My Story.
My name is Ryan Xiang Sung.
My story transcends borders.
I grew up along the U.S.–Mexico border in El Paso. I studied in Taipei for two years, volunteered in Kunming, China for a year, and worked between Washington, DC, London, UK, and Lima, Perú.
I’ve always lived in the “in-between” - where culture, language, and identity overlap.
Spanish was my first language. I learned English in elementary school, Mandarin in middle school in Taiwan, and began studying Portuguese this year. Language has never just been a tool for me - it’s been a bridge.
I’m a photographer and storyteller drawn to the human threads that connect people across borders. Through portraiture and documentary work, I seek the small, honest moments that reveal how we belong - to land, to memory, and to each other.
English
Español
(Spanish)
中文 (繁體简体）
(Mandarin Chinese)
Português
(Portuguese)
我的中文名字叫宋翔!
Translation: “My Chinese name is Sòng Xiáng,”
in which Xiáng means…
… “to soar.”
Where am I from?
I’m from El Paso, Texas.
Amid quinceñeras and rodeo, chilaquiles and barbeque,
‘The 915’ taught me to dream BIG.
But all my life, I’ve been on the move!
My mom guiding a horse (carrying me!) on our family’s small ranch in Namiquipa, México. Every New Year throughout my childhood, we would return here - to dust, open skies, and the quiet rhythm of family.
When I was 11, my parents packed up everything and moved our family to Taipei, Taiwan for two years, where I attended a local middle school and began learning Mandarin Chinese.
Leaving behind friends, extended family, and everything familiar was daunting at first, but the experience quickly showed me how life on the move - and the cultural understanding, adaptability, and curiosity it demands - would shape the person I would soon become.
Although I struggled with the language at first, I pushed myself to learn, eventually forming close friendships with my Taiwanese classmates and even finding the confidence to joke and banter in Mandarin.
When I returned to El Paso for high school, the experience of living in Taiwan - and my growing openness to unconventional paths - eventually led me to apply for the Princeton Novogratz Bridge Year Program after graduation, where I spent nine months volunteering in Kunming, China with a local NGO.
In Kunming, I worked with a child welfare organization and taught English at a “pop-up” school serving more than 300 migrant children. Beyond the classroom, I stepped into many roles - counselor, interpreter, even website designer - learning quickly that meaningful service often requires flexibility as much as intention.
Me in seventh grade at Huaisheng Junior High School (懷生國中), in Taipei.
My 5th grade kiddos and I in Kunming, on a Friday at 4pm, after our Christmas lesson in 2017.
At Princeton, I built lifelong friendships, wrestled with big questions, and embraced the arts.
In 2022, I completed and published my senior thesis for Princeton’s SPIA, after a year’s culmination of work…
After completing the Princeton Novogratz Bridge Year Program, I began my studies at Princeton University in 2018.
I majored in the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) with a minor in East Asian Studies (EAS), where I engaged deeply with complex global challenges through coursework taught by former ambassadors, policy practitioners, and leading scholars.
During my junior year, I conducted policy research and developed recommendations for real-world clients: the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of State.
…but this is how most people knew me - as the photographer guy!
Me with my policy workshop on international cybersecurity, where I researched a topic for an entire semester and presented policy recommendations to the State Department and Pentagon!
At Princeton, I was a storyteller…
The instagram announcement of my election as the Princeton Class of 2022 Historian!
Although I grew immensely through my academic and professional experiences, it was my friendships that shaped me the most. Through photography and film, I was fortunate to capture and share the stories of those around me: an effort that was recognized by my peers.
In my senior year, I was honored to be selected as the Class Historian for the Class of 2022, where I documented the most meaningful and authentic moments of our final year through photography.
Over my Princeton career, I photographed more than 800 students across 12 graduating classes, building unforgettable friendships that now span across the world.
…and a dancer!
Me, performing at the opening act of my first show in 2019!
After many quinceañeras in high school for practice, I auditioned for and joined Princeton’s Latin Dance Company, Más Flow. This was my first show - dancing salsa on stage.
Dance has always felt like a universal language to me: no matter where you’re from, all you really need is rhythm. At the same time, no two people move quite the same way. Each dancer carries their own story, background, and style into every step - and somehow, it all comes together.
Through Más Flow, I danced, choreographed, and performed in three shows and various guest performances for audiences of more than 400 people.
In grad school, I gained immense professional experience in government…
…and a belief in the power of service.
After being chosen for the Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative (SINSI) - once again at Princeton University - I completed my Master’s in Public Affairs (MPA) and spent two years working in government, trying to understand the institutions that bring countries together.
I worked in:
United States Institute of Peace
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
U.S. Department of State (Washington, D.C.)
U.S. Department of State (Embassy Lima)
Me, on my final day of work at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, UK.
Through invaluable professional experiences, I worked to better understand multilateral development financing for developing countries, peacebuilding initiatives carried out in partnerships between government agencies and civil society, and the economic security and military cooperation that emerge through compromise and negotiation in bilateral relations.
These roles deepened my appreciation for the complexity of international affairs, and for the human realities behind policy decisions. Having grown immensely from these experiences, I aspire to continue my career in public service as a U.S. diplomat, contributing to principled, pragmatic engagement abroad.
Me, in a meeting with Peru’s Minister of Economy and Finance, representing the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Perú.
But before I take that next step, I am committed to understanding more deeply the people of the region where I hope to serve…
