Global Educators Program

Mae is a PhD 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 PhD, 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 played a crucial part in our Travel Around the World event with her welcoming and engaging presence and showed her prowess as a T-shirt folding aficionado.

Ebube is a Ph.D. student in Information Science interested in educational technologies for rural communities. She is from Nigeria, and is very interested in showcasing the African heritage through her volunteering services in the University of Illinois, and beyond. She is passionate about understanding the intricacies that make-up rural community conditions especially as it has to do with education and technologies. In her spare time, she enjoys experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen and loves traveling as a way to learn more about other cultures. Ebube contributed to continuing our annual Thanksgiving dinner tradition, where she shared the holiday spirit and made guests feel at ease while greeting and inviting them with her natural friendliness and kindness.

Hossein Omidi Ardali, a PhD 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. Hossein has facilitated a highly educational and informative Farsi Names Training, where he taught faculty and staff about the pronunciation and cultural significance of Farsi names.

Sohyeon Kim is a PhD candidate in Recreation, Sport and Tourism. Her research focuses on the role of technology and online spaces in leisure to improve health and well-being. She is passionate about sharing leisure cultures and organizing intercultural events that everyone can enjoy. Sohyeon comes from South Korea, and a fun fact about her is that she once played an online game for more than 12 hours non-stop! Sohyeon has enthusiastically taken the opportunity to share about Korean culture through Travel Around the World, where she engaged student ‘traveling’ visitors with fun facts, popular music, and hands-on games from South Korea that the audience loved.

Chin-Hsuan (Sharon) Cheng is a D.M.A. student in piano performance and literature, with a cognate in piano pedagogy. As a Taiwanese student at UIUC, she is committed to connecting and forming friendships with individuals worldwide while also sharing her knowledge of Taiwanese culture. Toward this end, she has served as a student blogger in the School of Music and spoken at a national conference to share her experiences as an international student as well as perform music by Taiwanese composers. 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 has played an instrumental role in facilitating our annual Indoor World Cup tournament, where she made registration and running of the event as smooth and efficient as possible.

Rohit Ananthanarayana is a 4th-year PhD 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 UIUC 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 our programs including Weathering the Winter, where he assisted with registration and directed students toward proper resources so that all who attended could have an enjoyable educational and social experience.

Maryam is a PhD 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’s always open to connect to play and enjoy some games. Additionally, she is passionate about socializing with people from around the world and exchanging cultures and traditions. Because of this, you’ll often find her at cultural events on campus. She also enjoys getting involved in organizing and is always lending a helping hand with our events. Her many contributions include the International Scholar Reception, where she engaged scholars in a welcoming manner and helped facilitate discussions that allowed them to connect over their shared and varying experiences.

Moris Ji is a sophomore at the University of Illinois, double majoring in Accountancy and Information Systems. Originally from China, Moris is passionate about learning about different cultures and connecting with like-minded peers, drawing from her own experiences as an international student. In addition to her academic pursuits, Moris enjoys playing tennis, painting and spending time with her pets! Through her involvement in campus programs, she aims to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for students from diverse backgrounds. Moris has shared meaningful insights from her culture during International Education Week through a Chinese Names training attended widely by over a hundred students, faculty, and staff.