Multicultural Kickoff Leaders

John Ballesteros
Senior
Carlson School of Management
Management Information Systems
Born in Toronto CA, but lives in Milwaukee now
I can play the ukulele!

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Manee B Thao
Freshman (going on Sophomore)
College of Liberal Arts
Undeclared
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Fun/Random fact: "Yoshi" is the one word someone might think of me--it's my greeting.

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Elizabeth Jane Guhl
Sophomore
College of Biological Sciences
Major: Neuroscience
Hometown: Brookfield, WI
Random Fact: I met Michael Jackson and have an autographed picture by him in my room.

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Devyn Coveyou
Year in School: 4
CLA
Coursework: Gender Women and Sexuality Studies
Hometown: (Not Specified)
Fun fact: I love vegan baking!

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Caprecia Matthias
Senior!
CEHD (College of Education and Human Development)
Family Social Science
Baudette, Minnesota
I love concerts! Especially alternative and metalcore music concerts!

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Carl Edison G. Cortez
Senior
College of Science and Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Fun/Random fact: The first time I saw snow was 3 years ago when I came to the US for college.

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Brenda Barrera
Class of 2014
CSE
Mechanical Engineering
Minneapolis
Fun fact: I have a turtle named Mr. Turtle. He's missing his front claw. He eats only gourmet food, but tries to eat my finger through the glass.

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Rajat (Raj) Ghosh
Sophomore (Class of 2015)
College of Science and Engineering
Chemical Engineering Honors
Norman, OK
Sushi is my favorite type of food!

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Prakhya Bhatnagar
Sophomore
College of Science and Engineering (CSE)
Major- Biomedical Engineering, Minor- Public Health
Hometown - New Delhi, India
Fun/Random fact - I like traveling and meeting new people. I can speak three languages.

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Name: Choua Lee
Year in college: Junior
College: College of Liberal Arts
Major: Physiology
Hometown: White Bear Lake, MN
Fun/Random fact: I almost didn't decide to go to college because I wanted to pursue an acting/modeling career until I was told I was not good enough. I never turned back towards that path.

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Cynthia Hang (Jin)
Upcoming Junior
Carlson School of Management
Major: Marketing
Minors: International Business and Asian Language and Literature (with an emphasis on Chinese)
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Random fact: 6 languages are spoken in my household

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Sara Gapp
Junior
College of Liberal Arts
Spanish Major; English as a Second Language Minor
Hometown: Mahtomedi, MN
Fun/Random fact: I am heavily involved with Minnesota Quidditch! (And yes, we do run around on brooms).

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Stephanie Martinez
Junior
College of Science and Engineering
Chemistry major
Chicago land area
I am the biggest cat lover you will ever meet. :)

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Philip Binns (Phil)
Junior
College of Education and Human Development
Major: Youth Studies
Minor: Public Health
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Fun Fact: I met Will Smith's dad in Philadelphia!

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Maria Smith
Junior
CLA
Bachelor of Individualized Studies with 3 areas of concentration: Global Studies, American Indian Studies, and Social Justice
Steamburg, NY
I LOVE TO EAT HOT CHEETOS!
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Pajouablai Monica Lee
Junior
College of Education and Human Development
Human Resources & Development
St. Paul, MN
I love the to eat candy- gummies, starbursts, sour patches, skittles, the works! :)

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Adrian Tran
Sophomore (2015)
Carlson School of Management
Major: Management Information Systems
Hometown: Prior Lake, MN
Fun/Random fact: My favorite hobby is to ride my motorcycle!

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Elizabeth Kong, nickname: (Beth)
Junior
College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)
Major: Kinesiology Clinical Movement
Hometown: Saint Paul, MN
Fun/Random fact: Every season, I'm in a different sport, such as, fall- soccer, winter- gymnastic, spring-golf, summer- flag football.

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Amina Manduwem Jaafaru
Sophomore going on Junior
College: CLA
Major: Mathematics
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Fun/Random Fact: I love to travel, and I have a recently adopted little brother who is 3 years old :)

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Allan Kerandi
Class of 2013
College of Biological Sciences
Major: Honors Biochemistry
Minor: Leadership
Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya (Plymouth, MN)
Fun Fact: Speak Swahilli and Kisii and have gone skydiving

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Mehek Masood
Junior
College of Liberal Arts
Political Science
Karachi, Pakistan
I fell from the roof of my grandmother's 3 story house in Pakistan onto solid concrete. No broken bones. No bruises.

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Sanjana Bhakta
Sophomore
College of Liberal Arts
Major: Nursing or Child Psychology
Hometown: Apple Valley, Minnesota
Fun Fact: I'm a Bollywood choreographer, so if you want to learn some moves just let me know!

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Donna Southa
Sophomore
Carlson School of Business
Management Information Systems & Marketing
Burnsville, MN
Fun fact: I'm obsessed with fruit smoothies & tea garden <3

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Anthony Jison (Tony)
Junior
College: Carlson! :D
Majors: Supply Chain & Operations Management, Entrepreneurial Management, and Marketing
Hometown: I consider it to be Bad Soden, Germany. :P
Fun Fact: I just found out that the record label for one of my favorite bands posted my cover on their tumblr!

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Kathleen Jiang
Upcoming sophomore
CBS (thinking of transferring to CSOM)
Biology Major (thinking of MIS/Finance double major)
Plymouth, Minnesota
I've been to over 10 different countries!

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Amina Bensami
Upcoming Sophomore
College: CLA
Major: Physiology
Hometown: Andover, MN
Random fact: I stayed at the same hotel as Obama once!

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Carlos Reyes
Senior (I cant believe it!)
Business Marketing Education (CEHD)
Minor in Chicano Studies & Leadership
Santa Ana,California
Fun Fact: I have never had Ramen as a meal in college!

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Samantha (Sam) Chan
2012-2013 Senior
College of Design
Retail Merchandising Major/Management Minor
Eden Prairie, MN
In high school, I would run half marathons in my free time....just for fun. ^_^

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Emeka Okafor II
Senior
CLA
B.S. Psychology
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
Fun Fact: I am a NERD and a hopeless romantic. I read any and everything and I Love anime. (Especially Naruto & Bleach). I am also an aspiring writer/author. :-)

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Christina Lee
Currently a Sophomore
CEHD
Human Resources & Development w/ management minor
Saint Paul, MN
I met Bill Clinton!

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Tan Tran (Tanner)
Sophomore - Class of 2015!
College of Science and Engineering
Major: Computer Engineering
Hometown: Little Canada, MN
Fun/Random fact: I have an awesome dog named Tofu!

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Doua Chee Yang
Junior
College of Education & Human Development
Family Social Science
Inver Grove Heights, MN
I love watching Storage Wars re-runs!

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Mary K. Taylor
Junior!
CLA
Major: Communication Studies, Leadership Minor
Elgin, IL
I can make REALLY good breakfast burritos :)

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Dalen Miller
Will be a junior
College of Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Crystal, MN
Fun Fact: I used to fence (you know, with swords) competitively in high school.

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Stacy Moua
Junior
College of Liberal Arts (CLA)
Major: Sociology of Law Criminology and Deviance, Minor in Mathematics
Hometown: Vadnais Heights, MN
Fun/Random Facts: I love being Hmoob and I love GLEE.

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Gabrielle Dabu
First-year (2011-2012)
College of Education and Human Development
Undeclared
Bloomington, MN
I LOVE food

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Derran Bedward
Upcoming Sophomore
College of Education and Human Development
Major: Kinesiology/ Minor: Coaching
Minneapolis, Full Blood Jamaican
I am a human Blowhorn. Like I'm talking, Loud!

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Amber Jones
Currently: Freshman (Class of 2015)
College of Liberal Arts (CLA! ALL THE WAY!)
Undeclared (Intended Major: Communication Studies)
Chicago, IL
Fun fact: I pass the time watching discontinued TV shows on Netflix. Right now, I'm on my last season of College Hill!

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Ian Nyabwari
Senior
CLA
Major: Biology
Hometown: Cottage Grove, MN
Fun/Random fact about you: I'm Kenyan and I speak Swahili

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Sukanya Momsen
Senior
College of Liberal Arts
Major: English (Pre-law) Minor: Asian Languages and Literatures (Japanese)
Hometown: Born in San Jose, CA; Grew up in Golden Valley, MN
Fun/Random Fact: I taught English in Japan in the summer of 2011.

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Yeeleng Vue
Junior
CEHD
Kinesiology
FrogTown
I collect a lot of dragon antiques!

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Ifeyinwa Onyiuke (Ify)
Sophomore
CFANS
Hometown: (Nigeria)
Love to be the life of any group I am put in.

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Xue Xiong
(will be) 4th year in college
College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)
Youth Studies Major, Asian American Studies Minor
Hometown: Eau Claire, WI
Fact: I am a part of Delta Phi Omega Sorority, Inc.

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Cassandra Manungo (Casey)
Junior
College of Science and Engineering
Major: Chemical Engineering
Hometown: Harare,Zimbabwe
Fun fact: Love to salsa, I'm afraid of heights but still went parasailing :D, #love to try and conquer my fears!

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Alyssa Corso
Junior
CLA (Switching to CEHD)
Major: Human Resource Development (Intended)
Hometown: Mundelein, Illinois
Fun/Random Fact: I met the 2008 USA Olympic men and women's gymnastics teams including Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin.

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Yakira Moore
Junior
CFANS and CLA
Major: Speech Pathology and Audiology
Minors: Animal Science and Child Psychology
Hometown: Maplewood, MN
Fun fact: I was a dancer for 16 years

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Martavius Simmons
College of Liberal Arts
Upcoming Senior
Major: Sociology
Minor: African American & African Studies
Hometown: Memphis, TN (Saint Paul, MN)
Random Facts: I love to read, and I usually grow out my beard for finals.

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Deeqa Hussein
Class of 2014
College of Liberal Arts
Major: Speech-Languages-Hearing-Sciences
Minors: Leadership, Technical Communication
Hometown: Alberta, Canada
Interesting Fact: Lived in four different countries and speak four different languages

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Kanesha Bostick
Sophomore
CEHD
Minneapolis, MN
I have an obsession with the UK, but I've never been there.

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Amir Elabbady
Junior
Major: Architecture
Hometown: Brooklyn Center, MN
Fun Fact: I'm Egyptian!!!

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Stephanie Nwaudo
Sophomore
CLA
Major: Political Science/ Sociology
Hometown: Eagan, MN
Fun Fact: I have traveled to three countries

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Laura Serrano
Upcoming Junior
College of Liberal Arts
Major: Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Greendale, WI
Fun/Random fact about you: I've been to Mexico City and Bavaria, Germany - both times during World Cup games!

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Joseph Brooks (Joe Brooks)
4th year student
Major: Park, Rec, & Leisure Studies Minor: Public Health
St. Paul, MN born and raised
I like to move it, move it..

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Peter Hoang
Entering Junior Year (Class of 2014)
Political Science and Business Marketing Education
Hometown: Irvine, California
Fun Fact: I can touch my nose with my tongue
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Matewos Gebrehiwet
Freshman (Upcoming Sophomore)
College of Liberal Arts
Hometown: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Fun/Random Fact: Sat next to President Kaler and had a conversation with him during a scholarship luncheon at the beginning of the year.

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ChengMee Vang
3rd Year
College of Education and Human Development
Major: Elementary Education
Hometown: Saint Paul, MN
Fun Fact: Like to take road trips with family and friends

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Tiffany Ng
Junior
Major: Undeclared but applying for the Journalism School
Hometown: Maplewood, MN
Fun Fact: Studying abroad this summer in China!

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Janelle White
Senior
CLA
Major: Psychology and American Indian Studies
Hometown: Onigum, Minnesota
Fun Fact: I love learning my language, Ojibwe.

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Derek Krouch
Class of 2014
Carlson School of MGMT
Major: Finance / MIS
Hometown: Savage, MN
Fun Fact: I have met Ricky Rubio, Kevin Love, and Derrick Williams on all different occasions and got their autographs.

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Taylor Vogt
Sophomore in college
CEHD
Major: Elementary Education
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
Fun Fact: I've torn all the the ligaments in my ankles.