KEIO UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY CROSSCULTURAL COLLABORATION

KEIO UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION We are excited to meet you!

Peer Assistants (PAs) We are undergraduate students from the College of William and Mary. We will be part of your focus groups, and will live with you in the dorm and hotels. We’re going to have a lot of fun!

Laura Ferraro Hi everyone! My name is Laura. I'm a double major in East Asian Studies and English, and I'm going to be a senior at W&M this year. I studied abroad at Keio in spring 2016, and it was so fun! I love Japanese food (especially Horumon Masaru near Mita campus—so delicious!). My favorite things to do are cooking, painting, and (sometimes) knitting. I can't wait to meet you all and show you around Williamsburg!

Qiaoyue Kuang Hi! My name is Qiaoyue Kuang (匡嶠岳). I am a rising sophomore at W&M, double majoring in Chemistry and Environmental Science. I am an international student and I come from Beijing, China. I enjoy making friends with different cultural backgrounds and knowing about different cultures. I'm extremely interested in Chinese and Japanese tea cultures. In my spare time, I enjoy playing sports, cooking and eating, reading books, and watching animes. I love Japan! Tokyo is one of my favorite cities and I have been there for 4 times. I have been studying Japanese by myself since middle school. I am so excited to spend time with you in both Williamsburg and D. C. Can't wait to meet all of you!

Kate Kuzel Hiya! I’m Kate and I’m so excited to be one of your Peer Advisors this summer! I am currently a rising junior at William & Mary and I absolutely love it! I have lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia for most of my life but before I lived in Virginia I was born in Chicago, Illinois and lived there till I was about 6 years old. At college, I am primarily involved with the Japanese Culture Association and my sorority Delta. I really enjoy learning about other languages and cultures, which is why I am majoring in Linguistics and created my own Japanese Studies major. I can’t wait to meet all of you in a few weeks!!

Lilin Ma Hello! My name is Lilin Ma and I’m from Beijing, China. I’m a rising senior in William and Mary majoring in economics and accounting. I love Williamsburg and I hope you will too. During summer vacation, I usually go traveling and I’ve been to many different countries. I enjoy learning about other cultures and making new friends! I’m super excited to be meeting you soon and expect that we’ll have fun together!

Daniel Tay Hi everyone, my name is Daniel Tay, and my double major in Economics and Psychology is all part of my grand strategy to make it seem like I have my act together. People always complain about the humidity in Williamsburg, but honestly, this humidity is nothing compared to that of my home country, Singapore. Unfortunately, my hair will no longer be blue when you arrive, but I’m sure you won’t have too much trouble recognizing me. I’m super excited to meet you all, and I hope you are ready to have tons of fun while learning about American culture! 楽しみ〜

Julia Wright Hi everyone! My name is Julia Wright and I cannot wait to be a Peer Advisor! I am nineteen years old and a rising sophomore at William and Mary where I major in Computer Science. Despite already declaring my major, I have no plans for the future, except to one day travel the world! I was born in California, but raised just outside New York City (though now I am completely in love with Williamsburg). My father is from Canada, and my mother is from Malaysia where I spend most of my summer each year. I enjoy reading books, watching Netflix, playing tennis, and writing stories. I am very excited to meet everyone and start our adventure together!

Classroom Instructors (CIs) We’re graduate students at William and Mary, and we will be leading your dialogue classes, advising your focus groups, and joining you on your tours and activities.

Chris Slaby Hello! My name is Chris Slaby (日本語でスレイ ビー クリス). I’m a Ph. D. student in the American Studies Program at W&M. My research looks at Native American and environmental history. I like to think about the relationship between people and places. Even though I study the U. S. now, I first began graduate school looking at Japanese art. I was an English teacher with the JET Program for a year, teaching in Ohda City, Shimane Prefecture. During the summer of 2007, I participated in a program similar to this, where I was one of many international students hosted by Technos College in Tokyo for two weeks. My experiences with Japan have left me with great life-long memories, as well as a passion for collecting Japanese tea ceramics. In my free time I like to cook and eat different kinds of foods with my wife and to play with our cocker spaniel, Ranger.

Ravynn Stringfield Hi, everyone! My name is Ravynn Stringfield and I'm a rising second year in the Masters/Ph. D program in American Studies, which means I am currently in the midst of writing and editing my Masters thesis. My research is primarily focused on representations of Black people in comics and graphic novels, but I'm interested in Black history and basically any type of literature. I'm originally from Suffolk, Virginia but then I moved to Charlottesville (also in Virginia) for my undergraduate degree. When I'm not studying, I spend my time making art, reading comics and frequenting coffee shops in search of the perfect hazelnut latte.

Ari Weinberg Hi! My name is Ari and I’m a grad student in American Studies. I am curious about the ways that immigrants who come to the United States as refugees pass down memories of their experiences to their children and grandchildren. I also wonder about the differences between the stories told within and outside of these immigrant communities. I am passionate about human rights and hope to incorporate my scholarship into my activism. If you like cats, music, or dancing badly we will definitely be friends! Music is a huge part of my life; I sing opera, musical theater, jazz and Middle Eastern music and I play the guitar and riqq. I also love to cook and bake Italian and Jewish-style foods. In my free time, I like to play card and board games, go

Leah Kuragano Hello! My name is Leah, and I am a Ph. D student in American Studies. I was born in Tokyo and moved to the U. S. when I was three years old. I spent most of my life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania until I moved to Vermont for college. At W&M I study the culture and history of Hawai’i and the U. S. after World War II. I am interested in the ways cultural products like Hawaiian music, hula, luau, and surfing became incorporated into American culture from Hawai’i. When I’m not studying, reading, and writing, I like to watch tv and movies, play video games, grow vegetables in my garden, and spend time with my dog, Charly. This is my first year with the Keio program, and I am so excited to meet all of you in Williamsburg!

Academic Directors We’re both graduate students at William & Mary. We have been planning the classes and activities for this year’s program, and will also be living with you in the dorm and hotels. You can come to us with any questions or concerns you may have while you’re here.

Brian Jones [Assistant Director] Hi! My name is Brian Jones and I am a Ph. D candidate in the American Studies Program at W&M. I am also a member of the music faculties at the University of Richmond and W&M. I love music! My research interests include the life and work of jazz drummer/composer Paul Motian, Sun Ra and Afrofuturism, and jazz during the Civil Rights era. As a freelance drummer, I have worked with a wide array of artists including Jason Mraz, Liz Phair, Steven Bernstein, Randy Brecker, and Jandek. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but I have lived in Virginia for over twenty years. When I am not writing, researching, or playing music, I like to go camping with my family, travel, and watch films. I can’t wait to meet all of you!

Neeve Kelly [Director] Hey guys! My name is Neeve, and I’m a Ph. D Candidate in W&M’s American Studies Program. I’m researching the commodification of Irish culture in post-modern America. My parents are both from Ireland, but met in the U. S. at an Irish dance outside of New York City! I grew up in New Jersey, and before moving to Virginia for W&M, I lived in Providence, Rhode Island, and Brooklyn, New York. I live in Richmond now, and I love it – it’s my favorite city so far! When I’m not doing school work, I enjoy hanging out with my dog, Pukky, watching murder mysteries, solving crossword puzzles, and meditating.

THAT’S US! WE CANNOT WAIT TO GREET YOU HERE IN WILLIAMSBURG NEXT MONTH! See you soon!!