MHC Lynk and Summer Intern Welcome Reception
The University Club of Washington DC
1135 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
June 13, 2017
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Below you will find the profiles of students who will be summer interns in Washington, DC, as well as profiles of alumnae who have registered for the evening networking reception. Stickers and name tags will be shared at the reception check-in table as an added feature for students to identify alumnae.
Questions? Contact Jonencia Wood, senior director of programs, at 413-538-2738 or email jwood@mtholyoke.edu.
Student Attendees:
Nada Al-Thawr ’19
Majors: International Relations and Computer Science
Internship Site: PartnersGlobal
Background/Interests: As a research assistant at PartnersGlobal, an international peace building organization, Al-Thawr will be working on projects that relate to the war in Yemen, her home country, focusing on peace building efforts and conflict resolution. She is the cochair of the annual Hack Holyoke at Mount Holyoke and the cochair of the Arab Students Association. Nada’s dream is to return back home to Yemen and use what she learned at Mount Holyoke to rebuild her country and fight for women’s rights there.
Ellen Attipoe ’19
Major: Economics
Minor: Global Business
Background/Interests: Attipoe is a prospective summer intern in the DMV area. She is a community based learning fellow and a diagnostic consultant at LITS. She is currently looking for an internship in the finance and accounting fields.
Tessa Burke ’17
Majors: Anthropology and Spanish
Background/Interests: Burke is beginning her career in DC in sales as an account manager for Meltwater Group. She is looking to connect with fellow DC alums.
Emily Castner ’18
Major: Mathematics
Minor: Music
Internship Site: Foundations of Geometry REU at James Madison Univeristy
Background/Interests: Castner is currently doing research in geometry and model theory. She will finish off the summer as a counselor at Epsilon Camp and SigmaCamp. During her senior year, she will be the captain of Kachimushi Naginata, a Japanese martial arts group. She also sings with the Glee Club. She hopes to profess mathematics at an institution similar to Mount Holyoke.
Stella Chepkwony ’18
Major: Architecture
Internship Site: Independent project
Background/Interests: Chepkwony will be carrying out a self-designed internship in a women’s village in Kenya. Her focus is in empowering women and children through advocating for education and basic rights.
Kassy Dillon ’18
Major: International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies
Internship Site: The Office of Congressman Rod Blum
Background/Interests: A summer intern in the office of Congressman Rod Blum, Dillon is also a contributor to The Daily Wire, The Hill, and Campus Reform. She also owns her own publication called Lone Conservative, which one hundred students around the world contribute to. She is the Mount Holyoke College Republican president. She plans to pursue a career in journalism in the Middle East.
Sarah Eisner ’18
Major: East Asian Studies
Background/Interests: Eisner is a dedicated speaker of Mandarin Chinese and works on her proficiency even during the summer. She is interested in foreign policy and government and has studied abroad in China the past two summers. She also tries to make time for her friends and reads in her spare time.
Khadija El Karfi ’19
Majors: International Relations and French
Internship Site: Jerusalem Fund and Palestine Center
Background/Interests: A rising junior from Morocco, El Karfi is interested in pursuing graduate school or working for a couple of years before attending graduate school. El Karfi is very passionate about the politics of the Middle East and especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Interning at the Jerusalem Fund and Palestine Center, El Karfi hopes to learn more about this global conflict. El Karfi is founder of the Consulting Club on campus and is part of the Ways and Means Committee while serving as a community advisor.
Jessica Figueroa ’17
Major: Neuroscience and Behavior
Minor: Global Business
Background/Interests: Figueroa is a clinical research coordinator in the Department of Plastic Surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center, assisting physician investigators in conducting multiple clinical research studies and ensuring that all regulatory and protocol requirements are met. She recently graduated with honors in neuroscience and behavior and a global business Nexus minor. She hopes to pursue a dual graduate degree in medicine and business administration.
Roberta (Bobbie) Green ’19
Majors: Film Studies and Politics
Internship Site: National Geographic
Background/Interests: Green is a summer intern with National Geographic in their social media department and is grateful to be working under an alumna. She will also be working part time, doing research and developing a website for the Instituto Societas para Latinoamérica and will be going to Uruguay later this summer. This past year she was the public relations officer for the Student Government Association and is starting a new organization at MHC called the Mount Holyoke Broadcasting Channel. She loves filmmaking and hopes to become a cinematographer.
Romila Hussaini ’19
Majors: Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies
Internship Site: National Iranian American Council
Background/Interests: Hussaini is interning with the National Iranian American Council this summer and hopes to pursue a career in US foreign policy, specifically focusing on the Middle East. On campus she is on the Pre-Law Association Board and a member of the Model United Nations organization.
Sara Kamal ’18
Majors: Economics and Statistics
Internship Site: Good of All
Background/Interests: Kamal is passionate about protecting human rights and advancing economic development in disadvantaged societies. This summer she will be interning with Good of All, a nonprofit that aims to increase awareness regarding human rights violations around the globe. For the past three years she has been working with Kuch Karo: Pakistani Students for Change, a student organization that creates cultural and political awareness about Pakistan and raises funds to support education for underprivileged children in Pakistan. Kamal’s goal after college is to work for an international organization that helps women and children around the world fight injustice and obtain an education.
Ariya Lawson ’18
Majors: Psychology and Education
Minors: Education Policy and Practice
Internship Site: Democrats for Education Reform
Background/Interests: Lawson is a summer intern with Democrats for Education Reform, a political reform organization focused on supporting policies and governmental structures that will assist students, families, and greater communities in receiving access to better education and resources. She is a member of MHC’s varsity rowing team and The Nice Shoes a cappella group, and will begin her third year in the Office of Admission in the fall as a new Harriet Newhall Fellow. She hopes to pursue a career in education working as a public school teacher before eventually pursuing education policy work to improve the classrooms and communities in which she gained experience.
Yezi Liu ’19
Major: Economics
Minor: Asian Studies
Internship Site: Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
Background/Interests: Liu is a rising junior majoring in economics and minoring in East Asian studies. She is currently working for the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea as a research intern. At MHC she is the cochair of the organization China in Letters. Liu is interested in human rights issues and Asian culture, as well as the consulting and banking industry.
Natalie Lyon ’17
Major: Biology
Minor: Anthropology
Background/Interests: Lyon will be attending law school in the fall. She was a biology major and anthropology minor, as well as a four-year member of the volleyball team. She hopes to pursue patent law with a focus on biotechnology.
Sonia Mohammadzadah ’18
Major: English
Minor: Anthropology; Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice (Five College Certificate)
Internship Site: Advocates for Youth
Background/Interests: Mohammadzadah is a summer intern with Advocates for Youth, an organization that strives to help young people make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. She is a member of MHC’s V8s a cappella group and is a peer mentor in the Speaking, Arguing, and Writing Center. She hopes to land a career in the nonprofit sector, but is open to many options that will allow her to pursue her passion for social justice.
Laura Murphy ’17
Majors: Biology (pre-med) and Dance
Background/Interests: Murphy is a Sarah Williston Prize Winner. While at Mount Holyoke, Laura was heavily involved in the Dance Department and served as the treasurer and choreographer for TAAL, Mount Holyoke’s Bollywood Fusion dance team. In the fall she will be teaching at the Bethesda Conservatory of Dance and aspires to join a DC-based professional dance company.
Hoa Nguyen ’18
Major: Journalism and Mass Communication
Minor: French
Internship Site: Women in Public Service Project/Global Women’s Leadership Initiative at The Wilson Center
Background/Interests: Coming from Hanoi, Vietnam, Nguyen is a rising senior majoring in journalism and minoring in French. This summer she is working for the Global Women’s Leadership Initiative at The Wilson Center as a staff assistant intern. On campus, she writes for The Mount Holyoke News and works as a peer advisor at the Career Development Center. When not writing, Nguyen usually spends time with Vietnamese Student Association sisters and with members of the MHC fencing team. Her dream job is become a foreign correspondent for an international newspaper.
Sofia Rivera ’18
Major: International Relations
Minor: Politics (American)
Internship Site: American Foreign Service Association
Background/Interests: Rivera is majoring in international relations with a focus in global commons, and a concentration in the areas of international cooperation and conflict over natural resources and protection of the environment, population growth and international migration, urbanization, and international health. She is also minoring in American politics, with a focus in popular conflicts over private rights and material interests, racial, class, and gender inequality, and public goods. Having previously worked as a legislative intern for Congressman Bobby L. Rush, she is the awards and outreach intern for the American Foreign Service Association.
Sabine Rogers ’18
Majors: Environmental Studies and French
Internship Site: US Green Building Council
Background/Interests: Rogers is a summer intern with the US Green Building Council’s new Arc platform, which incorporates data tracking, performance rating, and certification to support improvements in the sustainability of buildings and cities. She is an environmental studies research assistant at MHC and a peer mentor with the Speaking, Arguing, and Writing Center on campus. She hopes to pursue a career in urban sustainability.
Julia Rycyna ’17
Major: Biological Science and East Asian Studies
Background/Interests: Rycyna was a member of the martial art club on campus and plans to continue with the martial art after graduating. Her interests are in plant biology and she would love to continue researching plants whether it relate to conservation or agriculture. She has thought that studying traditional Chinese medicine would combine her interests in biology and East Asian studies.
Kyra Seiger ’19
Major: Biology
Minor: Romance Languages
Internship Site: Institute of Cell Engineering at Johns Hopkins
Background/Interests: Seiger is interning at the Institute of Cell Engineering at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She is currently working on a research project to identify small molecules that promote the maintenance of stemness in human induced pluripotent stem cells. She is interested in pursuing medical research in stem cell biology/regenerative medicine with a focus on cancer or spinal cord injury/nervous system disorders. Outside of her studies, she is part of The Mount Holyoke News and Planned Parenthood teams.
Fareeha Shamim ’18
Majors: Economics and International Relations
Internship Site: International Center for Religion and Diplomacy
Background/Interests: Shamim is a summer intern with the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, an organization working to bridge religious considerations and international politics to support peacemaking.
Anna Shortridge ’19
Major: Politics
Internship Site: Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Background/Interests: Shortridge is a summer intern with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a standing committee in the Senate that deals with foreign policy legislation. Later this summer she will be interning with the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade. At MHC, Anna plays the French horn in the Mount Holyoke Symphony Orchestra and is a writer for The Mount Holyoke News. Though she is not set on a specific career path, she is interested in journalism, foreign affairs, and US politics.
Minahil Tauseef ’19
Major: International Relations
Minor: Law, Public Policy, and Human Rights
Internship Site: International Foundation for Electoral Systems
Background/Interests: Tauseef is a rising junior currently interning with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, an international, nonprofit organization that provides assistance and support for elections in new and emerging democracies. She is working specifically in the gender and elections department, which works towards increasing the political participation of women. She is a member of MHCMUN and has chaired model UN conferences both in Pakistan and the US. Her other interests include traveling, photography, and political journalism.
Emma Thackray ’18
Major: Physics
Minor: Math
Internship Site: University of Maryland
Background/Interests: Thackray is spending the summer performing research on the physics behind ocean currents and underwater vehicles at the University of Maryland in College Park. Thackray is a member of Mount Holyoke’s ice hockey team and Society of Physics Students chapter. Thackray is most interested in careers at the intersection of math, physics, engineering, and computer science.
Victoria Turnbill ’17
Major: Biology
Internship Site: The Madeira School
Background/Interests: Turnbill has just graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a degree in biology. She is currently working as a horseback riding instructor at The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia, while actively pursuing research positions and internships. She plans to apply to a number of PhD programs in biology with the end goal being a career in evolutionary and physiological research. While at MHC she worked in Dr. Brennan’s lab dissecting various vertebrate specimens, creating and editing 3D models using Autodesk Remake, and assisting with other lab procedures to further understand the influence of evolutionary mechanisms on the reproductive organs of different species.
Alumnae Attendees:
Mariam Aamir ’16
Company: Atlantic Media Company-National Journal
Title: Research Fellow, Policy Brands Roundtable
Undergraduate Major: Economics
Daniella Acosta ’16
Company: Booz Allen Hamilton
Title: Operations Management Analyst
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Other Degree: Data Science, The George Washington University
Patricia Perkins Andringa ’66
Company: Self-employed
Title: Consultant
Undergraduate Major: Political Science/Government
Grace Barkhuff ’16
Company: Appian
Title: Quality Engineer
Undergraduate Major: Mathematics
Tarana Bhatia ’15
Company: Booz Allen Hamilton
Title: Senior Consultant
Undergraduate Major: International Relations
Rebecca Brenner ’15
Company: American University DC
Title: Teaching Assistant
Undergraduate Majors: History and Philosophy
Other Degree: History, American University DC
Karen Buckley-Camp ’82
Company: Capitol Financial Partners
Title: Financial Advisor and Planner
Undergraduate Major: International relations
Other Degree: Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin
Kianga Bunch-Thompson ’14
Undergraduate Major: Psychology
Heather Cogswell ’08
Company: Abt Associates
Title: Associate
Undergraduate Major: Neuroscience and Behavior
Other Degree: Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Gail Coleman ’68
Undergraduate Major: Economics
Other Degree: Law, Boston University
Amy Coyle ’97
Company: US Department of Transportation
Title: Senior Attorney
Undergraduate Major: Music
Secondary Educational Institution: Fairfield University
Ann Croft ’95
Company: CompuQuest Inc.
Title: Operations Manager
Undergraduate Major: Psychology and Education
Other Degree: Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University
Sally Donner ’63
Undergraduate Major: Political Science/Government
Julie Dwyer ’85
Company: US Senator Chair McCaskill (D-MO)
Title: Chief of Staff
Undergraduate Major: Politics
Radley Emes ’00
Company: Emes Investments
Title: Property Manager
Undergraduate Major: Politics
Other Degree: Law, Catholic University America
Erin Ennis ’92
Company: US-China Business Council
Title: Senior Vice President
Undergraduate Major: International Relations
Other Degree: International relations, Catholic University America
Danielle Germain ’92
Company: Booz Allen Hamilton
Title: Chief of Staff, FED
Undergraduate Major: Politics
Other Degree: International Relations, Johns Hopkins University
Sarah Gruber ’06
Undergraduate Major: Environmental Studies
Other Degree: Public health, Tulane University
Caitlin Gullickson ’10
Company: CLS Strategies
Title: Managing Associate
Undergraduate Majors: History and Politics
Karen Hendricks ’76
Company: US Senate
Title: Constituent Services/Community Liaison
Undergraduate Major: Political Science/Government
Other Degree: Law, New York University
Katherine Howard ’85
Company: Seewald Consulting
Title: Principle
Undergraduate Major: International Relations
Other Degree: Law, Georgetown University
Quyen Huynh ’00
Company: Treasury Department, Office of Tax Policy
Title: Associate International Tax Counsel
Undergraduate Majors: Geology and Politics
Secondary Educational Institution: University of San Diego
Kelley Page Jibrell ’99
Company: Sachem Global
Title: President/Global Advisor
Undergraduate Majors: Critical Social Thought and Spanish
Other Degree: Business Administration, Howard University
Ariel Kagan ’11
Company: George Washington University
Title: Senior Program Associate
Undergraduate Major: Economics
Other Degree: Economics, University of British Columbia
Julia Karron ’15
Company: MedTech College
Title: Podcast Producer and Editorial Intern
Undergraduate Major: Special Major
Other Degree: Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park
Kimberly Kedziorek ’98
Company: Mount Holyoke College, Office of Advancement
Title: Senior Leadership Gifts Officer
Undergraduate Major: American Studies
Laura Khor ’05
Company: Osgood Center for International Studies
Title: Associate Director
Undergraduate Majors: Politics and Religion
Other Degree: International Relations, University of Saint Andrews
Madeline Kirsch ’15
Undergraduate Major: Politics
Lydie Ky ’06
Company: Save the Children
Title: Program Manager
Undergraduate Major: Economics
Secondary Educational Institution: Adirondack Community College
Anne Davis Livingston ’79
Company: Department of Justice, Medical Clinic
Title: Registered Nurse
Undergraduate Major: Urban Studies
Other Degree: Urban Studies, San Diego State University
Meg Massey ’08
Company: Urban Institute
Title: Outreach and Communications Manager
Undergraduate Major: English
Other Degree: Government, Georgetown University
Melissa Miller ’04
Company: Department of Homeland Security
Title: Refuge Officer
Undergraduate Major: German Studies
Other Degree: International Affairs, Texas A&M University
Isabel Hale Mogstad ’13
Company: Environmental Defense Fund, Corporate Partnerships Program
Title: Analyst
Undergraduate Major: International Relations
Julia Montiel ’16
Company: Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
Title: Civil Rights Paralegal
Undergraduate Major: Psychology
Sarah Murphy ’12
Company: Discovery Communications Inc.
Title: Scheduling Specialist
Undergraduate Major: Special Major
Taylor Nelson ’09
Company: Partners of the Americas
Title: Assistant Director
Undergraduate Major: Art Studio
Secondary Educational Institution: Georgetown University
Marisa Peacock ’01
Company: Strategic Peacock
Title: Owner
Undergraduate Major: Psychology
Other Degree: American Studies, Georgetown University
Matti Saidy-Donkor ’05
Company: Miss Porter’s School
Title: Assistant Director of Admission
Undergraduate Major: African American and African Studies
Other Degree: Education, Columbia University Teachers College
Alyssa Sheets ’15
Company: Booz Allen Hamilton
Title: Senior Consultant
Undergraduate Major: Politics
Anna Sillers ’12
Company: Economic Development Council
Title: Researcher
Undergraduate Major: Economics
Other Degree: Public Policy, Georgetown University
Michelle Spafford ’06
Company: NORC at the University of Chicago
Title: Research Scientist
Undergraduate Major: English
Other Degree: International Relations, University of California-San Diego
Beiji Suonan ’15
Undergraduate Major: Environmental Studies
Other Degree: Environmental Studies, George Washington University
Gretchen Sweeney ’02
Company: Arc Skoru/USGBC
Title: Vice President
Undergraduate Major: Classics
Secondary Educational Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Alice Tetelman ’62
Undergraduate Major: Political Science/Government
Charlene van Dijk ’07
Company: Federal Reserve System
Title: Community Development Oversight Analyst
Undergraduate Major: History
Secondary Educational Institution: Georgetown University
Victoria Wachino ’89
Industry: Consulting
Undergraduate Major: History
Other Degree: Public Policy, Harvard University
Mary Lee Warren ’64
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Other Degree: Law, Boston College
June 8, 2017
