Humans of Minerva

Wisdom is an M26 student whose academic interests range from computer science and artificial intelligence to psychology, philosophy and theology. He loves reading, playing chess and working out.

Chaeyeon Kim grew up in Busan singing to birds, because they deserved it. She traded Korean sunsets for five cities, a Hollywood internship, and a psychology degree she uses mostly to understand why she keeps joining theatre productions while critiquing them simultaneously. Multifaceted, radiant, and chronically in a flow state, this is Dora the Explorer's greatest success story.

Rachel Kim is a coach, educator, and community builder passionate about helping people find clarity, connection, and meaningful work. She believes heartful conversations can create more peaceful communities. Outside of work, she enjoys consuming an arguably excessive amount of books, podcasts, and streaming TV (Real Housewives are her guilty pleasure).

The first group of Minervans to ever be in Tokyo... if you are listening to this episode years later, come see how your Minervan ancestors (specifically here we have your host Linda, Mara, Syuzi from M28, and Maggie from M26!) have survived, ventured out, and squeezed every second that they have here. Tune in for our advice on the best konbini to visit, how we found our community and family, and n...

Sofia Alicia Perez is a M28 who grew up between hot Miami and rainy England. Drawn to storytelling, women’s health, and sustainability, she refused to pick one path. Instead, she mixes science and art to chase bold, messy solutions - because what great story ever follows a straight line?

Van is a city dwelling, yet nature loving, aspiring parent and life long student. He loves movement and change and and is deeply connected with his emotions. He believes adventuring is a mindset from climbing mountains to dreaming at night to cafe hopping and making meaningful connections kids through teaching.

Marianna Panossi was once destined to become a violinist in the USSR—but the world had other plans. Now a global education powerhouse with almost three decades in HigherEd, she builds bridges for international students. As Minerva’s Dean of Global Student Services, she blends strategy, compliance, and passion to help students thrive worldwide.

Noku is an M28 of eclectic tastes and hobbies. Some days he's a startup bro, others a debate bro, or finance bro, or even a "writer" bro! In this episode, he discusses how his upbringing and interests collided to produce the "abundance" life philosophy he lives by today.

Julia Ip (M22) loves bringing people together—whether through storytelling on Humans of Minerva, community impact with Miracle Messages, or spontaneous gatherings with friends. Once a kid who dreamed of being retired (then CEO the next year), she’s now a Product Manager by day and National Karate Team member by night. Her motto: embrace discomfort, stay curious, be kind, and know that today can be...

Salo is from Georgia and is proudly known back home as “Mowgli” because she’s always been climbing trees, wandering in nature, and embracing every adventure with an explorer’s spirit since childhood. She loves her family, friends, Georgia, nature, photography, yoga, meditation, cooking, hiking, reading, and learning new things. She studies Earth and Environmental Science and Sustainability, hoping...

Our host Linda (M28) cold calls (literally) her friends at Minerva for New Year's Eve - wherever they happen to be! Tune in for lots of warm wishes from current Minervans, alum, and all around. And let it be your motivation to pick up the lost art of calling people just because.

On the one hand, Esther sees herself as “a drop in the ocean." On the other, she believes the ocean expands with every drop added. She mediates this tension daily; individuality and living in commune. Practices like meditation help her with this, but don’t get it twisted, her spirituality is of a pragmatic ilk.

Mike Magee is president of Minerva University. His scholarship and leadership have been driven by a lifelong passion for the role schools can play in bringing young people from different backgrounds and circumstances together to learn and belong. A proud father of three daughters, he also loves basketball and music.

Tianxiao was born in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. His upbringing is a journey to conquer the extremely spicy food there, which gave him spice tolerance above most people! He went through 11 years of homeschooling in Chengdu and got into Minerva University at 16. He has just finished his first year at Minerva.

Linda (M28) is the small, pink, slightly-too-loud human cloud who chases sunsets like deadlines don't exist. Her superpower is making friends by accident, and turns ordinary days into ridiculous memories with a good dance on the street, and she believes feeling like one belongs is a human dignity.

Jeongyun is a dreamer who dreams of making the world a better place through mustering the courage to do what everyone else could do. He always tries to be optimistic as he looks up into the sky and stars.

Shanan Noya Liu can be found climbing trees, picking shells and wandering the streets. She dose a lot of things: drawing, dancing, singing, making theatre and organizing exhibitions. She would be extremely happy if that is all she dose. But she likes other things. And sometimes, she likes 'nothing' best.

With a brain spinning faster than her Rubik's cube record, Raluca still finds joy in stargazing, getting lost in rotation cities, and playing the funniest roles in musicals! She dreams of transforming Romania's politics, fueled by a love for community, passion, authenticity, and an idealistic heart.

In addition to being the Provost, McMahon is the mother of two outstanding women (one is a M20). Previously, McMahon was the Director of the Honors Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Professor of Political Science. A former Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow and two-time Fulbright award winner, her scholarly contributions include Activism in Hard Times in Ce...

Paff is a life enthusiast who loves coffee as much as conversation, adventure as much as a good book. His travels along the roads and rivers of the world have filled him with a deep appreciation for what it means to exist, a sensibility he happily finds reflected in so many of the Minerva community.

Van Anh thinks in deep breaths — in: observe, make sense; out: weave stories into living threads. But don’t mistake her poetic steps — she wields fierce, strategic wit, having pioneered Bangkok’s online thrift movement with sharp business acumen (and Google Translate). Now, she dreams of starting a post-Minervan commune in NYC. IG: @vananh.ngy

TJ is an integral part of the San Francisco SLT team, transforming City Experiences at Minerva. Growing up in a homogenous city in the midwest, he searched for meaning in Eastern Philosophy which culminated in living in India at two different points in his life. A few years on, and TJ has made San Francisco his home, and can be spotted advocating for its wonders even when others cherrypick its sho...

Jamina Cole King leads External Affairs at Minerva University, overseeing fundraising, marketing, communications, global partnerships, and alumni and family engagement. A seasoned advancement executive, she is passionate about equity and access in education, leveraging philanthropy and partnerships to expand Minerva’s global impact and empower diverse learners to thrive.

At Langs, our goal is to connect Minervans to one another & to the local community while on rotation through language. With such a diverse student body, Minervans are able to learn a language directly from their friends- instead of the usual classroom experience. This gives students direct exposure to the language and culture, while simultaneously learning about their classmates’ background.

Former economics professor and figure skater, Dollie is now heading up Global Learning at Minerva. When not working, she enjoys traveling, making people laugh, and showering every animal she meets with affection.