Virtual and social distanced one-on-ones!
The all-virtual 2020-2021 cohort
Qingyang Feng
Hometown: Beijing, China
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Psychology and communication
Project Group: Culture and Religion
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? As for me, I focus a lot on COVID 19 and observed different countries’ methods to solve the pandemic issues. There are so many problems in the nowadays social structure including political conflicts and uneven treatment toward people under different social levels. These are the problems I specifically care about because as a global citizen, I should learn to analyze social problems and try to solve them in the future.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? GLI offered me a great opportunity to meet with people in broader mind and focus on realistic problems together in a global scale. This helps me to build a new perspective to solve problems, communicate with people, and learning to respect and design a better world structure.
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why? Psychology and mental disorder. Nowadays I think a large number of people with mental disorders cannot receive good treatment to recover, and as a psychology major student, I feel my passion and empathy to help these people.
Milad Vedaie
Hometown: Westerville, Ohio
Year: Senior
Major and Minor: Environmental Engineering / Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Certificate
Project Group: Environmental and Sustainability
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? I have expressed to those close to me that I am always there for them as a friend and active listener. With the world throwing new obstacles at everyone, especially people of color, I know that I understand and support the world’s minorities through spreading awareness of global injustice, raising money for legal funds for unlawfully arrested individuals, etc.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why? Immersive; I believe that the combination of people in GLI creates an experience like no other, one that immerses me into the culture and background of each cohort member.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself working as an environmental engineering consultant for a water quality or wastewater treatment facility, with a focus on the effect on marine ecosystems.
Yuechen Tang
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Year: Sophmore
Major and Minor: Actuarial Science and Data Analytics
Project Group: Environmental and Sustainability
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? The COVID-19 pandemic is a global situation that people all over the world need to stay together to fight against it. I can try my best to remind others of small things like taking masks, keeping away from others in public areas, and wash hands frequently. Although what I do personally is trivial, I can influence people around me, and they can influence people around them. As a global leader, what I can do is to have positive influences on others and help us to confront with the challenge together.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded? Nowadays the world is diversified, and to be global-minded is necessary. A globally-minded person is one who can think and accept various perspectives; also the willingness to communicate with people from different backgrounds is necessary. We need to have the ability to understand and embrace various cultural backgrounds and try to construct connections globally.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why? Diversity and friendship. GLI is a place that people from various backgrounds meet and interact with each other. We communicate and learn from others, and we also develop friendship among our members. All the people I meet in GLI cohort are very kind and friendly, and it seems like we have been friends for a long time. I can always hold common topics or similar habits with them, which makes me feel like a family.
Victoria Ostroumoff
Hometown: Harrison, New York
Year: Junior
Major and Minor: Psychology
Project Group: Culture and Religion
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? I am following guidelines set by the state and by OSU, as well as, educating myself on the world around me in terms of, racial tensions and what that means as a community, learning about the global impacts of COVID, and learning about the methods other countries are using to combat the racial tensions, the spread of COVID, and what their citizens think.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? I think it can help me better understand the people around me, the events around me, and add the opportunity for possible networks.
What song/movie best represents your background and why? A documentary called Somewhere Between by Linda Goldstein Knowlton, because it is really relatable. It follows four Chinese girls who were adopted by American families and I relate to it on a level of being a Chinese adoptee, adopted to an American family, but also on the struggles shared, the emotions felt, and the journey taken to find one’s identity.
Austin Culbertson
Hometown: Green Springs, Ohio
Year: Junior
Major and Minor: Finance and Economics; Environmental Economics
Project Group: Health and Wellness
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? Being there for everyone and anyone who needs an ear.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? By making me a better leader and person overall.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Helping to make business more sustainable by consulting for various companies on how to do so!
Chun Yen Cheng
Hometown: Taichung, Taiwan
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Finance
Project Group: Immigration
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? Well, be who I am and provide support to those in need.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? By sharpening my diversity teamwork experience.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded? To be able to tolerate different ideas and be open-minded to distinct cultures and expectation
Janice Chen
Hometown: Ningbo, China
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Marketing
Project Group: Immigration
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? I get more educated from the culture that I didn’t know before.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why? Community. The way we have meaningful discussions every Monday brings me a sense of community.
Outside of global affairs, list something you are very passionate about and why? I am passionate about art and expressing through it. I think art is a necessity in life.
William Wallace Shoaf
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Year: Senior
Major and Minor: Biology
Project Group: Environment and Sustainability
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? It is essential to approach the world with a mindset that is open to growth. The current status of the world is most likely uncomfortable for most people. It is my belief that the best way to navigate this environment is to engage others in conversation about what their perspectives are, and more importantly why they have these perspectives. Leading by listening and learning allows for not only my own development as a human being, but it also instills a community of respect and compassion for all human lives.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? GLI helps me make a habit of thinking with a global mindset and seeking out diversity in perspectives. My intentions are to pursue a professional career in medicine, a field that should be accessible to all people throughout their lives. Undoubtedly, medicine is a field that requires teamwork and collaboration. Seeking a diversity of perspectives will ensure that the best practice can be delivered by considering as many options as possible. Going into medicine with a global mindset will remind me of the innate value of all people and help me focus my practice through compassion and listening.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why? Staggering. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of the environment that is GLI. GLI promotes open and honest discussion between people of diverse backgrounds around topics that are relevant on a global scale. GLI is staggering to me after every GLI meeting I feel that my mind is reframing how it thinks on a fundamental level. I hope that throughout my life I can maintain this environment so that I can continue to grow in ways that I never would have anticipated.
Ashley Jackson
Hometown: Lewis Center, Ohio
Year: Junior
Major and Minor: Nursing
Project Group: Environment and Sustainability
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? As a global leader, I believe mental health is always important. I am making sure to check in on my peers and make sure that they are doing well during this time where there have been many hard challenges in 2020.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded? Globally-minded means being aware of what’s going on in the world and being open-minded to others viewpoints. I think that it is important for people to be accepting of others no matter their race, religion or background and I think that being globally-minded allows you to do so.
What song/movie best represents your background and why? I can’t think of a movie that encompasses my whole background, but one of my favorite movies is Interstellar because I love to learn about outer space!
Jasmine Chen
Hometown: Macau, China
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Accounting and Economics
Project Group: Culture and Religion
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? The COVID-19 crisis has fundamentally changed many things in our life. Every aspect of our lives has been affected and it will continue to affect us in the following years. Before I never thought that I would be taking online classes in my home country for this long, but now I am taking classes in a different time zone and connecting with peers and professors through zoom. We may think having online classes is such a normal thing during the pandemic. Some students in developing countries are lacking the technology to do that. A simple radio and television are the only technology they have, making the process of online learning difficult. While in my time staying in my home country, Macau, China, I decided to take actions helping students in developing countries. My friends and I started our charity funds. We hold local fundraising events weekly to raise money for providing stationary and daily necessities for students in developing countries. No matter where you are in the world, there is nothing to stop you from taking actions.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why? Enthusiastic is how I defined GLI. Every member in GLI is passionate about helping both the local and the international community. GLI sets up a platform for zealous students to come together and organizes amazing things to help the global community. If you come with a determined mind, GLI gives you all sorts of resources to grow.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? The COVID-19 pandemic has given me so much uncertainty and anxiety of the future. I have been thinking about this question even more frequently in this uncertain time. My original plan is to get my CPA and work in the accounting field for a couple years. But now I am also exploring different career paths and trying out new things. I also have no idea where I will be staying in 5 years. If possible, I would like to live in Japan for a period of time. Hopefully, I will have more clear clue of what I will be doing when I graduate from college.
ZiYun “Maggie” Yang
Hometown: Beijing, China
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Finance; Minor: Math and Economics
Project Group: Education
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? In my opinion, in this turbulent and special period, it is most important to call on the citizens to remain calm. As a student leader, I believe that every student has the obligation to cooperate with the school. During the time when the school launches online courses, students should complete their studies, get excellent online grades, and be more tolerant of the inconvenience caused by online courses, and decrease the number of gatherings. I hope to influence the students around me to keep a positive attitude in this special period. Like the project we are doing in the GLI education group, the online meeting about reading shows that although you are in a special period, our group members are trying to inspire more students’ enthusiasm for learning.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? I plan to do investment in my future professional career. In GLI, I made some friends and got to understand more about diversity, which can really help me to broaden my horizon.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? After graduating from college, I will apply for a master’s degree also in my related field. Then, I may plan to work in Beijing, my hometown. I think China has great opportunities to develop.
Chuhan Qiu
Hometown: Wuxi, China
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Accounting and Economics
Project Group: Health and Wellness
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? “One thing I feel important in being a global leader under the current state of the world is passion. With the reality of COVID-19 pandemic and some other issues, there is no doubt that we should still keep our enthusiasm to do something to care for others and rally global citizens into a united force. Though the pandemic makes us apart temperately, I would not be disappointed but rather try to fit in the current situation and do something to influence and help people through the internet and other platforms.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? GLI is an amazing part of my current life and definitely contributes to my future professional career. It provides me great opportunity to meet people with different cultural backgrounds and knowledge. The weekly meetings and monthly dinners allow me to talk with wonderful people in many fields and gain valuable experiences from them. What is more, by connecting with different individuals, I believe I am gaining interpersonal communication skills and developing strong relationships with others. All these help me in my future professional career.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why? The word I choose to describe GLI is “community”. GLI is such a diversified community with people from all over the world and with valuable cultures. In addition, we members, with global minds, in GLI together do projects to influence the community around us and even to connect with the global community. So I would say there is no doubt that “community” is the word for GLI.
Jacquie Newberry
Hometown: Springfield, Ohio
Year: Junior
Major and Minor: Finance and Human Resources
Project Group: Education
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? By being there for others who need someone to talk to.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded? Considering the diverse thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of various people with different backgrounds and experiences.
What song/movie best represents your background and why? Sixteen by Thomas Rhett – I was always so focused on the future and growing up and I am starting to realize that I really want to slow down and embrace the now
Anthony Perrins
Hometown: Hertford, England
Year: Junior
Major and Minor: International Studies; Minors: Arabic and Economics
Project Group: Immigration
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? The major way I am caring for others is through my work with Best Delegate. Throughout the semester, I have been teaching a class of High School students from various different countries public speaking and debating skills through Model United Nations.
What word would you use to describe GLI and why? Stimulating
Sander Capetz
Hometown: Kent, Ohio
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Chinese and Economics / Minors: Math and East Asian International Relations
Project Group: Education
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? I feel that is it critical to promote cross-cultural understanding, and my work with Ohio State’s Global Leadership Initiative has provided a platform for classroom outreach to discuss issues of diversity and culture alongside notable authors. These classroom discussions invite public school students to read books of varying international and global themes. Students are then able to freely share their thoughts and questions of what they read with the author(s), teachers, as well as the G.L.I Education Cohort. By reading such globally-minded books and by having these classroom discussions, I believe such activities can serve as vehicle to help students develop a global citizen mindset.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? GLI supports my future endeavor to further develop as a leader by exposing me to different people and cultures in a variety of settings. I believe that learning about cultural diversity can bring people together, revealing our differences and similarities. GLI will allow me to develop the skills needed to become a global citizen in the 21st century. By attaining these skills, I will be able to better demonstrate my interests and capabilities when applying to graduate school as well as when seeking future employment with organizations that have connections to China and East Asia in the areas of trade, technology, data flows, and the environment.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded? Being globally-minded means moving beyond preconceived borders with a goal of achieving a global perspective. I will seek to develop environments that encourage understanding, appreciation, and positive action within and across communities by breaking down barriers and building bridges.
Jannan Mylupillai Sivaruban III
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Year: Senior
Major and Minor: Engineering Physics, Philosophy, Geography
Project Group: Human Rights
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? Being responsible for my own health and doing my own diligence to prevent spread of the virus. In the meantime, I have important and meaningful conversations with people discussing all the political challenges, tensions, and crises we are dealing with. An important part of the conversation, and what makes it a conversation, is listening. Just because someone isn’t on my side doesn’t mean that he is against me. Its predominantly different walks of life with different sets of factors to consider and interpret.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? Having conversations with people with totally different backgrounds.
What song/movie best represents your background and why? One Man Can Change the World by Big Sean ft Kanye, John Legend. This song represents me because my ideological isolation for right now can serve into much good later in the future, hopefully changing the world for the better. I will also always have a little Kanye in me, whether I like it or not.
Yixuan “Lizzie” Wang
Hometown: Wuhan, China
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Marketing and Computer and information science
Project Group: Health and Wellness
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? I feel like it is important to listen to what everyone needs at this time. Despite that, defiantly change your plans and the way you treat everyone differently with respect of what others are going through. Be caring and understanding.
How do you think GLI can contribute to your future professional career? Our discussion really covered a lot of information. Meeting with people from different backgrounds is a fun experience. Also, the monthly dinner is a great way to meet new people and start planning out my future career ahead.
What song/movie best represents your background and why? This is a hard one. I would say currently Fearless by Taylor, this just popped up. I am in a relationship now and I felt fearless about the future.
Maggie Osei
Hometown: Westerville, Ohio
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Criminology and Forensic Science
Project Group: Human Rights
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? Keeping myself informed and educated is how I am caring for others right now. It is challenging to keep absorbing news about the cruelty different groups have to endure both in the United States and globally but, I believe remaining oblivious does more harm than good. By educating myself on these issues, I can then sign, donate, and or spread awareness via social media which helps bring about change.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded? Being globally-minded, to me, means having a genuine interest in the cultures of those around you. It also means making an effort to appreciate and understand other people and their ideals without judgment.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 5 years, I see myself attending law school and having a cat.
Lisa Brown
Hometown: Westerville, Ohio
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Criminology and Forensic Science
Project Group: Human Rights
With the current state of the world (the COVID-19 pandemic, political challenges, racial tension, and more) how are you caring for others as a global leader? Checking in on friends.
As a future leader, what does it mean, to you, to be globally-minded? Think on a broad scale rather than locally or small all the time
What song/movie best represents your background and why? Avatar because Aang was always trying to improve himself.
Shaowei “Boden” Zeng
Hometown: Xiamen, China
Year: Sophomore
Major and Minor: Mechanical Engineering
Project Group: Human Rights