A new cohort of talented and enterprising international students chosen from a record number of applications joins Duke Kunshan University this month.
The incoming Class of 2026’s 112 international students represent about 35 countries across the world and are made up of technologists, change-makers, entrepreneurs and musicians.
Duke Kunshan has again extended its global reach by welcoming for the first time students from countries including Hungary, South Africa, Nicaragua, Indonesia and Lebanon.
In keeping with Duke Kunshan’s liberal arts and sciences tradition, this group of self-starters possess can-do and inquisitive mindsets, with passions ranging from robotics, coding and film-making to debating, dispute resolution and campaigning. Many have highlighted its globally rooted education and cultural diversity for wanting to study at DKU.
Among the new students is Thomas Boyle from the United States, who has been learning Mandarin since the age of 6.
“I am most excited about fully involving myself in the Chinese culture,” said Boyle, who plans to pursue economics and Chinese when the students decide on their majors in their second year. “I have always wanted to live in China and now I get to while studying at DKU.”
Graduating from high school with a state-recognized seal of biliteracy, Boyle enjoys playing golf, learning the piano and building with Lego.
Robotics enthusiast and web programmer Kendi Miriti from Kenya was attracted to DKU by its position in the heart of China’s tech industry, as well as its cultural diversity and global approach to education.
Hoping to major in computer science at DKU, she competed in the First Robotics Championships World Festival in Houston, Texas, and co-founded Girls Can Code, an organization dedicated to introducing high school girls to web programming.
“Throughout my course at DKU, I will endeavor to create solutions to existing challenges, expand my social network and grow my portfolio,” Miriti said.
Serbia’s Mateja Bokan is a two-time Central & Eastern European Schools Association debating champion and accomplished musician who held several leadership roles at the European Youth Parliament.
A top academic performer who had never studied in English prior to high school (9th grade), Bokan chose DKU for the way it combines the best of American and Chinese education.
He plans to major in political economy but wants to explore sociology and arts before making a final decision.
“I will always be willing to help the DKU community grow in every way possible, giving back through volunteering, vision implementation and dedicated service to important causes,” Bokan said.
Ayesha Jehanzeb, a social justice campaigner from Pakistan, said the chance to immerse herself in Chinese culture presented the “opportunity of a lifetime”.
The founder of global non-profit organization Universal Issues, which supports marginalized communities, Jehanzeb has worked on projects helping victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. She also volunteers to boost enthusiasm for the sciences among students, for which she was interviewed on national television.
Jehanzeb is keen to explore economics, political science and philosophy at DKU and also has her eye on behavioral science. “The possibilities at DKU are endless and I am eager to delve into them,” she said.
Competition for places was especially tough this year with the university receiving a record-breaking 3,300 international applications, a 77 percent increase on last year’s tally, from students representing 113 countries.
Dean of International Enrollment Management Jessica Sandberg said, “The continued growth in size and quality of our international applicant pool is a reflection of DKU’s rising star and suggests that we are quickly becoming the first choice for a top-quality global education.
“The Class of 2026 will bring unprecedented talent, fresh enthusiasm and an appetite for change to our community.
“I look forward to observing the ways they will make an impact on DKU and the wider world.”
The young scholars will join their Chinese classmates, who are confirming their places this month, to form the fifth undergraduate cohort in Duke Kunshan history, the first of which graduated in May 2022.
With COVID-19 restricting arrivals into China, the international students will initially start their studies overseas as the university works towards bringing them to campus.
Convocation will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 16, to welcome all of the students, with classes beginning the following Monday (Aug. 22).
Meet more of our new international students below and by visiting our Class of 2026 Instagram page:
Abdullah Javed (from Pakistan) — A producer of a music video for top Pakistani artists Meesha Shafi and Abdullah Siddiqui, Javed leads an organization teaching underprivileged children and plans to study computer science and applied math.
Tanan-Erdene (Mongolia) — Economics is her planned major but volleyball and basketball player Tanan-Erdene also holds a keen interest in environmental issues and spends the summers helping her uncle on his livestock farm.
Tommy Li (U.S.) — Lacrosse player Li plans to major in material science with physics and chemistry tracks. A U.S. citizen who is half Chinese, he looks forward to connecting more with his heritage and expanding his horizons.
Dominika Wilczok (Poland) — The founder of an NGO called Just Like ORCA, which challenges ageism in society and educates on the early signs of dementia, Wilczok plans to major in global health.
