Elke Larsen is a sophomore completing a BA in International Affairs at the George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs. As a dual Australian and Italian citizen, Elke is primarily interested in pursuing studies in Europe because of her ethnicity and Asia as it is a vital region both economically and diplomatically for Australia. At the George Washington University, she has followed these regional interests by undertaking courses such as European Integration, the History of the British Empire, European History, Advanced Italian Language, Chinese Modern History and the History of World War Two in Asia. In her spare time Elke has been the vice-president of the GWU Italian Society, participated in Model UN and is currently a member of GW Surf. She has relished the opportunity to experience all that D.C has to offer including special events held at the Elliot School and cultural events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival and shows at the Kennedy center.

Elke has travelled abroad to various destinations including Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Hong Kong, Singapore etc. By studying abroad junior year at the London School of Economics she hopes to study European Union policies in greater depth. In the future, Elke aspires to work in the field of international trade or diplomacy with a particular interest in developing Australian trade relationships.

Zherong Kang is a sophomore of Columbian College of Arts and Sciences at the George Washington University. He is pursing a double major in economics and international affairs. He is also having minors in mathematics and geography, as he thinks these subjects are good additions to his majors. Zherong is originally from Zhengzhou, China, a city that sits in the center of China and connects the east and west, north and south of the country. He came to the United States as an international exchange student in his senior year of high school, and lived with a local family in Winona, Minnesota for one year. Zherong is excited for a college experience in Washington DC, where he can witness and participate in bringing changes to America as well as all other nations around the world. In the George Washington University, Zherong is on the executive board of the Global China Connection-GWU Chapter since its foundation in early 2009. Zherong is interested in international economic and political issues and he is planning to pursue a career in international institutions or NGOs that are dealing with these subjects.

Shea Houlihan is a class of 2013 student in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University with the intention to garner both a liberal education and an awareness of transnational political processes. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Shea’s perspective is informed by a distinct border culture that has shaped his opinions about political and economic globalization. His particular academic interests include a focus on international development and the outgrowth of what was once considered ‘third world’ Latin American politics. Shea hopes to study abroad his junior year in Latin America, where he anticipates taking classes and conducting research.

At Georgetown, Shea works in the Journal of International Affairs and as a member of the International Relations Club, through which he has championed the efforts of developing nations on different Model UN committees. He also is a member of the Carroll Forum, through which he is currently conducting undergraduate research on New Deal social and economic legislation. In his free time, Shea enjoys ballroom dancing and programming volunteer and entertainment events for Georgetown residents. His intended profession will hopefully lead him through the non-profit and public sectors as he strives to become a career Foreign Service Officer.