Yannis Ning

President

About Me: I am an international student from China and a PhD student in Curriculum and Instruction (Arts in Education). My work focuses on theatre, education, and arts-based research. I moved to the United States for college and earned my BFA in Theatre Education from Emerson College. I later earned my M.A. in Educational Theatre and English Education from NYU.

My Responsibilities: As the President, I will help shape CIGS initiatives, strengthen community connections, and support the needs of international graduate students.

Why I'm Passionate About CIGS: International graduate students often navigate academic, professional, cultural, and practical challenges at the same time. I am particularly interested in how we can move beyond simply responding to individual problems and instead build stronger structures of communication, representation, and community support. Through CIGS, I hope to help create spaces where international graduate students can connect across disciplines, share resources and experiences, and have a stronger collective voice within the University.

Key Achievements: Teaching theatre and English Language Arts; founding and leading a nonprofit organization

Fun Facts: My two cats—a Maine Coon and a British Shorthair