg Global Seminar and Human Rights Watch. While studying abroad in Argentina, he conducted a month long research project on memory politics and justice for victims of Argentina's military dictatorship. Currently, he is a student journalist with the Keck Center's Asia Expert Forum, focusing on business and economics in Asia. He prefers to spend his free time watching TV and movies, and exploring the outdoors with his friends.
Jenifer Hanki '20 is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College dual majoring in International Relations and Art. She is currently a member of the CMC Model U.N. Travel Team, the Publisher for Claremont Radius, and an assistant at the Kravis Leadership Institute. She is interested in U.S.-Asia relations, often spending her summers in Japan for internships as well as visiting family. She has a particular interest in business and entrepreneurship and hopes to start her venture during college. Her hobbies include graphic design, ceramic sculpture, dance, and photography.
A self-proclaimed book-geek, semi-foodie and lexicon-lover, Sabrina Hartono ‘21 is a sophomore majoring in International Relations. She is a Seavers Scholar and an Appel Fellow.
Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, she has melted her passions for community service and writing into her various projects, collectively called Jakarta Treasures. Having done two TEDx talks, her love for writing eventually branched out to a love for the world of communications. In her spare time, she loves touring pop-up events and museums around Los Angeles, going on going on photography hunts and culinary journeys with her friends. She sees a future in the media communications industry, potentially focusing on international political journalism.
Tobin Hansen '20 is an Economics and International Relations major from the Seattle area. He is excited to explore trends in Asian economics and business this year as an Asia Experts Forum Journalism Fellow. Outside of studying international economics, he enjoys playing tennis and participating in the CMC Model UN team. Tobin spent last summer in Washington D.C. interning for the House of Representatives, and hopes to return to D.C. to continue learning about public policy, economics, and foreign affairs.
Glenys Kirana '16 is a senior at Claremont McKenna College majoring in International Relations and Econ-Accounting. Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, she is drawn to writing about regional development in Asia, specifically on economic and political issues in Southeast Asia. In past summers, she's worked at various financial organizations like UBS and Ernst & Young. More recently, she worked at BNP Paribas Singapore as an equity research summer associate.
Gayle Lee '20 is a sophomore from Seoul, South Korea. She’s currently majoring in Philosophy with a CS sequence. Gayle has been passionate about journalism ever since founding a controversial journalism during high school devoted to start debates on on-campus issues. When not reading NYT or Bloomington to come up with ideas for Keck, Gayle can be found running the treadmill while thinking about ethics, napping, or going to one of her jobs on three different campuses.
Bryn Miller '19 is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna from Sudbury, Massachusetts. She still doesn't know what she will major in, but can say with confidence that it will not be science or math. Her interest in international affairs and foreign languages solidified when she spent a year between high school and college learning Arabic and teaching English in Marrakesh, Morocco. She returned to Morocco last summer to intern with Morocco World News, an English news outlet in the capital. At CMC, Bryn has deepened her interest in journalism and public policy through her research jobs. In her free time, you can find her at the Scripps pool or exploring the great hiking on the West Coast.
Shivani Pandya '18 is a sophomore from Sugar Land, Texas, pursuing a dual-major in Government and History. Her interest in government and public policy grew significantly after interning for a mayoral re-election campaign. In her free time, Shivani enjoys watching her beloved Packers win, reading books about World War II, and watching anything created by Joss Whedon. Shivani spent last summer in her hometown, working at the oil and gas technology company Nalco Champion as a Strategic Growth Intern.
Tiana Steverson Pugh ‘19 is a junior from Portland, Oregon, pursuing a major in International Relations. Her academic and research interests include human rights, journalism, and East and Southeast Asia. During the summer of 2016, she interned at Oregon Public Broadcasting and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. In the spring of her sophomore year, she studied abroad in Osaka, Japan, where she took Japanese language courses and conducted research on smoking in Japan. This past summer,
she was selected to participate in the Charles B. Rangel Summer Enrichment Program in Washington D.C. in which she engaged with professionals in the foreign affairs community and took courses on policymaking and the history of U.S. foreign policy. When she finds the time, she enjoys playing music (classical piano and jazz saxophone), watching X-Files reruns, and drawing.
Erica Rawles '17 is from Los Angeles and is pursuing a dual major in art and philosophy at Claremont McKenna College. As an International Journalism Fellow, she focuses on culture in Asia. This past summer, she worked as a journalism intern for The Borgen Project, a national campaign that fights global poverty. She also interned at 826LA, a nonprofit that supports students in writing. On campus, Erica continues to expand her interest in writing by working as a consultant at the Center for Writing and Public Discourse. She also loves to read, play music, travel to new places, and spend time outdoors.
Andrew Sheets '17 is a junior from Los Angeles majoring in Computer Science and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Claremont McKenna College. His work with Code For Humanity, a CMC-started nonprofit teaching website creation in Madagascar has inspired his interest in international development. His journalistic work focuses on politics and economics in Asia and Africa and merges his love of development, politics, and economics. When he isn’t busy coding or writing he enjoys rock climbing and making music.
Chuyi Sheng '17 is a senior from Shanghai, China. Dual-majoring in Economics and Government, she is especially interested in developed economics and China-Russia relations. This past summer, she worked as a research assistant and contributed to various papers on Chinese economy. With her background and education, she aspires to work for international organizations such as the United Nations. In her free time, she loves science fiction and the British TV show "Doctor Who" is her favorite.
William Zheyuan Shi ’20 is a sophomore, hopefully pursuing a major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). He is interested in a variety of topics and still exploring the field he’s most passionate about. On campus, he is a member of the Claremont Colleges Debate Union, a staff writer of the Claremont Journal of Law and Public Policy, and a research assistant to Professor Jennifer Taw. As an international journalism fellow for the Asia Expert Forum of the Keck Center, he focuses on U.S.-Asia relations.
Hank Snowdon ’21 is a sophomore from Columbus, Ohio, dual-majoring in applied mathematics and economics. As an International Journalism Fellow, he focuses on economics and business in Asia. On campus, he is a managing editor at The Student Life and a play-by-play announcer for CMS Athletics. Hank enjoys watching baseball, going to In-N-Out, and getting outdoors in his free time.
Isabella Speciale '17 is a junior from Singapore, dual-majoring in Government and Religious Studies. She first became interested in the relationship between U.S. foreign policy and religious studies during her time at Singapore American School, and decided to pursue those interests further at CMC. Isabella also enjoys her time at CMC by interning at the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations. In her free time, Isabella most enjoys traveling with her family.
Julie Tran '20 is a sophomore from San Diego, California. She is currently a Government and Literature dual major, and she is passionate about journalism because of its compelling ability to inform, educate, and persuade. She began her journalism career as a news writer with The Student Life, and became fascinated with the journalist's mission to tell stories. On any given day, Julie can be found working at KLI, revising essays at the CWPD, reading the New York Times, and/or eating oatmeal raisin cookies. senior majoring in Government and Economics. She is a Fellow in Asian Business and Economics.
SiKe Wang ’21 is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College, pursuing a dual major in Computational Neuroscience and Studio Art. Her interest in East-Asia politics stemmed from watching news and discussing contemporary issues with her dad at home in Shanghai, China, where she grew up at. She has a great interest in learning new languages and wishes to pursue a graduate degree in translation in a foreign country. She has conducted bio-engineering research and is currently investigating the evolution of animals’ eyes with a cool laser scanner. She is also an active member in the Pangea Dance Crew.
Reyna Wang '19 is a senior at Claremont McKenna College, majoring in International Relations. She grew up in China and has a deep interest in the development of East Asia. As an international journalist fellow, she focuses on U.S. foreign relations with the Asian countries. She worked as an intern at a private equity firm in Hong Kong this past summer. In her junior year, she conducted a research on the U.S.-North Korea nuclear diplomacy with Professor Minxin Pei and worked as a research assistant at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling and writing.
Caroline Willian '17 is a Senior from Short Hills, New Jersey. She will graduate this Spring with a major in Economics and Government. Her academic interests include economic development and the social change. In her spare time Caroline can be found running and competing with the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Cross Country and Track teams.
Aaron Yang '17 is a senior from Chandler, Arizona pursuing an International Relations major with a focus on East Asia. Studying abroad in Taiwan and China as a Boren Scholar inspired an interest in politics and civil development within the region. Aaron also interned previously at the National Defense University and seeks to enter public service after graduation. He is always down for a cup of milk tea or a night watching Game of Thrones.
Yujia Yao '19 is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College majoring in Economics-Accounting with a sequence in Finance. She starts her day with Bloomberg markets analysis and watermelon. She focuses on business and finance in East Asia with a special interest in the market’s influence on cultures. Born and raised in Beijing, she’s also delighted with the beautiful beaches and warm sunshine California offers.
Marcia Yang '18 is a senior from Los Angeles studying Philosophy and Public Affairs with a focus on East Asian philosophy and politics. As an International Journalism fellow, her area of focus is business in Asia. On campus, she is also a Mgrublian Fellow for a project on human rights violations in China, a Keck Fellow for a project on Japanese political economy and growth, a Media Technology Assistant, a Research Assistant, and the head mentor of the Asian Pacific American Mentors.
Christina Yoh '18 is a sophomore at CMC, dual-majoring in International Relations and Media Studies. With this major, she aspires to be a news producer of CNN or of political talk shows such as The Daily Show. Though born in Seoul, South Korea, she calls the sunny tropics of Singapore her home. Christina can be found riding her Penny board, writing articles for the Forum, dancing with the Reverb dance team or working as a Media Tech Assistant around campus. Her passions include eating food, dreaming of pugs, dancing, organizing, reading and watching movies.
Webmaster
Geraldine Han enjoys web designing as part of her role at Claremont McKenna College. Her prior work experience derives from a network of industries from financial services, engineering, and modeling. She managed the day-to-day business operations in budgeting and tracking project costs. Her knowledge in previous business development ventures helped to better enhance quality assurance projects, improve accuracy of program scope, timelines and increase productivity with measurable outcomes.
Geraldine earned a Bachelor of Science degree at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and is a former California Notary Public.