Alumni Spotlight: Nepal

Alumni Spotlight: Nepal

Hi everyone, I am Som Raj Sharma, a soon-to-be graduate in Mathematical Sciences with a Major in Actuarial Science from the School of Mathematical Sciences, Tribhuvan University. I am a Global UGRAD 2021 Alumni Class Secretary from Nepal who completed his in-person exchange program in the fall semester of 2021 from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. I …

Alumni Update – Cambodia

Alumni Update – Cambodia

Hello! This is Madinay Chhuon from Cambodia. I am currently working with Swisscontact as a Project Coordinator on a cross-border trade facilitation project. I was part of the Global UGRAD 2017 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Five years later, I still reminisce about my time there and its impact on me. Through this writing, I will talk …

Fall Photo Montage

Fall Photo Montage

Fall Photo Montage We asked the Global UGRAD students to send us photos of some of the adventures they have been on this fall. Many are spending their time away from campus to explore new cities and nature. They are also busy participating in community service projects and making new friends. Their pictures serve as a nice reminder of how …

Global UGRAD Students Reflect on Thanksgiving

Global UGRAD Students Reflect on Thanksgiving

This November, many of the Global UGRAD students had the opportunity to experience their first Thanksgiving. Below you can read some of their reflections about spending the day with friends, university staff, and their friendship families! This year instead of repeating Season 5 episode 1 from Friends “The One with All the Thanksgivings,” I had the opportunity to experience it …

Alumni Gathering: Cambodia

Alumni Gathering: Cambodia

We all know that when Global UGRAD alumni from the same cohort gather together in their home country after returning from the U.S., it is absolutely fun. Yet, when two cohorts meet, that is even more amazing. The Global UGRAD alumni in Cambodia from cohorts 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 met together for a dinner in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The alumni of …

Exploring America: Trip to the Canyons

Exploring America: Trip to the Canyons

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 …

From Where I Stand 2019 Part II | The Global UGRAD Photojournalism Project

From Where I Stand 2019 Part II | The Global UGRAD Photojournalism Project

Last month, we published Part I of our 2019 From Where I Stand series, the Global UGRAD photo project that creatively shows what our alumni have accomplished since returning home. If you did not have a chance to read last month’s installment, you can find it here. We are thrilled to share even more stories of volunteerism, academics, and growth with you this month. …

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 …

Journey to the United States

Journey to the United States

The Journey Begins “When ‘Life is full of surprises’ meets with a ‘Dream comes true’ moment, things simply can’t get any better. Being able to participate in the Global UGRAD Program has been an experience of a lifetime! In Bangladesh, as soon as I completed my semester final exams, I was psyched and excited to prepare myself to board my flight to head …

Alumni Update: Indonesia

Rizki Permatasari, Global UGRAD 2013-2014 , University of Utah   When I reflect back on the three years since I have returned home, it is really amazing to see where life has taken me after Global UGRAD. I have taken several jobs, graduated, and participated in various volunteering activities. Since late 2014, I have been working as a part-time TOEFL instructor at …