Meet Our 2024-25 World House Student Fellows

Perry World House welcomes the thirty six students admitted to the 2024-25 cohort of World House Student Fellows. The group represents each of Penn’s undergraduate schools and varied academic backgrounds and policy interests.

“Through the World House Student Fellows program, Penn students gain access to world-class experts in global policy, and broaden their understanding of the most pressing issues facing the international community,” explains Melissa M. Lee, Klein Family Presidential Assistant Professor of Political Science and director of the World House Student Fellows program. “We are thrilled to welcome these students to the World House Student Fellows program.”

The World House Student Fellows have weekly seminars with expert faculty and policymakers who visit Perry World House and work on a year-long client-driven project with a non-government organization. Throughout the year, WHSFs also have the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. and New York City, and internationally to meet with policymakers in the field.

This year’s World House Student Fellows are:

Naseebullah Andar, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, majors in Biochemistry and Mathematical Economics with minors in English and International Relations. His interests include intellectual property, tech law, and the intersection of biotechnology and sustainable development economics, with a broader focus on global policy challenges, international cooperation, and the influence of emerging technologies on governance and development. At Penn, Naseeb is involved in many student organizations such as the International Students Advisory Board, TedxPenn, the Penn Debate Society, and the Penn Memory Club. He is also a University Scholar and a Penn World Scholar, reflecting his commitment to global engagement and academic excellence​

Reem Assi, a junior from Palestine, studies Political Science concentrating on International Relations and minors in Modern Middle Eastern Studies and Sociology. She is interested in the role of global policy in safeguarding human rights, refugee and asylum policy, and the economic development of post-colonial countries. She is involved in several student organizations, including Dischord A Cappella, Penn Arab Student Society, The Excelano Project, and the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.

Majd Ayyad is a senior interested in finding alternative methods to solve global issues. She is interest in AI policy and its applications in different disciplines. In addition to an interest in global policy, she enjoys hiking in her spare time.

Leo Biehl is a senior from Buffalo, NY majoring in Urban Studies and Political Science. During the pandemic, he worked for the New York State Department of Health, helping connect COVID-19 patients with housing and other resources. He has continued exploring housing policy by working as an architecture intern at GreenViet in Ho Chi Minh City and spending last summer in Europe conducting research on community land trusts. On campus, Leo competes with the mock trial team and serves as a fellow at the Marks Family Writing Center but is most often found reading a good book in his hammock.

Sean Bray is a senior and proud New Jerseyan. He is interested in how electoral politics influence international relations and in Russia's relationship with China. In addition to his work with Perry World House, he also is active with the Philomathean Society and does stand-up comedy as a member of Penn Simply Chaos.

Charlotte Brown, a senior from Alaska, studies nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Her rural upbringing sparked an interest in access to quality education and healthcare, the rise of misinformation, and stewarding natural resources. Charlotte is also involved in Penn's volunteer doula organization, PALS, as well as tutoring elementary and middle school students in North Philadelphia.

David Garcia Maldonado is a sophomore from Oaxaca, Mexico. He is studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a second major in Mathematics. He is interested in indigenous rights, public policy, and Latin American development. At Penn, he is the co-director of SPEC Spring Fling Daytime.

Jocelyn Greshes, a sophomore from New York, studies Political Science with a minor in East Asian Languages and Civilizations. She is interested in international trade and the promotion of social welfare specifically in the Asia-Pacific region. She is a Program Assistant at the Pan-Asian American Community House.

Dedeepya Guthikonda is a junior majoring in Economics at the College of Arts & Sciences. She is interested in economic policy and its relation to shaping key fields, focusing on education, healthcare, and migration. On campus, she is involved with The Daily Pennsylvanian and the Dean’s Advisory Board.

Vedika Jawa, is a junior from California studying Finance and Data Science. She is interested in international economic development as well as educational equity. Vedika also serves as the President for the Class of 2026.

Euel Kebebew is a rising senior majoring in international relations and history. With a passion for international law, global economic governance and development, Euel is committed to conducting impactful research in these fields. Outside of Perry World House, he is also deeply involved in Penn Student Government, the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal, and other student organizations.

Elena Kraines is a sophomore from Tokyo, Japan majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and minoring in Legal Studies and History. She is interested in reforming international law and intergovernmental organizations to better promote global peace and stability.

Aravind Krishnan is a senior from New Jersey studying molecular and cell biology, healthcare management and policy, and statistics as part of the Life Sciences & Management Program. He is interested in global health, specifically improving access to healthcare in underdeveloped settings and developing cross-national collaborations for biosecurity and disease outbreak prevention.

Vishal Krishnaiah, a junior from California, studies political science and economics with a minor in Chinese. He is interested in studying the emergence of new political and economic international blocs, as well as the shifting relationships between wealthy and developing nations.

Hope Lane is a senior studying Finance at the Wharton School and Systems Science & Engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, with a minor in Mathematics. She hopes to leverage her analytical background to foster pragmatic change in the healthcare space. Outside of Perry World House, she serves as the President of Wharton Undergraduate Founders and Funders Association, Vice President (Internal) of Penn Engineering Council, and is a member of the Penn President’s Jewish Student Advisory Group.

Eric Lee is a junior from New Jersey studying biochemistry and biophysics in the Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences (MLS) Program. After spending a summer in India, where he worked at Tamil Nadu's Aravind Eye Hospital, he became inspired by the principles of compassion and equity that he learned and fascinated by how health systems—and the environments that shape—them operate in different settings. Toward the life goal of replicating Aravind’s success, Eric hopes to develop scientific tools and contribute to policy measures that vitalize health care, especially in service of those pushed to the margins of societies around the world. At Penn, Eric is a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia student researcher, Shelter Health Outreach Program policy project director, Undergraduate Chemistry Society president, and Chinese Students’ Association board member. He enjoys going on long runs and playing the violin in his free time.

Henry McDaniel is a senior and Benjamin Franklin Scholar majoring in Russian and Eastern European Studies and Diplomatic History. During his time at Penn, McDaniel has pursued a wealth of research and global engagement opportunities. He is a Perry World House Student Fellow a European Studies Institute Student Fellow, and a Hertog Foundation Security Studies Fellow. His current thesis research focuses on how the War in Ukraine is changing the nature of European Union accession in the Western Balkans. In 2023, he was awarded a Global Research Internship grant to study wine, heritage and hospitality at a world-renowned winery in Porto, Portugal. In 2022, he completed an internship at the Penn Museum's Center for Cultural Heritage, where he helped create a database being used to track the destruction of cultural heritage sights in Ukraine. McDaniel also spent time learning Russian in Narva, Estonia on a National Security Language Initiative for Youth. In addition to his academic pursuits, McDaniel is a Resident Advisor in Riepe College House, a tenor saxophonist in Penn Jazz, and a champion of Food Network's competition show 'Chopped Junior.'

Zach McGrath, a sophomore from Maryland, studies political science with a minor in urban education. He is interested in education policy, international peacekeeping, and post-conflict reconstruction. Outside of Perry World House, Zach represents military-connected students on the University Council.

Bianca Montañez, is a senior majoring in Environmental Studies and International  Relations with a concentration in Sustainability Management. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she is very interested finding proactive policy approaches to combat energy insecurity and the adverse effects of climate change.

Keanu Nahmi Natan is a junior from Los Angeles studying Biology and Chemistry with a minor in Healthcare Management. Keanu is passionate about healthcare policy, urbanization, and agricultural infrastructure reform. His research interests span globally, including studying desertification caused by overgrazing in the Mongolian Steppe and the anthropological study of bioacoustic in aboriginal culture along the Pacific. Outside of Perry World House, Keanu is a member of the PennTango Board and the Arabic Drum Ensemble. As a JHealth Medical Ethics Fellow, he explores critical ethical issues in healthcare with world class experts like Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tats. Being a member of the Tishkoff Lab in Perelman Medical School, Keanu researches modern human evolutionary history and genetic architecture.

Florence Onyiuke is a third-year student in the Huntsman Program, majoring in International Relations and Business with a minor in Spanish. She plays an active role on campus, serving as Vice Director for Black Wharton Consulting, DEI Committee Chair for the Dean’s Advisory Board, and KCECH House Manager. As a second-year WHSF, her policy interests focus on refugee resettlement and migration, economic development, and big data. She conducted cross-border economic development research in Ireland and South Africa as a 2022 Frederick Douglass Global Fellow. A strong advocate for global citizenship and economic equity, Onyiuke aspires to a future career at the intersection of business and international diplomacy.

Lindsay Park is a senior studying Systems Engineering at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. She is interested in the equity concerns of emerging technologies and energy sustainability. Outside of Perry World House, Lindsay is part of the Engineering Entrepreneurship Fellows Program and serves as the president of Penn's Society of Women Engineers.

Ben Sailors, a senior from Ohio, studies Materials Science and Engineering with a focus in Nanotechnology and a minor in Mathematics at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is interested in the intersection between public policy, technology, and business. He aspires to pursue a career in global energy policy advocating for international sustainable development through the knowledge transfer of renewable energy technologies. At Penn, Sailors is highly involved in student government as the Vice President of Finances for the 2025 Class Board and an Engineering Representative for the Undergraduate Assembly. He also is highly involved in research with the Drndic Lab and serves as the President of Tau Beta Pi.

Collin Schneider is a rising junior from California studying Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, minoring in Africana Studies and Spanish. He is interested in conflict resolution, transitional justice, and counterterrorism. At Penn, he is on the board of the International Relations Undergraduate Student Association, and a Benjamin Franklin Scholar.

Alexander Schrier is a senior from Gaithersburg, Maryland, majoring in International Relations. His interests include multi-vector foreign policy, regional integration, and technological competition in Central Asia. On campus, Alexander is a captain of the Varsity Penn Sprint Football Team.

Daniel Shevchenko, a senior from Pennsylvania, studies linguistics and political science with a concentration in international relations and a minor in East Central European Studies. He is interested in international security, nationalism and the politics of ethnic and linguistic identity, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe during the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Leo Solga is a junior from Pennsylvania studying political science and statistics. He is interested in local justice, immigration, and telecommunications as well as complicated board games (Terraforming Mars and D&D) and canned fish (mainly sardines). Outside of Perry World House, Solga is a Benjamin Franklin Scholar, a Resident Advisor at Hill College House, and a dedicated member of the Undergraduate Assembly.

Evan Stubbs, a College sophomore from Denver, Colorado, studies Political Science and International Relations with a minor in East Asian Area Studies. He is most interested in Taiwanese foreign affairs, having spent a year abroad in Taipei, Taiwan, on a National Security Language Initiative scholarship. Outside of Perry World House, Stubbs enjoys writing crosswords for the Daily Pennsylvanian and exploring the city of Philadelphia (ask him for recommendations!).

Bryan Suh is a senior from Massachusetts, majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a concentration in Globalization, with a minor in Classical Studies. He is interested in American foreign policy, economics, and security issues in East Asia. Outside of Perry World House, Suh is a Marine-Option midshipman in the UPenn NROTC program.

Charles Conroy Tan is a senior from the Philippines studying Cognitive Science and PPE at the College of Arts and Sciences with a minor in Consumer Psychology. He is interested in the intersection of economic and climate policy, particularly in emerging agrarian economies within Southeast Asia.

Ashti Tiwari is a sophomore studying philosophy, politics, and economics with a globalization concentration and a minor in data science and analytics. She is interested in international laws on human rights and electoral systems in emerging nations. Outside of Perry World House, she is an opinion columnist for the Daily Pennsylvanian and a Benjamin Franklin Scholar.

Michal Wyrebkowski is a senior concentrating in Finance at Wharton, from Plock, Poland. He is interested in the energy transition, technology policy, and transatlantic affairs. Outside of Perry World House, Wyrebkowski is a Joseph Wharton Scholar and a Penn World Scholar, a Rethink.CEE non-resident fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and a Rafal Brzoska Foundation Scholar. He leads sanctions and energy research at the Chief Executive Leadership Institute and is a junior member of the Philomathean Society.

Jessey Yang, a senior from Tennessee, studies Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences with minors in Global Health and International Relations. Having formerly studied nursing, she is interested in the intersection of global health and climate change as well as US-China relations and the global political economy.

Inaya Zaman is a senior from Washington, D.C., studying International Studies and Business Economics and Public Policy through the Huntsman Program. She also grew up for half of her life in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Inaya is passionate about international sustainability, gender equity, and emerging technologies for development.

Amelie Zhang is a rising sophomore from Hong Kong and New York City studying in the Huntsman Program in Business and International Studies, and minoring in Data Science and French. She is passionate about global economics and its place in international relations, with a focus on economic development and trade policy. Outside of Perry World House, Amelie is a part of Wharton Undergraduate Finance Club and Wharton Women and enjoys cooking and taking long walks with friends.

Junfang Zhang, a senior from Singapore, is pursuing a dual degree in earth and environmental sciences and statistics. She is interested in clean tech, sustainable economic development, and the politics, economics, and financing of the green energy transition. Outside of Perry World House (and sustainability), Zhang is involved in the Benjamin Franklin/Joseph Wharton Scholars Program, Oracle Senior Society and Wharton Communications Program.