2008 ALC Session 1 Staff Bios

Hello everyone! I really enjoyed meeting most of you during my trip to Asia and I'm excited to see you all again at Stanford.

I joined VIA's Stanford Program Staff in October of 2006 and this will be my second time directing ALC1. Before coming to VIA, I was a student at Stanford University, where I majored in Human Biology. After graduation, I spent a year in rural China teaching English and leading community service projects through VIA's C.J. Huang Teaching Fellowship.

The VIA staff and the Stanford Hosts are planning an exciting summer for you. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me if you have any questions about the program or would like us to try to add a particular activity to the schedule. I hope you're getting excited to experience life at Stanford, make a lot of new friends from different countries, and start using English. We are looking forward to seeing you soon!

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Adam Toda: Senior Claude Buss Fellow/Stanford Host

Hello everyone! My name is Adam Toda, a Stanford graduate from the class of 2006 with a major in Symbolic Systems and a concentration in Human Computer Interaction. I participated in the ALC 2 program for the past two years, and I had such amazing experiences that I wanted to return and help out with the program this year as a senior host. You should be excited to be a part of this program! You're going to have a fantastic summer!!

I enjoy all sorts of activities, including basketball, drawing, juggling, snowboarding, dancing, beat-boxing, playing video games, and riding-roller coasters just to name a few. One of my favorite activities, however, is performing the contemporary Japanese ensemble drumming known as taiko. I was a part of the Stanford Taiko group- a student-run performance group on campus- during my four years at Stanford, and I've practiced and performed taiko since I was six years old. I'm actually trying to pursue taiko as a career, and I've been living Hawaii for the past year and a half on a fellowship to study taiko from a well-known taiko master here. I'll actually be moving to Japan this fall to continue my taiko training there.

I've had the pleasure of studying abroad in Japan for six months in Kyoto and Tokyo, so I know what it's like to live in a new place with different cultural practices and a completely different language. As difficult as it may seem to overcome these barriers, I definitely consider studying abroad one of my most memorable and rewarding experiences. I hope I can make your time here as enjoyable and memorable as my time was in Japan! I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you this summer!

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Jemianne Bautista: Claude Buss Fellow/Stanford Host

Hi, my name is Jemianne Grace Torrado Bautista. I come from the sunny shores of San Diego California and I am at the moment a freshman at Stanford University studying Biological Sciences. I have three amazing older brothers and I am a Filipino American. I absolutely love to dance and am a member of 2 of Stanford's hip hop dance teams. I also like to sing and am full of energy. I love to have fun and meet new people but don't worry I can also work hard too.

I really look forward to this summer and being able to meet everyone and being able to be a part of such a wonderful program. On a side note, one of our fellow leaders is my best friend Nguyen.

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Xxavier Carter: Claude Buss Fellow/Stanford Host

Hello everyone, my name is Xxavier. I was born in Dallas in the northern part of the great state of Texas. I am going into my senior year and am very excited to be here at Stanford University. I am an Art Studio major with a Political Science minor. I love fashion, photography, music, culture, and just about anything else art related. I am very an outgoing and love to meet new people. I really enjoy seeing people smile and am usually smiling. Being an aspiring photographer, I love to take pictures and my love of fashion and style has me in a constant state of flux when it comes to my appearance. I really look forward to meeting and getting to know you in the summer.

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Stephanie Parker: Claude Buss Fellow/Stanford Host (sparker2@stanford.edu)

Hello everyone!  I’m Stephanie Parker and I will be entering my sophomore year at Stanford in the Fall. I will probably major in Political Science, but I am also considering other options within the Social Sciences. Politics has always been a passion of mine, and I have had an amazing experience volunteering with the Barack Obama ’08 campaign this year. I’d definitely enjoy learning more about the political atmosphere in Asian countries!

I grew up in Los Angeles, where some of my friends introduced me to Japanese Rock music and Korean Dramas, and I eventually became addicted to Asian pop culture. Some of my favorite stars are RAIN (whose posters decorate my dorm room), Gackt, Lee Jun Ki (whom I wrote my first Stanford research paper about), and Jay Chou. When I’m not singing my heart out at noraebang/karaoke, I enjoy playing tennis and playing the piano; my favorite composer is Chopin, but I also play some Yiruma for fun. There is no doubt in my mind that we will have an incredible summer together, and I can’t wait to meet everyone!

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Nguyen Pham: Claude Buss Fellow/Stanford Host

Hello everyone! My name is Nguyen Pham, and I'm an upcoming sophomore at Stanford. I was born in Viet Nam and grew up in Orange County in southern California. I simply love this state I call home, its sunshine, and its relaxed atmosphere. I love being a part of two very different cultures and embrace their different traditions. I'd like to study abroad in Spain in the next few years to see another totally different society. My academic interests are varied and many, including studies in race and ethnicity, biology, and psychology. I've always been very fond of visual arts and theatre. I enjoy watching plays, visiting art exhibitions and museums, and painting whenever I get the chance. I recently made my first stage debut in a production hosted by Stanford's Asian American Theatre Project.

In my spare time, I like to jog in scenic places, skate on my longboard, and travel. I hope to learn much about you and for you to learn much about America. My childhood has been filled with good memories from many summer camp programs, and I am so excited to now have the opportunity to host this summer program for my peers. Get ready for a summer to remember!

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Sophia Tsai: Claude Buss Fellow/Stanford Host

Hi all! I'm Sophia Tsai, a rising sophomore here at Stanford hoping to double major in East Asian Studies and Economics. I was born and raised in Texas, but I love California's environment. I also love Asia—I just went on vacation to Taiwan and Japan last summer and I completely fell in love with both places. I'm really excited for ALC, and I can't wait to meet everyone!

My hobbies include playing the flute, reading, listening to classical and rock music, playing video games, and watching movies. My interests currently lie in improving my Chinese (and eventually learning Japanese this coming school year)—I really hope to speak both languages fluently in the future. One of my guilty pleasures is watching Asian dramas (especially Taiwanese ones) and anime when I should actually be working. I really enjoy talking to people and helping others out, so feel free to find me if you need anything. See you all in July!

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Alan Wu : Claude Buss Fellow/Stanford Host

Hello! My name is Alan Wu and I am currently a senior at Stanford majoring in Drama with a concentration in Directing. I have a profound interest in film, with a particular interest in contemporary Japanese and Taiwanese cinema. I've traveled abroad frequently and am fascinated by the cross-cultural exchange between cultures. Beyond my film making endeavors, I love cooking, eating, working out, and exploring run down locales.

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