William & Mary

Washington Center

Fall 2014 Scholars

	Leonymae Aumentado '15 Leonymae Aumentado is currently a junior at the College of William & Mary from Newport News, Virginia. She is double-majoring in Economics and Public Policy and hopes to use her education to analyze and evaluate the micro effects of social and economic policies. On campus, Leonymae is a research assistant in the Economics Department and an active volunteer for Campus Kitchens. She interned for W&M alum Senator Jill Vogel during the 2014 Virginia General Assembly session. In addition, she has advocated and lobbied for issues concerning higher education. In her spare time, she enjoys watching reality television, cooking, and spending time with friends. Leonymae is very excited for the opportunity to study development policy in Washington, D.C.
	Rukmini Bhugra '17 Rukmini Bhugra is an international student from Egypt and a freshman at the college. She is excited to do the program as a sophomore as it means getting a head start on discovering International Relations beyond the walls of a classroom. Having spent a summer interning at an NGO in India and dipping her feet into the waters of entrepreneurship in line with development in high school by starting her own business, she is excited to take her skills into the program and push them up to the next level. She hopes to major in International Relations and Management and Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Entrepreneurship, but this is definitely subject to change given the various areas she will get a chance to explore through the program.
	Anna Brichacek '16 Anna Brichacek is currently a sophomore at the College of William and Mary pursuing a double major in History and Government. She is from Cleveland, Ohio where she graduated from Laurel School. On campus, Anna is involved with primary and middle school tutoring through College Partnership for Kids. She also raises funds for the College through her position as a caller for Phonathon. Anna is a member of Kappa Delta sorority and she is the Greek liaison for SafeZone. She is excited to get the chance to spend the semester in D.C. meeting and getting to work with our nations best.
	Brendan Brits '16 Brendan Brits is a junior at the College of William and Mary, pursuing a degree in Accounting and Finance. He is passionate about finding ways to use these business skills to contribute to the field of global development, a desire which arose from his experiences witnessing extreme need in Southern and Eastern Africa throughout his life. At William and Mary, he is on the leadership team for the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, and in his free time he enjoys playing guitar and following the hometown Boston sports teams. He looks forward to spending a semester living and working in DC and learning as much as he can from the program.
	Dominic Burkett '16 Dominic Burkett is a sophomore at the College of William and Mary, where is pursuing a major in Government as well as an intended minor in History. From Chesapeake, Virginia, he is a graduate of Norfolk Academy. Outside of classes he is a member of the William and Mary Track and Field team that he competes for as a sprinter, jumper, and hurdler; and he is also a member of the African American Male Coalition (AAMC). His goal is to practice law at home in Chesapeake, but after falling in love with the College's Government department has heard about the life changing experiences that Washington D.C. has to offer, both in terms of as a person and potential careers. He is looking forward to a first hand experience in a professional setting, and is excited to learn in the unique environment that is the nation's capital. Dominic also enjoys football (which he played for a season at the College), watching television shows (his favorites include The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and Suits), and reading.
	Ruixing Cao '16 Ruixing Cao is currently a sophomore majoring in International Relations at College of William & Mary. Originally from Taiyuan, China, he attended American University during his freshman year and then transfer to William & Mary. He is excited to have the chance to live in DC again. He really likes the international atmosphere of DC and hopes to find an internship in an institution focusing on development issues. In his free time, he enjoys reading and traveling. After college, he wishes to pursue an advanced degree in International Affairs and work for an international organization.
	Stephanie Dimos '15 Stephanie Dimos is a senior at the College of William and Mary. originally from Indianapolis, IN. She is pursuing a major in International Relations and minor in Management and Organizational Leadership. On campus she is a member of Kappa Delta sorority, a tutor with Project Phoenix, a Peer Advisor, and an intern at AidData. She is extremely interested in international development, and hopes to learn more about policy options for promoting democratic rule, access to education, and economic empowerment in the developing world.
	Genevieve "Gennie" Duncan '16 Gennie Duncan is a rising junior at the College of William & Mary from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is pursuing a self-designed major titled International Community Development, where she focuses on the process of development in third world countries. Gennie also hopes to minor in finance in the Mason School of Business. She is very interested in the concept of microfinancing and its potential to empower those in developing countries. On campus, she is a tutor for Literacy for Life, member of Kappa Alpha Theta, and completed independent research on low income and public housing in the Williamsburg area during summer 2013. In her spare time she enjoys running and the outdoors. Gennie is looking forward to living in the capital city for a semester and absorbing as much as she can.
	Skye Keene-Babcock '15 Skye Keene-Babcock is a senior at the College of William and Mary, majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Public Health after transferring in from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Originally from Massachusetts, she graduated from Shrewsbury High School in 2011. Skye is an avid photographer who has had her work published by a number of W&M organizations and is an alumni of the student led coalition, Student Partnership for International Medical Aid (SPIMA). She is currently an intern at The Health Journal here in Williamsburg as well as a professional connoisseur of chai lattes at the local coffee shops. Last summer Skye traveled to Ghana with SPIMA to conduct ethnographic medical research and helped renovate a clinic in the village of Fodome Axor. She also attended classes in Galway, Ireland while on a W&M summer abroad trip where she found her passion for women’s medical rights. Skye has traveled extensively to quench her wanderlust, and while abroad has honed in on her passion for youth education as well as sustainable development in the health care field. Skye is excited by the music and art prospects awaiting her in Washington DC and looks forward to exploring various avenues of social entrepreneurship as they intersect with her career path in medical anthropology.
	Daniel Koslovsky '16 Daniel will be a Junior in the fall, pursuing an economics and government double major, the main focus being on developing countries. He was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and follows St. Louis sports avidly, especially the Cardinals. Outside of class, Daniel is a member of Sigma Pi and work as an intern for WikiPolicy, an internet start-up focused on crowd-sourcing information. In D.C., he is looking forward to learning more about development, working in the policy center of the world, and exploring the music, museums, monuments, and restaurants. In my free time Daniel enjoys hanging out with his friends and watching Netflix.
	Adriane Lopez '15 Adriane López is a junior at the College pursuing a double major in Latin American Studies and Public Policy. She is a first generation American born of immigrant parents from Bolivia and is from Oak Hill, Virginia. This past spring, she interned at the National Council of La Raza in D.C. She participated in the first W&M Washington Winter Seminar, and is excited to continue working with the W&M D.C. Office this fall! On campus, she is a member of the Latin American Student Union and is part of the Multicultural Ambassador Council at the Admissions Office. She is passionate about Latin American history, international development, policy issues affecting the Latino community in the U.S., and learning new languages. In her free time, she enjoys lifting, reading, playing trumpet, and spending time with her little sister.
	Daniel Mollenkamp '15 Currently majoring in government, Daniel transferred to William and Mary after graduating from Thomas Nelson Community College magna cum laude (Associates of Science). He teaches music and is a freelance writer, and has contributed to publications including The Virginia Gazette and the Green and Gold Dispatch.
	Jennifer Moore '16 Jennifer is a sophomore at the College of William and Mary pursuing a double major in International Relations and Russian Post-Soviet Studies. A native of Chesterfield, Virginia (outside of Richmond), she is a member of William and Mary Club Water Polo. She has interned at the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond and the State Department; Russia/ Eurasia Division. During the summer of 2013, Jennifer had the opportunity to study abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia. While abroad, she learned about her passion for Eastern European and Russian history and politics. After college, she hopes to work in the international relations field, hopefully with the United States government. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, sports, scuba diving, listening to music, and doing anything unique and adventurous. She is looking forward to experiencing and exploring the culture of Washington, D.C., gaining valuable work experience, and broadening her network!
	Elizabeth Rosenberg '15 Elizabeth is a junior from Orange County, California, who is fascinated by all things political and historical. She is a Government major focused on American Politics and American foreign policy and would willingly work in any applicable field upon graduation as long as it’s located in DC! She is a confident German speaker and studied abroad in Berlin in Spring 2014, an experience that she hopes will give her some insight when examining American policy through the lens of another culture. This fall will be Elizabeth’s second time around with the WM in Washington Office after having a life changing experience with the DC Institutes in Summer 2013, and she is thrilled to be back living and working in the District. Elizabeth is an active member of her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and enjoys cheese tastings, the Food Network, and exploring the city in her free time.
	Robert Scott Vierick '14 Robert Scott Vierick is a senior at the College of William & Mary, double majoring in History and Government. On campus, Scott tutors with College Partnership for Kids, participates in events with Canterbury, and has acted in numerous theatre productions. He also served as a hall council representative, and has participated in efforts to help register students on campus to vote. A member of Phi Sigma Alpha and Phi Alpha Theta, he is very interested in how the past influences the present and how the lessons of history can used employed to comprehend today’s challenges. During his sophomore year, Scott spent a semester at the University of Exeter in the UK, where he studied medieval history, political theory, and Middle Eastern politics. While abroad, he also had the opportunity to interact with many other international students, which increased his passion for learning about other cultures. Scott is excited by the chance to work and live in Washington DC, and he is eager to gain experience that he can then apply to his professional career.
	Lubai Yang '16 Lubai Yang is a sophomore pursuing a double major in Economics and International relations at the College of William and Mary. He has strong interests in the field of consulting. Raised and born in northeast China, Lubai is now enjoying his third year in the US. Besides Chinese and English, he also speaks Japanese and German. Last summer, he spent two and a half months backpacking around Europe while attending summer school in Potsdam, Germany. He loves to travel and learn foreign languages because he is convinced that it is the best way to learn about different cultures. On campus, he is a member of Kappa Alpha Order and the vice president of the Chinese Undergraduate Student Association. He can work efficiently and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and always bring creativity to the team. He cannot wait to explore DC next semester and find out more about his passions.