For our final Spotlight of the year, we bring you a portrait of some of the incredible staff here at The Citizen. They selflessly gave their time to bring you the news, opinion, and culture relevant to you throughout the year. (Please take a moment to visit www.theHKScitizen.com to read profiles of other extraordinary students spotlighted throughout the year.)
“SRB” is Simon, Editor-in-Chief. “TT” is Tommy, Assistant Editor-in-Chief. “WR” is Wei, Opinions Editor. “TLZ” is Ted, Culture Editor. “CLM” is Christina, layout artist, trusted advisor and contributor.
What did you do before you came to the Kennedy School?
SRB: I don’t believe such a time existed. I think I may have been in a war. I need past life regression.
TT: Law School and interning around Washington DC.
WR: I was an international correspondent, having had the experiences of working in Washington, Baghdad, Cairo and Beijing.
TLZ: The two flags in my picture come from the two Army units I commanded. At one of those places I rode horses professionally for two years. At the other, I spent a year in Iraq. Later, I wrote and supervised supply policy for 37,000 US Army Reservists. Then I came here.
CLM: I worked as a foreign correspondent in Costa Rica and served as the executive director of Central America for a healthcare nonprofit.
What is your one accomplishment at Harvard of which you are most proud?
SRB: I got the omelet chef to cook me one after 10am. It might have been a dream though.
TT: Happy to help with concurrent-degree student issues.
WR: Serving the HKS community as the opinion editor for the Citizen, obviously.
TLZ: Providing life support to 200+ people at the Humanitarian Academy at Harvard’s 2014 Simulation.
CLM: Passing all my courses. (Well, I hope so. We haven’t heard back about this last semester yet.)
What is your passion?
SRB: It’s a type of fruit.
TT: Writing for The Citizen!
WR: Bringing positive change to China, where I was born.
TLZ: My wife, style and motorsports!
CLM: Spending time outdoors.
Where is your absolute favorite vacation spot (real or imagined)?
SRB: Guernsey. Please come and visit my island home. No refunds.
TT: Home in South Carolina.
WR: Cancun, Mexico.
TLZ: Oahu, Hawaii. Absolute best place to walk with your future wife.
CLM: Northern Wisconsin in the summertime.
If you could have any job, what would it be?
SRB: Miley Cyrus’s giant foam hand. Maybe that might become tiresome. What are the hours like?
TT: A job that would be challenging, engaging, and offer personal and professional growth.
WR: A cool job like CEO of Tesla.
TLZ: MotoGP rider!
CLM: I’d like to be a miracle-worker.
If you could have a celebrity follow you on Twitter, who would it be?
SRB: Scarlett Johansson. Actually In real life she often follows me home. Please stop Scarlett. Remember what the judge said.
TT: Bieber.
WR: Stephen Colbert, maybe?
TLZ: Andy Warhol, for sure.
CLM: Superman.
Science fiction, romance, crime, or fantasy novels?
SRB: Stop trying to make me read. I’ve had quite enough of that nonsense.
TT: Mystery novels & trying to figure out whodunit before the big reveal!
WR: I have not read a novel in a long time.
TLZ: Science fiction – “Dune” was the best book I read in Iraq.
CLM: Crime.
What is the best memory you’re going to take away from working for “The Citizen”?
SRB: When I didn’t have to pay for things and got to push to the front of queues.
TT: Talking with readers!
WR: Seeing the fresh, newly printed edition of the newspaper nicely displayed in front of the entrance of the HKS library.
TLZ: “The Fourth Lie” and all the positive reader feedback it got.
CLM: Interviewing former Mexican President Felipe Calderon in his first interview since he left office, (alongside fellow MPP Fernando Berdion Del Valle).
What one item is essential to your everyday life and why?
SRB: My white trousers or as you incorrectly call them “pants”. They are extremely powerful and to date undefeated.
TT: My phone – I take it everywhere.
WR: Thinking. I live to think. Does this answer your question?
TLZ: My running shoes. I try hard to work out seven days a week.
CLM: My friends! Do they count as “one item”?
In four words or less, describe your plan after you graduate.
SRB: Blood Sugar Sex Magik**
TT: Cross-sector law & policy.
WR: Enjoying unemployment a while.
TLZ: DC; I’m going home!
CLM: Celebrate. Decompress. Sleep. Prepare.
** We at The Citizen profess our heartfelt respect for Red Hot Chili Peppers and their masterful album which has been certified 7 times Platinum in the U.S., 6 times Platinum in Australia, 4 times Platinum in Canada, 3 times Platinum in the UK, and Platinum in Germany. We thank the band and their legal representatives for letting this one slide.
Good luck, Graduates!