Our Recipients
Martin Babak
Ukraine
Sophmore • Computer Science
Invlovment: Intermural Soccer, IESS Website, Holloway Competition
Martin, a scholarship recipient, had the opportunity to move from Ukraine to the United States, motivated by his passion for cultural exchange and software development. He is determined to make a positive impact on both the community and the field of technology by merging these interests. For an IESS presentation, Martin expresses interest in exploring three topics: "Education in Ukraine," "His experience playing soccer in Ukraine," and "Ukrainian Christmas."
Mekan Annayev
Turkmenistan
Sophomore • Mechanical Engineering
Invlovment: International Cafe, ARPA project, SEDS
Mekan is a modern-day visionary who enjoys talking to people. He would love to give presentations about DAC (Dashoguz American Corner), the place where he volunteered. Additionally, Mekan is eager to share information about the local Ahalteke Horse races in Turkmenistan.
Viktorie Vágnerová
Czech Republic
Sophomore • Mechanical Engineering
Invlovment: Idea & SEDS - UNH rocketry club (propulsion team), UNH Idea & Innovation Society, Shaw Explorers Program, WarChild UNH (co-founder with Daryna and Caroline)
Viktorie comes from a historic spa town Teplice in the north of Czechia, where she grew up with her three brothers. During high school, her hobbies were languages (German, Japanese), flying with gliders, and Nordic skiing. In her first year at UNH, Viktorie was on the Nordic ski team as a D1 athlete and competed against other universities on the East Coast. Besides sports, she is very passionate about space and technology and plans to pursue a career in the aerospace industry. Additionally, Viktorie is very interested in engaging with the UNH international community, learning about different cultures, meeting interesting people with amazing stories, and making UNH more inclusive for students from various backgrounds and cultures!
Md Jonayet Hossain
Bangladesh
Junior • Electrical Engineering
Invlovment: UNH-IOL| IEEE-UNH| BSA-UNH | E-CENTER | Hackathon 2023 | GLE | IESS
As the first person from Jonayet’s family to ever travel abroad for studies and land in the United States to complete his undergraduate degree, he feels delighted to share some of the distinguishing aspects that set his family apart from most South Asians. Despite Bangladesh’s small size as a country, Jonayet would love to highlight the rich diversity of cultures within this tiny nation, which might come as a surprise to many.
Caroline Anjos
Brazil
Sophomore • Electrical engineering
Invlovment: Warchild (awaiting club approval, co-founder with friends), MOSAICO (Latinx club).
Caroline Anjos came from São Paulo, Brazil. No words can describe how grateful she is for the opportunity of doing her bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at UNH. Her ultimate dream is to work in the biomedical area and be able to help people with medical instruments. She is driven by her ultimate inspiration, her grandfather, and her goal - to be able to stimulate an inquisitive and embracing community everywhere she goes. For an IESS presentation, she would be interested in talking about diversity/multiculturalism in Brazil, the backstory on Brazil's colonization, and how passionate Brazilians can be about soccer.
Sujosh Nag
Bangladesh
Freshman • Computer Science & IT
Invlovment: Idea & Innovation Society
Sujosh is from the vibrant Dhaka city, Bangladesh, and is now embarking on a transformative voyage to the United States. Fueled by an unwavering passion for Mathematics, International Relations, and the ever-evolving realm of technology, Sujosh's drive is to ignite the flames of positive change within communities, foster innovation, and make a lasting impact. For an IESS presentation, Sujosh would be interested in the following topics: 1) Microfinance in Bangladesh: Transforming Lives and Alleviating Poverty, 2) Bangladesh's Garment Industry: From Labor Force to Global Fashion Hub, 3) The Rise of Quantum Computing: A New Frontier in Computing Power.
Elana Khan
Pakistan
Freshman • Mechanical Engineering
Invlovment: IESS
As an IESS scholarship recipient, Elana will be representing Pakistan whilst she pursues her interest in mechatronics and AI design. She strives to engage the technological and cultural community in an inspiring space for innovation. Similar to her major, she would like to explore both the past and future in her cultural presentations on topics such as, “Literature and Poetry of Pakistan,” “The 5 Provinces and their Contributions,” and “The Sound of Pakistani Hip Hop.”
Alisa Ivantsova
Russia
Junior • Biomedical science: Medical laboratory science
Invlovment: IESS, UNH Tennis team, Research lab (cancer mechanisms), Presenter at UNH Spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Conference.
Alisa is excited to be part of IESS, creating an intercultural community of people driven by the goal to make an impact in their world and at UNH. As a student in Biomedical Science, Alisa is passionate about creating new medical solutions that would benefit people and change their quality of life. She would be interested in presenting about her experience playing tennis and about doing psychology research in high school.
Dhiraj S Naidu
India
Sophomore • Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Invlovment: Dhiraj is involved in UNH Idea and Innovation Society
Biology, the study of life, has always fascinated Dhiraj, which brought him here to UNH. The IESS scholarship supported him in pursuing his dreams, and he's glad to be a part of such a diverse and vibrant community. During his time here at UNH, he hopes to be as resourceful as possible for his peers while making the best of the opportunities provided to him. Some topics that he would love to present on include 'The Roads in India' and 'The Festivals of India'.
Mishel Aronzon
Kazakhstan
Freshman • Program and Event Management
Involvement: IESS
Throughout her high school career, Mishel has been deeply involved in organizing events, participating in theater and music-related activities, and volunteering. She managed to combine all of these passions by choosing to major in Program and Event Management. Her goal is to elevate the entertainment industry in her country to new heights and, in turn, serve society. Considering her interests, for IESS presentations, Mishel would like to explore the field of entertainment in Kazakhstan, starting with traditional celebrations and customs and progressing to more modern events. Additionally, she can provide insights on education in Kazakhstan and even offer a comparison to the USA, as she has firsthand experience in both systems.
Tianyi Duan
China
Freshman • Biology
Involvement: Juggling club, UNH Concert Choir, Campus Living Association (through Hall Council)
Tianyi is a freshman at UNH originating from Beijing, China. In eighth grade, she came to the U.S. and studied at High Mowing School in Wilton, New Hampshire. It was a small private Waldorf school (an educational system originating from Germany, which she is happy to do a presentation on) with about 150 students. Despite its size, the school had a diverse student body, with students from 20-30 different countries. Tianyi is ¼ ethnically Mongolian and has had classmates/friends that belong to minority nationalities in China. She might be able to offer some insight on the experience of ethnic minorities in China based on her own experiences. She is also happy to talk about her own experiences, whether that's traveling to different parts of China or her life here in the U.S.
Dija Haq
Pakistan
Junior - Analytical Economics
Involvement: Economics Club, Inclusive Leadership Fellow, Business Ethics Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant
As a Pashtun from North-Western Pakistan, I am the first woman from my village to pursue higher education abroad. The International Engagement & Service Scholarship has facilitated my study at UNH which has expanded my horizons and unveiled countless possibilities to me. My studies have ignited a passion within me to contribute to women's advancement and the field of economics. I take immense pride in being a student at UNH, as it has provided me with abundant opportunities for personal and professional growth.
I actively engage in various activities on campus and in the local community. I have been working on economic research with Professor Bruce Elmslie and was an international student orientation leader over the summer which taught me leadership and communication skills. Over J-Term I went to Senegal for the International Changemaker Grant to make a local boarding school sustainable. I was also a teaching assistant for the business ethics class and the Director of Equity and Outreach for the economics club. This semester I am continuing my work on research and working as a business analyst at the Center for Business Analytics.
