Student and Alumni Profiles

Aleks Besan is a 4th year International Studies major with an English minor and an ongoing certificate in African Studies. A passionate student activist, Aleks co-chaired SFU's Fair Trade Vancouver student branch, has worked in programming and public relations with CJSF 90.1FM,  and has served on the Board of the Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG), a social and environmental justice resource centre. She is a major entrance scholarship recipient who sees herself likely continuing to divide her time between academia and the non-profit sector, perhaps switching continents from time to time.

Stacey Bryant is a 3rd year International Studies major and Development and Sustainability minor. In the fall of 2012, she worked as the field coordinator for Schools Building Schools in Uganda and continues to volunteer with the organization locally. She has also volunteered with the Canadian Red Cross, specifically working in the Humanitarian Issues Promotion sector.  She is a major entrance scholarship recipient and in the summer of 2013, she will be working as a politics and economics intern with the US Consulate General of Vancouver.

Christian Filip is a 3rd year International Studies major and Development and Sustainability minor. He has been awarded several SFU scholarships and worked as an intern in Bolivia over the summer 2012.

Ali Wagner is a 4th year International Studies honours student within the Conflict and Security stream.  In the past, she has participated in SFU’s Model United Nations Club, volunteered in Swaziland with Developing World Connections, worked with SFU’s International Mentorship Program and SFU Residence and Housing as a Community Advisor.  In her third year, she attended Koç University in Istanbul on a formal exchange with SFU and through this was afforded the opportunity to travel to parts of the Middle East and Eastern Europe.  Currently, she works for SFU Student Central as a Student Ambassador and is the President for the International Studies Student Association (ISSA).  Her future plans include a move to Central America to develop her Spanish skills and she hopes to complete a Master's program focusing on Eastern European and Central Asian studies.