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Connect with an Admissions Fellow

If you are looking to learn more about what it's like to be a current master's degree student at Johns Hopkins SAIS, we encourage you to schedule a virtual appointment with one of our Admissions Fellows.


Admissions Fellows are current students in various programs across SAIS, and they have a variety of backgrounds and interests. Please browse through the profiles below to find a fellow that matches your interest. We encourage you to come prepared to your virtual appointment with questions and conversation topics for our student ambassadors!

Due to the limited bandwidth of our doctoral students, we are unable to offer appointments with current DIA or PhD students. However, we will offer virtual information sessions that provide you the opportunity to engage with them.

Please note: These student ambassadors are NOT qualified to speak to you about their thoughts, opinions, or chances as it pertains to your application for admission. Please contact our admissions staff if you have any application specific questions.
 

Kemi Adewalure

Program: MAIR
Hometown: Princeton, NJ
Previous Education: BA, Asian Studies and American Studies, Cornell University
Campus: DC
Functional Focus Area: Security, Strategy, Statecraft
Regional Focus Area: Asia/China

Connect with Kemi Adewalure


Nural Aliyev

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Baku, Azerbaijan
Previous Education: Syracuse University and American University
Campus: Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: International Economics and Finance
Regional Focus Area: Europe and Eurasia

Connect with Nural Aliyev


Kylie Aronson

Nanjing and DC Merit Scholarship
Program
: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Previous Education: Fordham University
Campus: Nanjing, China and Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Technology and Innovation
Regional Focus Area: China

Connect with Kylie Aronson


Heeba Chergui

Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellow
Program
: M.A. International Relations
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Previous Education: Elon University, B.A. International Global Studies
Campus: SAIS Europe
Functional Focus Area: Government, Politics, and Society
Regional Focus Area: Middle East and North Africa

Connect with Heeba Chergui


Francisco Gamez

Public Service Fellowship
Program
: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Miami, FL
Previous Education: Florida International University
Campus: Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Security, Strategy, and Statecraft
Regional Focus Area: China

Connect with Francisco Gamez


Aakrith Harikumar

SAIS Global Scholar
Program: MA International Relations
Hometown: Chennai, India
Previous Education: OP Jindal Global University
Campus: Washington, DC
Functional Focus Area: Governance, Politics, and Society
Regional Focus Area: Asia

Connect with Aakrith Harikumar


Livia Hartmann

SAIS Global Fellowship Recipient
Program
: Master of Arts in International Affairs (MAIA)
Hometown: Munich, Germany
Previous Education: Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
Campus: SAIS Europe

Connect with Livia Hartmann


Muhammad Zain ul Abiddin Khalid

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
Previous Education: University of Central Punjab
Campus: Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Government, Politics, and Society
Regional Focus Area: The Middle East and Asia

Connect with Muhammad Zain ul Abiddin Khalid


Julia Mardeusz

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations 
Hometown:
Scituate, MA
Previous Education: Trinity College (Hartford, CT)
Campus: Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Security, Strategy, and Statecraft
Regional Focus Area: Europe and Eurasia
 
Connect with Julia Mardeusz


Veronica Marcone

Program: MAIR
Hometown: Rome, Italy
Previous Education: American University, Sciences Po (study abroad)
Campus: Washington DC
Functional Focus Area: Security Strategy and Statecraft
Regional Focus Area: United States

Connect with Veronica Marcone


Dexter Maryland

Thomas R. Pickering Fellow
Program: Master of Arts in International Relations 
Hometown:
Houston, TX
Previous Education: Texas Southern University
Campus:  Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Development, Climate, and Sustainability
Regional Focus Area: Africa
 
Connect with Dexter Maryland


Samuel Maxwell

Program: Master of Arts in International Studies
Hometown: San Carlos, CA
Previous Education: Middlebury College
Campus: Nanjing, China
Focus Area: International Politics


Connect with Samuel Maxwell


Alena Mikhaelyan

Public Service Fellow
Program: Master of Arts in International Relations 
Hometown: Armenia and Artsakh
Previous Education: BPP University Law School, London, UK; LCC International University, Klaipeda, Lithuania
Campus: Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Security, Strategy, and Statecraft
Regional Focus Area: Europe and Eurasia
 
Connect with Alena Mikhaelyan


Alex Nazaire

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Ellicott City, MD
Previous Education: Clark University
Campus: Nanjing, China and Washington, D.C.



Connect with Alex Nazaire


Tija Odoms

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Washington, DC
Previous Education: Sewanee- The University of the South
Campus: Bologna, Washington DC
Functional Focus Area: Governance, Politics, and Society
Regional Focus Area: Africa

Connect with Tija Odoms


Chekwube (Cheks) Okunowo

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Abuja, Nigeria & Virginia
Previous Education: Bachelor’s in international relations and economics at Drew University (Madison, NJ)
Campus: Washington DC
Functional Focus Area: Governance, Politics and Society
Regional Focus Area: Africa

Connect with Chekwube (Cheks) Okunowo


Stavros Piperidis

Public Service Fellowship and Fulbright Fellow
Program
: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece
Previous Education: University of Macedonia
Campus: Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Security, Strategy and Statecraft
Regional Focus Area: The United States

Connect with Stavros Piperidis


Luke Radice

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Previous Education: Claremont McKenna College
Campus: Bologna, Italy/ Washington, DC
Functional Focus Area: Security, Strategy, and Statecraft/ Governance, Politics, and Society
Regional Focus Area: Europe and Eurasia

Connect with Luke Radice


Alseni Seck

SAIS Global Fellowship Recipient
Program: 
Master of Arts in International Relations 
Hometown: Bronx; New York City, New York
Previous Education: Loyola University, Maryland
Campus:  SAIS Europe and Washington, D.C.
Functional Focus Area: Development, Climate, and Sustainability
Regional Focus Area: Africa

Connect with Alseni Seck


Tamera Sullivan

Program: MAIR
Hometown: Spartanburg, SC
Previous Education: National Taiwan University; University of South Carolina
Campus: DC
Functional Focus Area: Development, Climate, Sustainability
Regional Focus Area: The Americas

Connect with Tamera Sullivan


Mason Terry

Program: Master of Arts in Strategy, Cybersecurity and Intelligence
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Previous Education: Howard University
Campus: Washington, D.C.



Connect with Mason Terry


Amruta Veer

Program: Master of Arts in International Relations
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Previous Education: BA - International Relations
Campus: Bologna, Washington DC
Functional Focus Area: Development, Climate, Sustainability, and International Economics and Finance
Regional Focus Area: United States

Connect with Amruta Veer


Tian Zhao

Program: Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance
Hometown: Hangzhou, China
Previous Education: University of Wisconsin, Madison
Campus: Washington, D.C.



Connect with Tian Zhao


Mid-Career Programs

Novera Chowdhury

Merit Scholarship
Program
: Master of International Public Policy
Hometown: Bangladesh
Previous Education: Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, University of Canberra in Australia, and Chittagong Medical College in Bangladesh
Campus: Washington, D.C.

Connect with Novera Chowdhury


Arpitha Peteru

Program: Master of International Public Policy
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Previous Education: Colgate University
Campus: Washington, D.C.
Academic Focus Area: Security, Strategy, Statecraft; Technology and Innovation

Connect with Arpitha Peteru