Class of 2026

Major: International Politics

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Linkedin

Sophia grew up less than seven miles from the US-Mexico border, as the granddaughter of a Chinese immigrant who fled the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and worked as a Spanish interpreter for asylum seekers and unaccompanied minor children. As a result, she has a first-hand understanding of how policy and geopolitics can disrupt and shape the lives of individuals, and wants to continue exploring how governments and multilateral institutions can address the root causes of migration and the pragmatic and humane movement of people. The Pelosi Scholars Initiative will provide Sophia with the resources needed to use her education to address complicated, and at times contentious, issues through the lens of public service and compassion. Her long-term goal is to join the U.S. Foreign Service or work with the UN’s International Organization for Migration, and she hopes to intern next summer with one of these organizations.