The fall 2025 group represents a varied background of educational interests and research specializations. Their dynamic experiences and unique passions will surely enhance the cross-cultural dialogues within the program. 

The MIRS interdisciplinary curriculum challenges students to explore cultural, historical, geographical, political, and socioeconomic issues through a global lens. As part of their studies, students benefit from access to the II’s nationally recognized centers and programs. These centers provide unmatched research resources, professional networks, and opportunities for engagement with globally focused events and initiatives. MIRS alumni have gone on to work in both the private and public sectors as well as academia. 

We look forward to seeing what these new Wolverines accomplish on campus and beyond!

Fall 2025 Cohort:

  • Baktygul Chynybaeva, Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies Specialization
    • A seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting on human rights, health, and climate change in Central Asia, Baktygul is passionate about supporting democratic resilience and media freedom. 
  • Chengxi Yin, Chinese Studies Specialization
    • Chengxi’s research interests are focused on contemporary Chinese society and popular culture. She is committed to creating critical and affective spaces that engage with media realism and visual culture.
  • Dia Camara, Japanese Studies Specialization
    • Dia graduated from Oakland University with a BA in Japanese. He is excited to be continuing his studies in Japanese language and culture.
  • Emma Madeline Mar Yun, Chinese Studies Specialization
    • Emma is interested in U.S.-China relations and the operation of democratic practices in East Asia, particularly the intersection of social media, public opinion, and elite cueing.
  • Kunwoo Kwon, Chinese Studies Specialization
    • With an interest in medieval Chinese Buddhist scholasticism, Kunwoo plans to explore the historical context in which Chinese Buddhist doctrinal texts were written and its influence on their content.
  • Lea Blander, Chinese Studies Specialization
    • Lea’s academic interests focus on the use of humor in intercultural exchange, cultural interpretations of emotional expression, and how traditional views of mental disorders vary across cultures.
  • Maximilian Hauff, Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies Specialization
    • Maximilian is a dual degree student pursuing MIRS and a master’s in public policy. He is particularly interested in international security issues in the Slavic Region. 
  • Nurudeen Lamini, Islamic Studies Specialization
    • Nurdeen’s transnational experiences in Ghana, Turkey, and the U.S. have shaped his academic pursuits including a research focus on the role of religion in shaping social hierarchies in medieval Islamic societies.
  • Nyankoor Timothy, African Studies Specialization
    • Nyankoor would like to address the gaps in South Sudanese history through storytelling to promote civic and community engagement within South Sudan and the diaspora.
  • Ruo-qi Zheng, Chinese Studies Specialization
    • Ruo-qi is primarily a family demographer using mixed methods to study changes in family norms, dynamics, and structures in contemporary China and the U.S. and how these changes affect health outcomes.
  • Tyler Berndt, Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies Specialization
    • Tyler’s research focuses on the intersections between contemporary poetry, performance, and attention in former Soviet spaces.
  • Yehan He, Chinese Studies Specialization
    • Although originally trained in literary studies, Yehan’s research experiences have led her to academic interests that lie at the intersection of environmental anthropology, postcolonial studies, and riverine ecologies in Southwest China.
  • Yingmo Tu, Japanese Studies Specialization
    • During her time with MIRS, Yingmo plans to compare the literature of anti-naturalist and aesthetic writers, using ancient Chinese poetry and incorporating philosophical interpretations.
  • Zekkie McCormick, Japanese Studies Specialization
    • After attending Tottori University in Japan for language courses and shamisen training, Zekkie is now eager to research The Kyoto School of Philosophy and Japanese artistic counter-cultural movements like the Mavoists, Butoh dancers, and the poetry publication Aka to Kuro.
  • Ziying Xu, Chinese Studies Specialization
    • With archeological excavation experience in the Guangdong and Hunan provinces in China, as well as in Senegal, Ziying is now focused on researching informal markets, commodity circulation, supply chains, and the material and social dimensions of waste in urban China.

Please join us in celebrating our new students and read the MIRS student profiles to learn more about our scholars.