Raquel Kalpakoff (Italy, 2025-26)

Raquel Kalpakoff is an Environmental Systems major with a concentration in Environmental Policy at UC San Diego. She is spending a fifth year abroad at the University of Bologna in Italy—a long-held dream made even more meaningful by the fact that her mother studied there 35 years ago. Raquel is also a visual artist and the founder of Rocket Artistry, her pet portraiture business that supported her through college. This year marks her first opportunity to focus on personal creative exploration, particularly through courses at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna. A former student-athlete on UCSD’s women’s soccer team, Raquel once thought study abroad was out of reach. Now in Italy, she is diving into art school, improving her Italian, joining a local soccer team, and exploring sustainable agriculture—the field in which she hopes to build her career after researching regenerative agriculture for her senior thesis. Raquel describes her time in Bologna as transformative: a period of artistic growth, self-reflection, and deepening connection to her Italian heritage.

Biraj Gurung (Germany, 2025-26)

Biraj Gurung is an Economics major at UC Berkeley who is spending the 2025–26 academic year at Freie Universität Berlin. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Nepal, Biraj immigrated to Los Angeles in 2013, carrying with him a resourcefulness forged through nightly blackouts and the determination to turn challenges into opportunity. In 2021, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and deployed to Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan, where he led multinational teams and learned to navigate cultural nuance under pressure. At Berkeley, he is an active mentor in the Cal Veterans Group and the Language Exchange Program, where he honed the German skills he brought to Berlin. During his year abroad, Biraj plans to explore Germany’s social market economy and labor institutions, including codetermination and the crisis-era Kurzarbeit program. He will also intern with Arrival NGO, supporting refugee integration through workforce training and language education. Outside the classroom, Biraj is an avid hiker who connects his love of exploring national parks and cities with his passion for bridging cultures. After returning home, he hopes to pursue a career in recruiting in Los Angeles, helping connect global talent with opportunity, and to continue mentoring his younger brother as he navigates high school and college. 

Tara Littlehailes (England, 2025-26)

Tara Littlehailes, an Economics major at UC Berkeley, is spending the 2025–26 academic year at the London School of Economics (LSE). Originally from Southern California, Tara has been financially independent since she was sixteen. She earned her GED, enrolled in community college early, and transferred to Berkeley after three years, all while working full-time. Her academic interests center on the intersection of economics and social outcomes: how financial systems shape opportunity, how policy affects lived experience, and how fairness is constructed and contested. LSE offers her a chance to explore these questions from a global perspective. Tara loves writing, deep conversations, and rainy days. Though she lived briefly in London as a child, this is her first time living abroad on her own. She looks forward to a year that will push her, broaden her worldview, and shape the person she is becoming.

Shuoying Cao (Japan, 2025-26)

Shuoying Cao is pursuing a double major in Sociology and Visual Arts at UC San Diego. Raised between Shanghai and California, she is drawn to the ways culture, ideology, and social norms form the backbone of societies—and to the power of visual storytelling to reflect and critique them. For the 2025–26 academic year, Shuoying is studying at Keio University in Tokyo, where she is examining sociology from East Asian perspectives while continuing to build her artistic practice. As a first-generation college student, she is the first in her family to study abroad, and she looks forward to developing independence, discovering new creative outlets, and immersing herself in a region deeply connected to her heritage.

Rona Song (Japan, 2025-26)

Rona Song is an undergraduate at UC Irvine double majoring in Film and Media Studies and Criminology. Born and raised in Suzhou, China, she came to the United States for college, where her cross-cultural journey sparked a deep interest in how storytelling, media, and legal systems intersect across societies. Rona is spending the 2025–26 academic year at Keio University in Tokyo. She is excited to explore global media communication, intellectual property, and digital content creation—areas that merge her interests in culture, narrative, and law. Outside her academic work, Rona is passionate about dance, which she sees as a powerful vehicle for expression and emotional clarity. She hopes her time in Japan will help her grow both intellectually and personally as she charts a future in cultural communication or media policy.

Madison DeLuca (Japan, 2025-26)

Madison DeLuca is a transfer student at UC San Diego majoring in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts (ICAM) with a concentration in 3D modeling and virtual environments. She is spending the 2025–26 academic year at Waseda University in Tokyo. Inspired by the world-building of Japanese video games, Madison aims to become a 3D artist in Japan’s game industry. At Waseda’s School of International Liberal Studies, she intends to study Japanese design, architecture, film, and intensive language—work that will deepen both her artistic voice and her cultural fluency. Influenced by visual storytellers such as Daidō Moriyama and Shūji Terayama, Madison looks forward to joining Tokyo’s creative communities and connecting with other artists through both Japanese and the “universal language” of art. She hopes this year will expand her perspective, strengthen her craft, and help her grow as both an artist and a person.

Isabel Foust (The Netherlands, 2025-26)

Isabel Foust is a Business Economics major with a minor in Law and Society at UC San Diego. She is spending the 2025–26 academic year at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Isabel’s love of travel began at nine, when she first visited Singapore and Malaysia, and deepened during later trips to Italy, Switzerland, and France. This current year marks her most ambitious global chapter yet: a year in the Netherlands, a family pilgrimage to the Philippines, and time in Japan before departing for Europe. Drawn to the opportunity to immerse herself in a culture entirely new to her, Isabel looks forward to learning languages, visiting museums, and building friendships across borders. Outside academics, she enjoys film, music, and fashion, and she is eager to explore the Netherlands’ rich artistic heritage while developing her independence and expanding her global perspective.

Alexander Hirsch (Sweden, 2025-26)

Alexander Hirsch is a Robotics Engineering major at UC Riverside spending a full academic year at Lund University in Sweden. Inspired early by stories of his father’s own study abroad experience, he has long viewed international immersion as a path to deeper personal and intellectual growth. At UCR, Alexander has thrown himself into hands-on engineering: contributing to a patent-pending roof-locking mechanism at HexHomes, refining the accumulator and drivetrain systems for Highlander Racing’s Formula SAE team, and collaborating with peers from around the world at the Taipei Tech International Robotics Competition. Drawn to Sweden’s global leadership in robotics and sustainability, Alexander chose Lund for its cutting-edge research environment and its culture of balance, community, and innovation. Since arriving in August, he has embraced Swedish life—from passing his language orientation course to joining Lund’s engineering “guild” and adopting the bright-colored overalls worn proudly by students in each technical discipline. He has also discovered the joy of fika, the Swedish tradition of pausing for coffee, cake, and conversation, and sees these daily rhythms as part of what makes the university community so welcoming. Academically, Alexander is energized by the rigor and pace of his courses, which emphasize immediate hands-on work. He is already designing and soldering his own boards for a lab project and is excited to dive deeper into robotics research over the coming months. Whether learning Swedish, navigating new academic expectations, or adapting to life in a northern climate, he sees every challenge as part of the growth he sought when he applied. Alexander hopes his time in Sweden will shape not only the kind of engineer he becomes, but the kind of global citizen he aspires to be—one committed to innovative, sustainable, and human-centered design.

Lavender Robinson (Spain, 2024-25)

Lavender Robinson (she/they) is a Spanish major from the UC Irvine who is studying at the Universitat de Barcelona for the 2024-2025 academic year. Lavender is a military kid who grew up mainly in the state of Maryland, lived in London for a short time in their younger years, and made many trips to Europe during her childhood. Learning languages and kinetically exploring the cultures constantly changing around her, Lavender always has had a knack for expanding their worldview and perspectives through outward cultural involvement, understanding, and study. Studying abroad in Spain is a dream for Lavender that she is excited to fulfill. She knows that her experience will allow her to grow in several ways alongside her academic endeavors. Their passions and drive are fueled by the quote: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

Miguel Ambriz Valdovinos (Spain, 2024-25)

Miguel Ambriz Valdovinos is a Social Welfare major at the UC Berkeley studying at Complutense University of Madrid for the 2024-25 academic year. Miguel was born and raised by a single father in San Jose, California. As the first in his family to attend university, Miguel's educational pursuits are driven by a commitment to personal and professional growth. His time in Madrid will help to advance his proficiency in Spanish, a crucial skill for his future career in social work and nonprofit fundraising. Motivated by his mother's dream of traveling to "las Europas," Miguel views his study abroad experience as a heartfelt tribute to her memory. He is committed to making the most of this opportunity to study abroad for a full academic year to integrate into the local culture, build lasting connections, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the Spanish education system and social dynamics. Miguel's journey is not only about academic and professional development but also about personal growth. He looks forward to the independence and resilience that will come from living abroad. He believes this experience will undoubtedly shape his future, providing clarity on his aspirations and laying the foundation for a fulfilling and purposeful career serving Hispanic communities. He is eager to explore the peninsula and deepen his connection to his Hispanic heritage, Catholic faith, and identity as a first-generation college student. Miguel writes, “I enjoy being able to speak my mother tongue here. I like not having to say my name differently or to spell it out letter by letter, which always feels like a small but constant adjustment back home.”

Victor Jimenez Alba (Japan, 2024-25)

Victor Jimenez Alba is a Computer Science and Engineering major at UC Merced who is studying abroad at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. Victor was born and raised in Escondido, California where he learned an appreciation for Japanese culture from his mother. At Keio University, he hopes the courses he takes will advance his knowledge of computer science. He plans to evaluate graduate programs both at Keio and in other parts of Japan. At Keio, Victor is enrolled in a Japanese art of humor class with fellow Borton Scholars Saha Kumar and Lesa Ritchie. He writes, “Life here in Japan has been extemely enjoyable and refreshing. I feel a lot more excited to attend class because I feel the classes are a lot more personal.”

Saha Kumar (Japan, 2024-25)

Saha Kumar is a Japanese Studies major and Political Science minor at UC San Diego studying at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. From a very young age, Saha had a passion for foreign language studies and especially the Japanese language and culture. Saha deeply treasures the learning of foreign languages, placing high value on communicating and connecting with people. She aspires to contribute to the field of international relations, especially as it relates to U.S.-Japan diplomacy, and looks forward to studying Japanese foreign policy while at Keio University. She aims to achieve JLPT N1 level fluency by her return to the United States in August 2025. Additionally, Saha has a niche, vivid passion for the art of Japanese swordsmithing. She is currently writing a thesis on the poetic significance of swords in classical Japanese literature, which she aspires to publish in a research journal prior to graduation. Saha is very excited to experience the Sapporo snow festival, visit sword-history-rich sites like Hakone, and explore the beautiful Japanese countryside. Saha writes, “One of my favorite experiences so far was attending a Japanese organized Indian Diwali (festival of lights) festival in Yokohama. Japanese people performed classical Indian dance such as Bhangra, played the thabla, spoke Hindi and Japanese interchangeably, and explained the story of Diwali. I was hugely moved to see people have so much joy and passion in celebrating my culture and languages, the same way I was passionate about theirs.”

Genevieve Riley (Spain, 2024-25)

Genevieve Riley is a Linguistics major at UC San Diego studying abroad at the University of Barcelona, Spain. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, she first became fascinated with language when she began studying Spanish in high school and listening to music in a variety of languages. When the pandemic hit and her high school transitioned to remote learning, she took the opportunity to learn the writing systems of some of the languages that interested her the most. In her bedroom, while completing her sophomore and junior years remotely, she self-studied the orthographies of Arabic, Russian, and Thai. Having become the most proficient in Spanish over the years, she chose to study in Barcelona. Genevieve writes, "What I'm most excited about is living in a dormitory with other international students. We'll get to learn about each other's cultures while sharing the experience of being in this bustling and multilingual city for the first time." With plans to be a speech-language pathologist, Genevieve is looking forward to broadening her awareness of both the commonalities and differences between people from various countries, and approaching those differences with cultural humility. Genevieve is studying Spanish, Catalan, and Irish literature in Barcelona during her first term.

Eliza Parungao (Japan, 2024-25)

Eliza Parungao is a second-year International Studies Major at UC Irvine studying abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. She was born in Irvine and raised in San Jose, California. Eliza is committed to bridging cross-cultural gaps, particularly with international and/or English language learner students in the United States. For the past year, Eliza has worked as an English conversation partner under one of UCI’s exchange programs. Her time in this role gave her the unique opportunity to interact with Japanese students of the same age; she used this position to grow her students’ confidence in English and make new friends. As the first person in her family to go abroad, Eliza is thrilled to attend Waseda University for the entirety of her third year of university. She is most excited to rekindle friendships with the Japanese students she met during her time at UCI, and to go cafe-hopping.

Erin Moore (Japan, 2024-25)

Erin Moore is a fourth year International Business major with a minor in Japanese Studies at UC San Diego studying abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. Her grandparents greatly influenced her decision to study abroad, and she is eager to connect with her Japanese heritage. Erin is looking forward to reconnecting with friends she met during a two-week exchange program in 2019, including her homestay family, who has continuously been supportive and even taken trips to visit her in California. Erin’s hobbies include film photography as well as collecting records of her favorite artists. Erin has been actively involved in the Nikkei Student Union (NSU), a Japanese American social-cultural club at UC San Diego, where she has taken on various leadership positions and connected with her Japanese roots. Erin writes that she is “excited to interact with diverse people and make friends from all around the world in my classes as well as through various clubs. I hope to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone and take advantage of my time abroad by trying new things and seeking new experiences.” In Tokyo, Erin has become friends with fellow Borton Scholar Eliza Parungao and they are exploring the city together.

Lesa Ritchie (Japan, 2024-25)

Lesa Ritchie is a double major in Japanese Studies and History, with a minor in Education Studies at UC San Diego studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan at Keio University. Born and raised in San Diego, she was able to take Japanese classes at her high school, inspiring her to become a Japanese language high school teacher. She enjoys taking on leadership positions such as Japanese National Honors Society, captain of the UCSD club tennis team, and being active in the Education Studies Association at UCSD. Lesa says, “Being eager to gain cultural experiences and opportunities to advance my Japanese is what will help me become an authentic secondary Japanese world language teacher.” Lesa loves competing in tennis and pickleball, and is hoping to continue abroad, along with picking up other hobbies in Japan as well. 

Sophia Chang (Japan, 2023-24)

Sophia Chang is a Biological Anthropology Major at UC San Diego studying at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. Sophia was awarded a Borton Scholarship for 2021-22. Covid prevented her from being able to go to Japan. She tried again, unsuccessfully, the following year. Next, she took a gap year during which she became a fantastic pastry chef. Last year she re-enrolled at UCSD and applied to Waseda University where she arrived in September! Growing up in Taiwan, she experienced various aspects of Japanese culture and fell in love with Japan when she visited a few years ago. As an anthropology major, Sophia strives to learn and understand human relations and traditions within a certain location. In this case, she is interested in how Japanese culture and history have shaped Japan’s image in the modern world. She is also excited to practice Japanese which she has been learning since the beginning of freshman year. She has ice skated since she was seven years old, was an active member of the Ice-Skating Club at UCSD, and hopes that she can continue to pursue her skating career even in Japan. She looks forward to traveling to different cities throughout the changing seasons and exploring the local specialties that Japan has to offer. She believes that living in Japan will provide her with new and unique experiences that cannot be understood through a book alone.  At Waseda, Sophia has made lots of friends at her dorm including exchange students from different parts of the world. She writes, “It is so interesting getting to hear their stories and learn more about their countries and cultures.” She has particularly enjoyed local festivals and shared the following vlog documenting one such event: Waseda Festival Vlog.

Danicka Leeds (Chile, 2023-24)

Danicka Leeds is a Human Developmental Sciences major at UC San Diego with a double minor in Spanish Linguistics and Psychology who will be studying abroad at the University of Chile. She plans to stay at a local family home upon arrival. Danicka writes of the opportunity to study abroad: “I want to gain insight into another culture and be entirely immersed in a different way of life to gain appreciation for another way of living and apply the values I’ve learned to my own life. I want to be able to redefine the narrative that travel is only possible if you’re rich and to show that a girl like me whose family comes from a line of homelessness can be able to make these dreams a reality. I want to be able to learn medical terminology in Spanish so that I can connect with Spanish-speaking patients without the use of a translator to show that I care for them and that I want to know them.” She plans to work as a phlebotomist in Chile to gain more medical terminology in Spanish and gain hospital experience. 

Megan Hsu (Japan, 2023-24)

Megan Hsu is an International Business major with a minor in Finance at UC San Diego studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan at Keio University. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Megan also frequently traveled to Taiwan and Japan, fostering her interest to study and work in a global setting where she can deepen her knowledge of foreign customs and lifestyles. Megan has worked as an international trade intern, and through this internship, solidified her passion for international business and helping businesses expand overseas. She strongly believes that the experiences she will gain through studying abroad will deepen her cultural awareness and understanding of global business. Since the age of three, Megan has been in contact with the Japanese language and culture. This upbringing has influenced her goal of working in Japan in the field of international business. One of Megan's hobbies is photography, and she hopes to document her journey as she travels around Japan, makes new friends, and experiences everything that Keio University has to offer. At Keio, Megan has joined the photography and aikido clubs. She writes of her early experience: “Overall, I am enjoying myself in Japan because each day is always so eventful and fun. The food is amazing, and the transportation is extremely convenient! However, there are some things that I am still struggling with. I've noticed that the classes here are much less structured than at UCSD. For example, the syllabus is extremely vague and assignment grades are never released.”