2023-2024 M.A. Students
Yiyao Chen graduated from University of Shanghai for Science and Technology with a BA in German. Her academic interests include ancient history and the Mediterranean area. Yiyao believes that although ancient history has long since passed, it has never faded away. She aims to see how the wisdom of our ancient ancestors is able to influence the multiple crises we face right now and lead us to a better future. In her free time, Yiyao likes to listen to music, take walks around parks, and draw or paint.
Max Gordon is a Master's student in the European and Mediterranean Studies program. Originally from the UK, he has a BA in history from the University of Bristol where his research interests centered around Russian peasantry and how they were depicted in literature and empirical studies around the time of the emancipation of the serfs and the pre-Revolutionary period. He is also interested in political theories surrounding state formation, development, the political economy, and multinational corporations.
Christine Kwan is pursuing a Master of Arts in the European and Mediterranean Studies program. She received her BA in Secondary Education in Social Studies with a history concentration in Genocide and Holocaust Studies at Penn State University. During her undergraduate studies, she focused on Eastern European history, primarily the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, and analyzed the effects of both regimes on education. Christine’s academic interest in the CEMS program centers around analyzing the far right in Eastern Europe, particularly the psychological impact rulers have had on their citizens. Her goal is to deepen her knowledge of Eastern European politics and society from various perspectives. After graduating from the program, she will be a social studies educator in New York. In Christine’s free time, she is a teacher’s assistant and tutors students in various age groups. She enjoys lifting weights, reading, and stargazing.
Nicole Monette is enrolled in the joint Global Journalism and European & Mediterranean Studies program. She graduated in 2020 from the University of Minnesota with a BA in History, focusing on 20th-century Europe, and a minor in Spanish, spending a semester in Madrid. She also began studying French, writing her major thesis on the 1968 student protests in France and spending an additional semester abroad in Paris. In May 2022, she graduated with a Master of Science in Global Affairs from NYU, where she completed her thesis on possible scenarios for the trajectory of the war in Ukraine. During the fall semester of 2021, she was a member of a student consulting project in conjunction with the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee constructing plausible scenarios for the future of Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in August. As a second year master’s student she was the Managing Editor of Global Affairs Review, the student journal of NYU’s Center for Global Affairs. Most recently she spent eight months in Rome and Milan studying Italian at an intensive language school. Her main research interests are post-Soviet Central and Eastern Europe, issues relating to migration and statelessness, and all things Italy.
Qu Nie received his BA at NYU in Philosophy and Art History. After graduation, he wishes to be an architect or a fashion designer (or both since there are overlaps).
Carolyn Reid is pursuing a Master’s in European and Mediterranean Studies. She earned a BS in Political Science from Towson University in 2021. Carolyn’s academic interests include the rise of extreme right-wing parties, fascism and populism, supranational organizations, comparative European politics, and human rights issues. In her free time, Carolyn enjoys reading, writing, traveling and yoga.
Xinyao Tong graduated from George Washington University in DC, double majoring in history and international relations. Being in the U.S. capital gave Xinyao access to some of the leading international research institutions. Xinyao was fortunate to be involved in research at the Wilson Center for Historical Studies. At CEMS, Xinyao hopes to continue studying history and discovering new clues in his field. He specializes in German history, particularly the changes in German military and foreign policy during the Kingdom of Prussia and the Third Reich, and the process of their rise and fall. His current research topic is on the relationship between the Republic of China and Germany in the 1930s. Xinyao is also preparing to apply to PhD programs upon completion of his Master’s.
2022-2023 M.A. Students
Victoria Anastasia Aranowicz is pursuing a Master of Arts in the European and Mediterranean program. She has been enrolled as a BA/MA student at NYU since 2021. In her final undergraduate year, she started her MA coursework while finishing her BA degree. As of May 2022, Victoria has a Bachelor of Arts in History, Journalism and Creative Writing from NYU. As the child of two immigrants who fled the then Soviet occupied Poland, Victoria chose to link her personal cultural background to her passions in history and politics. Her main interests are regarding Central/Eastern Europe (specifically Poland) during the long 20th century. When Victoria isn’t absorbed in academic work, she’s infatuated with reading crime, fantasy and historical fiction novels. As a retired “theatre kid”, Victoria also enjoys ballet, drama and Broadway shows. Finally, when she has the opportunity, she feeds her wanderlust by traveling to various countries across the world.
Eric Coshal is enrolled in the Master of European and Mediterranean Studies program. He received his BA in History from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. Eric prefers to have his studies focused in the ancient and medieval periods, but he actively enjoys seeing and finding connections between the past and present. In his free time, Eric likes to listen to music, read, make memes and be active.
Arman Karbassioon is pursuing a Master’s in European and Mediterranean Studies at New York University’s CEMS Program. He holds a B.S. in International Business and an MBA focused on marketing. Arman’s academic interest in the program stems from his affinity for history and contemporary politics and his travels backpacking through Europe. At CEMS, Arman is focused on studying far-right politics and immigration in Southern Europe, particularly how these movements have influenced policies and the public discourse on immigration. In his free time, Arman can be seen playing soccer across New York City, frequenting coffee shops, and making fresh pasta.
Saige Kramer-Koszarek is pursuing a Master’s in European and Mediterranean Studies at New York University’s CEMS. She received her BA magna cum laude in International Relations from New York University with minors in French and European and Mediterranean Studies in May 2022. Her academic area of interest centers around analyzing the rise of the far right in the European Union, specializing in Poland and Hungary and their democratic backslides. She plans to do her Master’s thesis on a comparative analysis of Poland and Hungary’s interactions with European courts over human rights violations. Having completed coursework in political psychology in her undergraduate studies, she hopes to integrate this perspective into her research as well. In her free time, Saige enjoys cooking, crocheting, walking all over the city, and watching old Anthony Bourdain reruns.
Pai-Ching Liu is enrolled in the Master in European and Mediterranean Studies program. He graduated from Tamkang University in Taiwan with a BA in German and received a scholarship from his department after passing the Goethe certificate B2. His academic interests include German politics, history, and the European Union. In addition to his research work that concentrated on Nord Stream 2 and the energy transition, Pai-Ching also participated in several seminars on European affairs, including the Ukraine crisis and the French presidential election. Since completing his undergtaduate degree, he continues to study German politics and society as well as topics concerning European integration throughout WWI and WWII. An avid traveler, he has visited Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne and is deeply intrigued by their vibrant culture. At NYU, Pai-Ching aims to deepen his knowledge about European history, politics, and society from multiple perspectives and explore career opportunites.
Alex Opechowski is a Master’s student in the European and Mediterranean Studies program. She received a BA with Honors in International Studies from the University of Chicago, where her studies culminated in a thesis about developments in the Polish culinary landscape in the time since the country’s accession to the E.U. Following her undergraduate studies, Alex worked in technology and digital media. At NYU, she wishes to combine her interests, studying the affinities between national identity, food culture, and technology, especially in Eastern Europe. Alex speaks Polish, French, and some German. When she’s not reading for work, or reading for fun, you might find her fencing.
Amós del Castillo Petidier is enrolled in the Master of European and Mediterranean Studies program. He received a Fulbright scholarship to study in the United States, and is excited about this opportunity. Amós was raised in Seville, Spain, and completed a Bachelor’s double degree in Geography & Spatial Planning and History at the University of Seville. After graduating in 2021, the Spanish Society of Academic Excellence awarded him the third-highest overall History degree grade in Spain. Regarding his academic interests, Amós has completed internships at the Modern History Department of the University of Seville and Center of Andalusian Studies where he researched the impact of the 1992 Seville World’s Fair on modernization strategies, public policy, and national image in Spain. His aim is to integrate this knowledge into comparative approaches with other Southern European states. Amós is fluent in both Spanish and English, and proficient in French. In his free time, he enjoys travelling, reading, and listening to an eclectic range of music. He also has a passion for modern architecture and urbanism.
Leslie Vooris is attending NYU's European and Mediterranean Studies program beginning in the Fall of 2022. Leslie is a graduate of SUNY Empire State College where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree Summa Cum Laude in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Global Studies. During her undergraduate studies, Leslie designed a conflict resolution plan utilizing theatre in implementing cross cultural understanding among youth. She also conducted independent research on the historical and cultural legacy of the working class in Great Britain and the influences of Near Eastern cultures in the Mediterranean. Leslie hails from Los Angeles, California and is a long time NYC resident. She has an extensive background in the arts and has produced and directed theatre and film in NYC, as well as a previous career in real estate where she served an international clientele. Leslie's research interests include European cultural and ethnic identity, Transatlantic relations, cultural and public diplomacy, foreign affairs and the media, and European foreign affairs. In her free time Leslie enjoys world travel, taking dance classes, cooking, and taking advantage of NYC's numerous cultural offerings.