The Center Thanks the Student Research Fellows for 2014
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies expresses its gratitude for the dedication and excellent work of the Student Research Fellows for 2014. The fellows program brings the students into the worldwide work of the Center, as they complete internships with the offices of the legal counsels of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City and in many other parts of the world, participate in Center research, writing, and publishing projects, and help to maintain the Center’s ever-increasing international web presence. Among this year’s outstanding group of 16 students are speakers of Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, who spent their summer interships in these places…
Ryan Anderson
Moscow, Russia
Ryan Andersen was born in Provo, Utah, but grew up in Rexburg, Idaho. He first thought about a legal career when he was in high school debate, and this desire stayed with him through his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yekaterinburg, Russia and his undergraduate days at BYU-Idaho, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Russian. Now part of the class of 2016 at the J. Reuben Clark School of Law, he looks forward to returning to Russia during the summer of 2014 for his internship with the Area Legal Counsel of the LDS Church.
Eva M. Brady
Lima, Peru
Eva Brady is from Charlottesville, Virginia, and is the oldest of ten children. She graduated from Brigham Young University in Philosophy with a minor in Logic. Eva also studied Spanish extensively for ten years. Before beginning law school, she served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Korean, Busan mission. Eva enjoys being outside, playing sports, learning, spending time with family and friends, and playing the piano. As a Student Fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies for 2014, Eva spent a summer externship with the Area Legal Counsel’s Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lima, Peru. She also served as a student assistant at the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion Summer Academy in Oxford, UK.
Bennett Briggs
Moscow, Russia
Bennett Briggs was born in California, and grew up in Rexburg, Idaho. After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Moscow, Russia, Bennett returned to BYU-Idaho and graduated cum laude with a BS in Communications. Bennett enjoys outdoor activities including rock climbing, camping, and waterskiing. He is excited to return to Russia during summer 2014 to help with legal affairs and the Church.
Morgan Brungard
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Morgan Brungard was born and raised in Colorado. She received a B.S. in Spanish from BYU followed by a BYU graduate degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). During her undergraduate studies, she participated in a study abroad to the Dominican Republic. Her experience with the language and culture was so enjoyable that she continued to visit the island every chance that she got. After receiving her TESOL degree, she moved to the Dominican Republic to teach English. Since returning to the US and pursuing a law degree at BYU, her love for the Dominican culture and their flavor of Spanish continues to burn bright….
Victoria Chen
Hong Kong
Victoria Chen grew up in Provo, Utah and graduated with a bachelors degree in Biology from Brigham Young University. In April 2013, she returned from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Taipei, Taiwan, where her parents are originally from. Victoria’s undergraduate preparations for medical school included becoming a certified phlebotomist and medical assistant. She is excited to learn more about the law in Hong Kong this summer. Victoria enjoys cycling, hiking, tennis, and playing the violin.
Ryan Davis
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Ryan Davis graduated from the University of Utah in 2013 with degrees in History and English. During his time as an undergraduate, Ryan had the opportunity to work for the U.S. Treasury Department in its Office of Foreign Assets Control, volunteer with a local non-profit organization in Colombia, and intern for both the Utah State Senate during its 2013 legislative session and the Joseph Smith Papers Project in down-town Salt Lake City. Along with his mission to Spain for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Ryan credits his interest in the connection between law and religion to these experiences in government…
Tara Fitzgerald
Salt Lake City, Utah
Tara Fitzgerald, a first-year student at the J. Reuben Clark Law School from Rexburg, ID, is excited to be a Center Fellow for summer 2014. The work of the Center was a major motivating factor in leading her to go to law school and to attend BYU. Tara previously attended BYU-Idaho, where she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education (Choral Education with Piano Emphasis). She also served as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dublin, Ireland Mission. Tara is grateful for the opportunity she has now…
Travis Hyer
Auckland, New Zealand
Travis Hyer hails from Florida and is proud to call the Sunshine State home. Before entering the J. Reuben Clark Law School, his studies focused on Latin America and indigenous peoples. Specifically, he has conducted graduate research on religious dynamics of the Maya of southern Mexico. Travis also enjoys studying the arts and enjoys performing in musical and theatrical ensembles as often as he can.
Branden Kartchner
México City, México
Branden Kartchner graduated from Brigham Young University in 2012 with a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science. After growing up in Thatcher Arizona, Branden served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Santiago, Chile, where he learned to speak, translate, and interpret Spanish. As an undergraduate, Branden’s studies focused on religious freedom, international politics, and national security. Branden has a great interest in Latin American history, culture, and politics. Having visited Mexico City in 2003, he is excited to return during the summer of 2014. In his free time, Branden enjoys playing…
Daniel Lyman
Salt Lake City, Utah
Daniel Lyman was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. He served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cape Coast, Ghana. He graduated from Brigham Young University – Idaho with a degree in Accounting. Following graduation, he worked as an auditor for three years with a large accounting firm in Stamford, Connecticut. While he enjoyed his accounting experience, he wanted to shift to a career that would allow him to be more actively involved in helping organizations accomplish their goals, rather than evaluating compliance with accounting rules after the fact. In addition, he has two young daughters, and planning for their future…
Annalee Moser
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Annalee Moser was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She graduated cum laude from BYU in 2013, with extensive education in Theatre Arts Studies and Mathematics. During her undergraduate years, she spent much of her time performing in shows at BYU, tutoring and mentoring athletes, and studying abroad in London. She is excited to be spending part of the summer of 2014 in Buenos Aires, giving her the opportunity to utilize the language skills she developed during her Spanish-speaking mission in Seattle, Washington for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She likes to spend her spare time watching musicals, reading plays, and spending time with her husband, Mychal. She hopes to use her law degree to be a criminal defense attorney once she graduates.
Monique Mullenaux
Accra, Ghana
Monique is from southern Arizona. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology Degree from Brigham Young University-Hawaii. As an International Center for Law and Religion Studies Fellow, she is excited to work with the Center and looks forward to helping in the great work they do.
Lauren Ravsten Robins
Johannesburg, South Africa
Lauren is from Huntington Beach, California. She attended Brigham Young University, majoring in Psychology and graduating in April of 2012. While at BYU, Lauren participated in the BYU Model United Nations team and traveled with this team for competitions. She also was involved with several research projects on campus in both the Psychology and Education departments. Lauren is now a 1L at BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School, and will pursue a career in International Law and human rights advocacy work. She currently lives in Provo, Utah with her new husband, Mack.
M. Brian Sabey
Frankfurt, Germany
Brian Sabey grew up in Colorado, served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Taiwan. He was married to Dia Darcey in November 2013. His undergraduate and masters degrees are in English literature and Victorian literature respectively; his masters thesis examined Dickens’s ethics of fiction. His interests, besides literature, include film, soccer, racquetball, philosophy, and mountain climbing. Dia and Brian are excited to become parents, and expect their first baby about two months after they return from Frankfurt.
Cade Shiozaki
São Paulo, Brazil
Cade Shiozaki grew up in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil, he graduated from BYU with a BA in Portuguese and minors in Spanish and military science. During his undergraduate years, he completed studies abroad in Brazil and Spain. Cade enlisted in the Utah Army National Guard in 2009, where he is currently serving as a military intelligence officer. He has been happily married since 2011, and is excited to serve as a student research fellow in São Paulo.
Jarvis Yat-Him Yau
Hong Kong
Jarvis Yau was born and raised in Hong Kong, and is the youngest of the four children in his family. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York City, where he spent a year in Queens and another year in Brooklyn. Jarvis returned to Brigham Young University – Hawaii to continue his study after he finished his mission in 2011. He graduated magna cum laude in 2013 with a bachelor of science in Business Management, emphasizing in both Finance and Marketing, with a minor in Hospitality and Tourism Management. Jarvis played college soccer before his mission, but he also loves other sports including basketball, table tennis, and squash….