United States Connections

  • Yue Pheng Lee (SJU ’16), Health Partners
  • 2nd Lt. Tyler A. Brakrur (SJU '15), Military (Army National Guard/Reserve) Email: [email protected] 
  • Leah M. Ranta (CSB '15), District Manager (Aldi, Inc) Email: [email protected]
  • Maria Xiong (CSB '15), Support Specialist (MN Gastroenterology) Email: [email protected] 
  • Cindy Gonzalez-Peterson (CSB '14), Chief of Staff (Code HS)      Email: [email protected]
  • Abby M. Peterson (CSB '13), Executive Visual Manager (GH Bass)  Email: [email protected]
  • Joshua D. Mortenson (SJU '13), Painting (Living Color and Decorating) Email: [email protected]
  • Zachary J. Boever (SJU '13), English Teacher Email: [email protected] 
  • Mana L. Traxler (CSB '12), Quality Assurance (Epic System) 
  • Nicholas M. Lahti (SJU '12), Engineering and Facilities Group (Target Corporation) 
  • William D. Liedl (SJU '12), ACE Teacher and Student Email: [email protected] 
  • Meggan Reinent Gronli (CSB '11), Grad Student (Chicago Loyola) Email: [email protected]
  • Nick Lenczewski (SJU '07), taught for Maryknoll in China, made an instructional DVD to help young Americans enhance their intercultural communication skills, and is Global Support Analyst at Global Measures International.  He also provides training services to help Americans and Chinese communicate better.
  • Peter Jordet (SJU '07) did a summer internship at the Japan-America Society of Minnesota and taught English at BGU.  He is now an architect, having taken his architecture degree focused on Japanese architectural methods at the University of Iowa.
  • Kristina Sherman (CSB '06) studied and taught in China, completed her practitioner's degree in Chinese medicine, and now practices Asian medicine in Arizona.
  • Lue Moua (SJU '05), an individualized Asian Studies major, is now a Lutheran pastor to the Twin Cities Hmong community.
  • Hoa Thi Nguyen (CSB '04), recipient of Asian Studies scholarships, chair of the campus Asia Club, and recipient of an Asian Pacific Leadership Award from the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, worked in the CSB/SJU Admission Office and most recently has been in the insurance industry.
  • Katie McCarnie (CSB '04) taught for Maryknoll in China and is now Associate Director of Admission at CSB/SJU.
  • Andrew Malone (SJU '04) now teaches courses on Asia at Central High School in Edina, Minnesota.
  • Dia Yang (CSB '03) is a high school counselor of Hmong and other Southeast Asian students in the St. Paul public schools.
  • Alyssa Francis (CSB '02) taught for Maryknoll in China, developed an ESL curriculum for the Twin Cities Hmong community, and pursued ESL graduate studies at Columbia University.
  • Andrew Schmitt (JSU '02) taught for the Peace Corps in China prior to entering a Catholic seminary in St. Louis.
  • Wendy Fuglestad (CSB '02) pursued graduate art education in China and studied for a Ph.D. degree in Chinese art at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Michael Cass (SJU '02) taught for Maryknoll in China, pursued an internship at a Chinese law firm in Shanghai, completed a University of Minnesota China-focused law degree, and clerked for a Hennepin County judge.
  • Michael Boerboom (SJU '01) taught for Maryknoll in China, took an M.A. in Chinese Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at The Johns Hopkins University, and is now a China specialist for the U.S. government.
  • Eric Sumangil (SJU '01) majored in Asian Studies and is now a prominent actor and playwright in Twin Cities Asian American theater.  He also acts in television commercials.
  • John Schaus (SJU '01), former Maryknoll teacher, earned an M.A. at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and manages a program at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  • Ryan McCarthy (SJU '01), taught for Maryknoll in China, earned a Harvard M.A. in International Education, worked to expand U.S.-China student exchange programs, and earned a Ph.D. in international education from the University of Minnesota, where he now holds an administrative position in that field.
  • Molly McClure (CSB '01), taught for Maryknoll in China and graduated from the University of Minnesota's graduate program in social work.
  • Kim Therres (CSB '00) taught for Mayknoll in China, recruited students of color in the CSB/SJU Admission Office, and is now a YWCA executive.
  • Nathan Heuercamp (SJU '00), taught for Maryknoll in China and is now involved in the Twin Cities non-profit community.
  • Kevin Clancy (SJU '00) studied in China (where he produced a DVD on preparing CSB/SJU students for China study), wrote a Communication honors thesis on China, taught in China, coordinated the Maryknoll China teachers program for years and is now an administrator at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.
  • Ryan Hemmingsen (SJU '00), taught for Maryknoll in China, earned an MBA degree from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, and is with Wells Fargo.
  • Lia Veenendal (CSB '00) wrote her senior Communication thesis in collaboration with Asian Studies.
  • Carol Ruechert (CSB '99) taught in China for five years prior to managing a company which teaches business English to Chinese entrepreneurs.
  • David Harrison (SJU '99), studied at Sophia University in Tokyo, coordinated the Hong Kong-based Maryknoll China Service Project, recruited managers for Asia-based corporations, and is now an executive at Thompson-Reuters. 
  • Angela Anderson (CSB'98), taught for Maryknoll in China and worked for the Minnesota House of Representatives.
  • Elaine Garbe (CSB '98) interned at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, directed international programs at the Minnesota International Center, took an M.A. degree in Chinese Studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University (where she was personal assistant to the school's Dean), and worked for an NGO.
  • Vinh Ho (SJU '98) was a co-president of the student Asia Club, interned at the Minnesota Trade Office, taught for Maryknoll in China, received his M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of Hawai'i, coordinated the university's Asian-Pacific Leadership Program, and serves on the National Association of Asian MBAs, Midwest Global Trade Association, and other boards.  In January 2015, he became Import/Export Analyst at Medtronic.
  • Vanessa Brigham (CSB '98) took her M.A. in Asian Studies at The University of Kansas and now works in city government. 
  • Toshiko Kawabata (CSB '98) did an internship at Kiku Enterprises in Minneapolis.
  • Nahoko Hori (CSB '98) interned and became an Asia manager at Banner Engineering in Minneapolis.
  • Gabriel Alisna (SJU '98), an individualized Asian Studies major, now directs the debate program at Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, Hawai'i; he also manages the school's annual summer institutes for students from around the Pacific Rim.
  • Brian Lynch (SJU '98) interned in Asian trade at the Minnesota Trade Office, taught in Okinawa, and for many years has been a manager of Medtronic's Asia Pacific operation, in Tokyo and now at the Minnesota headquarters.
  • Cher Thao (CSB '97), an individualized Asian Studies major, is a Social Security administrator serving the Hmong community in the Twin Cities.
  • Chor Lee (CSB '97), cousin of Cher Thao, worked on Hmong cultural materials at the Minnesota History Center and subsequently graduated from law school.
  • Lor Lee (CSB '97) counsels Hmong students in suburban Twin Cities schools.
  • Emily Dahm (CSB '97) taught English at SWU, earned a China-focused joint doctoral degree in international relations at Tufts University and in law at the University of California, Berkeley. 
  • Kiyoaki Tanaka (SJU '97), an individualized Asian Studies major, studied in Japan and now works in Toyota's New York office.
  • Anthony Sandeen (SJU '96) oversaw global marketing for the Amphenol Corporation in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
  • Amy Lund (CSB '96) taught courses with Asia content at a Wisconsin high school.