EFAN WU
I grew up in San Diego and studied at Chinese school every Saturday from age 5 until age 17. I graduated from college in 2010 and have been in China since August 2010. I've been working with IFChina Original Studio & Participatory Documentary Center in Ji'an, Jiangxi Province. Part of my experience here in China has involved learning how to document history, life, and culture through film, photography, oral histories, and theatre.
MICHAEL SEDURIFA
I am a graduating SDSU International Business student working as a project coordinator with the Confucius Institute at SDSU. I am both multicultural and multilingual, being fluent in English, Tagalog (Filipino), Spanish, and learning Mandarin Chinese. My short term goal is to live in China for a year to teach English and become fluent in Chinese at the same time, which I am striving to achieve in the next 5 years. My vision is to see myself harnessing my language abilities to influence the world positively through involvement in international athletic spectacles as the Olympics and World Cup.
KATIE ARNOLD
I grew up in Metro Detroit, in a city called Birmingham. What was particularly interesting about my area is that the public middle school and high school both offered Chinese, thus sparking my interest in learning about the Chinese language and culture. I attended Michigan State University and received a B.A. in Psychology. I am currently an English Teacher in Hangzhou, China and I plan on continuing to teach for the next few years and then returning to America to get my teaching certificate. My goal for the program is to learn about global issues that are affecting youth worldwide and then focus on a specific issue and learn about what I can do from my position internationally.
NORMA GARCIA
I am a first generation college student majoring in psychology and criminal justice. I was raised in Hanford, California, in the San Juaquin Valley. I plan on attending graduate school to be able to become a clinical psychologist in the juvenile and prison system. I am currently event commissioner in the SDSU Imperial Valley Associated Students, and was elected secretary for next year. I am the chairperson for SDSU IV Cesar Chavez National Blood Drive. I am a strongly motivated and dedicated person, who is always open to new ideas and cultures.
RYAN OKAMURO
Currently a senior graduating in May 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in International Business, I have studied in China for a year and had an internship as assistant operations manager at a biotech company in Beijing last summer. My goal after graduation is to move to China and work for an import and export company. This conference will help me achieve my goals not only by strengthening my leadership skills and having a better understanding of China, but also I will use this newly acquired knowledge to bring change to the world.
JEFF KAEMMERLING
From competing in International student language competitions to traveling to Honduras, giving medical care to the locals, I am constantly searching for ways to expand my mind, global understanding, and leadership/management skills. I achieved a semester GPA of 3.8 in the fall of 2010 and have a cumulative 3.2. My current major is International Business emphasizing in Chinese and I simply could not love it any more than I do now. Eventually I wish to become active in venture capitalism, philanthropy, and politics; obtaining my MBA, and then a PhD in Organizational Behavior, to eventually lead a career in public service/ international relations. My goal with this trip is to become further connected globally, gain invaluable experience in education and service, as well as refine my leadership and management skills in a foreign country.
JUSTIN ALSAMARRAI
I grew up in Cupertino, California, and have been privileged to grow up with a multicultural family: my father is from Iraq and my mother was born and raised in Kansas. This spring I graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in International Business, and an emphasis in Chinese Language and Asia-Pacific Studies. I have a strong interest in sustainability and alternative energy, and plan to start a business in China that will bring positive change to the environment and wildlife. I feel honored being given an opportunity to share my voice, and I look forward to meeting and interacting with the people introduced to me through this event.
KRISTIAN SALGADO
Presently, I am a sophomore studying at San Diego State University, Imperial Valley Campus working toward my bachelors in psychology. My future goal is to become an industrial organizational psychologist that works for an environmental corporation. This field of work incorporates both my love for the environment and psychology. In addition to my studies, I am also an Associated Student Council Senator for the Sustainability Committee where I work on campus and in the community by educating people on environmental issues. This summer it will be a great opportunity to represent San Diego State University at the International Youth Festival 2011 in Beijing, China. My main objective for this trip is to learn and grow as a leader and student while working with other ambitious individuals that care about social and cultural issues.
HA TU
I am currently a senior at San Diego State University studying International Business with an emphasis in Chinese and Management. Although I was born in Thailand, I am of full Chinese descent with the ability to speak three different languages. My interests and passions lie within the cultural and historical aspects of each nation. I find great joy in studying culture as well as the people who embody it. My goals for the program are to avidly promote the further advancement of education through cultural emersions as well as cross-cultural leadership experiences. Through my participation in this program, I hope to gain skills that would help promote my future endeavors as an international management consultant. With a rapidly globalizing Earth, there is nothing more important to me than being part of this driving force to better our world.
KAMAAL MAJEED
I grew up in the suburbs of Boston, MA, but after finishing high school in 2008, I moved to San Diego, CA, where I now live, work, and go to school. I'm a third-year senior at San Diego State University, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in linguistics, with minors in Spanish and Chinese. I was also a contestant in the 9th annual Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in May 2010 Based on my performance in the competition's regional preliminary round in San Diego, I was invited to and participated in the Chinese Bridge Visiting Camp in Changsha, China in summer 2010. I also formally studied French, Italian and Latin, and continue to study those languages in my spare time. I hope to use my skills in that area to give back to others in the future, by being a teacher, translator and/or interpreter.
