Alumni Spotlight: Serbia

Alumni Spotlight: Serbia

Hello! My name is Milica Knezevic, and I am from Serbia. I attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio during the fall semester of 2017. I studied information technologies and software engineering. I am a wheelchair user and an active lobbyist for the rights of people, especially women, with disabilities, and for raising awareness about the challenges we face daily. After …

Alumni Spotlight: Kosovo

Alumni Spotlight: Kosovo

My name is Sofije Zenuni and I am from Kosovo. I studied international business at Iliria College in Kosovo and I graduated in June 2020. I’m lucky to call myself an alumna of Global UGRAD 2020 at Castleton University in Castleton, Vermont. When I first applied for this scholarship, I had no doubt that there were better candidates who deserved …

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 …

Alumni Update – Nicaragua

Alumni Update – Nicaragua

One Career, Multiple Paths The Global UGRAD Program boosted my confidence and helped me to open up to multiple possibilities. My experience abroad made me realize how flexible my skills and abilities are, and I became aware of the value of adapting to different environments. After my Global UGRAD experience, I started to feel braver to explore beyond one strict …

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 …

Making the Case for Cultural Exchange

Making the Case for Cultural Exchange

In September, the American Corner in Banja Luka hosted an event entitled “Why Cultural Exchange Programs are Important.” The director of the American Corner talked about all the exchange opportunities that students in Bosnia and Herzegovina have in the U.S., and I as a Global UGRAD Alumni Class Secretary for Bosnia and Herzegovina spoke more about the Global UGRAD Program. …

Alumni Edition: Where is my UGRAD Post Now?

Alumni Edition: Where is my UGRAD Post Now?

Johanny Amaya Melgar, Honduras, Global UGRAD 2015-16 at Emporia State University From where I stand today – at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras – I help to empower the most vulnerable youth in my community through English language, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills. It’s incredible to see these youth actually smiling and dreaming of a better future, with them in it. …