Joe Vatanasombut, PhD in Information Science, '01, was in Claremont to attend CGU's commencement this week.  Joe's is a success story  -- his own company, "VIRTUALAB -- IT and E-Commerce Solutions" in Torrance, California!   joe@virtualabinc.com and www.virtualabinc.com
It was great to see his smiling face.(5/02)

Asa Thorvaldsdottir, CMC 94:  After graduating,  Asa went west to UCLA for her MA, then on to the Bay Area. For the last three years, she has been working for the California Department fo Health Services in Oakland.  Soon she will be going back to school -- to University of California at San Francisco to become a nurse practitioner. Asa contributed much to I-Place.  You may contact her at 
asa_thorvaldsdottir@yahoo.com    (5/02)

Siew Mun Tang, CGU and Arizona State University, spent Fall semester in Tokyo doing research at Hitosubashi University with a grant from the Japan Foundation. He has now returned home to teach at the National University of Malaysia.  Siew was on our staff at I-Place --- always going miles beyond the "call of duty" -- even returning from Phoenix to work 90 hours straight for the Festival! His e-mail is honnold33@yahoo.com   (5/02)

Tarana Patel, CMC '99, is currently pursuing a MA in Educational Linguistics at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.  She writes "If you have any questions regarding language teaching in India, China, or the US, let me know.  I will be glad to provide international friends with any information about my graduate school program here." Tarana was a wonderful volunteer at I-Place while here. Her e-mail address is          tpatel75@hotmail.com    (11/02)

Kanishka Agarwal, HMC '95, went to work at Booz Allen Hamilton, a mangagement consulting firm in San Francisco, right after he graduated.  He has now returned to that firm after completing his MBA at Stanford University.  He writes that he has bought a house in San Francisco, which cost him an "arm, a leg, and a torso" and lives with his two dogs, Kula and Mac.  His e-mail:  agarwal_kanishka@bah.com   (5/02)

Divya Malik received her Masters in International Political Economy from CGU in 1994. She contributed much to International Place and made friends throughout the community.  She writes" I think of you and the great times I had at Claremont."  From New Delhi, Divya is married to Gaurav Shah and living in San Francisco. She is in her fifth year of working for Oracle - currently in Product Management.  Her e-mail address: divya.malik@oracle.com (5/02)

Albert Celoza named 2001 Arizona Professor of the Year by The Carnegie Foundation and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education: Albert received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Claremont Graduate School in 1989.  Coming from the Philippines, he immediately showed his compassion, idealism, activism, and intelligence and became an outstanding leader both at I-Place and at CGS.  Albert  has served on the faculty of Phoenix College since 1987 in social studies and religious studies, as well as serving as advisor for the Model United Nations.  In 1999, he became chair of the Liberal Arts Department. He  lives in the Phoenix area with his wife Anne, who graduated from Pomona College, and his two daughters.  We have lured him back to I-Place on two occasions to speak at United Nations events. (4/02) www.pc.maricopa.edu 

Chun-Tsung Chin, CGU, PhD, Politics and Policy, was attending a conference in Los Angeles and came to Claremont to see us. He is currently teaching Southeast Asia, International Trade Negotiation, International Trade Law, and East Asian Economics at two universities in Taiwan: Chung Yuan Christian University and National Chi Nan University. Chun-Tsung and his wife Ruby were active in the International Place community. Ruby is painting, singing in a community choir, and doing volunteer work. Their daughter Stephanie, born while they were in Claremont, is already 9 years old and a good student and flute player. chuntsun@cycu.edu.tw (3/00) Professor Chin was in Claremont in April, 02. It was wonderful to see him.  He continues to teach and reports that the family is doing well. So, Stephanie is now 11 years old! 

Young Mi Lee, Masters of Fine Arts, 99, and a committed mainstay of International Place, called this morning.  It was wonderful to visit with her. She is teaching art at the University of Ulsan in Korea and has launched a new English Language Institute. Young Mi promises to send more information about her school soon. (Jan./02)

Koki Odano, Pomona '98 showed up at I-Place a couple of weeks ago.  After spending a year in the corporate world, Koki returned to the non-profit world.  He is working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Japan.  Of course, he has been traveling to refugee camps in Thailand and Pakistan.  Even when Koki was an undergraduate, he spent several summers as a volunteer working with refugees in Africa and Asia.  He promised to give us more notice the next time he visits -- so that we can have him speak at International Place.  You may contact him at odano@unhcr.ch or telephone (81-3) 3499-2075 (12/01)

Dietrich (Didi) Chen received a M.A. in Mathematics from CGU in 1995 and was willing and effective leader and participant in the life of I-Place.  He is from Koeln, Germany.  After leaving Claremont, Didi received an M.S.and Ph.D.. in Operations Research from Cornell University. Now, he is a senior associate with McKinsey & Company, Inc. in Miami Beach, Florida.  You may contact him at  Dietrich_Chen@McKinsey.com  or didi@orie.cornell.edu  (11/01)

Wanda Shuenyane, Pomona College, 1997, wanda.shuenyane@bain.com, just dropped by for a too brief visit. He is working for Bain in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Wanda was an outstanding International Club president and leader.  He promises to keep in touch. (1/01)

Claude Ricci, CMC '96, from Brazil, was on campus yesterday.  He is currently working in Mannheim, Germany, using his major in Economics.  Find him at Claude_Ricci@Alumni.McKenna.edu  (1/01)

Doris Fuchs, PhD, Politics and Policy, CGU, 1996, after doing a post-doc at University of Michigan and teaching at the University of Louisiana, is currently working in Germany.  She is teaching full time at the University of Munich and doing additional research for the European Union.  She can be reached at  Doris.Fuchs@lrz.uni-muenchen.de  (1/01)

Margaret Chew, Scripps, '85, also a talented International Club president, is back in Malaysia with her family and working for Organization Renewal Inc., Sdn Bhd.  Marjie recently authored an article for Malaysian Business entitled,  "Food for Thought", a comparative study of how the manufacturing and financial sectors coped under weakening economic conditions in Southeast Asia. Her e-mail address is  mchewg@yahoo.com