2008 Graduating Class

Joseph Kaifala
Sierra Leone
Red Cross Nordic UWC, Norway
Skidmore College
To Move the World
One more step along the world I have come/ Along pavements that seem to lead beyond/From familiar stories a few years done/ To a new page almost unknown/ Landing on shores that may not bemoan/ The filosofia that is not my own / If these whirly winds be of more use/ From the lion’s den I shall arise/ Passing through the old and making anew/ The cosmos a shape that is yet undone/ To leave my mark where I belong.

Victor Bertis Kai-Rogers
Sierra Leone
UWC-USA
St. Lawrence University
An important college experience was winning a research grant during my sophomore year to study the export subsidy debate in the World Trade Organization. The following summer, I was accepted into a very competitive program in the equities division of Goldman Sachs. A final memorable experience was meeting Senator Hillary Clinton at a Democratic dinner in upstate New York, where the Laurentian Singers, of which I am a member, were invited to sing the Star Spangled Banner.

Sunita Kannan
India
UWC of South East Asia,
Singapore
Wellesley College
As I prepare to enter the next phase of my life, I look back at my years at Wellesley and cherish every moment. I taught a lot and learned even more. I became a decision-maker. And most importantly, I know my professional goal is to be a significant contributor to the field of physics, thereby strengthening the role of women in this field. Planning for graduate school, I hope to find an environment similar to UWCSEA and Wellesley College.

Shira Kaplan
Israel
UWC of the Adriatic, Italy
Harvard College
At Harvard, I brought the Israeli voice to campus by working closely with Harvard Students for Israel, Hillel, and Chabad. As a government major, I focused my studies on Iran’s crisis behavior. I am thankful to Professors Steven Rosen and Niall Ferguson for the immense contribution they made to my understanding of international relations and financial history.

Manjola Karame
Albania
UWC of the Atlantic, Wales
Lake Forest College
In UWC, I became more aware of other cultures. My knowledge expanded at Lake Forest, where I took many interesting courses, including politics of South Africa, and introduction to Islam and Christianity. Being part of such groups as the International Student Organization, Latinos Unidos, and United Black Association integrated me into a global, diverse society. When I meet people from different backgrounds now, I can easily adapt and interact. I have become a global citizen.

Aneth Kasebele
Tanzania
UWC-USA
Wesleyan University
As my parents always say, “You are the only human being who can help yourself; others can only assist in the process.” UWC continues to make what seemed impossible six years ago possible. The years of investment that brought me to this point of the journey helped me see the world through an array of perspectives that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. As I finish my Wesleyan career, I thank the Davis Foundation for a chance to have this experience.

Ashlesha Khadse
India
Mahindra UWC, India
College of the Atlantic
COA was exciting, challenging, and life transforming. I have learned to be courageous, critical, and passionate about learning and acting in this world. Experience has taught me as much as books have. I pursued an interest in history, global environmental politics, development studies, and documentary films. I learned Spanish and worked and studied in Central America, England, and India. My professors have been inspiring mentors; I am indebted to them. I hope to go to graduate school and work on social and environmental justice issues.

Talha Fasih Khan
Pakistan
Red Cross Nordic UWC, Norway
Macalester College
I began this journey at UWC as an inquisitive sixteen-year-old. Six years later and after much mentoring and investment, I feel optimistic about my future. Thanks to the Davis scholarship, I’ve been granted an education at Macalester College paralleled by few institutions around the world. I have thrived under the stewardship of brilliant professors and peers alike. I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to Mr. Davis, my professors at Macalester, and friends for believing in and urging me to discover my potential.

Guyenbaatar Khandsuren
Mongolia
UWC of the Adriatic, Italy
Middlebury College
When I first heard the amount of my Davis scholarship, I doubted that my education at Middlebury College would be worth that much. I was sure that, with this amount of cash in my hand, I could make a lasting difference in Mongolia right then. Looking back, I can comfortably say that the future value of what I have learned and experienced and people I have met because of the opportunities provided by Middlebury College cannot be meaningfully quantified.

Mei Ai Khoo
Malaysia
Li Po Chun UWC, Hong Kong
Wellesley College
My years at Wellesley and at LPC and the people I have met there have touched my life and created precious memories. Making a difference for me used to be about doing things, but now I feel that it is about just being a difference — in the life of the person next to me. I am indebted to my family, friends, mentors, professors, and Davis for where I am today. I only hope to be to others what they have been to me.

Stephanie Anne Kingman
USA
Li Po Chun UWC, Hong Kong
Princeton University
The UWC experience ignited a flame in me to serve others, and I am nurturing this desire through my aspirations in health care. Princeton has expanded my perspectives by offering a plethora of invaluable, medically related experiences. My senior thesis research, under Professor Yibin Kang, on breast cancer stem cells in cancer metastasis has been eye-opening. Intertwined with my research interests and cultural passions is my enthusiasm for global health. Advancing cancer research in international health care is where I see myself in the future.

Vera Kiss
Hungary
UWC of the Atlantic, Wales
Princeton University
I am very grateful that, as a Davis scholar, I could continue the journey began at UWC, be this in the form of intellectual adventures with my wonderful professors at Princeton, studying with leading anthropologists in Paris, working for a development foundation in Lisbon, or, as part of my research, playing drums in Rio de Janeiro. While I am unsure where new journeys will take me, either in documentary filmmaking or public affairs, the UWC spirit will stay with me always.

Yukta Kumar
India
UWC of South East Asia,
Singapore
Whitman College
My four years at Whitman College have been a continuation of a challenging journey that began at UWC. I left UWC with the beginning of aspirations to become an activist. College constantly made me critically evaluate that aim and, in the process, gain a deeper awareness, understanding, and experience of what it means to be an activist. I graduate with the intention of continuing my education and activism with a focus on migration. The Davis scholarship was an amazing stepping-stone in my journey.

Joanne Pui Yuk Kwan
Hong Kong
Li Po Chun UWC, Hong Kong
Cornell University
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” One of the most important things Cornell has taught me is the compassion and ambition to become a leader, the agent of change that Gandhi willed in each of us. As a designer, I want to become one who opens others’ eyes to see a new world, where humans and the environment are mutually enhancing, where the individual and the community build on each other, and where imagination for the better sees no boundaries.