See stories from GVSU Study Abroad Scholarship Recipients before, during & after their adventures abroad.
Ireland, 2002-03 Currently, I work with The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program supporting young African leaders in their pursuit of higher education at Michigan State University. This program is a $500 million project with over 20 partners throughout the world on both the secondary and tertiary level. Over the course of 10 years, the program will educate 15,000 Africans. I directly mentor the Scholars and provide career counseling and professional development education and support. Part of my responsibilities includes arranging internships in Africa for our Scholars. Last year we placed 29 Scholars in 15 African countries.
My life was entirely affected by my scholarship – I could not have afforded to go without that support as I paid for college entirely on my own (and with federal loans, of course!). Spending a year abroad in Ireland ignited a drive to study international education and intercultural communications. In fact, the year after going to Ireland I went on another GVSU study abroad trip to China with the Department of Philosophy. In my final semester, I went back to Ireland to fulfill my internship requirement.This experience really has influenced everything that happened thereafter – I went on to get my Master’s in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education and focused on international education/ intercultural communication. Once I graduated, I took a job with Michigan State University in their Office for International Students and Scholars. Truly, I continue to live and breathe international education, all fueled by my time abroad made possible by the Padnos Scholarship.
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