2005 ALC Session 1 Staff

Jay Jessen, Program Director
Kimberly Kwon, Senior Fellow
Jennifer Chien (Gem), Fellow
Tina Lin, Fellow
Yang Tan, Fellow
Ivan Tzvetanov, Fellow
Peter Yu, Fellow
Kyoko Yoshida, Faculty Advisor
Raphaël Lambert, Faculty Advisor

2005 ALC Session 2 Staff

Kazutoh Ishida, Senior Program Director
Leigh Davenport, Senior Fellow
Yvonne Chan, Fellow
Rina Chang, Fellow
Christopher Cornute, Fellow
Anand Subraman, Fellow
Coral Taylor, Fellow
Rachel Torres, Fellow
Jazib Zahir, Fellow
Hua-Cheng An, Faculty Advisor

Jay Jessen: Program Director

This will be my third year coordinating an ALC program. I look forward to meeting another great group of students from Taiwan, Korea and Japan to explore important cross-cultural and societal issues and have fun
along the way!

My path to VIA has been a mix of experiences in Asia and work in volunteerism and international education. I graduated from college in Minnesota with a degree in History. During my final year in college, I participated in an international program called “Global Semester,” where I studied and explored in several Asian countries. Back in the U.S. I volunteered for a year working with refugees from Africa and Eastern Europe in Minnesota and as a volunteer coordinator for a non-profit in San Francisco. I feel it is important, regardless of where I live, to be connected to an international community.

Kimberly Kwon: Senior Claude Buss Fellow

Hi. I'm Kimberly Kwon and I am a Junior majoring in Human Biology. I am the president of Stanford Hwimori, a traditional Korean drumming group at Stanford. I participated in the American Language and Culture program as a Host Fellow in 2004, and had such a good time that I returned to become a Senior Host this year. I like to travel, draw, eat and play music.

Jennifer Chien (Gem): Claude Buss Fellow Host

I'm Gem, and I am currently a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in dance. I am Chinese-American, and am conversationally fluent in Chinese, and minimally in Japanese. On-campus, I participate in a lot of social dance related organizations, and also enjoy watching anime! Currently watching Inuyasha if anyone wants to join me!

I first heard of this program from a former Buss Fellow, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to participate in VIA this year. I am looking forward to the rich cultural exchange this summer!

Tina Lin: Claude Buss Fellow Host

Hi! My name is Tina Lin and I am a sophomore majoring in mathematics and computer sciences. Don't be afraid to get to know me - I enjoy hanging out with people as much as I love spending time with my laptop! With my free time, I like to play music (mostly the piano and the French horn), listen to music of all kinds, take walks, and watch movies with friends. I am a co-chair for the Taiwanese Cultural Society at Stanford, the financial officer of the Stanford University Mathematical Organization, a member of the American Red Cross at Stanford University, and a French horn player in the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and the Stanford Wind Ensemble.

I was born in Taiwan (I speak Mandarin) and came to the US when I was 10 years old, so I am very interested in how Asian societies have changed and grown since ten years ago. I am very much looking forward to meeting all of you and having a great time!"

Hi, my name is Yang Tan and I am a freshman majoring (possibly) in biology. I speak Mandarin, having lived for some time in China (Nanjing) as well as England before moving to the US. I enjoy reading, writing, and painting, and am currently a member of SAAAC (Stanford Asian American Activism Committee). I am very excited for the summer and ALC 1 to begin, when I get to meet all of you.

Ivan Tzvetanov: Claude Buss Fellow Host

Hi everybody! My name is Ivan Tzvetanov. I'm a fourth year finishing up a BS in Biology with a minor in Cultural Anthropology and starting a MS in Bioengineering. I grew up in Bulgaria, Tunisia, Florida, Missouri, and California (random, I know!) and really look forward to having great discussions comparing everyone's respective cultures. I'm on the kayak team with Leigh and also like to snowboard, skateboard, surf, and watch Sci-Fi movies and some anime.

Peter Yu: Claude Buss Fellow Host

My name is Peter. I am graduating from Stanford this year with a degree in Economics and will be working for a strategy consulting firm next year in San Francisco. I am super excited to be a host fellow for this summer as I look forward to having the coolest and tightest ALC group.

I have been involved with the Stanford Asia-Pacific Student Entrepreneurship Society as a director and room host, and enjoy learning more about foreign language and culture. I am also actively involved with music on campus (violin & piano) and have formed my own groups, performed at cultural events, and been hired to play at wedding gigs. In my spare time, I enjoy playing competitive tennis, watching sappy Korean melodramas, and improving my mandarin speaking skills.

Kyoko Yoshida: Faculty Advisor

Hello, everyone. My name is Kyoko Yoshida. I teach English at Faculty of Letters at Keio University (Hiyoshi & Mita). It's been four years since I finished graduate school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year, I am back in the United States. (This time Iowa, yes, Midwest again.) I studied Creative Writing and contemporary fiction in English (American Literature mainly). I'm here to help you when necessary at Stanford.

This is my second year at ALC as a faculty advisor. I'm really excited to work with Jay and Kim again, and looking forward to meeting everyone from Stanford, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. I've never studied in the Bay Area, but I'm strangely attached to this place, having visited here several times to see my friends. Such a culturally diverse place, and I want you to see and experience everything possible. You are really lucky to spend time here in this wonderful campus during the most beautiful time of the year, meet people, do so many things, and have a life-changing experience! Be prepared for a full, full month. Be open, try new things, talk to people, make friends, remember things, and all the good things will follow. Good luck!

Raphaël Lambert: Faculty Advisor

Hello! My name is Raphaël Lambert. I am a French citizen and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in June 2001. I have been living in Yokohama, Japan for two years and am currently a research fellow with the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science. My research project, "Fictionalized History and Historical Fiction: The Telling of History in African American Novels and their Film Adaptations" expands on my doctoral work.

I will organize a couple screening and post-screening sessions related to that field and I hope many of you will attend. I will also participate in a few activities. I am looking forward to meeting you all and be part of this wonderful program.

Kazutoh Ishida: Senior Program Director/Faculty Advisor (kazutoh@viaprograms.org)

Hello everyone! Thank you for your interest in our American Language and Culture (ALC) Program. I was an ALC participant myself in 1991 and am excited to be involved again, this time as the Program Director. My participation in ALC not only enabled me to learn about the diverse culture of the United States, but it also broadened my perspective about Asia, including my home country Japan. The program also enabled me to develop life-long lasting friendship. I hope your participation in our program will also give you an opportunity to change the way you view the world and also develop friendship which you can treasure for life.

Outside of work, I am currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Hawaii majoring in Japanese language teaching. In my spare time I like to listen to music, watch movies and travel. The staff and the Fellow Stanford Hosts are planning an exciting summer for you and we are looking forward to seeing you this summer at Stanford!

Leigh Davenport: Senior Claude Buss Fellow Host (leighd@stanford.edu)

Hi! My name is Leigh, and I am a sophomore at Stanford University pursuing a major in International Relations and a minor in Latin American Studies. I speak Spanish and a tiny bit of Japanese. I was a VIA host last summer, and I loved it so much that I’m back again!

In my spare time, I like to listen to music, watch movies, read fiction, and cook with my friends. Also, I am a member of the Stanford Canoe and Kayak Team and I volunteer at the Student Health Center. In the future, I hope to become a lawyer or work for a non-governmental organization. I am interested in public service, social justice, learning about other cultures, and traveling, so I hope to find a job that will combine those things. In the meantime, I am just enjoying my time as a college student. I am very excited for ALC 2 to begin. I can’t wait to meet all of you!

Yvonne Chan: Claude Buss Fellow Host (yychan@stanford.edu)

Hi! My name is Yvonne, and I am a freshman/rising sophomore who is very interested in biology, medicine, health care, Asia, cultures, languages, and traveling. I enjoy meeting new people and broadening my perspective on the differences between cultures. I hope to become a surgeon one day and hope that my job can still allow me to travel and meet new people.

For fun, I like to listen to music, watch movies, anime, and drama, read a variety of books, and hang out with friends. I currently volunteer with United Students for Veterans Health (USVH), am trying to learn social dance, and hope to learn sign language sometime this summer. I can’t wait for ALC to start.

Rina Chang: Claude Buss Fellow Host (rina@stanford.edu)

Hi! My name is Rina, and I am a sophomore at Stanford majoring in Product Design. I am a member of Stanford Taiko, a student-run Japanese drumming group on campus that eats my social life. I speak Japanese and Chinese, and I like music, writing, drawing, and chillaxin'. I am looking forward to being a host, meeting and getting to know new people, and just having a great time!

Christopher Cornute: Claude Buss Fellow Host (chriscorn@gmail.com)

Hello everyone! I am a sophomore here at Stanford seeking a major in Japanese and possibly East Asian Studies, and a minor in Cultural and Social Anthropology. I just hopped on board this year as a member of this exciting program. I enjoy a wide variety of foreign cinema, particularly Japanese films by Wong Kar Wai and Kaizo Hayashi. The Most Terrible Time In My Life is among my favorites. My other interests include building computers, keeping an online journal (Xanga), playing basketball, and making my own movies.

This year I am the House Manager and Residential Computer Consultant for Muwekma-tah-ruk, the Native American ethic house on campus, and the Chief Technology Officer for the Stanford Foster Care College Project. After graduating I hope to teach in Japan as well as continue my Anthropological studies there. I look forward to meeting everyone and to an intriguing, fun, and interactive experience this summer!

Anand Subramani: Claude Buss Fellow Host

Hey everyone. My name is Anand and I am a sophomore here at Stanford working towards a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I'm a big outdoors person – I like backpacking, rafting, kayaking, canoeing, camping, rock climbing, and hiking. I also play a lot of sports for fun like ultimate frisbee, soccer, and basketball. Here at school, I am involved with the campus Taekwondo team as well as the student run movie group, Flicks. I'd ultimately like to work for a technological design company building new consumer products. I'm looking forward to ALC and I'll see you all this summer.

Coral Taylor: Claude Buss Fellow Host (coral.taylor@stanford.edu)

Hi, my name is Coral Taylor and I am a sophomore majoring in Economics here at Stanford. This is my first year as a VIA Host. I spent two weeks last summer in Tokyo visiting my college roommate and best friend, and loved it. After my great experience in Japan, I was excited to hear about this program.

When I am not in class or studying, I enjoy running, playing sports, watching movies, listening to music, reading, tutoring, and talking to friends. I am the treasurer for SBSE (Stanford’s Society of Black Scientists and Engineers); I am a member of MICS (Multicultural Interest Community at Stanford); and I work for SMYSP (the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program) during the school year. I am also currently training with my brother for the San Francisco Half Marathon in November. I like to keep myself busy! I am very excited about the VIA program and I can’t wait to show you my culture and learn about yours.

Rachel Torres: Claude Buss Fellow Host (retorres@stanford.edu)

Hello! My name is Rachel. I am a junior, majoring in International Relations. I recently studied abroad in Paris, and I got the chance to travel all over Europe.

My favorite classes at Stanford have been about Environmental Economics, Latin America, and America in the 1960's. In my spare time, I like to take dance classes, mostly hip-hop and jazz. I also like to read trashy magazine like US Weekly, or anthologies of short stories. I'm excited to be a part of ALC 2, because it's unlike anything else I've ever done.

Jazib Zahir: Claude Buss Fellow Host (jzahir@stanford.edu)

Hi I'm Jazib, but all my American friends call me Jazz. I hail from Asia too and have lived there nearly all my life. But I have grown up a bit further west than the rest of you, in Pakistan. I just graduated from Stanford this June with my bachelors in Electrical Engineering and am looking to prolong my stay on the farm as much as possible by indulging in programs like VIA before I leave for the bitter cold of the east where the working world awaits me.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my times at Stanford and have developed a wide range of interests from being an RA to tutoring to dancing to community service. You can come to me to learn about south Asian cultural dances, the basics of any religion or help me practice my mandarin and Korean since all these activities have been very central to my Stanford experience. During my academic hours, I have also labored in a number of labs on campus and developed interest in new technologies like image processing and biomedical devices. I'm looking forward to a great summer with you all!

Hua-Cheng An: Faculty Advisor (clean@mail.nctu.edu.tw)

Hi. This is Hua-Cheng An, an Advisor of International Service Center, ISC, National Chiao Tung University, NCTU. I’m happy to be recommended as the Faculty Advisor for this coming summer VIA Programs 2005. I accept this position also because it’s a non-profit organization and volunteer activities. Personally, I have had this experience in NGOs years too. To help students from all over the world is a very good experience which consists part of my main job in NCTU too.

Although this will be my first trip to California and Stanford University, it’s said that they are a wonderful place and the most outstanding school in the world. People who can participate VIA and work there are really admirable. We, I and all the Taiwan students, value this chance to make friends with you. We hope to become lifelong friends and share all cultures together under a common roof after this activity forever.

Feel free to contact me if you are interested either in Chinese culture or to study in Taiwan please. Contact details are as follows. Tel: 886-3-5712121 ext. 50655 Fax: 886-3-5720602 E-mail: clean@mail.nctu.edu.tw International Service Center (ISC), National Chiao Tung University 1001 Ta Hsueh Rd., Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, Republic of China