What brought you to DePaul?
I’m originally from Iowa, so I really wanted to go to a big city environment. I wanted an immersive experience in the city rather than a college town, so I chose Chicago. What I liked about DePaul was that they have good research opportunities.
What inspired you to pursue criminology, international studies and global Asian studies?
I started off with my major in criminology and although I really enjoyed it, I wanted to branch out into something with more discussion-based classes. I wanted to engage more with professors working in academia, so I tested out international studies and ended up really loving it. It’s become my primary major.
I started my minor in Global Asian Studies by accident. I took a class with Dr. Maureen Sioh in the fall of my junior year at DePaul. It was “international regional development and inequality.” I really enjoyed Dr. Sioh’s teaching style, so I continued taking classes with her. This led me to minor in Global Asian Studies.
What is your favorite memory during your time at DePaul?
I had such a great experience on my study abroad trip with Dr. Lisa Mahoney. She taught a class called “Jerusalem: City of tombs, temples and tensions” and we went to Jerusalem for about 10 days. That was the most integrated I’ve been within the DePaul community. I enjoyed the food. We went to the Banksy Museum, which was enlightening, and it taught me a lot.
What kind of research have you done at DePaul?
I published my first paper, “The value of invisible work: women and the double burden,” through the college of liberal arts and social sciences undergraduate journal, Creating Knowledge in 2023.
I worked closely with former professor Dr. Kunza Shakil and she’s part of the reason I ended up exploring international studies as a second major. This paper was very important for me because it felt rewarding to see my work printed out with my name stamped on it.
I’ve also done a lot of work on settler colonialism, resource-based conflicts, and feminist social movements. I wrote a piece about settler colonialism in the United States and its transition from the political philosopher John Locke of the 1600s to other concepts of natural rights, like citizenship.
My current senior thesis is about the radical feminist social movements in South Korea and how they’re unique due to South Korea’s historical context.
What do you find rewarding about driving social advocacy through your research?
I am always in pursuit of knowledge, and the core of social justice is challenging traditional hierarchies of knowledge. Research is an avenue for me to tangibly challenge these power structures, and I’ve always been passionate about sharing my worldviews through writing.
Are there any professors you look up to?
One professor I admire is Dr. Shira Malik, who taught me the power of imagination. I garnered a lot of experience in the imaginativeness and depth of the work and readings that she provides. She also helped me better understand the art of teaching, pedagogy and how to shape people’s experiences with the words you’re saying. She’s one of the best professors I’ve had at DePaul.
What are you doing after graduation?
My dream has always been to be a teacher, so I’m considering getting a degree to be a high school teacher for a short period of time and then possibly exploring other career paths.
What advice would you give new students?
I was a Chicago Quarter mentor for two years and I worked a lot with freshmen in the honors program. I really loved that experience because I struggled in my transition to college. Having a mentor is important.
I recommend students take social studies classes, especially those students studying STEM and business. I also think it’s important to not be singularly defined by one area of study, so having an interdisciplinary understanding of the world from multiple perspectives is fruitful.
Meet more of the Class of 2025 here.