Alumni Update – Raul del Valle (Guatemala)

Alumni Update – Raul del Valle (Guatemala)

Since Sunday, December 15th of 2019, the date I “concluded” my participation in the Global UGRAD Program at American University in D.C., life has been a roller coaster of emotions. I mention “concluded” inside quotation marks because I truly believe that when someone becomes a Global UGRAD, they will forever be a Global UGRAD. After the program I came back …

Alumni Update: Cambodia

Alumni Update: Cambodia

I am very humbled and grateful to say that my life is not the only one that has changed after the Global UGRAD Program. Since June 2015 when I returned to my home country, Cambodia, I began to understand my purpose and my capability to make a substantial impact in my home community as a media practitioner. My academic experiences, …

Alumni Reflections: Advocating for Inclusion

Alumni Reflections: Advocating for Inclusion

I am an alumnus of the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program where I attended the University of Southern Indiana in 2010. The Global UGRAD Program brought me out of my comfort zone. As a disabled person with limited independent living skills, I had to force myself to become self-reliant during the program. For instance, my first trip on my own, without …

Alumni Update: Yacoub Dahah, Mauritania

Alumni Update: Yacoub Dahah, Mauritania

I was first introduced to the Bin Bayyah Foundation in 2015 by ECNU (the English Club of Nouakchott University) because they needed interpreters for the Starkey Hearing Foundation mission that they were sponsoring, which lasted for a week. I went back to volunteering for them during their second mission with the American Starkey Hearing Foundation early in 2017, but this …

The Impact of Diverse Community Service Experiences

The Impact of Diverse Community Service Experiences

I have been in the U.S.A. for 8 months and I have had amazing experiences. One of the most important things that I have done in my life is community service. Through all this time I have realized that students who get involved in community service not only help others, but also expand their abilities, develop empathy, leadership skills, problem-solving, …

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 …

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

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

One of our favorite sayings is “Once a UGRAD, always a UGRAD.” Even when the U.S. portion of the Global UGRAD experience is over, alumni are always a part of this big and talented family. The lessons learned and knowledge gained during the exchange live on as alumni share their stories and dedicate efforts to shine brightly in their home …