Meet our 2019-2020 members!
Jacob Chang
Hometown: Nanjing/Jiangsu, China
Year: Sophomore
Major: Psychology and Computer & Information Science
Project Group: Human Rights
Interests & Fun Facts: 1. I’ve been to 14 different countries. 2. My hometown Nanjing was Founded 495 B.C. 3. I hate Star Wars. Star Trek is the best.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Diverse and Inclusive: We have people from all different kind of backgrounds which is super cool!
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded?
Now our world is more and more interconnected. All of issues we are trying to address will be on a global scale. That’s why we need to be globally-mined, then we can make sure we cover all different kind of aspects.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
GLI is a great chance for me to learn how to work with different people professionally. As a college student, i rarely get the chance to meet professional experts or do leadership training. GLI is such a good place to learn that. All these communication and collaboration skills are going to be useful in the future.
Faith Lewis
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Year: Senior
Major & Minor: Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies/Substance Misuse and Addiction Minor
Project Group: Health & Wellness
Interests & Fun Facts: I’m very interested in social justice and the way our identities impact how we occupy space or our access to do so. I want to work in public health in community-based programs, then national, and eventually international initiatives. I love anime and my guilty pleasure is watching foreign dramas when I should be studying. – My favorite animals are dogs, raccoons, and giraffes. – I do yoga – I’ve been to two other countries: Uganda and China and got lost in both of them.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded?
As a future leader, I think being globally-minded means that I can look at an issue or topic through an intersectional lens that doesn’t prioritize or privilege Euro-Western knowledge and continuously engage people from other cultures in an academic, social, or professional environment.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
It can give me experience on how to network effectively and maintain those relationships as well as executing team-oriented projects that serve the community.
Yunzi Yu
Hometown: Tianjin, China
Year: Junior
Major: Social Work
Project Group: Education
Interests & Fun Facts: I am a girl always with a smile and willing to help everyone. Fun facts： I went to Slovakia by myself to teach local students Chinese culture for a month. I was the first passenger on a new subway line in my hometown. I’ve been learning to dance since I was three years old.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Family- everyone supports each other
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why.
Children development.They are the future of our society.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
[GLI will] help me better understand culture and diversity. And I can help my clients better in the future.
Vincent “Vinnie” Pancini
Hometown: Newark, Ohio
Year: Senior
Major & Minor: Public Policy Analysis & Economics
Project Group: Human Rights
Interests & Fun Facts: Love reading, biking, music (mostly rap), yoga, watching movies by myself at Gateway, sunsets, morning, coffee, visiting new cities – Colorblind – Hometown is also home to worlds largest basket – Was captain of football team in high school
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Understanding – GLI has already helped me to better understand the world around me
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why.
I think it is hard to say that I am passionate about anything “outside” of global affairs because everything has a global aspect. The things I’m interested in (poverty, healthcare, LGBTQ issues/human rights) are not specific to America – they are all global.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
I hope to study the economics of health care systems, so hearing about different cultural backgrounds through GLI will help me understand how culture informs perspectives on healthcare and why systems are set up the way they are.
Vivek Gandhi
Hometown: Beach Park, Illinois
Year: Junior
Major & Minor: Neuroscience
Project Group: Education
Interests & Fun Facts: I love being outdoors and going on hikes. I make my own ChapStick. I am very passionate about music, and a few friends and I started up a hip-hop club on campus.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
The word I would use to describe GLI would be heartening. I have been challenged to get out of my comfort zone and look at issues from various perspectives, and these experiences make me very grateful for what I have learned through GLI thus far.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded?
A person that is globally-minded is a person who accepts various perspectives and engages with people who come from different backgrounds than them. A globally-minded person can communicate with and accept people from areas that they may not be familiar with.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
In my professional career, I want to work in a very diverse setting that fosters ideas from all around the world. GLI creates the perfect environment for me to be exposed to these types of experiences while I am developing my professional skills.
Alexia Zhou
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Year: Senior
Major & Minor: Accounting and Economics
Project Group: Environment & Sustainability
Interests & Fun Facts: Haha hi lovely people, this is Alexia! I am from Shanghai, China. I can make my ears move which I think is super impressive. I stapled my thumb once while doing wall decorations (ouch), when I went through the metal detector at the hospital I had to let them know there is a staple in my hand. Also, I have a YouTube channel! Hopefully it can grow and pay my rent someday.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Genuine. GLI people are the nicest, I still can’t wrap my head around how nice EVERYONE IS. You can have conversations with anyone in the group and they will give you 110% attention.
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why.
Makeup/fashion and music. I think this is about as shallow as it is gonna get haha. I really like makeup/fashion because it is almost therapeutic to me. I can just relax and blend out that eyeshadow and feel great. Music is an emotional outlet for me, it doesn’t matter how I am feeling, I know there is always an artist that is resonating the feeling with me.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I actually have been thinking about this because school is getting stressful and I don’t know if accounting and economics are really my passion. But I am too of a “go with the flow” kind of person so I’m just going to secure my degree and see where life takes me! I will take initiatives finding jobs of course but I am always open to new ideas! Hey, who knows, maybe I’ll be one of the beauty gurus living my best life in Los Angeles.
Dariah Ansari
Hometown: Mason, Ohio
Year: Sophomore
Major & Minor: Finance & Data Analytics
Project Group: Health & Wellness
Interests & Fun Facts: I love trying new things, especially food and sports! I think the best coffee is instant coffee. I couldn’t tie my shoes until the fourth grade.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Immersive. With every GLI sponsored event, every one-on-one, and every interaction I have with a fellow GLI member, I feel extremely present. It’s not uncommon for my mind to wander and to lose track of my surroundings. That never seems to happen when GLI is involved and I can pinpoint exactly why I want to be there. I want to be interacting with the people in GLI. Instead of getting lost in my own mind, I lose myself in people’s stories. There are so many different parts to GLI, and each one I thoroughly enjoy.
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why.
I am very passionate about health & fitness. Growing up I was far from being physically fit, and I didn’t realize its impact on other areas of my life until I decided to change my lifestyle and begin taking care of myself. My mental health improved, my confidence skyrocketed, I had more energy, and so many other positive effects came from simply working out a few times a week and making better food choices. I firmly believe nutrition and training can change somebody’s life around because it sure did for me.
What are your aspirations in being a globally-minded citizen?
To be able to connect and relate to people from all different backgrounds. Everyone lives different and interesting lives, and to be able to appreciate and want to learn more about somebody’s culture is an extraordinary quality.
Arshi Khan
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Year: Sophomore
Major & Minor: Major: Microbiology/ Minor: Asian American Studies
Project Group: Immigration
Interests & Fun Facts: A couple of big things about me is when I was in high school, I was not allowed to hang with friends or pursue outdoor activities until my third year. I really enjoy being outdoors and love planning activities and trips. As a child, biking was my most favorite activity and whenever I get the chance, I will go biking. I get very amused by sightseeing or just observing everything around me even if I’ve visited the area multiple times. I do a lot of journal writing and lastly, a very big part of my life was when I was 12 years old, I was engaged (arranged for marriage in the future) but it lasted till I was 17 years old. 1. I love to travel and enjoy taking pictures/videos of people, friends, sceneries, and moments. 2. I was born in Pakistan but I moved to America when I was 1 year old. 3. I listen to wide variety of music from American Hip-Hop/Rap/R&B, KPpop, Middle Eastern Hip-Hop, to Bollywood. I enjoy learning and being a part of different cultures.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
If I have to pick one word it would be a Family. It perfectly describes GLI cohort. Ever since the very first time meeting everyone at the banquet it automatically felt like I was being reunited with long lost friends. Even if I don’t feel very close with a member I can reach out to them and when accidentally running into a member outside of GLI it feels like seeing someone you deeply love and care about. Every time I have bumped into someone, they come to me with open arms, smiling, and comfort.
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why.
Volunteering in the community. This is because you get to experience and learn about people and things near you and it builds up your character and connections with others. It is mostly an unpaid opportunity and it displays a genuine characteristic of how interested one is about where they live. It made me more confident and shaped me to be better as a person and break me out of my shy personality.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded?
To me, globally-minded means to step out of the small box you’ve been living in. Push yourself to be in environments or situations you are not normally in. Meeting people that are different than you, who come from different places in the universe and finding commonality among all the contrasts. It’s like looking at one thing from multiple perspectives and venturing out of what your comfort zone is and understanding the diverse people, places, and things around oneself.
Shira Ophir
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Year: Sophomore
Major & Minor: Major: International Studies/ Minor: Spanish
Project Group: Human Rights
Interests & Fun Facts: My parents are from Israel, came here for graduate school and then decided to stay! I was born in New Jersey and moved to Cleveland when I was four. My favorite color is green, I have the two best dogs in the world after being terrified for dogs for most of my life and my best friend from pre-k is in the new Adam Sandler movie.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
I would choose the word “open-minded” because I truly believe that was drew me to a GLI and what connects all of the people who participate in the program is that we are open-minded and look at the world with open eyes, ready to learn and ready to explore new cultures, new languages and meet new people.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I feel as though this is a question I think about constantly… it is also the one that people ask most to others: what do you want to do after college? Or in what profession do you want to work? Rarely is this question asking about the full picture or even if you see yourself employed at this time. Personally, I have no idea where I will be in 5 years. Hopefully somewhere where I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone, exploring new places and learning about new cultures and people. I hesitantly say that I will not be in the US, at least not full time and I hope that whatever I am doing, I am bettering someone else’s life and the world.
Yuting Zhang
Hometown: Shenzhen, China
Year: Senior
Major & Minor: Accounting
Project Group: Environment & Sustainability
Interests & Fun Facts: 1. My name “Yuting” in Chinese means “stop raining”. When I was born, it was raining heavily, that’s why I was named Yuting. 2. I really enjoy eating 3. I enjoy working out. Please drag me out [to work out with you].
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Family. Everyone is so nice and caring.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your professional career?
GLI have alumni and I am sure they can be a good resource.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded?
It means a responsibility I have on my shoulder.
Yang Du
Hometown: Nanjing, China
Year: Junior
Major & Minor: Nursing & International Studies
Project Group: Culture & Religion
Interests & Fun Facts:- A proud Buckeye – Love Traveling – Dendrophile, Opacarophile, and Clinophile – I cannot use chopsticks properly – The total distance that I traveled by plane the past summer is longer than the equator – I do not like cinnamon
How do you think GLI can contribute to your professional career?
GLI provides an excellent opportunity for me to learn about other culture. Being mindful about cultural diversity is essential in delivering high-quality care to patients.
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why.
I am passionate about noodles. Noodles are my favorite food, and noodles are universal as well. I am always amazed by how many different cultures share love for noodles and present noodles in different ways. In noodles, I see so many potentials, and I cannot wait to explore more about noodles.
What is/are your favorite GLI moment(s)?
My favorite GLI moment so far is when people liking one-on-one pictures in GroupMe.
Sana Murteza
Hometown: Winter Haven, Florida
Year: Junior
Major & Minor: Major: Accounting / Minor: International Business
Project Group: Culture & Religion
Interests & Fun Facts:I am a student at Fisher College of Business, studying accounting. In my free time, I enjoy reading novels, the news, and accounting journals. I look forward to spending this year with my fellow GLI cohort members. Some fun facts about me: 1. I am very much an indoor person. If you invite me on a hiking trip, I will disappoint you. But I am up for ice cream any time of the day! 2. I have two native languages due to the fact that I am a third culture child and have lived overseas for most of my life. 3. I once broke my arm jumping off a swing. (carpe diem!)
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally minded?
It’s about building understanding and empathy between people of different backgrounds. Being globally-minded is trying to see situations from different perspectives and taking the initiative to try and include various opinions. Global-mindedness also includes encouraging oneself to embrace the unique characteristics found in people.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
GLI has provided me with the opportunity to build lasting relationships as well as hands-on leadership, networking and project management skills
What is/are your favorite GLI moment(s)?
I thoroughly enjoyed the banquet. It was nice to meet everyone for the first time and it made me truly excited for the year we would spend together. During the banquet, I realized that I made the best decision in joining the program.
Jia Cao
Hometown: Beijing, China / Anhui, China
Year: Senior
Major & Minor: Psychology
Project Group: Health & Wellness
Interests & Fun Facts: This is Jia from Beijing, China. I have a brother who is only 12. I am a senior studying psychology and is planning to become a mental health counselor in the future. Fun facts about me: – I like singing in the shower – I’ve been to skydiving by myself – I grew up and lived in Beijing but actually my hometown is in Anhui, southeastern China which I am also very attached with.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you to be globally-minded?
It means to mind the environment around me, having a global/broad perspective with really being active to step out of my comfort zone and take care of both myself and important things happening in the world. Also, to meet and talk to all walks of people, being open-minded and respected to their differences.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
The monthly dinner can help me prepare with the success in future professional networking. I also definitely know more people from GLI, the experience of facilitating a project from the scratch, and the mindset of diversity and responsibility as a global citizen. Those can all be very helpful.
What is/are your favorite GLI moments?
I really enjoyed the monthly dinner last time! It is eye-opening to be able to have dinner with professionals in a very formal manner and have the first try of networking and etiquette.
Yihui Gong
Hometown: Yiwu, China
Year: Junior
Major & Minor: Psychology
Project Group: Human Rights
Interests & Fun Facts: I am from China. I plan to pursue my PhD in the future. I work for an organization that aims to improve the mental health of international students. I commute about 1 hour every day.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Respect. Everyone is super respectful to the country and culture that they are not super familiar with.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
It improves my interpersonal communication skills in a large sense, especially with people from different countries. Through peer interaction, I can improve my moral and cognitive thinking and be able to see people and the whole world in a more fair and comprehensive way.
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why.
I am passionate about improving the mental health of international students. As an international student, I see how hard it can be sometimes for people like me who study and live in a totally different environment without our friends and families around. We may struggle in life and lack a sense of belongings from time to time. It is important for us to find a way to vent our emotions. Therefore, I am working on creating a space where international students can have easy access to express their emotions and hopefully get treated in time if they have mental issues. Right now, I only have an online version. Hopefully, our team can expand this idea to every college around the U.S.
Why GLI?
Why not GLI? I cannot stop asking myself why I did not know GLI until my second year at OSU. GLI is a super wonderful organization! You get a chance to hang out with people from different worlds, which is not easy for international students. You got a chance to speak with experienced guests, listening to their wonderful life stories and ask advice for your future career path. More importantly, you get a chance to design a project that can really contribute to this society. The year in GLI will definitely be one of my greatest precious memories and experience in my whole life
Sarah Siddiqui
Hometown: Dayton, OH
Year: Junior
Major & Minor: Economics major. Minors in Neuroscience and Math
Project Group: Immigration
Interests & Fun Facts: I’m an economics major interested in economic development, human behavior, and theology. My family is originally from India, although I was born and raised in the US. Fun facts: I love pineapple on my pizza and I studied abroad in Jordan for a year!
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you to be globally-minded?
Being globally-minded means that I recognize the value of each human life, regardless of location. No matter a person’s origin, language, color, or creed, their wholistic well-being should be prioritized and advocated for.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
Even though we’re only at the beginning of the year, GLI has allowed me to learn from on-campus resources. Through the networking dinners, I’ve gained access to potential mentors that are successful in fields I’m interested in going in to.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Melting pot, if that counts as one word. I’ve gotten to meet people from such diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and interact with them in a meaningful way. It’s great that GLI facilitates cross cultural interaction, especially for an introvert like me!
Alejandra Valencia
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Year: Sophomore
Major & Minor: International Business and Finance (Minor: Political Science)
Project Group: Environment & Sustainability
Interests & Fun Facts: I love exploring new cultures, foods, and countries as much as I love my own Colombian ones. I was born and raised in Cincinnati but have traveled almost every summer to a new place. I speak Spanish, French, and am learning Korean, and my dream job is to be an United Nations ambassador. Fun fact #1: I sneeze in threes. Fun fact #2: I danced Colombian folkloric songs at the Colombian ambassador to the U.S.’s banquet. Fun fact #3: I created my own blog to write about my gap year and post pictures.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you to be globally-minded?
Being globally-minded means understanding differing perspectives, ways of thinking, ways of living, and beliefs. It’s about being open to creating connections that would have never normally been made in a homogenous environment and being able to grow and improve thinking and solutions from those diverse and unique connections.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Intersectional: GLI includes students from all different backgrounds and identities to converge in meaningful conversations about culture, career, and social dilemmas while working to make an impact in all three.
What song/movie best represents your background and why?
Esta vida – Jorge celedon is a song that I think best represents my background because it talks about being Colombian and how beautiful we feel life is. It talks about coffee and nature and living freely with family, friends, and loved ones. It’s a beautiful, passionate song about life.
Kendra Asiedu
Hometown: Westerville, Ohio
Year: Junior
Major & Minor: International Studies/ Global Public Health
Project Group: Education
Interests & Fun Facts: I honestly have nothing I can really think of but, here it goes. I am a first-generation Ghanaian- American student. I live in Westerville, Ohio with my mom and my younger sister. I have speak and understand four languages and I hope to learn more. Fun fact I have lived on West, South and North campus.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you to be globally-minded?
Being global-minded means understanding your local community and the world in an international sense. To understand that the world is shaped by small communities and how they interact with each other to make our international community..
Outside of global affairs, list something you are passionate about and why.
I am very passionate about issues surrounding race. In America, and internationally, there seem to be flaring tensions surrounding race, again and again, I want to know why that is, and what sets these tensions into motion. I also find the observation of how we interact with each other on the base of race fascinating.
What song/movie best represents your background and why?
(You shouldn’t have asked me this question, lol) Rise Up- Andra Day, So Afraid- Janelle Monae, Pimpin- Megan the Stallion and Melanin- Sauti Sol. My background is complicated yet simple (sorry for being cliche). The Melanin because of my African roots, Pimpin’ because I am the life of the party when needed, So Afraid because I am constantly scared of the future and past and finally Rise Up, because regardless of what I got through I will persevere.
Lola Valion
Hometown: Paris/Taverny, France
Year: Senior
Major & Minor: French, Cultural Anthropology, Leadership Studies
Project Group: Environment & Sustainability
Interests & Fun Facts: I have dual citizenship (France-US). I can blow very loud bubbles with my chewing gum. I am the funniest person I know.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Inclusive. I use this word to describe GLI because it is made up of people from all kinds of different backgrounds, and further, that it brings us all together in a fun and educational way.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
I think GLI’s professional workshops, such as the etiquette dinner, are important to forming a successful professional profile. Events like these give us a leg-up on how to present ourselves in our best interest!
What is/are your favorite GLI moment(s)?
My favorite GLI moments are the 1 on 1s, though I am saddened by the fact I have been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to coordinate my last two. However, the first three I participated in really made me feel closer to those people, and set the groundwork for a deeper connection than simply being in the cohort together.
Luojing Wang
Hometown: Lanzhou, China
Year: Sophomore
Major & Minor: Finance/Business Analytics
Project Group: Education
Interests & Fun Facts: I can play the piano. I am a cat person. I enjoy singing.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
Friendship. When I came to this team, I felt more relaxed to chat with members in the program. Everyone is friendly. When they have some fun things, they will share in our organization GroupMe chat. We can talk about whatever we want regardless of our race and culture.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded?
To be responsible, open-minded, logical and generous, I think that is the leader’s character. When you are in a team, we need to be responsible for our own jobs. The leader will lead all the members to achieve a goal. A good leader will allow their members trust him/her.
What is/are your favorite GLI moment(s)?
Monthly dinner. I can learn more business even global affairs from authority speakers. Also, everyone is excited to talk with each other and share their ideas. I can learn more things from that.
Siyuan “Ryan” Ye
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Year: Junior
Major & Minor: Material Science Engineering
Project Group: Immigration
Interests & Fun Facts: I used this website called Couchsurfing and lived at strangers’ home in NYC for free for one week; I am an ankle breaker on basketball court; I used to be able to play the piano song named the flight of bumble bee in 1 minute.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why?
I would use ‘professional’. We have monthly banquet networking dinners that provide us with an opportunity to interact with experienced and successful leaders, entrepreneurs and faculty members from various fields. We need to have professional manners to socialize and connect with those people as a future leader.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded?
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career?
Monthly dinner. I can learn more business even global affairs from authority speakers. Also, everyone is excited to talk with each other and share their ideas. I can learn more things from that.