Costa Rica Trip with Castleton University Chorale

Costa Rica Trip with Castleton University Chorale

Studying at Castleton University has been a very enriching experience for me. I remember the orientation day when other new students and I were encouraged to be involved in on-campus activities by Victoria Angis (Associate Dean of Students) saying, “This is a university with many opportunities for you to be successful, come out of your comfort zone and do new …

Meet our New Teammate, Ellie Kiger

Meet our New Teammate, Ellie Kiger

Ellie Kiger joins the Global UGRAD team as a Program Associate for the East Asia, the Pacific, and Southeast Asia regions. She just relocated from Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Washington, DC to join World Learning. Her background is in education, spending the past three years at a nonprofit developing youth programs that encouraged global citizenship, literacy, and environmental stewardship. Ellie has …

Spring 2019 Photo Contest

Spring 2019 Photo Contest

Each spring, we ask current Global UGRAD participants to share photos of their experiences in the U.S. through a photo contest. This year, we asked students to submit photos in five categories: Community Service, American Experiences, Sharing Your Culture, School Spirit, and Travel & Leisure. See below the winner(s) for each category. Best Community Service Jyoti Karki from Nepal studying …

Exploring New Horizons Through Art

Exploring New Horizons Through Art

Moe Maung Maung, Burma, East Tennessee State University: One of my goals for applying to the Global UGRAD Program was that I wanted to re-start something I stopped doing – drawing.  Due to some conditions, I had put aside drawing for many days, months, and years. However, I have been drawing again for one and a half months at ETSU. …

Making Connections Through Religion  

Making Connections Through Religion  

Doni Rizki Akbar, Indonesia, Indiana State University: I have two local families around my campus who really care about me. One family is Muslim and the other is Christian, and they are both like my host families. The first is the Alam family. They are a Bangladeshi-American family who have lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years. There …

Lessons I Learned While Living in the USA

Lessons I Learned While Living in the USA

An exchange semester is a dream for many and it’s for that reason I was the happiest because I was living all my fantasies. Though with each new experience, I had a lesson in life. Without further ado, here’re what a semester in the U.S. has taught me: I May Not Understand Something, but I Learned to Accept Just because …

Capacity Building Program for US Study Abroad Application

Capacity Building Program for US Study Abroad Application

At the direction of the U.S. Department of State’s USA Study Abroad branch within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, World Learning will be providing a small grants competition and virtual and in-person activities in 2019 to support the expansion and diversification of American student mobility as part of the Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad.  This is …

Spring 2019 First Impressions

Spring 2019 First Impressions

World Learning asked our Global UGRADs to describe their first impressions of their host campuses. Check out what they said about their ‘homes’ for this semester! Adina Joseph, Malaysia, Chatham University: My first impression of my campus was if I was in a Narnia or Harry Potter world setting. Chatham University is so beautiful it almost does not feel real. …

Celebrating the Lunar New Year Across the U.S.!

Celebrating the Lunar New Year Across the U.S.!

Zihan Xu, China, Emporia State University: The year of the pig in the lunar calendar has just come. This is my first time spending the Spring Festival away from family and friends. The Spring Festival is the most important festival for Chinese people. This is when families reunite to enjoy meals and conversations. No matter how far people are from their …

Alumni Reflections

Alumni Reflections

Studying in the U.S. as a Global UGRAD student has not only had an impact on my academic skills, but it has also expanded my career scope, perspectives, and increased my awareness. I enjoyed every single aspect of the program starting from community service to living with an American roommate. Even though it wouldn’t be accurate to call any country …