Global Educators Program

Mae Mercado 

Mae is a Ph.D. Candidate in Crop Sciences working on heat stress tolerance and photosynthesis evolution in different grass species. She is from the Philippines, and since she moved to U of I for her Ph.D., she has been interested in participating and organizing events that connects people from different cultures, as well as sharing about her home country to anyone willing to listen. As a scientist, she is passionate about plant science research and ensuring that research is communicated in an accessible way to everyone. While she loves being in the lab, she is also interested in playing the ukulele, singing and brush pen calligraphy. Mae has offered her cultural knowledge and expertise on the nuance and significance of Filipino naming culture through co-facilitating a Spanish and Filipino Names training. 

Ebubechukwu Uba 

Ebube is a doctoral student in Information Science and is interested in educational technologies for rural communities. She is from Nigeria and takes pride in showcasing her African heritage through her volunteering services on campus and beyond. She recently received the C-U Scholar Awards for her service in addressing the Champaign-Urbana community’s needs. She was a major contributor to the planning and execution of SquILL Game, as she helped test and plan logistics behind the physical activities, narrated explanation for the initial round of games, and refereed the teamplay. 

Hossein Omidi Ardali 

Hossein Omidi Ardali, a Ph.D. student in Computational Biochemistry from Iran, is passionate about fostering inclusivity, equity, and cross-cultural understanding as a Global Educator. Drawing inspiration from the rich Persian history and culture, including Shahnameh and visionary leaders like Cyrus and Xerxes the Great, as well as the principles of Martin Luther King Jr., he advocates for justice, equality, and peaceful advocacy. An avid reader of leadership books and poetry, Hossein believes in the transformative power of knowledge and dialogue to create a more inclusive and equitable future. In his role as a Global Educator, Hossein acted as a student representative to welcome new incoming international students through filming video resources created for Pre-Arrival Orientations. 

Sohyeon Kim 

Sohyeon  Kim is a Ph.D. candidate in Recreation, Sports, and Tourism whose interests lie in investigating the interplay of technology and leisure. Her research explores how digital engagement impacts the risks and benefits of leisure activities. Originally from South Korea, she is interested in organizing recreational events that use Korean traditional and pop culture to connect the campus community and provide healthy, positive experiences. She loves hiking and has visited several national parks in the US, including Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Redwood, the Everglades, Mammoth Cave, and Indiana Dunes. Sohyeon was the mastermind who initially sparked the idea behind SquILL Game and was a key member in the planning, coordination, and design that launched this successful University-wide event of thrill and competitive play where students competed in teams of four to win various prizes. 

Chin-Hsuan Cheng 

Chin-Hsuan (Sharon) Cheng is a D.M.A. student in piano performance and literature, with a cognate in piano pedagogy. She is also the 2025 Krannert Center debut artist. As a Taiwanese student at Illinois, she is committed to connecting and forming friendships with individuals worldwide while also sharing her knowledge of Taiwanese culture. To preserve and share her heritage, she always includes Taiwanese piano compositions in her recital programs, participated as a student blogger in the School of Music, and has spoken at a national conference to share her experiences as an international student. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and social dancing, and during breaks, she plans trips (usually solo) throughout the United States and particularly likes to visit state capitol buildings to learn about the history of each state. Chin-Hsuan co-organized the Taiwanese Intercultural Spotlight, where she introduced students and faculty alike to various aspects of Taiwanese culture, including transportation, education, entertainment, festivals, and the regional landscape. 

Rohit Ananthanarayana 

Rohit Ananthanarayana is a 4^th-year Ph.D. in speech and hearing science. He is from India and grew up in the city of Bangalore. He enjoys volunteering and interacting with new people. He fondly remembers the days when he was new to Illinois and how he benefited from the events that ISSS and other units on campus organized for international students. As a Global Educator, Rohit wishes to give back and help other students feel the same sense of community that he did. In his spare time, Rohit likes to crochet and play the violin. And a fun fact – his current favorite tea flavor is matcha! Rohit has been an avid supporter of ISSS programming and his contributions include coordinating and brainstorming for the SquILL Game event, as well as helping facilitate the February Coffee Across Cultures event, where he prepared information on the history and practices of Valentine’s Day and other traditional celebrations of love and romance around the world. 

Jing-Mei Ke 

Jing-Mei is a Master’s student in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from Taiwan. She is passionate about subjects like motivation, engagement, and development, and is excited to join the Global Educators Program to help build a more connected and welcoming campus. As someone who loves talking to people and learning from different perspectives, she is eager to foster meaningful conversations across cultures. A big foodie, she also enjoys traveling, social dancing, and recently picked up rock climbing! Jing-Mei helped facilitate the ISSS spring trip to Mammoth Cave, where she engaged students and kept morale high through adventurous terrains, stayed up late into the night to pack sandwiches for the group, and kept everyone hydrated and fueled with snacks throughout the trip. 

Yitian Gao

Yitian is an undergraduate student majoring in Statistics and Computer Science. She is originally from China. Her interest in building global connections was sparked by growing up listening to music from around the world. Yitian leads an active school life, participating in hackathons as well as analyzing data and cases. Outside of her specialized courses, she enjoys painting, especially Chinese brush painting. She also likes to go to the ARC to work out and design interactive games for her favorite characters or idols. She joined the Global Educators program because she is passionate about communicating and organizing events to contribute to a more connected educational community, and desired to hone her organizational skills. Yitian facilitated the end-of-semester Global Educators potluck, where she organized a song guessing activity that kept the whole cohort engaged through exploring various cultures through music. 

Lily Chiken

Lily Chiken is a freshman majoring in sociology. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Lily has been studying abroad in the United States since sixth grade, which has shaped her deep appreciation for cultural exchange and global connection. She is excited to join the Global Educators Program because it offers a platform to share her Japanese heritage, engage in meaningful cross-cultural dialogue, and take initiative in planning inclusive events. Through this program, Lily hopes to develop her cross-cultural communication skills, grow as a leader, and gain new perspectives by learning from peers with diverse backgrounds. She looks forward to contributing her enthusiasm, international experience, and love for connecting with others to help foster a welcoming and globally minded campus. A fun fact about Lily is that she has a secret talent for finding the best dessert spots in any city she visits. Lily organized the April Coffee Across Cultures event, where she highlighted Japanese and East Asian spring traditions, as well as led a cherry blossom origami and traditional lantern making activity. 

Shreya Ahuja

Shreya Ahuja is a graduate student in Finance from India with a deep passion for building friendships across cultures. Actively involved in campus life, she regularly participates in multicultural events and volunteers her time to support various initiatives. A natural host and speaker, Shreya has showcased her talents by emceeing major events such as Bollywood Night in Fall ‘24 and Discover India in Spring ‘25 at Illinois. Outside of her academic and social commitments, she enjoys crocheting, painting, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen. As a Global Educator, she has regularly attended our monthly Coffee Across Cultures series and helped facilitate the activity times through engaging and interacting with participants in various crafts and hands-on activities. 

Ashley Li

Ashley is a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, currently planning to major in Biochemistry. Originally from Shenzhen, China, and now residing in the Whampoa district of Hong Kong, she is passionate about science and hopes to pursue a career in dentistry. Ashley is excited to be part of the Global Educators program to connect with peers from different backgrounds, learn from others’ experiences, and share her own journey as a pre-dental international student. Outside of academics, she enjoys traveling, exploring new cafés, and taking photos of beautiful places. She also loves organizing travel itineraries and is always looking for the best food spots in every city she visits. Ashley played a crucial role in the Illini on Ice event, where she kept snacks stocked in constant supply and welcomed students in a friendly and engaging atmosphere.

Maryam Fakhari

Maryam is a Ph.D. student from Iran in the College of Applied Health Sciences. Her research focuses on movement behaviors and the impact of physical activity on human health. She is a big fan of sports and enjoys playing activities like badminton, table tennis, chess, volleyball, swimming, and fitness exercises. If you’re looking for someone to play sports with during your leisure time, she is always open to connect to enjoy some games. Additionally, she is passionate about socializing with people from around the world and exchanging cultures and traditions. She often attends cultural events across campus, and also enjoys getting involved in organizing and lending a helping hand with various events. As a Global Educator, Maryam joined the Pow Wow Trip to Chicago, where she provided organizational support and engaged students in a meaningful cultural experience. 

Ruohan Pan

Ruohan Pan is a freshman at the University of Illinois, majoring in Statistics. Originally from China, Ruohan is passionate about cultural exchange and creating inclusive spaces on campus. As an international student, Ruohan values the importance of cross-cultural understanding and joined the Global Educators program to connect with students from diverse backgrounds and help foster a sense of belonging. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with animals and creating music. Ruohan co-facilitated the Coffee Across Cultures series in March, where she presented the history behind and cultural traditions of celebrating International Women’s Day around the world. 

Salma Et Olmani

Salma is a first-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science, originally from Morocco. She is passionate about building bridges between cultures and creating inclusive spaces where people from diverse backgrounds can learn from one another. As an international student, she knows how valuable it is to feel seen and supported, and she is excited to contribute to fostering that experience for others. The Global Educators Program offers her a unique platform to share her culture while developing leadership and intercultural communication skills—both of which are important to her personally and professionally. When she is not chasing down research ideas, she is probably in the kitchen, baking up something experimental (her favorite kind of creative chaos) —think Moroccan flavors with a twist. And yes, she takes her Moroccan mint tea very seriously: fresh mint only, no tea bags in sight! Salma was the star of the show at the first annual Celebration of Africa event, where she modeled in the fashion runway segment and represented clothing from her native country Morocco. 

Eva Lam Redondo

Eva is a master’s student in Latin American Studies. Born in Mexico, raised in Colombia and having lived in Barcelona for ten years, she brings a rich perspective shaped by migration, multilingualism, and cross-cultural experiences. She is passionate about the different layers of heritage, communication and identity, and joined the Global Educators Program to foster inclusive spaces for intercultural dialogue. Through the program, she hopes to challenge stereotypes and connect with people from all over the world by sharing stories and perspectives that are often overlooked. A fun fact about her is that she loves pop culture and strives to find the intersections between academic theory and everyday humor. Eva shared her insight on regional variations and cultural traditions behind Spanish names in Spanish-speaking countries through the Spanish and Filipino Names training held this semester. 

Yongyang Pan

Yongyang Pan is a master’s student studying Electrical and Computer Engineering. Originally from China, Yongyang is passionate about cultural exchange and connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds, driven by a strong desire to learn about different cultures. He is interested in this program as an opportunity to engage in meaningful cultural exchange and broaden his perspective. In addition to his academic pursuits, he enjoys watching football and is a devoted fan of FC Barcelona. Yongyang attended the Amish Trip as a Global Educator facilitator, where he helped manage check-in, guided people into group activities and provided logistical support that helped make this cultural experience smooth and engaging for all. 

Shambhavi Joshi

Shambhavi Joshi is from Pune, Maharashtra, India, and currently pursuing a Master of Science in Technology Management at Illinois. She is passionate about cultural exchange and believes that learning about different backgrounds broadens our perspective of the world. She is especially interested in how communication helps bridge cultural gaps and foster mutual understanding. Being in a diverse environment excites her, and she loves hearing people’s stories as well as sharing her own. She enjoys engaging with communities and sees the Global Educators Program as a great platform to promote cross-cultural awareness. Outside academics, she loves directing and writing theater plays and is a trained Indian classical Kathak dancer. Shambhavi supported the Illini on Ice event by managing registration, welcoming students with her natural friendliness and directing students toward proper resources to create an enjoyable educational and social experience. 

Wayne Chi

Wayne is a freshman majoring in Systems Engineering and Design and an international student from Taiwan. He is passionate about bridging cultures, coordinating events, and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds. Wayne aspires to become a modern Renaissance man, who embraces and applies a wide range of skills gained through new challenges. Outside of academics, Wayne is a foodie and an outdoors enthusiast. He enjoys trying cuisines from around the world and plays several sports, including baseball, golf, and volleyball. As a Global Educator, Wayne has been actively involved in various activities, including the Taiwanese Intercultural Spotlight, where he enthralled the entire audience with cultural insights about his native country and provided helpful local tips, especially regarding food – the most important part. 

• Chin-Hsuan Cheng
• Ebubechukwu Uba
• Hossein Omidi Ardali
• Mae Mercado
• Maryam Fakhari
• Moris Ji
• Rohit Ananthanarayana
• Sohyeon Kim