Humans of Minerva

Ibrahim (M25), Pakistani born & bred, is a Finance & Economics Double Major who is either making inappropriate/dumb jokes or talking about football. Constantly believing in 'Don't Overthink, Just Do', he looks to constantly jump into new experiences and enjoy the little things in life, whether that be tracking down phone thieves in Buenos Aires or getting on a small motorbike w...

Musical Theatre Company Thalia was created by a bunch of theatre geeks coming together and realizing that there is one significant thing missing in their global university experience - a student society that would take up their time outside of classes, as well as enable to realize their passion. Through its series of projects, Thalia quickly became a place in M25 community where apart from relentl...

As part of M19, Louis helped build many of Minerva's community institutions, including the ASM and Convivium. Raised in NYC, he's been back in his birthplace of Berlin since 2020. After his Capstone on Minerva's carbon footprint, he now works at CDP with the highest-emitting companies in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria on their decarbonization.

Hi, I'm Tiffany! Young and idealistic Tiff used to introduce herself as "Tiffany Anne - with an "e" just like Anne of Green Gables" Now that I'm old but haven't given up on the idealism (Just cracked the 40's y'all, it's going to be a great decade) I guess it still applies!

High school dropout, single mom at 19 with two daughters, started college at 24, married again at 29, gaining a husband and two sons. BA from UC Berkeley; PhD UCSF; postdoc Stanford. Pursued an academic science career for 30 years, worked 6 years in philanthropy and 9.5 years in education innovation at Minerva.

With Li-Lian and Leo. where have we been? where are we going? learnings? challenges?

Megan is down for any adventure and loves to work hard and play hard! Whether it's spending rainy days in museums or climbing Mount Denali - no matter the activity, she is your girl.

Brad lives off-grid in rural Maine with his partner Chloe and dog Sammy. A lifelong adventurer, Brad has found himself in situations ranging from winter sailing the North Atlantic to defending a small medtech company against a hostile takeover. If he had a motto, it might be: Take risks, reduce harm, learn, be weird, and have fun.

Branden B, aka Donatello la Poeta, has spent the last 10 years as an artist, educator, & event manager. Along this journey, he's integrated elements of creative writing & Hip Hop culture into all other aspects of his work life. He aims to connect with others through poetry & music, and to teach those not only as forms of self-expression & art, but as ways for people to better n...

Yuya (M25) is a sucker for paradoxes. She loves the rain, the color blue, and the word 'home'. If she could do anything in this world, she would spend all her time reading, writing, and listening to people’s stories. She is Chinese-Burmese, born and raised in Yangon, Myanmar. Instagram: @htet_yuya

Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Luis is known for going on hikes, climbs, playing football and hanging out with the people he cares about. Luis works as a software engineer and just moved to New York. He is interested in tech, the environment, dogs, tacos and lowkey developing a post-capitalistic world.

Arya Dharod is grateful for the wonderful life he is living, and all the people who are near and dear to him, who have shaped him into who he is today. He is a published author of 3 novels and 1 poetry trilogy (all available on Amazon) and loves staying consistent with his monthly newsletters on Substack. He has summited Mount Kilimanjaro and cycled 450 km from Manali to Leh. He truly stands by th...

Our host Jules asks fellow Minervans about the one thing they want to do in 2024 - from doing a historical project about a site in China to making typical American food for classmates. Get inspired by their plans!

Koosha (M25) is an artist and abstract personality who loves to create, discuss complicated ironic topics, and do things that shouldn't be discussed on this program. Born in the SF Bay Area, he is an Iranian-American flaneur infatuated with the unknown with hopes of shifting culture and inspiring potent self-expression.

Fascinated by the world, Chen-en is a global nomad who is curious about why we do what we do. Approaching day 1000 of being caffeine-free. Believes that a good way to find happiness is to know your hell Yes and heck No.

Ivy (Master's Student and Taipei's SL Team) grew up in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She studied economics, education, and dance, and enjoys how these different disciplines open up the world to her. She can’t decide whether she’s an introvert or extrovert, but is often up for hallway conversations (as long as you are mindful of the volume).

Ru-Yun (M23) pursues a lifestyle with multiple jobs and identities. She explores different things to learn diverse ways of living. During Minerva, she gained certificates in water sommelier, aerial hoop, aerial silks, etc. She also has a YouTube channel for documentation. RU-YUN loves to feel deeply and seeks freedom in mind. IG: @chiudiana / YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Diana%E7%9A%84%E7%94...

At 21, hailing from Armenia's Avshar, our protagonist's life reads like an action-packed novel. He jet-set to the US for an exchange year, traded books for uniforms during a 2-year military stint (yes, he even participated in war), and now boasts the honorary titles of Sibling Supreme and Uncle Extraordinaire with 4 siblings and 9 mini fans.

Nam has been living in London for the past two years with her cat Lumi, slowly but surely trying to build a home and community. She loves a bouquet of dried flowers, sunshine on a cloudy day, long walks in the park, greek yogurt, and the color red. She sucks at writing bios.

"Wait, where are you actually from?" Kate's been asked over and over again in a bunch of different languages and still doesn't have a clue. Born in South Africa, lived longest in Indonesia, bounced around 9 other countries— and still none are 'home.' While you won't find an answer to that question, you CAN hear about Kate's love for little humans, fun brain facts,...

Antonio (M20) Crash Landed on Earth and is determined to not throw away his shot - or in his case, a moonshot to establish a sustainable human presence in space. He's described by many as a scuba diver, a Marine Corps lieutenant, a triathlete, and a bookworm polyglot determined to die in space (huh?). But only a few can describe him as a Mentat, Slytherin, or a connoisseur of dad jokes.

Growing up in Hong Kong and London, Prof Digby holds multiculturalism and vibrancy close to her heart. Now, she's a professor at both Minerva and Rochester, and continues to publish in journals like The Economist. In this episode, she reflects on dyslexia, advice from her grandad, and her career.

Raised by Alexandria's shores in Egypt, Badra spent 14 years at the same school before joining Minerva. Intrigued by mechanisms underlying reality, he enjoys exploring hardware, robotics, history, and religion. When not asking whys, he's chasing oceans on two wheels or scaling hills.

Charlotte, also known as Hsin-Hsieh on Forum, is originally from Taiwan and has dicovered her love for traveling and learning about different cultures through penpaling and Minerva's global rotation. At Minerva, she published a book The Art of Self-Care, a collection of young women's mental health stories. See more on instagram: @intertwined.lives. She is on a lifelong journey to become a...

Hi! I’m Juliane (but most people call me Jules), an M26 from Germany, and a host on the podcast team. In this podcast episode, I’ll take you with me on a pretty representative Wednesday in my life as a first-year student in San Francisco. Come with me to WeWork, learn about what other Minervans are doing in a day, and be ready for some funny stories and deeper conversations!