Class of 2029, Meet Your OIS Counselors!

Hi everyone, I’m Christopher! I’m half Thai and half Korean, and I was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. I’m a rising sophomore ('29) in Pauli Murray College studying Mechanical Engineering.

Outside the classroom, I’m involved in project teams like Bulldogs Racing, Yale’s Formula SAE team, where we build an electric race car, and Yale Assistive Innovation Design, where we design and 3D-print prosthetics. I’m also part of the Undergraduate Research Mentorship Initiative. For fun, I sing in an a cappella group and serve on board for the Students’ Association of Thais At Yale.

I’ve really enjoyed my time at Yale so far, and OIS has been a meaningful part of that experience. I’m looking forward to meeting you all and sharing more once you’re on campus. Congratulations and welcome to Yale!

Hey everyone! I'm Juliano Portela, a rising senior in Timothy Dwight College from Manaus, Brazil, majoring in Computing & Linguistics.

I'm super involved in research at the Linguistics and Cognitive Science Departments, where I’ve been working on some exciting projects! I love learning new languages (so please teach me a few phrases in yours), drawing, playing Brazilian music, reading poetry, coding, and traveling.

At Yale, I used to be the president of both the Brazil Club and the Yale Brazilian Music Collective. I was also an OIS counselor in 2024 and 2025, which were such fun and meaningful experiences that I just had to do it one last time this year. Additionally, I also work as a Hardware Specialist at the Student Technology Collaborative, so let me know if you need any help with tech!

Yale is truly indescribable—the people you meet, the things you experience, and everything in between make it a place like no other. One of my favorite parts of being here has been getting involved in the international community, and I hope to help spread that beautiful spirit of “internationality” even more across campus this year!

Congratulations, Class of 2029, and welcome to Yale! I'm Dut Phillip, a rising sophomore at Trumbull College, originally from South Sudan. But for the past decade, I've called the Ayilo I Refugee Settlement in northern Uganda home as a refugee since the outbreak of the civil war in my country.

At Yale, I plan to major in Ethics, Politics, and Economics (EPE), a perfect blend of my interests in governance, economic development, and global affairs.
On campus, I serve as the Russian Civil War Department co-chair at Yale Model United Nations and am an active member of the Running Club, where I enjoy pushing my limits as a cross-country runner.

When I'm not diving into Adam Smith's works or John Maynard Keynes' theories, you'll probably find me reading finance-related books, playing the piano, or watching South Sudanese wrestling reviews (yes, it's a thing, and it's fascinating!).

I'd love to chat with you if you want a conversation on philosophical ideas, global politics, economic policies, or just great book recommendations! I'm so excited to meet you all and be part of this incredible journey together.

Hi everyone! My name is Kenda, a sophomore studying Biomedical Engineering and Global Health Studies. I was born and raised in Kenya, a beautiful country in East Africa.

Outside of classes, I’m involved in outreach and recruitment for conferences like the Yale Model African Union and the Yale Africa Innovation Symposium. I also work as a research assistant and serve as a Swahili language tutor with the Center for Language Studies—so feel free to reach out if you’re interested in learning the language! I love traveling and am always thinking about my next trip, so if that’s your vibe and you want a travel buddy, I’d love to connect :)

Congratulations and welcome to Yale—I’m really excited to meet you all soon!

Hey everyone! I’m Selinam Mortey, and I’m a first-year in Morse College. I grew up in Accra, Ghana, and I’m planning to study Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Outside of classes, I’m involved with the Yale Assistive Innovation and Design (Y-AID) club, where we design 3D-printed prosthetic limbs for New Haven residents. I also work at the Bass and Sterling Memorial Libraries. In my free time, you’ll find me playing football with friends, playing video games, or at events with the Yale African Students Association.

I’m so excited to be a counselor for OIS this year! OIS was one of the highlights of my first year, and I met most of my closest friends at Yale during that week. I hope it’s just as special for you all, hopefully even better. Enjoy your summer, and I'm looking forward to meeting you in the fall.

Hey everyone! My name is Tiago, I am a rising sophomore in Ezra Stiles college from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and I am super excited to meet you all in August!

I plan on being an Ethics, Politics and Economics major with a certificate in Data Science, but I have always been (and still am) very indecisive about what to study and what I want to do with my life so please don't hesitate to bring me your life dilemmas, and don't feel pressured to have it all figured out!
I generally love philosophizing about how people think and communicate with each other, especially in the context of politics and economics. Outside of class, I am a member of the Yale Brazilian Music Collective, an Usher for the Yale School of Music, and love participating in intramural sports and political party debates!

If you have any questions or queries, no matter how small, I'm always just an email away :)

Hi everyone, and welcome to Yale :)

My name is Moe and I'm a rising senior in Davenport College from Tokyo, Japan. I'm studying Cultural Anthropology with a Certificate in Data Science, and do a lot of creative writing and journalism on and off campus. I also love photography and taking walks.

Coming into Yale as an international student can be somewhat terrifying, but the wonderful thing about OIS is that it brings you closer to a group of people that shares and understands your experience. The international community has been such a grounding presence throughout my time at Yale, and has also brought me some of my closest friends -- I hope that we can be a small part of providing that sense of guidance and belonging for you.

Please feel free to reach out about anything from campus publications and creative writing classes, study abroad (I spent my junior spring semester in Copenhagen), or homesickness. Safe travels, and see you soon!

Hi everyone - a huge congratulations to you all and welcome to Yale! My name is Proud Ua-arak, and I’m a rising senior from Bangkok, Thailand, studying biomedical engineering with a certificate in Chinese. Outside of classes, you'll usually find me playing basketball at the Silligym, meditating at the Yale Buddhist Shrine, and hunting for New Haven culinary delights with friends (always happy to share my Beli recs), among other things!

If you ask any Yalie what their favorite thing about Yale is, “community” is a word you won’t fail to hear, and you'll quickly see why. The people I met at OIS as a freshman instantly became a loving home away from home for me when I first arrived, which is so valuable for us internationals who are adjusting to not just university life, but to a completely new country. As both a Counselor and PL, I'm so so excited to meet you all during Camp OISS and throughout the year. to welcome you into this vibrant community with open arms. Please don’t hesitate to reach out about anything at all!