BUILD Program Members

Averi Becque, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Averi Becque is a sophomore studying International Relations with a Latin America concentration and minoring in Education. She grew up in a small town in Coastal Maine. She deferred her acceptance to Tufts and during that year took a road trip across the U.S. and lived in Guatemala for five months, where she worked for a volunteer organization teaching first grade, working on community development projects, practicing Spanish, exploring Central America, and trying to learn how to salsa. Working closely with the members of a small community acquainted her with the issues facing all of Guatemala and especially the country’s indigenous Maya population. In addition to being immensely enjoyable, her time in Guatemala heightened preexisting interests in poverty alleviation, education, sustainable development, and the work of NGOs in developing countries. Through BUILD's work in Santa Anita la Unión Averi has continued to broaden her knowledge in these areas, while at the same time deepening her overall understanding of international development.

Nataly Caviedes, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2010
Nataly is a sophomore, born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia who transferred to Tufts in 2010. She is an International Relations major who is interested in humanitarian work and disaster relief management. Having been born in a Latin American nation has made her passionate about issues related to poverty and social injustice. Upon arriving at Tufts, she was incredibly inspired by all the initiatives that previous BUILD members undertook and also excited about the challenges encountered in the development field. She believes being a part of BUILD means having the opportunity to improve the lives of those in need as well as taking part in initiatives that will result in personal growth. She enjoys learning foreign languages, listening to world music and salsa-dancing.

Marcus Cheek, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Marcus Cheek is from Atascadero, California, a small town on the central coast. He enjoys spending his free time surfing, playing the guitar, and having a good time with friends. One of his greatest passions is traveling, which motivated him to take part in BUILD Guatemala. He has traveled throughout most of Europe with only a backpack and his brother to keep him company. He loves people, and works hard to learn and communicate with them regardless of cultural or language barriers. He wishes to increase his knowledge of the world by studying International Relations at Tufts.

 

Sharon Cho, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Sharon is currently a sophomore at Tufts and is expecting to major in International Relations with a minor in Entrepreneurial Leadership. Although her parents currently reside in Houston, Texas, Sharon has traveled and lived in numerous parts of the country. These moves have allowed her to broaden her outlook, have heightened her social awareness, and perhaps they have even inspired her interest and pursuit of an IR major. Her extracurricular activities include playing on the Tufts Women's Rugby Team, as well as working for a local, non-profit environmental organization called Groundwork Somerville. Sharon’s personal hobbies range from listening to music, playing the guitar and hanging out with friends. She is involved in the BUILD program because of her interest and passion for active citizenship. Sharon hopes that this experience will help her gain a deeper and more profound insight into the international community and the various issues that are prevalent in it. One of the most effective means of learning is through hands-on experience, and this proves to be one of the strengths of the BUILD program. Through this program, Sharon looks forward to establishing lasting connections, thinking creatively and profoundly, as well as acquiring the tools and resources necessary for future endeavor in international active citizenship.

Emily Clayton, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Emily Clayton is a junior studying International Relations with a focus on International Economic Development although she also counts diverse subjects such as conflict resolution, mining policy, energy, urbanization and women?s rights among her academic interests. She is currently readjusting to life at Tufts after spending a semester studying abroad in Chile, where she took university classes, lived with a host family, traveled extensively and worked with a local NGO called El Trampolín that addresses issues of urban poverty with women and youth. Apart from BUILD, Emily enjoys working and getting to know the local Somerville community through her participation in LIFT, a nationwide anti-poverty initiative. In her spare time, Emily enjoys frequenting cafés, cycling around Boston and vegetarian cooking.

Caitlyn Doucette, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Caitlyn Doucette is a member of the class of 2013 at Tufts from Plainville Massachusetts. She is proficient in Spanish and is majoring in Arabic and International Relations with a concentration in Global Health, Nutrition, and the Environment. For the 2010-2011 school year she managed BUILD: Guatemala's Fundraising and Networking Committee and has traveled to Santa Anita la Union with BUILD twice. Outside of BUILD, Caitlyn is a member of Spirit of Color and a Tap Ensemble choreographer, and also works as an Arabic tutor through Tufts' Academic Resource Center. She is very interested in international development and global health issues and hopes to use her experiences with BUILD: Guatemala wherever he future career may take her.

Michelle Eilers, Class of 2010

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Michelle Eilers is a senior at Tufts, where she studies Anthropology and Community Health, and flirts with the idea of going to medical school. She is from rural Central Texas, where she indulges herself with country music and German-inspired pastries. Here she has worked extensively with Spanish-speaking Mexican immigrants and became interested in minority-related health disparities. Last spring, Michelle studied in Valparaíso, Chile, where she fell in love with Latin America and had the privilege to spend time in northern Chile working with the Aymara indigenous group and traveling in Peru and Bolivia. At Tufts Michelle plays saxophone in two performance ensembles and is currently working on her senior thesis in maternal health care among disadvantaged Latina populations.

Molly Ferrill, Class of 2012

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Molly is currently a freshman at Tufts, and is excited to be a part of BUILD this year! She was born in Boston, but spent seventeen years of her life living in a small town in New Hampshire with her parents, sister, dogs, horse, parakeets, and duck. Some of Molly’s interests include Tae Kwon Do, horseback riding, Frisbee, salsa dancing, photography, and playing guitar. Despite having lived in the same place for most of her life, Molly has a passion for travel and learning about other languages and cultures. Over the past few years she has traveled to Spain, France, England, Ireland, and Peru. The three weeks she spent volunteering in Piura, Peru have had a large impact on her life. The experience opened her eyes to the issues of poverty and economic injustice, and sparked her interest in programs like BUILD. She hopes to explore ways to combat these issues and learn more about sustainable development in Guatemala through her work with BUILD.

Tessa Gellerson, Class of 2012

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Tessa Gellerson is a sophomore double majoring in International Relations and Environmental Studies. She was born in Nicosia, Cyprus but grew up in Cairo, Egypt, New Delhi, India and Bethesda, Maryland. Growing up abroad fostered her continued interest in foreign affairs and she can’t wait to go to Santa Anita as a part of the BUILD team!

 

 

 

Erica Goldstein, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Erica Goldstein was born and raised in Briarcliff Manor, NY. Through high school, she helped lead music therapy sessions for children with special needs ranging from physical disabilities to hypersensitivity and social issues including autism. During her senior year, she attended a meeting at Tufts University where BUILD presented its mission, projects, and values. The presentation inspired her so much that it became one of the deciding factors in her decision to apply to Tufts. She is now BUILD Guatemala?s representative for the Millennium Campus Network, an organization that aims to connect university organizations committed to the Millennium Development Goals. She is a member of the class of 2013 at Tufts University, majoring in Engineering Science and Biology with a minor in Entrepreneurial Leadership. She has a strong interest in public health, and has plans to complete an MPH after college.

Hillevi Jaegerman, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Hillevi Jaegerman is a member of the class of 2011, a sophomore in the school of Arts and Sciences. Hillevi is fond of Thai food, a has a general dislike of insects, and tends to feel compassion for all people. She was born and raised in Portland, Maine. Hillevi has always had enthusiasm for learning through doing. Academically, this stems from her expeditionary-style learning middle and elementary schools. Outside of academia, Hillevi has a great appreciation and passion for the arts. She started playing the viola in the fourth grade and has continued playing as a pastime. She has attempted to perform in minor plays, but always loses her voice before a production. Instead she has pursued other interests such as athletics including but not limited to: tennis, ice hockey, soccer and most recently, being a coxswain on the women’s crew team. She is a member of the international organization Seeds of Peace, which fuels her interest in international cooperation and conflict resolution. In the future, Hillevi hopes to combine interests in the environment, international cooperation and communication. She loves to travel and would devote herself to seeing the world and furthering her education through that if she could.

Dorothy Kafka, Class of 2014

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2010
Dorothy is a freshman studying International Relations, hoping to learn more about poverty, development, and education through BUILD. Travel has inspired her interest in the world, and more specifically International Relations. Back home in Miami, FL, she enjoys horseback riding, reading, and relaxing with friends.

Will Merrow, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Will is a sophomore double majoring in International Relations and Sociology. Incredibly excited to be involved with the IGL, Will is finding BUILD to be a perfect fit with his passions and interests. As an activist, he feels that we all have an obligation to leave the world better than we have found it. In the past few years, Will has put much time and effort into trying to effect social and political change on a variety of issues, most recently being the contract negotiations for Tufts janitors. Everyone at Tufts wants to change the world, and Will feels that sometimes people get so caught up in being scholarly and learning about problems across the globe that they often forget that it is important to never be afraid of getting their hands dirty—especially in issues in our local community. Outside of academics and activism, Will enjoys spending time with good people and playing acoustic guitar. “I love my friends, family, and my hometown: Hopkinton, New Hampshire,” he says. Will is on the Ultimate Frisbee team, plays intramural volleyball and dodgeball, and is a big fan of Barack Obama, the movie Fight Club, and everything bagels. He wants to go abroad next year, although he’s not sure where yet; right now, he is focusing on getting the most out of his time here at Tufts and out of life in general.

Krista Morris, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Krista Morris is a member of the class of 2011 majoring in International Relations with a concentration in Latin America. She has lived and worked overseas, in places such as Belgium and Germany, and has had the privilege to recently travel to New Zealand, Australia and Italy. She enjoys writing poetry, and contributes to, as well as co-edits, a literary magazine on campus. If she were to enjoy her favorite food, sushi, with anyone, she would sit down to dinner with Captain James T. Kirk, W.E.B. Du Bois and possibly Frank Herbert. Krista’s friends often describe her as an exclamation point— tall, thin, enthusiastic and electric. Finally, Krista believes that as prepared as one may be, life’s greatest strength is to adapt.

 

Courtney Morrissey, Class of 2010

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Courtney Morrissey is a senior at Tufts majoring in Economics. Originally from Rochester, New York, she enjoys opera, puppies, and going to Market Basket. Additionally, she sees no conflict between loving old war movies and being a vegetarian. She has traveled to Guatemala previously through Habitat for Humanity, and as a member of the 2007-2008 EPIIC colloquium conducted research on aid and agricultural productivity in Bolivia. She spent her junior year abroad in Yunnan Province, China and Gulu, Uganda where she continued her studies in agricultural economics, and looks forward to returning to Guatemala with BUILD to research farming in a post-conflict setting in Santa Anita. Sometimes called “Little Raincloud” by her housemates, she has a bluntly sarcastic manner of speaking, which becomes particularly apparent on the subject of her disdain for cats.

Amy Ouellette, Class of 2012

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
BUILD impassions Amy. She has a strong yearning to learn about the world in which she lives so that she can then shape it positively. After visiting her first Latin American country this summer—Peru—she realized how crucial it is to physically see a place before helping it. Amy hopes that by seeing and researching with BUILD in the community Santa Anita La Union this year each member of the BUILD team will find in themselves and in their research reason to believe that BUILD and its members can change this world. Amy’s family is incredibly important to her. Film, theater, gymnastics and Spanish all inspire her as well, as does honest conversation and Tufts’ view of the Boston skyline. Essentially, Amy just loves living.

Charmaine Poh, Class of 2013

Program: India
Member since: 2010
Charmaine is a member of the class of 2013 who's an International Relations major with a concentration on International Security and a possible Communications and Media Studies minor. She was born and bred on the sunny island of Singapore before coming to Tufts. At Tufts, she is also involved with EXPOSURE, the Institute of Global Leadership's photojournalism program for human rights, the Tufts Christian Fellowship, the Singapore Students' Association and the Tufts Traveler. It was a trip to Nepal and other Asian countries in 2007 that first sparked her interest in social justice. She hopes that her involvement with BUILD will teach her more about development work and give her an insight into Third World social justice work.

Jeffrey Prevost, Class of 2012

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Jeff enjoys spending his time kicking a soccer ball with friends and (trying) to play music. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he is now pursuing a major in Biology at Tufts University. On campus he serves as a member of Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) and works for the Office for Campus Life. Jeff joined BUILD his freshman year - at the time, not knowing a word of Spanish - and has since made multiple trips to Santa Anita and has invested himself in the program's numerous projects. His research with BUILD focuses on health in indigenous communities and proposes the potential harmony that can, and should, exist between "traditional" and "Western biomedical" styles of medicine. He is also currently learning web design in order to bring the full breadth of BUILD to the Internet. Jeff is dedicated to supporting and giving back to others, be it to those in his hometown, his University, or to BUILD's members and partners.

Blair Read, Class of 2013

Program: India
Member since: 2010
Blair is a sophomore hoping to double major in political science and economics. Born in Fairbanks Alaska, she spent most of her life traveling back and forth between Fairbanks and Foxborough, Massachusetts. In addition to working with BUILD India, Blair is co-president of Tufts Habitat for Humanity, works at the AmeriCorps office on campus and coaches for Let’s Get Ready, a national organization that prepares students for the SATs and mentors high school juniors and seniors during the college application process. After Tufts, she hopes to work on community development and political reform in Africa, and is so excited to gain experience working with BUILD to develop innovative sustainable development projects in India! Her favorite things include cherry tomatoes, Bikram yoga and watching reruns of Gilmore Girls on ABC Family.

Rajesh Reddy, Class of 2012

Program: India, Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Rajesh Reddy is a freshman here at Tufts and a recent graduate of St. John’s Preparatory High School in Danvers, Massachusetts. Currently, he plans on pursuing a pre-med track and a History or Religion major. His hobbies include piano, guitar, and fencing. At Tufts, he is on the club rugby team. In the future, he hopes to use his work with BUILD and a medical background to work abroad in Latin American nations as part of Doctors Without Borders.

 

Victoria Rivera, Class of 2012

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Victoria was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She moved to Guaynabo, Puerto Rico at the age of two and has lived there ever since. She is currently a sophomore planning on majoring in Sociology and Political Science. She hopes to go on to law school and study non-profit law or international law. Victoria is very excited to work with the IGL and sees BUILD as the prefect entryway to getting involved with broader issues and helping to solve small-scale and large-scale international concerns. By joining the BUILD Tufts team, Victoria hopes to learn more about sustainable development and its implementations to help the community of Santa Anita progress. At Tufts she is also involved with PANGEA – Computers for Careers, ESL tutor for ABM janitors, FASAB – Financial Aid Student Advisory Board and STAIR - Students at Tufts Acting for Immigrant Rights.

Chloe Rousseau, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Chloé Rousseau was born in Paris, moved to the United States at age six, and now lives in North Carolina. She is fluent in French and Spanish. At Tufts, Chloe is majoring in Community Health and Spanish, and she plays violin with the Tufts chamber orchestra. Chloe first fell in love with Guatemala at the age of 15 when she took part in a Spanish language immersion program in the city of Quetzaltenango, and she returned to the country in her Senior year of high school to work in rural communities teaching English, construct environmentally-friendly stoves, and fundraise for local NGOs. She participated in the inaugural BUILD Guatemala trip and researched perceptions of US foreign policy among rural populations, and has returned to Guatemala twice more as one of the leaders of the 2009 BUILD team She is interested in global health and policy, including studying practical solutions to health problems in the developing world, and is considering a career in law. She also loves contemporary Spanish literature as well as reading Harry Potter aloud to a captivated group of BUILD members. This winter she will be studying the works of Emile Durkheim and Marcel Mauss as a research assistant for Professor Astier Almedom of the Fletcher School, and will study abroad in Madrid, Spain in the Spring of 2010.

Zoe Schlag, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
From Boulder, CO, Zoe is currently a sophomore here at Tufts. She has not yet declared a major, but is planning on studying International Relations with a concentration in International Security and is also considering a double major with Peace and Justice Studies. Academically, she is also interested in the fields of Anthropology and Sociology. On campus, Zoe is involved with Jumpstart, a national service program run through Americorps to help educate pre-kindergarten children. As well, she is part of the Tufts Mountain Club. She was also involved in Exposure last year, which introduced her to photojournalism. This later led her to develop an interest in use of art for social change. Zoe is interested in languages (French, some Spanish and some Portuguese), traveling, and the outdoors. Through her participation in BUILD, she hopes to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the knowledge that she has attained through the classroom setting by applying it in the field and seeing the physical manifestations of this knowledge.

Katy Simon, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Katy Simon was born on July 10, 1989 in Vallejo, California under the care of her mother and 2 cats. When she was four she moved to Sebastopol, CA where she has lived until attending Tufts. Growing up, Katy took in joy in such activities as acting, soccer, traveling to Latin-American countries, and she aspires to be fluent in Spanish very soon! At Tufts Katy is a TCU Senator, plays rugby, and is involved in PANGEA, an organization focused on raising awareness about global human rights issues.

 

 

Regina Smedinghoff, Class of 2012

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Regina Smedinghoff is a sophomore from Chicago most likely majoring in Sociology and International Relations. She is interested in issues of sustainable development, and this January will be traveling to Ghana with the Tufts Ghana Gold program to learn more about economic development. She hopes to carry these interests over to her work with BUILD. At Tufts Regina is the Education Policy Center Director for the Roosevelt Institute, a copy editor for the Tufts Daily, and a member of National Collegiate Volunteers. She has competitively Irish Danced since kindergarten and is currently a member of the Tufts Irish Dance Club. Regina also loves running, and recently ran what she hopes to be one of many marathons.

Jonathan Steinberg, Class of 2014

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2010
Jonathan Steinberg is a freshman from Teaneck, New Jersey. He is considering double majoring in Anthropology and Spanish, however is undecided for now. At Tufts, Jonathan teaches English to members of the ABM staff and is a judicial advocate. His interest in the developing world was truly cultivated on a seven week, service-learning trip to Ghana before his senior year of High School. Since then, Jonathan has worked with various non-profit organizations in New York City focusing on undocumented immigrants, HIV/AIDS, and victims of domestic violence. BUILD has been a great way for Jonathan to look at poverty from an academic perspective and understand economic, rural development.

Ming Tanigawa-Lau, Class of 2014

Program: India
Member since: 2010
Ming is a wannabe adventurer still testing the ropes during her first year at Tufts. She was both amazed and excited to find a group like BUILD upon her arrival – an extraordinary bunch of dedicated and hard-working students who truly believe in making a difference, and who truly are. A self-admitted tree-hugger of the annoying, “Don’t waste water!” brand, she is happy to call her home the sunny and palm-tree clad state of Hawai’i. Ming has also always fostered an interest in traveling and languages, and in her lifetime has attempted to learn Spanish, Japanese, Arabic and Hawaiian (and soon, Tamil!). In school, she plans to double major in Peace and Justice Studies and Music in violin performance. Ming is a big fan of watching the sunset, Nutella, Calvin and Hobbes, blowing bubbles, pajama pants, macaroni and cheese, and video chatting with her younger brother. She is proud to call herself a member of BUILD this year.

Ekaterina Titova, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Ekaterina Titova is a seond year student at Tufts from Seattle, originally from Russia, majoring in quantitative economics. She is heavily involved in the student group ESI, Energy Security Initiative. She is particularly interested in economics growth and development in third world countries as it related to education and energy. At the end of her career at Tufts, she hopes to pursue a career either with banking or in the clean energy industry. Ekaterina speaks Russian and has taken five years of Spanish.

 

 

Amalia Toro Restrepo, Class of 2012

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Amalia Toro Restrepo is a junior majoring in History and International Relations, with a focus on colonialism and Latin America respectively. She is a resident of Medellin, Colombia, and has really enjoyed working with BUILD because it has given her the opportunity to expand her knowledge of Latin America and meet the wonderful communities of Santa Anita la Unión. She has done research with the community on the transformation of gender roles as as result of guerrilla participation. She will complete her undergraduate education in 2012.

 

Tomás Valdés, Class of 2011

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2008
Tomas Valdes was born in Boston but raised in Pittsburgh. He has been very internationally-oriented since childhood, being a first-generation Hispanic American of Cuban and Colombian heritage. He has participated in various student exchange programs which have allowed him to travel to Mexico, Japan, and spend a year in France. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and French. In Guatemala, Tomas hopes to focus on the economic aspect of sustainable development. As an undergraduate at Tufts University, Tomas plans to double major in Economics and Political Science.

 

Nithyaa Venkataramani, Class of 2013

Program: India
Member since: 2009
Nithyaa is currently a sophomore at Tufts, thinking of majoring in International Relations with a Global Health focus with a minor in Child Development. She was born in Chennai, India and grew up in the town of Andover, Massachusetts. Nithyaa is excited to combine field experience with her academic interests in sustainable development, nutrition, and other prevalent health issues. Her frequent travels to India have also taught her about social injustice and the great importance of service. She looks forward to being involved with BUILD and working through interdisciplinary means of active citizenship, as well as learning a lot of Spanish. At Tufts, Nithyaa is also involved in teaching health workshops to local high schools through the Peer Health Exchange, and enjoys running, singing, writing, and photography.

Alex Wais, Class of 2014

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2010
Alex Wais is interested in majoring in Peace and Justice and Economics. His interest in fighting poverty started in while in high school in his native city of San Diego. He seeks to work in development, most likely through nonprofit work. He works with BUILD with the hope of learning how non profits operate and how a successful program to help those in the developing world is properly carried out. He enjoys music, photography and travelling.

 

Jessie Wang, Class of 2014

Program: India
Member since: 2010
Jessie Wang is a proud member of the new class of 2014, majoring in International Relations, Community Health, and Chinese. Born in China, as a Mongolian, Jessie moved to the United States at the age of 6. After graduating from Westwood High School in Austin, Texas the move to the North was a difficult transition. It is one of Jessie’s goals to work for the United Nations Sustainable Development Committee and someday even the Supreme Court. This summer Jessie originally had plans to work with rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking in Thailand however after the recent protests the trip was cancelled. She then made the decision to learn more about Tibetan nationalism by living in Tibet for two weeks. Since she’s been back she has been working with the University of Lhasa to form a student coalition to inform the public from a Tibetan view. Now at Tufts Jessie is a part of the EXPOSURE, EPIIC Class of 2010, Crew and TCF. And best of all a proud member of BUILD. Every morning Jessie listens to “All the Above” and Kid Cudi to get pumped.

Anne Wolfe, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Anne Wolfe is a sophomore at Tufts from Medfield, Massachusetts. She is currently studying Peace and Justice Studies and International Relations with a concentration in the region of Latin America. In the year that she has been with BUILD so far, she has learned much about sustainable development, the internal tensions of Guatemala, and the struggles of indigenous people. BUILD has also helped Anne to discover her passion for Latin America and development work and to develop her Spanish skills. She headed up the Ecotourism Committee in 2010 and was a member of the trip team in January 2011. She hopes to use what she has learned in BUILD throughout her life, wherever it may take her. Outside of BUILD she is a member of the Equestrian Team, works at TUPD and Conference Bureau, and loves to sing, read, and have random 3 A.M. dance parties.

Cameron Yu, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Cameron Yu is a sophomore civil engineering student from Palos Verdes, California, a small suburb just south of downtown Los Angeles. Outside of the classroom, Cameron enjoys spending time in the outdoors, rocking out to 80's music, collecting different-colored-fake-ray bans sunglasses and arguing about trivial topics in sitcoms with his siblings. He enjoys watching sports and will be the first to tell you that he is the most annoying sports fan you will ever meet. This is Cameron's second year in BUILD. He was a part of the January 2010 research trip and hopes to continue helping Santa Anita in the future.

Miguel Zamora, Class of 2013

Program: Guatemala
Member since: 2009
Miguel is a sophomore at Tufts double majoring in International Relations and Economics. He has been one two trips to Santa Anita with BUILD and helped organize the February No Alcanza Conference in 2010. He enjoys playing guitar and bass - anything related to music. Miguel hopes to work in economic development in Latin America after his studies.

 

 

Rebecca Herman, Class of 2013

Program: India
Member since: 2010
Rebecca is a sophomore at Tufts majoring in History, probably with a concentration in South Asia and/or the Middle East. She is also considering a minor in Religion. She joined BUILD to give her a more hands-on perspective on one of the regions in which she is interested (South Asia), as well as to gain experience in the world of development, which has always been of interest but which she’s never had the opportunity to explore. Born and raised in the Washington D.C. area, she has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, speaks basic Hebrew and enjoys playing piano and guitar.

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BUILD: Latin America 2016-17

Nitya Agrawal, Class of 2017

President

Nitya Agrawal is a junior from Basking Ridge, NJ. It is a little difficult to say where she is from, because she has lived in New York City, Tokyo, New Delhi, Phoenix, and now lives in New Jersey. She plans to major in International Relations. Her experiences abroad sparked her interest in international development and she is interning this summer with Human Connections, in Bucerías, Mexico. On campus, she is the News Correspondent for the South Asian magazine and website, a coach for Let's Get Ready, and a member of Model UN. In her free time she likes to spend time with family and friends, read, or travel.

Ana Sofía Amieva-Wang, Class of 2019

Director of Marketing and Outreach

Ana Sofía is a sophomore from California. She is interested in sustainability, community health, journalism and education. She grew up speaking Spanish with her family and has spent a lot of time traveling in Latin America. Since 2011 Ana Sofia has worked on an environmental education project (ASRI Kids) working with kids in rural Borneo, Indonesia. In her free time, Ana Sofia loves rock climbing, hiking, traveling, taking photos, and being with her family.

Cristina da Gama, Class of 2019

Consulting Director with Libraries Without Borders

Cristina da Gama is a sophomore at Tufts from Caracas, Venezuela. She is interested in Economics, Communications, Psychology and Entrepreneurship. Growing up in Caracas, she was motivated to reach out to communities in need. She was also interested in understanding how social, economic and political forces often polarize nations. Cristina hopes to gain valuable experience while working in BUILD and other projects in order to help her country in the future. In her free time, she likes to read, play sports and hang out with friends. Cristina is a member of the Libraries Without Borders team.

Cody Eaton, Class of 2019

Co-Director of Speaker Events

Cody is a sophomore from Gloucester, MA who is majoring in International Relations with a concentration in International Economic Development. He became very interested in international development and micro-finance after conducting research on the Tufts Global Engagement Trip to Ecuador, and hopes to work in Latin America in the future. He was a policy intern in the MA Office of Housing and Economic Development, and on campus he is a member of WMFO College Radio and Tufts Progressive Alliance. He is an avid soccer and music fan, and spends his free time taking photos and having fun with friends.

Mia Ellis, Class of 2018

Co-President, Co-Leader of Action for Education Team, Website and Content Developer

Mia is a junior at Tufts University from Montclair, NJ. She is majoring in quantitative economics and math with a minor in Arabic. She's interested in pursuing a career in economic development. She's interned for the Humane Society of the United States working as an activist and lobbyist and the United States Public Interest Research Group as a member of their transportation campaign, and the Mo Dewji Foundation in Tanzania. She's a vegan, loves animals, reading, traveling, drinking excessive amounts of coffee, and spending time with friends.

Marianna Marques, Class of 2017

Consulting Director with Action for Education

Marianna Marques is a senior at Tufts University born and raised in the Greater Boston Area. She is on a premed track, majoring in Community Health. A first generation american, Marianna is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Growing up in a working-class immigrant Brazilian community has fueled her desire to enact social change, especially in Latin America. Her medical mission to Honduras with Medical Ministry International last summer has reaffirmed this desire. Marianna hopes to provide medical opportunities to underprivileged communities, starting with an inaugural project of starting a nursing school in rural Honduras. During her free time, she likes to play soccer, read books, and volunteer at her local church.

Alexandra Claman, Class of 2017

Libraries without Borders Team

Major: International Relations & Spanish
Alexandra has extensive volunteering, including for the Girls Scouts of America, Leonard Carmichael Society a Tufts, and more.

Reed Collins, Class of 2019

Action for Education Team

Major: International Relations, minor in Latin American Studies and Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies
Reed has lived in Spain for a year, spent 6 months in Costa Rica, and 3 in Chile. He holds a position in student government and has been involved in two leadership programs

Claire Connolly, Class of 2019

Action for Education Team

Major: International Relations
Claire is passionate about being a global citizen and learning to ethically engage with other countries around the world. She leads Tufts' Petey Green program, has interned for the Worldwide Orphans Foundation, and works for Bpeace as a virtual intern.

Gabriel DePinho, Class of 2020

Action for Education Team

Major: Undecided
Gabe has worked in the Dominican Republic through service projects building shelters and basic homes, and is excited to continue expanding his knowledge of sustainable development

Matthew Johnson, Class of 2019

Libraries Without Borders Team

Major: Political Science & English, minor in Latin American Studies
Matthew has lived with host families in Argentina and Guatemala, and plans on studying abroad in Chile next year. He has interned at Horizons, and is interested in learning about ethical development practices.

Amanda Jung, Class of 2020

Action for Education Team

Major: Community Health & Biology
Amanda is interested in sustainable development practices. She was the president and founder of a student-run bipartisan organization in high school working to create an informed and active society through the empowerment of high-school students.

Maya Lubeck-Schricker, Class of 2020

Action for Education Team

Major: Undecided
Maya is interested in sustainable development and community health, and spent last break working in Costa Rica. She has experience with grantwriting.

Rachael Meyer, Class of 2019

Action for Education Team

Major: International Relations & Environmental Studies
Rachael spent three weeks this past summer volunteering in Peru, and wants to be involved in sustainable development.

Adam Meyer, Class of 2020

Action for Educaiton Team

Major: Undecided
Adam is passionate about giving back through education, and has experience with tutoring in high school.

Ryan Newquist, Class of 2019

Action for Education Team

Major: International Relations
Ryan is passionate about a career in economic development

Aidan O'Brien, Class of 2020

Action for Education Team

Major: Biology
Aidan values education as a tool for development, and has worked at a summer camp for the past three years. He aspires to become a medical professional and places importance on giving back to communities.

Ayotola Onipede, Class of 2019

Action for Education Team

Major: Clinical Psychology & Community Health, minor in Economics
Ayotola wants to transform her education into real impact. She is interested in international development, global health policies, and resourcing. She has experience with teaching, marketing, outreach, and grant proposals.

Clemencia Pinasco, Class of 2019

Libraries Without Borders Team

Major: Environmental Studies, Policy concentration
Clemencia is from Peru, has worked with the NGO TECHO in Peru, focusing on community development and housing. Also worked with several NGOs throughout high school.

Hannah Read, Class of 2020

Action for Education Team

Major: International Relations & Spanish
Hannah has lived for two months in Peru and three weeks in Argentina, and is enthusiastic about learning and collaborating on programs in Latin America.

Miranda Rivera, Class of 2019

Libraries Without Borders Team

Major: Computer Science
Miranda is from Puerto Rico and is committed to improving the lives of Latin Americans.

Camila Rovalino, Class of 2019

Libraries Without Borders Team

Major: International Relations
Camila is Ecuadorian and is committed to giving back to the region that she has called home for most of her life. She is also excited to learn more about project implementation.

Eva Sachar, Class of 2019

Action for Education Team

Major: Applied Mathematics & Quantitative Economics
Eva is interested in consulting and wants to explore the development side of this type of work, while being immersed in volunteer work in Latin America.

Roman Sieler, Class of 2017

Action for Education Team

Major: Economics & Political Science
Roman is an exchange student from Germany. He has spent a year in Argentina working at a food bank, and has experience managing microfinance projects and with fundraising.

Bill Wong, Class of 2019

Action for Education Team

Major: Biopsychology
Bill is excited to learn more about sustainable development work in Latin America and has extensive experience in research, grant writing, community health, and fundraising.