Dean's Fellows

The Dean's Fellows program represents the qualities of professional excellence that IR/PS cultivates in its students and I am pleased that the Fellows consistently exemplify the characteristics of leadership, scholarship and service in each element of the program.

Dean Peter F. Cowhey

The Graduate School of International Relations/Pacific Studies (IR/PS) is proud to announce the students who have achieved the honor of being selected as the Dean's Fellows. This special distinction serves several purposes: to signal the professional qualities of excellence that IR/PS cultivates and honors; to reward outstanding performance by students; to provide incentives to stimulate emulation among other students; and to create a prestigious group of high-quality IR/PS students and alumni to showcase to the outside world.

Selection Criteria for Awards

Academic Excellence: Top students based on GPA performance in their first year.
Leadership: Demonstrated leadership at IR/PS and UCSD campus-wide, as well as in community affairs.
Citizenship: Involvement in activities with a public purpose, such as active volunteerism.
Regional Involvement: Meaningful engagement in the Pacific region, encompassing Latin America and Asia, e.g. study and work abroad, internships and activities focusing on the region and its people.

Class of 2007

Kristofor Erickson
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: Korea
Languages: Korean, Tagalog

Andres Gentry
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: China
Languages: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese

Bryan Green
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Japan
Language: Japanese

Brett Hamsik
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: Japan
Languages: Japanese, Spanish

Dylan Mann
Career Track: International Development and Nonprofit Management
Regional Focus: Latin America
Languages: Spanish, French, Thai

Nina Merchant
Career Track: Public Policy
Regional Focus: Southeast Asia
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia, Italian

Ashley Pierson
Career Track: International Development and Nonprofit Management
Regional Focus: Latin America
Languages: Spanish, Portuguese

Sean Porter
Career Track: International Development and Nonprofit Management
Regional Focus: Latin America
Language: Spanish

David J. Sigband
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Latin America
Languages: Spanish, Italian

Kumi Smith
Career Track: Public Policy
Regional Focus: China/Japan
Languages: Chinese, Japanese

John Spernoga
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Japan
Language: Japanese

Connie Tao
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: China, Japan
Languages: Mandarin Chinese, Japanese

Laura Tierney
Career Track: International Environmental
Regional Focus: China
Language: Mandarin Chinese

Veronica Valdez
Career Track: International Development and Nonprofit Management
Regional Focus: China
Languages: Mandarin Chinese, Tagalog, Italian, Spanish

Yang Yang
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: China
Language: Mandarin Chinese

Class of 2006

Therese Albertson
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: China

Michael Aller
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: China

Benjamin Bahney
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: Latin America

Heather Berkman
Career Track: Public Policy
Regional Focus: Latin America

Ratchada Cheunkarndee
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: Japan

Todd Crescenzo
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Latin America

Dale Harshman
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Japan

Valerie Kao
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: China

Yeri Kim
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: Korea

Tomotaka Kuwahara
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: Japan

Bill Lindquist
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: Latin America

Amy Long
Career Track: Country and Regional Studies
Regional Focus: China

Amanda Randolph
Career Track: Development and Non-profit Management
Regional Focus: Latin America

Matthew Reilly
Career Track: International Economics and Public Policy
Regional Focus: Latin America

Lys Severtson
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Latin America

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Class of 2005
Peter Burns
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Latin America (Spanish, Portuguese)
Career Plans: I am primarily interested in working in San Diego in the technology, telecom, consulting, and sporting (golf) industries because these business are most pertinent to my training/interests. Job functions that I am targeting are: marketing, business development or strategic planning. Finally, I would like the company to be involved in some capacity in the Latin American region.

Sebastian Cabello
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: Latin America (Spanish)
Career Plans: I would like to find a position on a consulting firm that focuses on international trade issues regarding export-import studies, market research, political risk, or public policy analysis in general. It can also be on any private corporation in a research department or in its governmental relations office. I have no preference of a particular industry or city, however, I would preferably like to stay in California.

Chris Chan
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: China (Mandarin)
Career Plans: I would like to pursue a career as an academic researcher and professor of international relations. This fall I will begin a Ph.D. program in political science, where I plan to study formal theory, state-building, and internal conflict.

Emily Hoch
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: SouthEast Asia (Bahasa Indonesia)
Career Plans: I am primarily interested in working on economic policy research and analysis involving Indonesia and other South East Asian economies. I have also developed an interest in public health issues from my internship in Indonesia working on a maternal and child health project.

Yeon Kyeong Kim
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: Korea (Korean, Japanese)
Career Plans: I would like to pursue my career in academics, especially in international economics. I have applied to doctoral programs in economics After finishing my Ph.D., I would like to teach and conduct research in the trade, finance, and political economy of the of Asia Pacific region.

Howard Lim
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: China/Japan (Mandarin, Japanese)
Career Plans: I would like to develop a career in the biotech, pharmaceutical or consumer electronics industry. My involvement with these industries would be through financial services (VC, private equity, equity research), consulting or strategic planning/business development. My preference is to be in San Diego or the West Coast.

Jeremy Long
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: Japan (Japanese, Spanish)
Career Plans: My primary interests are in working for the US federal government in positions related to National Security policy making and analysis, but am interested more broadly in foreign policy making. My primary focus has been on the Departments of State, Defense and related executive agencies, but am open to options that would help me establish expertise and additional experience. I am also currently investigating working for large consulting firms that work in related fields.

Lukasz Maslanka
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: Latin America (Spanish, Polish)
Career Plans: I am primarily trained in economics but I also have a deep interest in public policy issues. I am currently considering three areas of professions where my skills, training and previous experience could be considered assets: economic consulting (especially development consulting with respect to Latin America and Eastern Europe), political/economic risk rating agencies, and economic journalism/publishing.

Michael McMorrow
Career Track: International Economics
Regional Focus: Japan (Japanese)
Career Plans: I am most interested in working in the public sector involved in the making or analysis of international security and/or economic policy. International economist positions at the US Department of the Treasury, Commerce, or State would be solid fits. Consulting firms that deal in areas of public policy or contract work for US government agencies would merge my interests in both the public and private sectors. I also have a keen interest in global economics/investment or fixed-income securities analysis positions at financial institutions

Solomon Messing
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: SouthEast Asia (Bahasa Indonesia)
Career Plans: I am interested in conducting further research on the dynamics of Indonesia's political system and its efforts to root out systemic corruption. My experience performing policy analysis at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and conducting various studies on Indonesian corruption while at UCSD has focused my attention on how different groups capitalize on this central issue [KKN (korpusi, kolusi, and neptisme)] to expand their influence by exploiting the country's media. I also hope to study this mostly Muslim country's role as an ally in U.S. efforts to fight militant Islamic extremism. My geographic preference is Jakarta, New York, or Washington, DC.

Katherine Nesmith
Career Track: International Management
Regional Focus: Latin America (Spanish)
Career Plans: I am interested in both the non-profit and private sectors. Specifically, I am interested in working for a foundation or NGO that is working on global health and education issues e.g. The Gates Foundation, The Ford Foundation and Academy for Educational Development. In addition, I am also interested in corporate social responsibility for firms that are expanding globally.

Shari Weigant
Career Track: International Politics
Regional Focus: Latin America (Spanish) and SE Asia (Bahasa Indonesia)
Career Plans: I am interested in sustainable economic development and the private sector's role in it, particularly through competitive clusters, private foundations and corporate social responsibility. I am open to working in the public, private or non-profit sectors, here or elsewhere, although I would like to stay in San Diego.