For many Global UGRAD alumni, the End of Program Workshop hosted in Washington, DC is one of the highlights of their Global UGRAD program. For the first time in three years, World Learning was able to host the workshop in person! Students arrived in Washington, DC on November 12 and began with a dinner featuring two student speakers, Lucy Khama Kalindekafe …
Academic Exchange , Academics , Belarus , Costa Rica , Egypt , Experiencing America , Fayetteville University , Grand Valley State University , Nicaragua , Niger , Panama , Philippines , San Francisco State University , Ukraine , University of Montevallo , Uzbekistan , Xavier University of Louisiana
Last month, Global UGRADs from host campuses around the country gathered in Washington, DC for the first End of Program Workshop in three years. The workshop primarily focused on professional and leadership development, as well as team building. However, at the core of the workshop was an emphasis on cultivating a sense of community among these international exchange students. As …
Academic Exchange , Alumni , Grand Valley State University , Ukraine
It is December 2020, I am at my home in a small Ukrainian town called Kamianets-Podilskyi. It is hard to believe that almost one year ago I was studying in the United States of America. There are a few maps in my room from my campus in Allendale, Michigan, a Global UGRAD Post sheet, and some posters from Grand Valley …
Alumni , Bangladesh , Costa Rica , Guatemala , Honduras , Indonesia , Malaysia , Mongolia , Nepal , Thailand , Ukraine , Uzbekistan
Presenting spring 2020’s edition of Take the Stage! While we were unable to host our biannual Take the Stage show in person this year, some of our talented spring participants submitted videos of their performances representing their home countries and cultures. Check out this video compilation to see this past semester’s performances: In Order of Appearance Tajikistan: Sitora Sufijinova, Alisher Siddiqov, …
Alumni , Missouri State University , Professional Development , Ukraine
Sitting on the beach by the light blue sea watching the sunset, I suddenly realize that this beautiful view does not inspire me as much as my Global UGRAD experience. As a Global UGRAD alumna, I can say that those ten months of volunteering, traveling, and exploring a new system of education were tremendously important for my personal growth. While …
Academic Exchange , Alumni , El Salvador , Marymount University , Morocco , Ukraine
Abdessadeq, Sofiia, and Michelle met at Marymount University on August 23rd, 2016. We instantly clicked since that first day and our friendship has been flourishing ever since. Together, we got to experience what I’d call an authentic U.S. exchange experience as we shared memories not only on campus, but also while traveling along the East Coast and through the Midwest. …
Academic Exchange , Academics , Community Service , Experiencing America , Ukraine , University of Houston-Victoria
One day I was just going to class and I stopped when I saw a poster on the wall. Written was: “if you don’t know how to spend your spring break — apply for Alternative Spring Break with UHV! We are going to volunteer in Mississippi!” I thought it was a good idea to travel somewhere as well as to …
Academic Exchange , Academics , Experiencing America , Ukraine , University of Utah
Six international students from Ukraine, Germany, the UK, New Zealand, South Korea, and Pakistan decided to go on an absolutely wonderful adventure. It was a spontaneous decision and it took us 20 minutes to determine our itinerary, which included six National Parks: Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, and the Arches. It was an extremely intense four day …
Academic Exchange , Academics , Ukraine , University of Houston-Victoria
Several years ago people started asking me, “Where would you like to study?,” “Which country do you want to visit the most?” I had only one answer, “THE U.S.A.” When my friends were dreaming about seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris or having fun in Rome, I was dreaming about how to climb the Statue of Liberty and see Mount …
Academic Exchange , Community Service , Missouri State University , Ukraine
Volunteering is one of the most important parts of my life in the USA. While volunteering, I have an amazing opportunity to communicate with different people, share my culture, see American life from different perspectives, and most importantly, compare everything I see with the Ukrainian culture. I hope it will help me to overcome challenges in my community when I …