Meet The Mentors

Olabisi Charity Adesanya

Lagos, Nigeria

Hello Peers! First, congrats on joining the Cougar family. I am a graduate student in the Apparel Merchandising, Design and Textiles (AMDT) department and an international student from Nigeria. I am excited to help you transition smoothly into the academic environment here at WSU. I look forward to providing you with useful information since I have gone through the phase you will soon be experiencing! I love meeting people and learning about new cultures, food, and language. I look forward to meeting you and easing your worries by providing answers to your questions.

Samuel Aina

Kwara, Nigeria

I am a Ph.D. student in the Educational Psychology program. I am originally from Nigeria and I study how students and teachers can benefit from learning from multimedia. When I am not working on research, I love to spend time with my family. I am also the current President of the Nigerian Student and Scholars Organization (NSSO).

Rahaf Albateni

Kuwait

Hello! My name is Rahaf Albateni, I am a junior at WSU studying Political Science and hopefully your new peer mentor! I’m from Kuwait, which is a small city in the Middle East, very far away from home but that just means I’m very familiar with what it means to be a foreigner in this huge, new, and low key scary environment. I have a kitten named Ducky (will send cat pics for pick me ups) and am obsessed with astrology. Proud Virgo over here. I look forward to helping you with all your questions or needs, or just to simply have a friend. My interests range far and wide so don’t hesitate at all with me!

Elizabeth Amona

Ondo State, Nigeria

Hi, welcome to WSU! I am very excited to be your Peer Mentor and I am willing to help you anytime you need my help. Can’t wait to meet you guys! I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Mathematics Department and my research interest is Mathematical Modeling (disease modeling). Current and Future Involvement: Mathematical Association of America (MAA) member, SLAM member, American Mathematical Society (AMS) member, ASA member, and treasurer for the Nigerian Student and Scholars Organization.

Reetwika Basu

Kolkata, India

Hi! I am Reetwika Basu, a PhD student at the School of Economic Sciences. Welcome to the Cougar family and I am super excited to be a part of your transition as your peer mentor. I am an avid reader, a food nerd, a decent vocalist, and have an obsession for shoes. I am also a committee member of the Indian Students Association (ISA) and am chosen to join the Graduate and Professional Students Association (GPSA) as a Senator this fall for the next academic year. As an international student, traveling all the way to build a career in a completely different workspace with new set of rules and new people around can be extremely challenging. I look forward to helping you know your ways and integrate better. Let’s together try to make your transition a fun-filled experience. Go Cougs!!

Laila Bensaud

Al Bayda, Libya

Hello! My name is Laila. I am an international student from Libya in the biology department and specifically majoring in the pre-optometry route. I like learning different languages and meeting people from different places. I hope that I can be very helpful to everyone. I am very excited to meet you all!

Zuzia Bochniarz

Podegrodzie, Poland and Mukilteo, Washington

Hello! My name is Zuzia and I am studying a triple major in Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Spanish. Culturally from Poland, I am trilingual in Polish, Spanish, and English. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, hiking, running, boxing, painting, and playing the guitar. In addition to my studies at WSU, I am a Research Assistant, Writing Center Consultant & Facilitator, Vice President of Social Media for STM, and a Crisis Text line Consultant. I look forward to meeting you, learning about your culture, and being part of your unique experience at WSU.

Owen Canterbury

Roslyn, Washington

Hello! My name is Owen Canterbury and I am a biochemistry major entering my third year of studies at WSU. Apart from my quantitative courses, I enjoy taking German and honors curricula. In my spare time, you can find me working in a research lab on campus, out running and hiking, or at home cooking. I am also involved with the undergraduate research club and serve as a mentor for the honors college. I look forward to helping you integrate yourself into the community at WSU.

Doris Esmeralda Carbajal

Rock Island, Washington

Hi everyone! I am an Environmental Science major who wants to help create a better future for everyone around the world. I have lived in Washington my whole life. I like to go hiking whenever I can and listen to music. I am looking forward to passing on to you my knowledge of WSU and showing you around Pullman. So, please feel free to ask me any questions. I hope you make great memories here. Go Cougs!

Andrew Cho

Bellevue, Washington and South Korea

Hi everyone, welcome to WSU! I hope you enjoy your time here. I’m a Civil Engineering undergraduate in Voiland College of Engineering. I was born in Bellevue, Washington, but was raised in South Korea during my childhood. I enjoy playing video games, reading books, and playing musical instruments. I’m currently an officer for Japanese Student Association here on campus, and can speak conversational Korean and Japanese. I often study at the CUB, and occasionally at the International Center, so feel free to chat or study together whenever you see me! I’m looking forward to supporting you as your peer mentor!

Sushant Ciliveri

Bombay, India

Welcome to WSU! Hi, I am Sushant, an international student from Bombay, India. I am a Ph.D. student in Materials Science and Engineering Program, working on designing materials for orthopedic implants. Apart from the geek stuff I work on, I love playing my guitar (but I sing badly, very badly) and spend time playing FIFA with my friends. If you want to talk about books or movies or rock music (Pink Floyd and The Beatles are my all-time favorites), I am always up for it!I look forward to meeting you and making your transition into WSU as smooth as possible!

Martinus Dewa

Bandung, Indonesia

Welcome to WSU! I am a Ph.D. student in the Mechanical Engineering program and also an international student from Indonesia. I’ve spent my whole life in Indonesia so studying abroad for the first time at WSU is a life-changing experience for me. I am pretty sure some of you are also in a similar situation, so that’s why I am so excited to be your mentor and help your transition as international students throughout the year. I love cooking, playing music, and some other geeky stuff such as reading comic books and playing video games. Currently, I am doing research in the renewable energy field. Aside from research, I also involved in Indonesian Students Association and Fulbright Students Association.

Debomitra Dey

Mumbai, India

So glad to have you at WSU! I am an international student from India, so I can totally understand what you must be going through before coming to WSU. Here at WSU, I am a Ph.D. student majoring in Food Science, on my way to become a Food Scientist. On campus, I am involved with the Food Science Club and I am a member of the Indian Students Association (ISA). Off-campus you’ll find me eating out, traveling, involved in adventure sports, and writing blogs.

Bethan Eames

England and Sammamish, Washington

Hi! My name is Bethan Eames and I’m a senior at Washington State University and I’m double majoring in Psychology and Human Development with a certificate in family studies and minor in Human Resource Management. I live in Sammamish, Washington, and moved here from England in 2011 with my family. In my free time I enjoy hanging out with friends and sorority sisters, hiking, golfing, going to the gym and trying new coffee shops. I love to travel all over the world to experience new cultures, meet new people and try new experiences. My favorite place I’ve visited is Australia because of the amazing landmarks, unique creatures, beaches and people. I’m very happy I chose to go to WSU because I have found lifelong friends, a supportive community, and a campus that is beautiful. Go Cougs!

Zichen Fan

Wuhan, China

Hi, everyone, welcome to WSU! I am Zichen, an international student from China. I am a junior majoring in Economic Science. I am so excited to meet you all and happy to assist you with your transition to life at WSU. I understand the challenges and feelings while living in a new culture and environment, but don’t worry, we are here to help you all. I love photography and exercise; you will always see me at SRC. Also, I love to explore new things, like programing and coding. At WSU, we have abundant opportunities to meet new friends, and improve your academic performance. As a peer mentor, I will always be here to help you and inspire you with my experiences.

Sandrine Iradukunda

Kigali City, Rwanda

Hello Friends, Welcome to the Cougs family! I am so excited to be your friend and to show you around Pullman and answer all your questions to the best of my knowledge. I am entering my senior year and majoring in Agriculture and Food security. I am originally from a beautiful and peaceful country called Rwanda. I like to cook, to go on walks, to swim, to listen to music and to dance. I am looking forwarding to meeting you and getting to know each other. Beyond school related questions, feel free to also ask me about places to live on campus, good restaurants, fun things to do in Pullman, and anything else. Go Cougs!

Eunjeong Kim

Busan, South Korea

Welcome to the Cougar family! I am very excited to meet you all and help you to have a great start at Washington State University. I am an international student from South Korea. I am from a city called Busan and I went to high school on the West Coast of the United States. I am currently a senior majoring in Hospitality Business Management. I am currently working at Starbucks in the Spark building, which is located on the south side of the campus. I am the Vice President of the Korean Student Association. If you would like to see me, these places will be great places to come and find me! Can’t wait to meet you all! Oh, by the way, you can call me Ellissa!

Jeyun (Jay) Kim

Seattle, Washington and Cheon-An, South Korea

Welcome to the WSU family. My name is Jay and I am from South Korea. I lived for 16 years in Seattle. I am a senior majoring in Computer Science. During the day, I spend most of the time to work on my programming project. I am interested in computer systems and I like to build my own desktop computer. I enjoy playing computer games and board games with my friends during my spare time.Also, I enjoy going on a walk with my 2 year old Havanese dog.

Roberta Koku

Accra, Ghana

Hello everyone, I am Roberta, an international student in the Veterinary and Microbiology program. I am so glad to be involved in the Peer Mentor program. I love to dance and I do a lot of Zumba. I love listening to music, reading, and singing. However, I do not love cooking! I also love traveling and shopping. I am happy to help you become acquainted with WSU and Pullman. I am fun to talk to, and I am always here for you. Please feel free to reach out, any day, anytime.

Gajanan Kothawade

Maharashtra, India

Hello! I would say Namaskar! A way to great each other in India…! Welcome to WSU! I’m an international Student from Maharashtra, India, and a graduate student at the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, working in the field of Agricultural Automation and Engineering. Back in India, I was working in the Geospatial Data Science domain. Here on campus, I’m involved with the American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers as well as the Agricultural Automation & Engineering Club. Apart from the technical aspect, I like to talk a lot 🙂 … If you want to talk, I’ll be always happy to connect. Also, a big fan of Indian Classical Music. Looking forward to meeting and helping you Cougs!

Eunice Kwon

Seoul, Korea

Hello! Welcome to Washington State University. I am a graduate student in Chemical Engineering. I am happy to assist you as your Peer Mentor during your transition to life at WSU. I love to travel and learn about different cultures. I’m so excited to hear about your countries and experiences. I am look forward to meeting you!

Skye Lanz

Tacoma, Washington

My name is Skye, I’ll be a junior at WSU as of fall semester ’20 and I’m currently double majoring in Japanese and Asian Studies. I’m from Tacoma, Washington, and have lived in Washington for most of my life. When I was a senior in high school, I lived in Japan as an exchange student in the Rotary International exchange program. I do speak and read Japanese however, I still have much to learn! Some of my hobbies include drawing, singing, playing games, and exercising. I currently have a beautiful kitten named Arya, (after Game of Thrones) who is a mischievous brat who loves to cuddle (ask me to show you photos of her!). On campus, I’m a member of JSA (Japanese Student Association) as well as the Costuming Club and the Aerial Dance Society. A cool fact about me is that when I was in high school, I was a one-person orchestra and could play five instruments (Can you guess them all?). Although I see myself as a little bit of a homebody, there’s nothing more fun than hanging out with friends. Whether you’re reading a book, playing games or just wanna vibe, I can be there with snacks.

Allison Lorphanpaibul

Battle Ground, Washington

Welcome to WSU! I am a junior studying Computer Science and Japanese. At school, I work with the academic enrichment center as a tutor, so if you need any help with Computer Science, let me know! Pullman is a wonderful town, and I am sure you all will love it. I am super excited to be your mentor this year, let’s make it a great year!

Karolina Lynch

Prague, Czech Republic and San Francisco, California

Welcome to WSU! My name is Karolina and I’m currently entering my second year at Washington State University. I grew up in Prague, Czech Republic, and later moved to the San Francisco Bay area a year before attending college. My plan is to double major in International Business and French! I’m also a part of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority on campus as well as the women’s lacrosse team. I’m very excited to be a mentor and show students what Pullman has to offer!

Ayumi Manawadu

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Hello, future Cougs! Welcome to WSU! I am a Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering (structural), and I am originally from Sri Lanka. I am passionate about community services, and I continued to follow my passion through the Society of Women Engineers and the Graduate and Professional Students Association at WSU. I enjoy exploring new cultures, meeting new people, organizing events, and creating opportunities for underrepresented groups. I love playing basketball, dancing, singing, traveling, and anything adventurous. A fun fact about myself: my first name is Japanese, and my last name is Sinhalese, so you probably won’t come across anyone else by my name. I am excited to be a Peer Mentor for the upcoming year and look forward to supporting future Cougs in their transition to WSU. Go Cougs!

Michelle Mendoza

Clackamas, Oregon

Hello! My name is Michelle Mendoza and I am a Neuroscience major and German minor. I was born in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico, and came to the USA when I was 7 years old. I like listening to music and learning new languages, and I enjoy being involved in different multicultural student groups on campus.

Indranath Mitra

Kolkata, India

Welcome to WSU! I am excited to be a part of your transition, and I am even more excited to meet you. I am a current Ph.D. candidate in the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, majoring in Materials Science and Engineering. When I am not working in the lab, however fun that is, I like experimenting with cooking food, or I am watching TV. Back in India, I was involved with non-profit organizations working for the LGBTQ+ community where I learned a lot about acceptance and human interactions, which helped me when I started out here. I will be your peer, friend, and family. So, talk to me and let’s make this fun.

Elizabeth Nalbandian

Jerusalem, Israel

Hi everyone, welcome to Washington State University! Currently, I am a junior in both the Hospitality Business Management Program and Food Science. Originally, I am from the Middle East and speak 4 languages: Hebrew, Arabic, Armenian, and English. In my free time, I love baking, playing the violin, and going on adventures. A fun fact about myself: every time I visit a new country, I collect little porcelain dolls dressed in the tradition clothes of the region. Current Involvement: Professional Convention Management Association, Cru, and the food product development team.

Matthew Nishimoto

Kauai, Hawaii

My name is Matthew Nishimoto and I am a senior here at Washington State University. I am majoring in both computational neuroscience and Japanese for the professions. I am originally from the island of Kauai, Hawaii, but have also lived in Japan for a little under two years. I have been fairly involved in research at WSU and am entering into my third year of participating in my lab in the neuroscience department. My interests outside of university are in literature and film, but I am pretty much open to anything enjoyable to pass the time!

Stephen Onayemi

Lagos, Nigeria

Hello friend! Welcome to WSU. I am glad to answer your questions and support you in your new transition to WSU. I am a graduate student in the Department of Entomology and working on saving honey bees from Varroa mites. I am also an international student from Nigeria and a member of the Nigerian Students and Scholars Organization (NSSO). I enjoy listening to music, traveling, and interacting with people. Feel free to reach out to me on whatever inquiries you have and I look forward to meeting you.

Oluwasola Oni

Lagos, Nigeria

I am a Nigerian-born international student. I am a Teaching Assistant in the Human Development department at Washington State University, where I am currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology. My area of research is increasing underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Over the last several years, I have worked in a wide variety of professional capacities in the private sector. In 2018, I obtained a M.S. in Sociology at Morgan State University in Maryland. In 2009, I received my bachelors in Sociology at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. My sociology background and personal experiences motivated me to join the Peer Mentor program, and I look forward to helping you adjust to a new culture as an international student. I am married with 3 children, and I love music and playing the piano/organ.

Cynthia Onzere, BSc., MSc.

Nairobi, Kenya

Welcome to the Cougs family! I am a PhD candidate in Immunology and Infectious Diseases. I hold an MSc. degree in International Animal Health from the University of Edinburgh in the UK and a BSc. in Biochemistry from the University of Nairobi in Kenya. I am passionate about scientific research focused on neglected infectious diseases. My work at the International Livestock Research Institute led to the characterization of African swine fever virus isolates in Kenya and contributed toward the development of a vaccine for control of the virus. My current research is focused on the evaluation of antigens in Theileria equi that may be important for development of diagnostics and a vaccine for detection of the parasite and prevention of infection respectively. Aside from my career, I am passionate about making new connections and I am an extremely good listener. I also like playing basketball and binge-watching movies. I look forward to meeting all of you and making your transition to WSU easier. Please do not hesitate to reach out in case you need anything.

Wendy Ortega

USA

My name is Wendy, I am a sophomore and this is my first time as an international peer mentor, but no worries, I will do everything in my power to give you any information you need and just be there for you in general literally whenever. I have lived in a very small town my entire life, so transitioning to a town like Pullman, with what seemed to me like a million people, was quite scary because of my overall background. I classify myself as a very shy person at first and it can be hard for me to reach out to new people because I’m always trying to be on my best behavior and set a good first impression, so if you are near the same boat, I totally understand. However, I am also a very outgoing person who likes to go with the flow and one of my favorite things to do is make people laugh, meaning if you are ever in need of a laugh, I got you, or at least I’ll try.

Kaushik Kapu Raghavendra

Bengaluru, India

Welcome to Washington State! Go Cougs! I am an international student from India doing my master’s at Washington State in the field of Computer Science. I am really looking forward to meeting all of you and helping make your transition to college as smooth as possible. I am involved with the Indian Student Association, Cricket club, and Dance at WSU on campus. I enjoy playing cricket, volleyball, and badminton. Dancing and cardistry are some of my hobbies (these keep changing from time to time!). Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Jana Richter

Warendorf, Germany

Welcome to WSU everyone! I am Jana from Germany doing my Ph.D. in Food Science here in Pullman. Coming from a relatively highly populated area in Germany, I am very aware of how hard the transition from your home country to Pullman can be, but I am sure you will have a great time! I love traveling, painting, outdoor activities, and meeting friends. I am very exciting get to know you and make some unforgettable memories together!

Karansher Sandhu

Amritsar, Punjab, India

I am a PhD student in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Washington State University. I am originally from India and completed my Bachelor from there. I joined WSU with an aim to become a successful plant breeder to achieve my goal of serving the farming community. I enjoyed being surrounded by plants and that’s why I loved what I am doing. During my free time, I like to go for long drives, play badminton, or watch some comedy movies.

David Segoh

Surabaya, Indonesia

Hi! Welcome to WSU Pullman! I am really excited to meet all of my mentees and all of the other new international students in Pullman. I hope you will enjoy your studies and experience here. I also hope that I can help you with anything that you would like to know. As an international student coming from the tropical, archipelagic country of Indonesia, I know how it feels to come to a new place with a different climate, food, environment, and people. I hope I can help you transition nicely to WSU and Pullman. Fall 2019 marked the beginning of my third year at WSU. I am pursuing my Ph.D in Language, Literacy, and Technology, an exciting field that seeks to investigate the impacts of technology on language learning and education. I am also involved in several organizations, such as the Muslim Student Association (MSA), Indonesian Student Association in USA (Permias), and Pullman Islamic Association.

Audrie Smith

Spokane, Washington

Congrats on becoming a WSU cougar! I am an undergraduate student majoring in Spanish, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, and pursuing an English as a second language teaching endorsement. I am from Spokane, Washington. When I am not working or in class, I am usually doing volunteer work around Pullman. I am involved with the Invest in Cougs program, the Smart Start program, TRIO SSS First Scholars’ program, and the College Success Foundation program on campus. I look forward to meeting you and answering all questions you may have! Please feel free to contact me anytime with any questions or concerns you have, I am here as a resource, a friend, a mentor, and much more!

Oluwafemi Johnson Sunday

Lagos, Nigeria

Welcome to the Cougar family! I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of Educational Psychology. My research focuses on multimedia instructional design, learning strategies, and STEM education. I love to provide an inclusive environment that promotes cognitive learning and students’ well-being. Besides my academic pursuit, I like to spend quality time with my cute family. Music is something I do for fun and always listen to classical and country-side music – I love to sing. I am happy to meet with you, and it’s going to be fun to have you here in Pullman.

Linh Vuong

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

My name is Linh Vuong and I am a sophomore, majoring in Biomedical, specifically the Pre-Pharmacy route. I came to the United States in 2016 as an exchange student in Missouri, and I spent 2 years studying at Central High School in Springfield, MO. I was born and raised in Ho Chi Minh city in Southern Vietnam. With the experience I have, I seek to be a good representative of my culture to make WSU a more diverse community.

Xander Walker

Calgary, Canada and Hansville, Washington

Welcome to WSU! I’m Xander! I am a college junior studying Construction Management, I’m originally from Canada but more recently the western side of Washington. I’ve lived in Pullman for just under 3 years and over that time I’ve come to love the area and community. Some of my favorites things to do are hikes around Moscow mountain, going down to the Snake River on a hot day, or just catching up with a friend on the patio. As for personal hobbies, I am an avid board gamer, vintage automotive enthusiast, and amateur photographer. I love to travel and so far have been to parts of Southeast Asia, quite a bit of Western Europe, and most of the U.S. and Canada. I always enjoy a good conversation about anything (but especially history) and I cannot wait to meet new people! Go Cougs!

Wayan Yana

Bali, Indonesia

I am a second semester Ph.D. student in the college of education at Washington State University, and one of the recipients of Fulbright scholarship from Indonesia. I am very passionate about education, particularly in teaching English. I completed my masters’ degree in England, where I had the opportunity to teach English to the refugees there. I am also very interested in technology in language learning. In fact, my current research interest focuses on integrating mobile technology in language learning. During my free time, I like to travel locally and internationally as traveling makes me learn more things. I also enjoy sightseeing, particularly during hiking and camping. Cooking is also another hobby that allows me to socialize with friends as I believe that food is the best way to mingle with others. My life motto is to be able to help and inspire others both in academic and non-academic life.

Wenzhi Zhuang

Fuzhou, China

Hi, Cougs! Welcome to WSU. I’m an international student from China majoring in computer science at the bachelor of science, and also a member of the WSU Software Development Club and Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA) as tech support. Currently, as a WSU-UAC (University Access Center) ambassador in WSU international program and two projects experience from Hardware Hackathon in WSU IEEE. I’m excited to meet you at Pullman and happy to help you with whatever is in computer science or else. Please feel free to reach out to me when you need my help.