Alumni Spotlight: Jordan

Alumni Spotlight: Jordan

Hello! My name is Lina AlSarayreh, from Amman, Jordan. I am an alum of the Global UGRAD 2022/2023 Exchange Program and attended Portland State University (PSU) during the fall 2022 semester. Having to return home after such an enriching exchange program experience and readjust to my old routine was quite difficult at first. I was still overwhelmed by all the …

April Online Engagement: Country Presentations and Public Speaking

April Online Engagement: Country Presentations and Public Speaking

In our fourth month of online engagement, Global UGRAD finalists saw the return of some of our popular series activities: our student-facilitated Country Presentations and our Speaker Series. This round of Country Presentations closed out with student presenters from three additional regions, and this edition of the Speaker Series, focused on public speaking, featured guest speaker Zoe Matthews. Country Presentations …

March Social Media Challenge: #WomanOfCourage

March Social Media Challenge: #WomanOfCourage

Last month, we celebrated Women’s History Month by asking Global UGRAD participants to highlight a #womanofcourage who has made an impact on their life. Below, Hala Al Amayreh, Risfi Pratiwi, and Victoria Anghel share their responses. One of the greatest blessings of life is being asked about the woman who has influenced my life. I could not find anyone greater …

From Where I Stand: September 2020 Edition

From Where I Stand: September 2020 Edition

Last month, we published the first part of the 2020 From Where I Stand series. This annual project highlights the achievements of alumni since completing the Global UGRAD Program. If you missed last month’s edition, you can still find it here. We’re excited to share even more stories below! Gabriela Elizabeth Guzman Sanchez, Guatemala, Rochester Institute of Technology, Global UGRAD …

Celebrating Ramadan While Social Distancing

Celebrating Ramadan While Social Distancing

Each year as Muslims, we celebrate the holy month of Ramadan with fasting, praying, remembering the less fortunate, hanging the sparkly decorations on our windows, having family gatherings, and late-night visits, but this year doing all of these is impossible. The recent global pandemic forced us to ditch what we are used to; this severe situation has made social distancing, …

Alumni Update: Sarah Najem, Jordan

Alumni Update: Sarah Najem, Jordan

Earlier this summer, I had the privilege to attend the International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS) in Singapore as part of the delegation representing the Ministry of Youth of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It was a thrilling, enlightening, and a very rewarding experience where I got to gain a tremendous amount of knowledge on interfaith dialogue and social cohesion. …

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. …

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 …

My Second Family: the Impact of Friendship Families

My Second Family: the Impact of Friendship Families

Many Global UGRAD host universities provide amazing opportunities for Global UGRAD students to engage with their host communities. One such example are friendship family programs, where international students are paired with local families for an exchange of culture, friendship, and fun. Please continue reading to hear more about the positive impact these types of exchanges have on both student and …

Alumni Update: Jordan

Life after Global UGRAD: Jordan With no doubt the Global UGRAD exchange program enhanced my leadership skills and helped me find better opportunities. Earning this scholarship actually made me a more attractive candidate in Jordan. People who understand the competitive nature of the scholarship will recognize it as an accomplishment. Competitive scholarships like this one are accomplishments worth listing on …