Project YETI
Our Story
Project YETI was founded in 2017 by two Tibetan college students who connected through ICT's Tibetan Youth Leadership Program. Inspired by the incredibly accomplished young Tibetans they met through the program, as well as by the efforts of other Tibetan mentorship programs like YinDaYin and Lamton, they envisioned a mentorship program that would allow for young Tibetans to connect virtually regardless of geographic distance. They also realized a need within the Tibetan community for centralized resources for parents and students about the college application process, scholarships, and other opportunities for young Tibetans. Of this vision, Project YETI was born.
Meet the Founders
Tenda Thargay
Tenzin Dawa (Tenda) Thargay is a first-generation Tibetan American from Boston, MA. He is a second-year MA in International Affairs candidate at Columbia University concentrating in Energy and Environment with a Weatherhead East Asian Institute Graduate Certificate in Chinese Studies. Prior to Columbia, Tenda was a Fulbright Scholar in Seoul, South Korea researching energy policy and a 2018 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst earning dual degrees in political science and Chinese, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude; he also served as the graduation student commencement speaker. As a 2019 U.S. Department of State Charles B. Rangel Fellow, Tenda will enter the U.S. Foreign Service upon graduating and serve as a Foreign Service Officer. Tenda is passionate about tennis, diversity and inclusion, mentorship, and learning new languages.
Shaokyi Amdo
Shaokyi Amdo graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2018 with a Creative Writing major and a double minor in Economics and Corporate Strategy. While in college, she served on the executive board of Vanderbilt's nationally recognized Alternative Spring Break program. She also served on the planning committee of Machik Weekend 2019 as Community Co-Chair. She currently helps advocate for the video game industry in Washington, D.C. at the Entertainment Software Association.