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.