About Us: Rex Peel

Describe yourself.
I am a pragmatic and honest person who feels committed to making the United States of America an even better place than it already is. I am inspired by key figures in American history and I am intrigued by the US government. People often tell me that I have a varied set of interests. I enjoy keeping up with current events, as well as working on old cars and riding my motorcycle in my free time. I am drawn to post-World War II American culture and I aspire to work for the federal government upon my graduation from college.

How did you become interested in International Relations?
I have always been interested in what is happening around the world at any given time. However, what really boosted my curiosity and understanding of the complex matter of foreign affairs was Mr. Phillips' class on International Relations. Mr. Phillips devotes all of his time to his IR class and to our expansion of knowledge and it shows. Because of my experience in his class, I feel that I am better prepared to serve the American public when I am eventually part the United States government. As time goes on, I seem to become more interested in international politics and the coordination between groups from different parts of the world. The more I learn, my perspective broadens and my vision of what is happening around the globe and its effect on the United States becomes clearer.

Favorite topics/focuses relating to International Relations?
My favorite aspect of International Relations is that of national security and defense. It is the most dynamic in my view. The military role of the United States around the world is constantly changing, as is the the manner in which the government copes with foreign threats.

What you plan on majoring in, in the future?
I am going to be working on a mechanical engineering major at Virginia Tech over the next four years. Even if I may not pursue a career as an engineer, I have always been intrigued by machines and I believe the practical and logical approach to problems that I will acquire with an education in engineering can be applied to nearly every profession. I will minor in political science.

Character/public figure you hope to emulate?
There are many people whom I look up to, but the greatest of them all is undoubtedly George Washington. He was a farmer who was arguably the best general that this nation's military ever had. He was reluctant to serve as the first president of the United States, but because of his devotion to his country and respect for his peers who unanimously elected him for the job, he decided to make the sacrifice, putting off his own personal interests for the benefit of the nation.

Why did you join the Plenipotentiaries?
I joined the Plenipotentiaries because I was confident that it would be an excellent opportunity to not only discuss my own views on global matters, but also to learn from my colleagues and develop more educated opinions.

What do you hope to do after leaving Mills?
I hope that I will be successful in college and take advantage of all of the opportunities that Virginia Tech provides. Subsequently, I plan to serve the United States government in either one of the branches of the armed forces or a federal agency.

About Us: Alexis Dale-Huang

Decorations at an outdoor bakery in Meinong, Taiwan.

1. Describe yourself:

I would describe myself as a perpetually curious and nostalgic individual, with interests varying from the Chinese language, to eating foreign delicacies and studying contemporary American politics.  I also have slight obsessions with Coldplay and J. Crew.

2. How did you become interested in International Relations?

Coming from a biracial background, I genuinely think it is important to fully understand your own culture(s), but also the cultures of others around the globe.  I grew up in a household with what my friends like to call, “switched parents”: my Taiwanese father is considered “white-washed” due to his preppy style and inability to read and write Mandarin, while my Caucasian mother is currently a Chinese history professor, fluent in Mandarin, and knowledgeable of Chinese cuisine and customs.  After struggling to really understand the disparities between my two cultures, and eventually seeing them, I became interested in learning more about cultures other than my own by reading novels by writers such as Haruki Murakami, Khaled Hosseini, and Rohinton Mistry.  With these readings, I gradually developed a passion for history, foreign languages, and politics, and discovered International Relations with my mother’s guidance. 

I quote my English teacher as I state, “context determines meaning,” in this setting.

3. Favorite topics/focuses, regarding International Relations?

Although I often invest my free time reading up on Asian culture and the histories of nations in the Pacific Rim, I have recently discovered an interest in human rights in oppressed countries, and the cultural aspects that affect the politics of such societies. 

4. What you plan on majoring in, in the future?

I have declared a major in International Relations, and hope to either double major in Communications, or minor in Asian Studies.

5. Character/public figure you hope to emulate?

I’m afraid I can’t answer this; there are too many!

6. Why did you join the Plenipotentiaries?

My colleague, Marie Johnson, and I originally created this blog to allow ourselves to conduct more in-depth research on our topics of interest.  Yet, as the blog grew, I found that I was able to not only become more aware of what was going on in all parts of the world, but was also able to educate my fellow peers through my posts, and ultimately have a better experience in the process.

7. What do you hope to do after leaving Mills?

As I begin my studies at my selected four-year university next year, I hope to study either French or Arabic in college, while continuing my Mandarin, and plan on studying abroad several times with my university’s various programs.  While my main goal for the next four years is to continue exploring all of my interests in school and eventually find the career that fits with them. I also hope to return to my original hometown of Washington, D.C.