First Impressions from Global UGRAD Fall 2023 Students

First Impressions from Global UGRAD Fall 2023 Students

The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD) is a space for risk-takers. Many Global UGRADs had seldom travelled outside their home countries; far fewer had ever stepped foot in the United States. Nonetheless, they arrived with open minds and enthusiasm, excited to experience both the beauty and the challenges in the semester ahead. Becoming entirely immersed in a new language, environment, …

From one cohort to the next: Advice from alumni for new UGRADs

From one cohort to the next: Advice from alumni for new UGRADs

The new year ushers in a new group of UGRAD students, arriving at various universities around the United States for the spring semester. Who better to give advice to the new arrivals than those who just completed their program weeks ago? Money and financial planning were common themes throughout the advice from recent alumni. Langelihle Moyo, an alumnus from Zimbabwe …

Alumni Spotlight: Zimbabwe

Alumni Spotlight: Zimbabwe

Hi all, I’m Leonard Mushunje, a Fall 2021 Global UGRAD student from Zimbabwe. I recently graduated from Midlands State University with a distinction in Mathematics and Statistics. When I was selected as a Global UGRAD finalist and was placed at the University of Montevallo in Alabama, I had mixed feelings. On reflection, being a Global UGRAD student was one of …

Alumni Update: Zimbabwe

Alumni Update: Zimbabwe

Hello, this is Michael Mbulelo Ncube from Zimbabwe. I was a Global UGRAD student in the fall of 2019, and I studied at Georgia College and State University. Ever since I got back home, I’ve hit the ground running. From my time in the U.S., I was incredibly inspired by the infrastructural development of the U.S. public education system, particularly …

Inspirational Women for International Women’s Day

Inspirational Women for International Women’s Day

With the beginning of National Women’s History Month in the United States and in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, current Global UGRAD students shared about women they believe have helped shape who they are today.   Adrian Reister Fernandez, Philippines, University of Maine “Meet the women who molded me to become who I am today! My Wonder WoMom …

March Online Engagement: Alumni Q&A Panels and Academic Writing

March Online Engagement: Alumni Q&A Panels and Academic Writing

This March, the Global UGRAD team dove deeper into the academic world with the introduction of two new activities in our spring virtual programming: our Alumni Q&A Panels and Professional Development series. For our first installment of the Alumni Q&A Panel, Global UGRAD alumni shared their experiences on the subject of All Things Academics! Next, the topic of this month’s edition of …

Michael Ncube on Finding Inspiration

Michael Ncube on Finding Inspiration

I have been humbled and blessed to have been selected for the Global UGRAD scholarship program which sent three finalists from Zimbabwe to study in the United States of America for a semester during the 2019-2020 academic year. This experience was an eye opener to how brilliantly the United States of America functions and the capacity to which resources are …

Celebrating International Women’s Day: The Woman Who Inspires Me the Most

Celebrating International Women’s Day: The Woman Who Inspires Me the Most

Thinking about this article had me browsing the internet, looking for famous, great women to inspire me. I looked at Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Serena Williams, Hillary Clinton, Sheryl Sandberg….but deep down, I already knew who my inspiration is: my mother (let me explain–I don’t want to sound cliche!). In 2008, Zimbabwe went through a serious economic meltdown. …

Hello from Bowling Green, Kentucky!

Hello from Bowling Green, Kentucky!

My name is Blessing Phiri, and I’m a Mechatronics major from Zimbabwe. Coming into the U.S. has really been a dream come true, and I am seizing every opportunity to learn new things about American culture. Besides enhancing my leadership skills and learning about American culture, I really looked forward to learning about emerging technologies and how we can use …