World Learning is proud to be part of the Alliance for International Exchange, an association of 90 nongovernmental organizations comprising the international educational and cultural exchange community in the United States. The Alliance serves as the only collective public policy voice of the exchange community. Several World Learning staff members recently participated in the Alliance’s Advocacy Day that brings the importance …
Another successful application cycle of the Global UGRAD Program has come to an end, and the 2017-2018 finalists have been announced. Congratulations to all those selected! You were chosen in this highly competitive process from among more than 20,000 applicants. You should be very proud of yourselves! Get excited – it’s really happening. If you were not selected this year, do not despair. …
Middle East and North Africa , Morocco , Xavier University
New Orleans has been as a second home to me since I arrived in the U.S., with a mesmerizing character that engulfs the city in such uniqueness. It’s world famous for its distinctive architectural history and style that goes back from French Creole to Spanish, set to impress anyone who would be fascinated by the patterns and style of the beautiful …
Alumni , Central Asia , Kyrgyzstan , Mercyhurst University
Not long ago I was a queen of procrastination. I thought that I’m only 20, and have had enough time for everything. My mom’s teaching profession affected me. In elementary school, our teacher had two groups of children: my group and another group where kids were one year younger than me. She was an old woman and she had some …
As the saying goes, Once a UGRAD, always a UGRAD! As we near the middle of the 2017 spring semester, we still have great memories of last year’s 2015-2016 cohort. Before each of them returned to their home countries, we asked the participants to complete an End-of-Program survey. The purpose of this survey is to gather data that will help us make …
Alumni , Dominican Republic , Latin America and the Caribbean , University of Mississippi
I had the opportunity to participate in the 2016 Global UGRAD Program, representing the Dominican Republic. I spent four months at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, where I was the first and only Dominican. I don’t even have to mention how amazing and unforgettable my experience was. Before going abroad I read a couple of articles about “the hard part …
When we asked Global UGRAD alumni to share their stories of volunteerism, the response was overwhelming! So many are sharing their time and talents for the betterment of their home communities across the globe. Their stories prove to us that service is the one of the best ways to keep the Global UGRAD spirit alive, even after leaving the U.S. Hopefully …
Alumni , East Asia and the Pacific , Eurasia , Malaysia , Russia , Western Washington University
When the smell of a delicious meal wafts through the halls of a dorm, it can only mean one thing…. international cooks are in the kitchen! One of the most popular ways Global UGRAD participants share their cultures with their host communities is through food. Naomi Ng from Malaysia and Airat Gabdrakhmanov from Russia took advantage of Western Washington University‘s (WWU) …
Global UGRAD participants continually amaze us with their commitment to serving others. Please find a sample of their spring semester community service activities below: Ghida Bakri (Lebanon), Presbyterian College Ghida has volunteered with three different organizations this semester. She first served as an Arabic-to-English translator at a local women’s shelter, and appreciated being able “to bridge [the] gap between [her] …