Summary
I am an undergraduate student at George Mason University majoring in Global Affairs with a concentration in Global Governance and minor in Political Philosophy. My special interests include democratization, comparative politics, sociopolitical identity, and East Asian politics.
I am interning with Democracy onAir because I am a firm believer in good governance and honest communication.
I am the Team Leader for Virginia onAir. My major focus is recruiting and onboarding Virginia students and chapter managers.
OnAir Post: Gabriel Yu
About
I study Global Affairs (International Relations) with a particular focus on East Asian affairs concerning democracy and national identity. I have written about South Korean democracy, Taiwanese identity issues, and the evolving political landscape of a post-National Security Law Hong Kong. I spent the Spring 2022 semester abroad at the City University of Hong Kong, where I took courses related to democratization, comparative politics, and public policymaking with an emphasis on ethics.
As I am not a Government or Political Science student, I have not been as engaged with politics and democracy here at home. I am, however, a consistent voter ever since I turned 18, and I have recently developed a strong side passion for urban development and public transportation. I have done academic work on the economics of improving public transportation in Northern Virginia, and I have also provided an opinion piece to George Mason University’s Fourth Estate newspaper concerning public transportation access for GMU students. Thus, it would be particularly interesting for me to able to engage with election candidates on the issues which I care about.
I understand that this internship is largely remote and defined by online discussion meetings / town halls, which I have no issue with. During my time in Hong Kong, I served as an English language mentor for local students. While it was to my disappointment that our meetings were to be held online, I did learn to lead online meetings revolving around casual English conversations and team games. I feel very comfortable with working through online mediums, and I look forward to expanding my skills in this department through this internship.
