Yihan Deng is a member of the Class of 2026 in the School of Foreign Service studying International Economics and Mathematics. In Professor Ken Opalo’s proseminar “The Future of Economic Development in Africa,” Yihan developed a particular interest in the modern history of Africa, development economics, and the crossroads of ideology and institutions in non-Western contexts. As a MURF, Yihan assists Professor Opalo’s research into statebuilding and legislative development in East Africa, particularly in Kenya and Tanzania. When not working for the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs and the Tocqueville Forum for Political Understanding, Yihan loves to hike, read, and garden.