William Walker Hanlon says his ultimate career goal is to be in a position where he can read newspaper stories about economic collapse, unemployment, and famine and know that he is doing something to improve the situation. With a concentration in International and Development Economics and coursework that includes mathematics and history, Walker is well on the way toward his goal. A transfer student from the University of Oregon, Walker spent last summer as a research assistant for Economics Professor Blonigen at Oregon. William used computer analysis tools to identify trends within United States tariff policy data and also researched and created a database on all of the case law used in Department of Commerce anti-dumping cases since the 1980s. This summer, William served as a fellow at the World Bank in Bangkok, Thailand, hoping to conduct direct research for his honors thesis on international anti-dumping trade tariffs. In addition to economics, Walker is passionate about the outdoors and has spent time as a wilderness ranger and as a youth work crew leader in Americorps.
Mary Himinkool - 2004, Sociology
Mary Himinkool truly believes "that social change becomes a reality through the directed initiative of passionate individuals and collective groups." Her long-term vision is to "enhance the quality of life and living conditions on a micro and then a macro level as a lawyer in the public sector." Mary is an avid volunteer as exemplified by her efforts at Fordham University, Stanford, and her local community of Alpine, California. After a year at Fordham where she was the Community Outreach Coordinator and Team Coordinator and Captain of the campus branch of the American Cancer Society, she transferred to Stanford, receiving the prestigious Glaser Education Scholarship for Sociology. At Stanford, she was the Junior Class President and will be the Senior Class President, and she is currently researching and developing a business plan with two other students to increase access to higher education in her local community of Alpine and beyond. The International Labour Organization in Bangkok was a clear choice for Mary. She also enjoys creative writing, kickboxing, and dance.
Michael Jackson - 2004, Biological Sciences and Earth Systems
Michael Jackson from Pennington, New Jersey, served his summer fellowship at the Stockholm Environment Institute, a placement that fit well with his pursuit of a career in environmental policy. Michael's love for the environment started at a very young age. He remembers first donating to Greenpeace at the age of seven. In the summer of 2001, Michael interned with Congressman Rush Holt where he worked to resolve constituent concerns such as health care, social security, and local environmental issues. With his double major, Michael actively integrates multiple disciplines to better understand environmental problems. As a research assistant in the department of Human Biology, Michael co-wrote a paper with Professor Armin Rosencranz, analyzing the role of the Indian Supreme Court in environmental management. In addition, Michael is a Peer Academic Adviser, president of Theta Delta Chi, and lead singer and guitarist in a rock band.
Katherine Kelman - 2005, Political Science
Katherine Kelman finds being "aware of a country's cultural and historical environment very important to gaining a sensible understanding of its political issues," and so is combining academic research with actual observation and presence in the environment. Katherine spent her childhood in Moscow, but understood little of the large implication of local events until she moved to New York and started to follow Russian news from abroad. She pursued an internship with the Carnegie Moscow Center because Russia, and the study of other post-Communist countries in political transition to democracy, are her main interests. Fluent in Spanish and proficient in German, she is also a native speaker of Russian and has used her skills to edit and translate articles on democratization in Russia for the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford.
Eric Kramon - 2004, History
Eric Kramon believes that "education, in its many forms, is not only one of the most important aspects of any society, but also a part that plays a key role in creating and maintaining the inequalities that exist within that society." He links this to South Africa where apartheid "was solidified and maintained in part, through incredibly unequal education opportunities and highly oppressive educational policies towards African students." The Stanford in Government Fellow to the Institute for Democracy in South Africa this summer, Eric also has studied British history abroad at Oxford and taught social studies and health at Summerbridge San Francisco, a summer enrichment program for Bay Area middle school students. At Stanford, he participates in East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring and continues to play the alto saxophone. Eric is co-founder of Six Degrees, a new Stanford journal of human rights.
Yin Li - 2005, International Relations and Economics
Yin Li is not completely sure of her career goals, though she knows that she would like a job where she could use concepts from international relations to analyze the economy, focusing on how globalization and the rise of international institutions affect certain areas of domestic economic policy, such as monetary policy. The problem of Hong Kong's currency and whether or not it will remain fixed to the United States Dollar is one of her areas of interest. So is the study of monetary policy and how it can significantly constrain the domestic economy, through its relationships to business and the labor market, while at the same time be itself constrained by the international capital market. This interest has taken Yin this fall to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority as a Stanford in Government Fellow. Working as a team captain for Greenpeace USA and as an intern for the NGO Committee on Disarmament at the United Nations has also given Yin experience in the public sector, and though she is aware of the "bureaucratic sluggishness that characterizes many public institutions," Yin has a strong interest in public service.
Danielle Murray - 2004, Human Biology
Danielle Murray says her eyes were opened when she traveled for fourteen weeks outside of the "Stanford Bubble" to Ghana for the fall quarter of 2002. Through the Foundation for Free Learning and Merit Education of Ghana, Danielle was able to teach biology and computer skills at the T.I. Ahmadiyya Secondary School. She also worked alongside Ghanaians and others with Voluntary Workcamps Association of Ghana to build composting toilets in the village of Old Ayomah. Her time in Ghana taught her that she took her stable, democratic society for granted, but also made her realize how much more enthusiastically Ghanaians were involved compared to most Americans: "The sad part, though, was that despite all the interest from the people, it didn't seem like the government was getting the job done." Determined to go back and learn more, she applied for the Stanford in Government Fellowship to the Center for Democratic Development in Accra. Closer to Stanford, Danielle has experience tutoring ESL reading, writing, and math at Edison-McNair Elementary School in East Palo Alto. In her home of Waterbury Center, Vermont, she was a volunteer builder for Camels Hump and for Habitat for Humanity in Redwood City.
Sean Scott - 2004, Political Science
Sean Scott has focused his course selection on topics related to Latin America and the Caribbean and their economic, political, and social development. His long-term goal is to return to his home of Kingston, Jamaica to found an international NGO that will aim to extend the fruits of democracy to the urban poor of countries throughout the Caribbean. Last summer, Sean interned at the investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston in New York City, and this summer, he utilized these skills as a fellow at the World Bank in Mexico City. At Stanford, Sean worked as a research assistant for Political Science Professor Claudine Gay, focusing on the differences in political attitude between the black suburban and urban populations. As a volunteer, Sean is a mentor and instructor for the East Palo Alto Mural Arts Project.
Emily Slota - 2005, Human Biology
Emily Slota has her goals set on a career as an international human rights lawyer. A collegiate national champion in kayaking from Napa, Emily is contemplating adding a minor in Economics. This summer, she served her fellowship at the Grameen Bank in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Emily's course choices, such as the global politics of human rights, international women's health and human rights, and development economics reflect her fascination with the economics, philosophy, and politics of race relations and democratic development: "Why do people across the world starve while everyone I know has a home to live in and enough to eat? What are the barriers to women's global civic and economic participation? How can sustainable business practices be mixed with socially innovative ideas? I want to commit to a new passion for global equity and development." In the future, Emily would like to continue working on a national and international basis to ensure access to the capital necessary for economic jumpstarts for all people.
Tracy Williams - 2004, Political Science
Tracy Williams attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria where her interest in social sciences was sparked by one of her high school social studies teachers who strongly encouraged her to join the model United Nations: "My bubble burst and suddenly I saw the real world. It was real, harsh, depressing, frightening, and utterly fascinating." She was especially intrigued by the Disarmament and Security committee, which led to research internships with the Institute for Defense Analysis in Alexandria and the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford. This summer, Tracy served her fellowship at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Her interest in political science is centered on democratization, specifically in its capacity to promote peace through good governance, and on foreign policy and conflict resolution in international relations. At Stanford, Tracy is co-founder of the Society for International Affairs, participates in the Model United Nations, and sings in the a cappella group Eclectica.