Graduating senior helped build community for her fellow international Bruins

Keya Tanna, a fourth-year psychology major at UCLA, knew she was taking a risk when she ran for office in the Undergraduate Students Association Council last year without any previous USAC experience.

"When I found out about it, the international student representative position really intrigued me, because a lot of my friends are also international and from various parts of the world," said Tanna, who hails from Dubai. "I had so many ideas, and I decided to put myself out there because I knew I could make an impact."

The risk paid off, and Tanna, who will graduate this June, now considers her tenure as USAC's 2025-26 international student representative to be one of the highlights of her college career - and she's proud of her impact.

At the beginning of her term, Student and Exchange Visitor Program revocations by the federal government were affecting international students at Harvard and creating fear for students at other schools, including UCLA. Tanna authored and passed the first resolution of the academic year, calling on UCLA to take steps to protect international students on campus.

Throughout her term, she focused on hosting events for the international student community. Some were geared toward keeping international students informed, including a town hall with the UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars where legal representatives were present to help answer questions. Others created a more lighthearted community atmosphere, such as a dance class series with UCLA Recreation that brought students together to learn dances from around the world.

"I think this outreach is especially important right now," Tanna said. "I think I would have also appreciated that sort of outreach when I first got here. I didn't know how most things work for us, because they're so different for international students."

Tanna chose UCLA for its strong psychology program and global perspective. It was far from home, but not her first international move. Tanna was born in India and raised in Oman before moving to Dubai during high school, and her previous experiences informed her desire for a diverse and internationally minded campus, something she found at UCLA.

"I was ecstatic and grateful for the opportunity to study at UCLA and learn from faculty I had admired for a long time," Tanna said. "Being far from family and everything familiar was difficult at times, but it also pushed me to grow a lot as a person and build a sense of community here.

In addition to her work with USAC, Tanna has taken full advantage of the extracurricular activities UCLA has to offer. She served as the research head for the Health, Nutrition and Wellness Club at UCLA, founded the Bruin Public Speaking Club and was vice president of the Kappa Alpha Pi pre-law and government fraternity. Tanna also conducted research at the Wilson Motor Lab at UCLA, where she studies child motor functions with Dr. Rujuta Wilson, and then pursued independent psychiatry research with Dr. Christopher Colwell.

Although "free time" was in short supply during her busy undergraduate years, Tanna always enjoyed taking time to read in the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden and to try new restaurants around Los Angeles with friends.

"I think I've made a lot of memories, and I've done a lot at UCLA," Tanna said. "I feel content with it. I'm definitely going to miss all the relationships I've built and the campus, but I'm super excited for what's to come. I'm excited to continue learning."

Although she'll miss Los Angeles, Tanna is excited for her next global move. This fall, she'll begin her master's degree in health psychology at University College London. Her advice for students just beginning their undergraduate journey, international or otherwise, is simple.

"Just call Taylor up," Tanna said, referencing a viral internet meme that connotes casually doing something bold or intimidating. "You're here for a reason, as cliché as that may sound. Pursue what genuinely interests you, work hard, and put your best foot forward, and the rest tends to fall into place."