Fall 2023 ISO Student Staff
Interested in becoming OISA's next ISO Intern? During the Spring 2023 Semester, OISA will hire an ISO Intern to work over the summer with the office's professional staff members to plan Fall 2023 ISO. The ISO Intern application will be posted in Handshake and shared via email, the Wesleyan International Student E-newsletter (WISE), and OISA's Facebook and Instagram pages during the Spring 2023 Semester.
Interested in becoming an International Student Orientation Leader (ISOL) for OISA's Fall 2023 ISO? This year, OISA is collaborating with the Office of Student Involvement and the Resource Center to offer a single application for students who wish to serve as an orientation leader for ISO, New Student Orientation (NSO), or First Things First (FTF). More information about the application process to become an ISO Leader (ISOL) will be shared via OISA communications during the Spring 2023 Semester.
Questions? Please send an email to oisa@wesleyan.edu.
The ISO student staff currently listed below are the amazing group that helped plan and lead our Fall 2022 ISO!
ISO Intern
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Mikoto Nakamura (she/her/hers)
Class of 2024 - Molecular Biology & Biochemistry (MB&B) and the Science in Society Program (SISP), minor in Global Engagement
I come from all over the world!
Read MoreMeet Miko: Fall 2022 ISO Intern
Languages Spoken: English and Japanese
Involvement at Wesleyan: Biology research, Wesleyan Women in Science, Chemistry & Biology TA, Dean’s Peer Tutoring Program, Wesleyan Refugee Project
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Miko (she/her) and I am a rising junior here at Wes! I’m Japanese and American, but I’ve grown up in 7 different countries, from Cyprus, Egypt, to Kazakhstan. I am double majoring in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry and the Science in Society Program, with a minor in Global Engagement.
On campus, I’m involved in Wesleyan Women in Science as a steering committee member, Wesleyan Refugee Project, Dean’s Peer tutoring program, and Biology research! Outside of school, I love baking bread, reading, hiking, and hunting for good coffee!
I look forward to meeting and welcoming you all on campus! Feel free to reach out with any questions or simply to chat :) (manakamura@wesleyan.edu)!
International Student Orientation Leader (ISOL) Coordinator
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Samantha Koo (she/her/hers)
Class of 2023 - Psychology and Education Studies
Hong Kong, Taipei, USA
Read MoreMeet Sam: Fall 2022 ISOL Coordinator
Languages Spoken: English and Mandarin
Involvement at Wesleyan: Psychology research, education research, International Students Association (ISA), Dean’s Peer Tutoring, Education Studies Peer Mentor, tutor at nearby elementary schools
Bio: Hey everyone! My name is Samantha and I use she/her pronouns! I am a rising senior, double majoring in Psychology and Education Studies! I’m originally from Hong Kong, but attended high school in Hangzhou and Taipei. :)
On campus, I’m involved in research, am on the board of the International Students Association (ISA), work as a Dean’s Peer Tutor, and tutor at nearby elementary schools! Outside of school, I love to take photos, bake, and travel.
If you have any questions or just want to chat, please feel free to email me at skoo@wesleyan.edu. I’m so excited to meet everyone and welcome you all to campus!
International Student Orientation Leaders (ISOLs)
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Avanti Sheth (she/her/hers)
Class of 2023 - Government with a concentration in American Politics and Theater
India
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Spanish
Involvement at Wes: Pi Cafe barista, student led theater/art projects, department related theater projects
Come Ask Me About: Feel free to come ask me about getting involved with the Theater community/events at Wes, on-campus employment, what classes you might be interested in taking, transitioning into college life as an international student, great coffee spots in Middletown, or anything related to my majors!
Bio: Hey everyone! My name is Avanti and I use she/her pronouns. I am a rising senior majoring in Theater and Government with a concentration in American Politics and Public Policy. I grew up in Mumbai, India. On campus I am involved in a ton of theater projects that are student-led and department related, and I also work at our campus cafe! Welcome to Wes, I can't wait to meet you all!!
Advice for New International Students: Use the resources you have at your disposal without feeling any kind of embarrassment or anxiety - everyone is here to help you within their ability to do so. -
Richard Bennet (he/him/his)
Class of 2023 - University Major in Critical EdTech
Spain, USA, France
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: French, Spanish, English, Catalan
Involvement at Wes: EDST (Education Studies), WADL (Wesleyan Animal Defense League), Rugby, Chess
Come Ask Me About: Ask me about walks to do and spots to visit near campus, food, classes and anything else at Wes! I will do my best to answer or find someone who can give the information!
Bio: Hello!! My name is Richard and I use he/him pronouns. I grew up in France and Spain with American and Spanish nationalities. I am a rising Senior majoring in Critical EdTech (University Major). I am passionate about videogames, music (mostly hip-hip and techno but I vibe with essentially everything), education and soccer amongst other things. I look forward to meeting you and feel free to ask me about something I mentioned above or anything else and I'll do my best to help you! :) Welcome to Wes!!!
Advice for New International Students: Embrace the opportunity to try new/different things. Give yourself time and be kind to yourself. Don't be afraid to ask questions. -
Diana Venus (she/her/hers)
Class of 2024 - Anthropology and Psychology
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Russian, Italian, Turkish, Kyrgyz, English
Involvement at Wes: Last semester - study abroad, on campus: FXT hip-hop dance group
Come Ask Me About: Residences, campus social life, international community, resources for FGLI students
Bio: Hello, beautiful people! My name is Diana Venus, I'm a rising junior double majoring in Cultural Anthropology and Social Psychology. I grew up in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, and have come far to study in the states. I spent last semester studying abroad in Italy and I'm passionate about traveling and learning about different cultures, art, history and languages! I can't wait to meet you all and get to know your diverse backgrounds, personalities, experiences, and values. Welcome to the Wesleyan family!
Advice for New International Students: Take it easy - a community is never built in a day! But also, ISO>NSO, so look around and give your international pals a chance to become your good friends. -
Tim White (he/him/his)
Class of 2023 - Film
Moscow, Russia
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Russian and English
Involvement at Wes: Aural Wes, Student Theatre, Sound Co-op, ISAB, and Minful Wes
Come Ask Me About: The Russian and Post-Soviet community on campus, the film major, meditation, and music on campus
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Tim and I use he/him pronouns. I am a rising senior at Wesleyan and a film major. I grew up in Moscow, Russia and I’m bilingual. Apart from film, one of my hobbies has been music. I’ve played drums in bands in high school and am continuing that at Wes. I also love hosting events and DJing. Coming from a city, I am quite passionate about urban studies. I love talking to people so feel free to ask me about anything from Russian food to Hollywood.
Advice for New International Students: Don't be afraid to try new things inside and outside of the classroom. You can participate in an activity even if you don't have any prior activity. -
Molly Fung (she/her/hers)
Class of 2025 - Neuroscience & Behavior (NS&B) and Psychology, minor in Integrated Design, Engineering, Arts & Society (IDEAS)
Costa Rica
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Spanish and English
Involvement at Wes: social media, sound coop, knitting club
Come Ask Me About: Places to study on campus, how to keep yourself busy on campus, ways to cope during the winter.
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Molly Fung and I use she/her pronouns! I'm a rising sophomore planning to major in Neuroscience and Behavior and Psychology. I'm an international student from Costa Rica and on campus I'm involved with the Communications Department as a social media assistant and I'm part of the Sound Cooperative club. I can't wait to meet you all and don't hesitate to reach with any questions. Welcome to Wesleyan!!!
Advice for New International Students: Try to get out of your comfort zone to explore what Wesleyan has to offer and don't be afraid to meet new people! But be true to yourself no matter what! -
Junu Lee (he/him/his)
Class of 2025 - Film Studies and Computer Science (prospective)
Republic of Korea, United States
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English and Korean
Involvement at Wes: A cappella (Notably Sharp, The Wesleyan Spirits), Wesleyan Orchestra (percussion), International Student Association Board, Korean language partner
Come Ask Me About: Anything but the stock market
Bio: Hey, everyone! My name is Junu (he/him), and I am from Korea. I am entering my second year at Wesleyan, and I plan to major in Computer Science and Film Studies. Outside of school, I love movies, TV, eating, playing pool, and Carly Rae Jepsen. I'm excited to meet you all!
Advice for New International Students: Bring food from your home country! You’ll miss it. -
Xiran Tan (she/they)
Class of 2024 - College of East Asian Studies and English
Guangdong, China
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, English, Japanese
Involvement at Wes: College of East Asian Studies Major Committee, Asian American Studies Working Group, student theater (2nd Stage, Writing Circle), Badminton
Come Ask Me About: Ask me about places on campus to watch the sunset, jogging routes, and anything about Hamilton and other musicals.
Bio: Hi, my name is Xiran (she/they pronouns). I am a rising junior double majoring in East Asian Studies and English, and I grew up in Guangdong, China. On campus I am mostly involved with event planning with my major; outside of school, I love watching animal videos and trying out different sports. Welcome to Wes! I hope I can help with your journey of making Wesleyan home. See you in August!
Advice for New International Students: First year can be hard, but what you feel is always valid. Trust your feelings and do what brings you joy and peace of mind. -
Lera Svirydzenka (she/her/hers)
Class of 2025 - Government and Psychology (prospective), minor in Human Rights Advocacy
Belarus
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Belarusian, Russian, English, Italian, German
Involvement at Wes: Standing with Ukraine, Cheerleading team, Outing club, International Students Association, IMS, CFA, Resource Center
Come Ask Me About: About everything and anything! I'll be happy to chat about political activism on campus, East European Community and all amazing opportunities that are waiting for you at Wes. :)
Bio: Hey everyone! Welcome to Wes, I am super excited to meet you soon!! My name is Lera. I am a rising sophomore at Wesleyan planning on majoring in Government and Psychology and minoring in Human Rights Advocacy. My sweet home is Belarus, but I also lived for a bit in Russia and Ukraine. I have been a political activist since a pretty young age and am exploring/creating opportunities for it at Wesleyan! Other than that I really love music, sports, food and my amazing friends. :) Please reach out for anything and everything. I will be very happy to make your transition as smooth as possible and just chat about whatever! Be assured that you are coming to an amazing place, and I can’t wait to meet y’all!!
Advice for New International Students: Please, please, please!! Don't be afraid to ask for help -- people are really happy to support you! -
Valerie Lee (she/her/hers)
Class of 2024 - College of Social Studies (CSS) and Economics, minor in College of East Asian Studies (CEAS)
Shanghai, China
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English and Mandarin
Involvement at Wes: Chair of the Community Committee on the WSA, Writing mentor at the writing workshop, Wesleyan concert choir
Come Ask Me About: best writing spots, time management in college, writing experience as a non-native speaker, student government and student clubs at Wesleyan, CSS major
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Valerie Lee, I go by she/her/hers. I am a rising junior double majoring the the college of social studies and economics, with a minor in the college of East Asian studies. I grew up in the old inner city of Shanghai. I served as a senator on the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) last year and I will be the chair of the community committee in this upcoming semester. I will also be working with the writing workshop as a writing mentor in the fall. If any of these sound like something you want to try out, don’t hesitate to ask me about any of them! Outside of school I love musicals (I was trained as a soprano!), baking, and traveling. If you ever want to hang out at my house any afternoon and enjoy some baked goods, you are super welcome. I am so excited to be meeting you all and welcome to Wesleyan!
Advice for New International Students: Take a class in the anthropology department. -
Aleksandra (Ola) Szopa (she/her/hers)
Class of 2024 - Economics and Psychology, minor in Global Engagement
Poland
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English and Polish
Involvement at Wes: Wesleyan’s Swimming & Diving Team, Purchasing Office, Club Soccer
Come Ask Me About: Economics major, Psychology major, finding an on-campus job, campus life, fun things to do in Middletown, ways to stay active on campus, places to study on campus, or anything else!
Bio: Hi! My name is Ola, I use she/her pronouns, and I am a junior double majoring in Economics and Psychology. I am from Warsaw, Poland, but I moved to the US a few years ago to go to a boarding school in CT! At Wesleyan I work as a purchasing intern for the procurement office and dive for Wesleyan’s Swim & Dive team. I love to read and binge watch TV shows - especially Grey’s Anatomy! Welcome to Wes, I’m so excited to meet everyone!
Advice for New International Students: Try to find a good balance between academics and your social life! Both are important and learning how to manage your time efficiently will make the first few months at Wes much easier. -
Pedro Dutra (he/him/his)
Class of 2023 - Economics, minor in Data Analysis
Brazil, USA
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, Portuguese, and Spanish
Involvement at Wesleyan: Portuguese Course Assistant, Intramural basketball and soccer
Come ask me about: Incoming students can ask me about housing, as there are many different options that match what every student is looking for. I am extremely familiar with the Economics and Data Analysis departments, if any incoming students are interested in taking any classes in either one of those departments. Furthermore, I have great experience with intramural sports, playing intramural soccer, basketball, and softball as well as refereeing basketball. Lastly, I may help international students get situated and reduce the anxiety of being away from home in an unfamiliar environment.
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Pedro Dutra and I use he/him pronouns. I am a rising senior majoring in Economics and minoring in Data Analysis. I grew up in São Paulo, Brazil but have lived in Washington, DC for the last eight years. I am passionate about sports and meeting people from different backgrounds and therefore, on campus I participate in intramural sports and work as a Course Assistant for the Portuguese class. I am ecstatic to meet you all and be a part of the beginning of your journey at Wesleyan!
Advice for New International Students: I encourage students to talk to as many people as possible during their first year at Wesleyan. The Wesleyan community is extremely welcoming to people of all backgrounds and are always willing to have a conversation. Communities like this are rare, therefore I encourage you all to take advantage of this opportunity to meet new people.