Meet With a PE Peer Advisor

Peer advisors are a great resource for students looking for answers to  questions such as:

• What is Political Economy?
• Why did you choose to major in PE?
• What can I do with a major in PE?
• How do I connect with other PE students?
• How do I navigate the PE major as a transfer student?
• How do I get into an undergraduate research program?
• How do I secure an internship/Study Abroad opportunity?
• How do I join a student organization?

General questions/comments? Email: askpe@berkeley.edu

Meet our PE Peer Advisors

ALLYSSA CHAN: Allyssa is a senior double majoring in Political Economy and Political Science. Her concentration for the Political Economy major is International Trade. On campus, she is a part of Gamma Phi Beta, a member of Phi Alpha Delta (a Pre-Law Frat), and is part of the UC Rally Committee. Off-campus, she does research through the Social Sciences Research Pathways and is doing an internship with Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs. She has worked as a legislative intern at the National Safety Council and a Human Resources intern for the Bipartisan Policy Center through the Cal in the Capital program. She also went to Singapore through the Global Internship program and worked as a consulting intern for Brand Finance.  Allyssa also worked for the Cal Alumni Association as a social media student assistant. Feel free to come talk about creating a concentration, classes, or if you want to talk about what to do with a political economy degree. She is excited to be a PE peer advisor and can’t wait to talk more about her experiences! Allyssa is available to meet on Thursdays from 4:00pm – 5:00pm. Click here to book a 15-minute appointment with Allyssa.

LANCE DY: Lance is a senior double majoring in Political Economy and Economics with a minor in Public Policy. His concentration for the Political Economy major is Development and Globalization. He has been actively involved on campus as a social impact consultant with GRC Berkeley, an undergraduate researcher through URAP and the Institute of International Studies, a course reader/assistant in the Division of Undergraduate Education, and a Model United Nations delegate with UCBMUN. He interned at HSBC last summer and aims to further his interests in international development, public finance, and corporate social responsibility. He looks forward to sharing his experiences and helping his fellow students take advantage of all that the PE major and Cal have to offer! Lance is available to meet on Mondays, 1-2pm. Click here to book a 15-minute appointment with Lance.

ABDULLAH KHWAJA: Abdullah is a senior majoring in Political Economy who transferred from Solano Community College last year. His concentration for the Political Economy major  incorporates the interrelationships between sustainability transitions, the economics of climate change, and environmental development of society. On campus, he has been involved with the UC Berkeley’s Career Center Student Advisory Council and his academic interests include energy & resource distribution and food justice policy. Outside school, he enjoys hiking, spending time with his cat, and trying out new recipes. Feel free to reach out with any questions about PE, pursuing the major as a transfer student, creating a new concentration, and life at Cal.  Abdullah is available to meet on Mondays and Fridays from 11am to 12pm. Click here to book a 15 minute appointment with Abdullah.

OLIVIA KURTZ: Olivia is a junior majoring in Political Economy and minoring in Data Science. Her Political Economy concentration is Technology and Economy. On campus, she is a student assistant for the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing and has been part of various student organizations such as Cal Band and Circle K International (volunteering). Off-campus, she has been a student reporter for the Korea JoongAng Daily and an intern at Dreamfora, a startup developing an AI-powered goal-setting app. She loves to spend her free time hiking, cooking, and learning new languages. She looks forward to meeting her peers and sharing her experiences studying abroad! Olivia is available to meet on Fridays 11am – 12pm. Click here to book a 15 minute appointment with Olivia.

AMINAH MERCHANT: Aminah is a senior double majoring in Political Economy (L&S) and Society and Environment (CNR). Her Political Economy concentration is on Global Trade and Economics, and her Society & Environment major is concentrated on Climate Policy. On campus, she is involved in UC Berkeley’s Delta Phi Epsilon Chapter, a professional international relations fraternity, and spent a year working as a research assistant for UC Berkeley’s Undergraduate Fellows Program. Off-campus, she works for an electric vehicle policy company and tutors. She loves to spend her free time running, exploring San Francisco, and traveling. Feel free to reach out with questions regarding double majoring, internships, or class recommendations! Aminah is available to meet on Wednesdays 1-2:30pm. Click here to book a 15 minute appointment with Aminah.

ELLA PANINGBATAN: Ella is a senior majoring in Political Economy with a concentration in Global Inequalities. This past summer, she worked with Emerson Collective, an LLC that utilizes venture investing to fund its philanthropic endeavors, as a Philanthropy intern. Last fall, she studied abroad and interned for the Scottish Book Trust—a national charity organization—in Edinburgh, Scotland. On campus, she is an active member of Delta Phi Epsilon, an international relations fraternity, and a Fundraising and Audience Outreach intern for the Global Lives Project through URAP. She is incredibly excited to continue as a PE peer advisor and share some of her knowledge and experiences! Ella is available to meet on Tuesdays 2pm – 3pm. Click here to book a 15 minute appointment with Ella.

HAN TSENG: Han is a junior majoring in Political Economy and minoring in Public Policy. He has a self-designed concentration in International Development and Technology. On campus, he is involved with the Student Advocate’s Office, student organizations, and undergraduate research. Off-campus, he has done internships in both business and politics, worked on entrepreneurship projects, and is involved with education and volunteering. He is excited to continue as a peer advisor for the PE major and share his past experiences with courses, concentrations, activities, and more with all students. Han is available to meet on Tuesdays 4pm – 5pm. Click here to book a 15 minute appointment with Han