Mestenhauser Student Award

Xianyi (Sen) Xiong 熊宪逸 is a junior studying Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Sen, an international student from China, works as a writing consultant in the University of Minnesota Center for Writing, where he consults in both English and Mandarin. Xianyi provides writing consultations to both international and domestic students, and has demonstrated a strong ability to empower other international students through his inclusive and constructive writing support. Sen also works as a lab instructor and teaching assistant for general biology. In this role, Sen strives to bring international and multicultural perspectives into his teaching in order to engage and support students. For example, he re-designed a group project in a way that integrated the study of biology with the opportunity for students to connect with their own cultures and explore the culture of others. Sen has worked throughout his academic career to develop both scientific and entrepreneurial skills, which he hopes to apply to future work in biotechnology and environmental science. Sen is also the founder of a business that provides online English training in China, and through this endeavor, he connects English learners in China with UMTC students seeking to teach English as a Second Language.