Alumni Update: Mozambique
My name is Euclidio “James” Alberto, I am from Mozambique. I was the first Mozambican to be selected as a Global UGRAD scholar (2013-2014) when the program was introduced in my home country. I went to Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts where I studied International Relations.
When I arrived at my new school, not only did I attend classes, I got involved in many activities including volunteering, participating in as many clubs that I could possibly register. I was given the honor of becoming presidential ambassador. Essentially, I represented Endicott College students in meetings with trustees and alumni. I also helped the college to make decisions in different areas from the student perspective.
Before the completion of my Global UGRAD experience, the Trustees and former President of Endicott College, Dr. Wylie, offered me a full scholarship to get my Masters in Business Administration. When I returned to Mozambique, I shared my experiences with fellow classmates and professors at my local University! I created an Alumni program and I volunteered as an English Teacher for a semester.
Now I have a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and I have been working in Higher Education for almost 5 years. I am a Senior Admission Counselor at Merrimack College in North Andover Massachusetts; my responsibilities include recruiting a highly qualified and diverse pool of domestic and international students; Assisting students and families throughout the application and enrollment process. I have also been encouraging and sharing resources with former High School and University students through social media!
The Global UGRAD experience gave me not only the opportunity to study in the United States, but also meet some amazing people in the country. Some of the amazing people that have a meaningful relationship in recent years were first my host family, Karen & Richard. The love of complete strangers that turned into family. They heard about me from their daughter who heard about me from a mutual friend from the Peace Corps. They embrace me as their son, and still treat me as their “son” to this day. The Mozambican community in the U.S. embraces me with open arms as their brother. Danielle, who is a former supervisor at Becker College and current mentor, guides and connects me to the right parties.
My future dream that I want to share is the vision of building a Technical School in my hometown in Mozambique. I want the youth to leave high school knowing that there is an opportunity to learn new skills and hopefully get jobs and transform their lives. I have already started connecting with people who can help get the ball rolling. What I am looking for are investors, educators, teachers, contractors, sponsors who can make this dream a reality.
I look forward to connecting with more Global UGRAD alumni and students on LinkedIn! Above all, this would not have happened without the help of Global UGRAD. A single opportunity can open many others. I am thankful to the hardworking Global UGRAD team who continue to change people’s lives including mine. I strive every day to do the same.
To end, I would like to share one of my favorite quotes from Mahatma Gandhi “The future depends on what you do today”!
Euclidio “James” Alberto, Mozambique, Global UGRAD 2013-2014, Endicott College