Measuring Growth Factors for Tibet

Meet economics major, sociology minor Kunga Shidhe-Chokra.

Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Thesis adviser: Professor Denise Hare [economics]

Thesis: “Measuring the Growth Factors for Tibet and Tibetan Autonomous Region in China”

What it’s about: Seeing how Tibet’s government and economy is being run by China.

What it’s really about: Exposing China’s colonial rule on Tibet.

In high school I was: Very naive, but I had a good spark to me.

Influential professor: I took a lot of classes with Professor Alexandra Hrycak [sociology]. She’s really authentic, really herself—I appreciate that genuineness coming from her, and the curiosity and exploration of her students, not just the work.

Influential book: I read an autobiography of a Tibetan woman who was a political prisoner, The Voice That Remembers by Ama Adhe—her story of living in Tibet before China invaded, and then after. She was in prison for 27 years. It was a really sad but inspiring story. It was super vulnerable for me at the time. It gave me strength to keep going.

Outside the classroom: Off campus, Students for a Free Tibet. I helped with planning community cultural events and trainings on how to be a better activist, and fundraising money to go to action camps. It’s pretty exciting, while also doing impactful work. While at Reed, I got to go to action camps in San Francisco, Germany, and New York.

What gave me joy: Being active in the gym. Writing poetry, which has been a good outlet for getting my emotions out there. Also, just being with friends. I enjoy hiking, and Oregon’s a great place for that.

Financial aid: It allowed me to be here all four years. It was a great gift.

How Reed changed me: Reed has opened me up and made me explore more stuff about me internally. I feel like the friends I met here were really impactful in that way, getting things out of me that I didn’t know were there.

Help received along the way: My parents.

Tags: Academics, Students, Thesis, What is a Reedie?