Introducing the 2026 Shansi Fellows to Indonesia

This spring we are excited to have two fellows headed to Indonesia: Kisa Biely ‘26 will be based out of Banda Aceh at Syiah Kuala University and Molly Davis ‘26 is headed to Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta.

Kisa Biely ‘26 majored in Communication Studies with an Education Studies Concentration, and is from Seattle, Washington. While at Oberlin, she was a co-chair of Asian American Alliance, a member of Third World Coop, and a Writing Associate. In her senior year at Oberlin, she also organized workshops and fundraisers in conjunction with grassroots organizations focused on migrant justice. In January 2025, she earned a Shansi In-Asia Grant to intern at ANT Hiroshima, a Japanese non-profit organization that conducts anti-nuclear peace education. As an extension of that work, she worked with Oberlin’s Luce Initiative in Asian Studies and the Environment (LIASE) grant team to create educational material and signage for Oberlin College's two second generation atomic bomb survivor ginkgo trees (that both live in Tappan Square). She is passionate about equity and accessibility in education, and hopes her work as a Shansi Fellow informs her work towards teaching pedagogy focused in linguistic justice.

Molly Davis '26 majored in Musical Studies with a minor in Musicology and a concentration in PACE (Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement). While at Oberlin, she served as a Peer Advising Leader, Barefoot Dialogue Facilitator, and research assistant in the Musical Studies department. She wrote an Honors Thesis examining Gaelic Psalmody in the 21st century, exploring how music, ritual, and community intersect through lived practice. In spring 2025, she traveled to Yogyakarta, Indonesia through the School for International Training to study music as a tool to inspire social change. Outside of Oberlin, she taught at Children's Theater Madison, Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center, and Springfield, MA public schools, as well as volunteering with Oberlin public schools. Molly is passionate about exploring how to increase accessibility in academic spaces and empower students through their education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, singing, swimming, journaling, and spending time with friends and family.