Class of 2029, Meet Your OIS Peer Liaisons!

Head Peer Liaison

Iulia Teleuca, SY '28, Moldova

Hello!
My name is Iulia Teleuca, and I am from Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. I am a rising junior in Saybrook College (Class of 2028), studying Chemistry. Outside of classes, you can often find me in the lab working on chemical synthesis, or singing Ukrainian or Bulgarian songs with the Yale Slavic Chorus. I also love performing on stage, whether in a musical or a dance showcase, and spending time at the OISS office, helping out with and participating in events. And of course, I can’t forget my daily dose of boba at Whale Tea!
I am always so happy to meet new people, learn about different cultures, and support others through both the exciting and challenging moments of university life. Being part of the international community can be difficult at times, but it is also something truly special that we should be proud of.
I am always here as a friend, and I look forward to connecting with you :)

Email Iulia

Peer Liaisons

Kerem Babaoglu, TD '29, Turkey

Hey everyone, I'm Kerem Babaoglu and I'm from Alanya, Turkey! I'm a rising sophomore ('29) in Timothy Dwight College. If you see a floating smiley face in the campus, that's me! I'm majoring in Cognitive Science. I enjoy theater, reading novels and watching TV series. I'm passionate about Eurovision songs, cooking for my loved ones and drinking Turkish coffee.

In addition to my studies, I work as a Turkish Peer Tutor. I am fond of learning languages and listening to songs in languages that I don't even know of, so if you have a song in any language that you want to share, please do so! I'm also acting in various productions at Yale, and I love playing board games as well.

Ever since I came here, Yale has been the space where I could freely be myself and find those who would vibe with me. There is always someone that shares your niche interest or would be willing to do any activity you want to do with you, which makes this entire journey so much more fun.

We are so excited to welcome you to Yale, and please feel free to reach out with anything. See you in New Haven!

Email Kerem

Thais Burgess, JE '28, Jamaica

Hi! I’m Thais, a Mechanical Engineering major in the Class of 2028. I’m really interested in sustainable energy and biotechnology, especially how they can improve public health and everyday life. I’m from Jamaica but grew up in the Turks and Caicos Islands, so I’ve always loved the ocean and marine life. I’m also a big Formula 1 fan and part of Yale’s Formula SAE team, Bulldogs Racing. You’ll usually find me with a boba or latte in hand, and I'm always down for a movie night (especially horror movies ;) )

Email Thais

Kyo Lee, DC '29, Canada and South Korea

Hi y’all! My name is Kyo Lee, and I am majoring in English and History. I was born in and currently live in South Korea but mostly grew up in Waterloo, Canada. At Yale, I read for the Yale Literary Magazine, perform samulnori with UNITY, and procrastinate doing readings. I am also interested in creative writing. Some of my recent favorite books have been A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, Life of Caesar by Plutarch, and Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong; please do not hesitate to give me book recommendations—the TBR only expands. A personal snippet: I have a love-hate relationship with morning classes, summer, and baking without recipes.

I am so excited to welcome you to Yale. Please feel free to reach out about anything at all!

Email Kyo

Caleb Loh, DC '28, Singapore

Hello everyone! My name is Caleb (DC'28) and I am excited to be a Peer Liaison for OISS this year. I am originally from Singapore and I am a pursuing a double major in Comparative Literature and Global Affairs with a Certificate in Indonesian. I love reading, writing, running to East Rock, and watching film screenings organized by the Yale Film Archive. I also enjoy academic quizzing, 80s/90s Chinese popular music, Golden Age Hollywood film trivia, country flags and capitals, and exploring word etymologies. At Yale, I am involved with the Yale Debate Association and Yale Policy Institute, was a Peace and Dialogue Leadership Initiative Fellow, and visited Greenland over my sophomore summer. I am available to chat about *anything* at caleb.loh@yale.edu.

Email Caleb

Alexander Magadza, JE '29, Zimbabwe

Alexander is a pre-med student pursuing Biomedical Engineering and Global Health, with an almost obsessive interest in infectious diseases, virology, immunity, and epistemic injustice in global health. On weekends, he’s often running around HAVEN Free Clinic as a Reproductive Health Coordinator, engaging with patients and navigating care in real time. He expresses himself through playing the trumpet, dancing, fashion, modeling, and writing, whether it’s curating a look or putting ideas on paper. You’ll often find him practicing for the runway with Fashion Lifestyle at Yale or in conversations about global issues like animal welfare and public health through the Yale Effective Altruism Fellowship. Above all, Alexander is driven by a love for connecting with people, whether through patient care, mentorship, creative spaces, or simply a good conversation. He’s the guy you go to for new coffee spots or locating the best napping places around Yale’s campus. His friends describe him as warm and easy to talk to, with sharp wit and great comedic timing.

Email Alexander

Yegor Rubanov, JE '27, Ukraine

Hi! My name is Yegor, I am from Kyiv, Ukraine. I am studying History and Economics, with a particular interest in Intellectual History and philosophy. At Yale I write for various publications across campus, teach for Yale Hemispheres, and support various Jackson School related initiatives. You can also find me watching movies at the Yale Film Archive or representing JE in IMs. Excited to welcome you all to the campus and feel free to reach out any time!

Email Yegor

Proud Ua-arak, SM '27, Thailand

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!

Email Proud

Kayla Wright, MY '29, Jamaica

Hi everyone! My name is Kayla and I’m a rising sophomore from Kingston, Jamaica! I’m in Pauli Murray College and am planning to major in Biomedical Engineering on a pre-med track. On campus, I am an event aide for Pauli Murray and a student research assistant. I am also a member of the Yale Modern Dance Collective and Chi Alpha. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, I’d be happy to help! Congratulations on your acceptance to Yale and I am looking forward to meeting you soon!

Email Kayla

Sophia Zhang, TD '28, China

Hi!! My name is Sophia :) I’m from Shenzhen, China, but I’ve studied in the U.S. since I was in high school. I’m an English major, hoping to be a writer or journalist in the future. If you’re interested in pursing that path at Yale, please please come talk to me! More seriously, I report and write for many student publications, am a Writing Partner at the Poorvu Center (tied for best job on campus), and volunteer at New Haven Reads. Less seriously, I love to knit and occasionally crochet (come join our TD knitting club!!), practice Noah Kahan songs on the guitar (ALBUM OUT APRIL 24TH), and walk around aimlessly when I have many “better” things to do.

I’m so excited to meet you all! Feel free to reach out by email anytime – I love emails.

Email Sophia