Yuqi Chenis first Year International Communication graduate student in SIS, American University, interested in Global Media. She thinks Media, especially film is a magical tool to make miracle happen everyday. She has been involved with numbers of film productions in China and the U.S., and she has background in Culture Studies, (English/ Chinese) Interpretations, and Media Studies.Her interest in this project is how media policy effects media production in China and censorship.
Jeff Hutter is a graduate of the Elliot School of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Because he suffers from a serious case of wanderlust, Hutter constantly seeks an excuse to travel. Roadtripping across the U.S., watching the Spice Girls reunion concert in London, and white-watering rafting in Costa Rica are among his favorite moments. While tracing Winston Churchill’s path across South Africa, he wore the same oversized red raincoat for 28 days straight, inspiring Lady Mary Churchill Soames to nickname him, “the Tomato.”
Renée Knepper is an MA candidate in International Communication at American University’s School of International Service, expecting to graduate in August. Her areas of interest include public diplomacy, educational and cultural exchange, and cross-cultural communication.
Becky Mezzanotte (or Becky Mezz as she is often called) has been described as a paper crane amidst a world of boxes. Becky is a beauty pageant contestant turned ballerina turned musician turned actor turned filmmaker/photographer turned graduate student. A Baltimore native, she has lived in Prague, Czech Republic, Cairo, Egypt and of course Washington, D.C. In her free time, Becky can be found writing television/movie scripts (which she actually hopes to film), reading books, obsessing over British TV shows, working on various Shakespeare shows, making fake blood, or re-enacting the American Civil War. She is also attempting to train for the London Marathon in 2013.
Echo Xie is a dreamer in the real world. While growing up in Beijing, China, Echo developed a deep interest in music, film and literature. Like most children, she followed a path designed by parents and society. She graduated from the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing with a bachelor’s degree in business. She then worked as an auditor for two years, only to find her true passion lies in media and communication. In media, she believes, lies the key to a better world. So she resigned and came to the U.S. to start over. Echo is now majoring in International Media, and with many others sharing the same dream. Echo is a dreamer. And she is not the only one.
