International Students and Scholars Office

Pronouns: she/her
Home city/country: Tegucigalpa, Honduras 
Languages spoken/learning: Spanish, English, French 
Major: international global studies and politics 
Class year: 2024

Hey! My name is Monica and I’m a rising senior at Brandeis studying International Global Studies and Politics. I live in the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa. I am looking forward to getting to welcome more members of the international community at Brandeis and connecting with you! 

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Home City/Country: Somerville, MA
Languages Spoken/Learning: English and Spanish, learning Korean
Major: Sociology and Communication and Media (double major)
Class Year: 2024

Hi :) My name is Floriesha Bastien and I am a rising senior double majoring in Sociology and Race, Media, and Communication. I am a first-generation college student. I was born and raised in Somerville, Massachusetts. On Brandeis campus, I am a member of SSSP (Student Support Services Program), I work as an office assistant at Academic Services, and I am the ICC Social Media and Communications Specialist. During my free time I love to journal, listen to music, and spend time exploring Boston. I am thrilled to meet you all and I am excited about your beginnings here at Brandeis University! See you soon!

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Home City and Country: Izmir, Turkey
Languages Spoken/Learning: English, German, Turkish
Major: Computer Science and Linguistics (double major)
Class Year: 2025

Hello everyone, I’m really excited to meet you!! My name is Defne and currently I’m a rising sophomore pursuing a double major in computer science and linguistics. I grew up in the western part of Turkey and left my hometown last year for college. I love reading, playing video games, watching movies, swimming, and all kinds of outdoorsy activities. I believe that Brandeis has a very warm and welcoming international community, which I hope you’ll soon get to feel for yourselves. Meanwhile, feel free to dm me with any questions or just to chat on Instagram! 

Pronouns: he/him/his
Home City/Country: Suzhou/China
Languages Spoken/Learning: English, Chinese, learning Russian and French
Major: Double-Major in Philosophy and Computer Science
Minor: Mathematics (Undeclared)
Class Year: 2024 
 
Hey Class of 2027! My name is Qiyuan Feng and I am a rising senior pursuing a degree in Philosophy, Computer Science, and possibly Mathematics. Born and raised in Suzhou, China, I also have a cherished attachment to Armenia developed during the 2 years I spent there for high school. I work at the computational linguistics labs at Brandeis and am an active member of Brandeis Boxing Club. Please talk to me if you are also disappointed that flying cars still haven’t become the common means of transportation. And I really can’t wait to meet and get to know you all soon!

Hometown: North Kalimantan, Indonesia
Language Spoken/Learning: English, Mandarin, Indonesian, Malay, Korean

 I was born in Indonesia but I grew up in Malaysia. I am a rising sophomore and thinking of majoring in Computer Science. I hope you are excited to join us in the Fall, just as excited as I am to welcome you! I had a great time in my first year at Brandeis and there is no reason other than the people I met here. I will try my best to make sure this will be your first-year experience too! I love meeting new people and talking about random things in life so please just reach out to me anytime! I can bring you to my favourite Asian food restaurant, and cook for you if you want to try some Indonesian food (fyi, there is no Indonesian food restaurant in Boston). I also unnecessarily know a lot about K-drama, so feel free to find me to talk about it. See you soon. 

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Home City and Country: Busan, South Korea 
Languages Spoken/Learning: Korean, English 
Major: Chemistry 
Class Year: 2025 

Hi everyone, welcome to Brandeis! My name is Hyeseong and I’m a rising junior majoring in chemistry. I grew up in Busan, South Korea and moved to Boston in middle school. Outside of the classroom, I’m the president of the Korean Student Association, a community service committee member in SASE, a QBReC fellow, and a student researcher in a biochemistry lab. In my free time, I love cooking and baking, exploring new cities, and spending time with my friends. I’m so excited to see you guys all!

Country: Ireland
Class: 2026
Major: English

Niámh grew up in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Before joining Brandeis University, Niámh was a Prefect at St. Catherine's College. Because she has always had a passion for travel and experiencing new cultures, Niámh applied to the Sutton Trust U.S. Programme. She had no prior knowledge of the U.S. higher education system, but she soon learned about studying in the United States and decided that its flexibility would be a much better fit for her. She is interested in writing, and plans to study English and Journalism at Brandeis.

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Home Cities/Countries: Singapore, Tokyo, and NYC
Languages Spoken: English and Japanese
Majors: Psychology & Health: Science, Society, and Policy
Minors: Philosophy & Film, Television, and Interactive Media
Class Year: 2025

Hey there! I'm Natalie Omori-Hoffe, a rising junior at Brandeis University. Being Japanese-American and having lived in Switzerland, the UK, Singapore, Japan, and the USA, I understand the challenges of moving to a new place. Please don't be afraid to reach out to me and ask questions! I'm very involved on-campus and I'm doing a lot of work as a research assistant in psychology and behavioral health policy. I also work at the Sound and Image Media Studios as a support specialist. Besides my work, I'm passionate about music + singing and lead Company B Acappella as the president. In the past 2 years, I've been involved in the culture clubs such as JSA (Japanese Student Association) and BAASA (Brandeis Asian American Student Association). I also helped start a new club called C.A.R.E. (Carceral Awareness Reform and Education) and currently help out as the Marketing Coordinator. I'm also a part of the Photography Club and enjoy working on creative projects + going on trips. When I'm not busy, I explore Boston with friends, play video games, cook + bake, and watch my comfort shows like Adventure Time! Feel free to email or DM me on Instagram—I can't wait to meet you all! :) 

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Home City/Country: Hanoi, Vietnam
Languages Spoken/Learning: Vietnamese, English, Spanish, Portuguese
Major: History
Class Year: 2023

Hii! My name is Vy (“Vee”) and I am completing my last semester at Brandeis in the Fall. I major in History and minor in Business and Art History. On campus, I have been involved with the Vietnamese Student Association, Rose Art Museum, and more. I enjoy traveling and gaining new experiences, going to museums, and eating dessert :).
I have lived alone for school in Vietnam, Costa Rica, the UK, and at Brandeis. While studying abroad can be stressful, the international and inclusive community here is always ready to help! I cannot wait to welcome you and introduce you to the opportunities that Brandeis offers!

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Home City/Country: Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Languages Spoken/Learning: Chinese and English
Major: Psychology and Neuroscience (double major)
Class Year: 2025

Hey guys! I'm super excited to be one of your iREPs!! My name is Annie and I plan to double major in Psychology and Neuroscience. I'm a rising sophomore but I joined Brandeis on January 2022 as a midyear student. I love food, drawing, frisbee, sleeping, spending time with people, and traveling (it's my ultimate dream to fill my passport with the stamps ). Can't wait to see you all! Don't hesitate to contact me through email or Instagram! I'm more than willing to answer your questions or just chat and hang out!

Pronouns: she/her
Home City/Country: Shanghai, China
Languages Spoken/Learning: English, Mandarin; learning German
Major: Psychology
Class Year: 2026

Hello everyone! I'm Katie and I'm a rising sophomore thinking of majoring in psychology. I love watching movies and musicals, reading and writing stories, and enjoy all kinds of food! Brandeis is a warm and welcoming place and I cannot wait to meet everyone! You can find me on Instagram and feel free to chat!!

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Home City/Country: Hangzhou/Shanghai, China
Languages Spoken/Learning: Chinese, English
Major: Environmental Studies
Class Year: 2025

Hi, y’all! I am Sherry Tao (she/her), I am a rising junior (midyear) at Brandeis majoring in environmental studies. I spent my childhood in Hangzhou, China and went to Shanghai for high school. Here at Brandeis, I am a member of Brandeis Student Union, a member of Brandeis women's ultimate Frisbee team, a member of the Brandeis TAMID consulting club, and a midyear ambassador under the orientation department. College is my first time studying in a foreign country like many of you, so I feel all of your struggles and concerns. Feel free to ask me anything Brandeis or college related, I am always here to help! 

Pronouns: he/him/his
Home City/Country: Changchun, Jilin, China & Vancouver, BC, Canada
Languages Spoken: Mandarin and English
Majors: Economics, International and Global Studies 
Minor: Legal Studies
Class Year: 2026

Hey there! I'm Phoenix, and I am a sophomore at Brandeis. I plan on pursuing Economics, International and Global Studies, and Legal Studies with the intention to attend Law School after Undergrad. I was originally born in China, but have been living in Canada and the U.S. since 2014. When I'm not busy with academics, you'll find me picnicking with friends in Chapels field, practicing piano in the music centre, blasting Taylor Swift in my room, and indulging in other general silly/goofy activities around campus. I'm thrilled and privileged to welcome you to Brandeis this fall. See you soon!