Category: Global Matters
Published Papers, Briefings at the WTO, Conferences at the UN & More
Two Students Make the Most of their Impressive Geneva Internship Experiences
During the spring semester of their junior year, two students in the Geneva Internship: International Relations program contributed to important work in the humanitarian field and culminated their experience by co-publishing an article with their supervisors in the “Applied Psychology around the World” of the International Association for Applied Psychology (IAAP). The article aimed at producing concepts and applying knowledge that guides an effective humanitarian response. The IAAP is the oldest and largest international association of individual members and affiliate international associations, dedicated to promoting the science and practice of applied psychology, according to its website.
While on the program, Kagan Rowland (CAS ’25) and Nathan Eyasu (Cornell ILR ’25) interned with the Centre for Socio-Economic Development (CSEND), an NGO accredited to the United Nations (UN) focused on acting as a center for knowledge and innovation in socio-economic research.
As part of their work for the article, Rowland and Eyasu researched the stress humanitarian workers face due to the brutalities of war – and the ways that humanitarian organizations can help them cope.
“The nature of war is changing and there aren’t a lot of people who consider the stress that people like aid workers are enduring,” Eyasu says. “Bearing in mind the consistent presence of conflict today, awareness regarding the experience of humanitarian workers and their demanding jobs is warranted.”
Rowland adds that work on the paper came to fruition as an opportunity for them because their supervisor Professor Raymond Saner had written an initial iteration of the article decades ago.
“He wanted to update it to fit today’s modern context of the struggles that humanitarian workers are going through,” Rowland explains. “We helped update and revamp the paper and eventually it was republished, which I was very proud of, and it was a great privilege to work on it with Raymond and Dr. Lichia Saner-Yiu.”
Together, Dr. Lichia Saner-Yiu and Professor Raymond Saner run CSEND, where Rowland and Eyasu interned. Previously, Professor Saner served as a delegate for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for many years, an experience that Rowland and Eyasu drew upon and deeply appreciated learning about while in Geneva.
Also, during their internship, Rowland and Eyasu attended briefings at the World Trade Organization, conferences at the UN headquarters, and consultations at the World Summit on the Information Society.
Of all the memorable and impactful experiences that they had, Eyasu, says, “The most memorable part of my time working in Geneva was experiencing the selfless attitude of professionals working at international organizations, dedicating their careers to making the world a better place.”
Eyasu and Rowland expressed gratitude for their supervisors’ roles and for the work to which they have dedicated their lives.
“Professor Raymond Saner and Dr. Lichia Saner-Yiu are two incredibly bright intellectuals whose commitment to learning and growth never ceased to inspire me,” Eyasu says.
The old chestnut says to make the world better, you must make your world bigger. This sentiment rings true for both Eyasu and Rowland, who found themselves in Geneva for the first time, both a bit awestruck by the city’s global disposition and by the critical role that Geneva plays as host to myriad international organizations.
“It was cool to go to the UN Regional Commission on Sustainable Development to see how many people are following up on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and reporting on progress being made or finding gaps where improvement is needed,” Eyasu says. “It was inspiring. I think being in the U.S., you are kind of insulated from the rest of the world and what’s going on…all you see is American politics. So, it was great to see how many people are working on these global goals.”
He was also inspired by this work and thinks that as a future path, for graduate school or afterward, he would consider returning to Geneva. “Whether it be to work in international trade or studying economics around the world and perhaps even microeconomics to better understand poverty, I think Geneva really led me to understand what I want to do longer term,” Eyasu says.
Rowland adds that he enjoyed learning about the history of Geneva and Switzerland and the role it plays in Europe and on the world stage. As a child, he did some international travel with his family, and in Geneva, years later, found himself being reminded by how skilled and multilingual many Europeans are.
“It’s humbling, and I am looking to learn more languages in the future,” Rowland says. “It was cool to see the diversity of cultures and people in Switzerland. I think the international side of Geneva really shines through.”
In addition to the paper that Eyasu and Rowland co-wrote, Eyasu wrote a research paper on socio-economic development titled Could Cooperatives Improve the Livelihood of Single Mother Households in Ethiopia?
His paper explores the struggles of single-mother households in Ethiopia and analyzes the benefits cooperatives could provide to their precarious standing.
“Considering the shallow level of research done on single-mother households in Ethiopia, despite them making up 22 percent of Ethiopia’s households, I believe this piece could be instrumental for future research exploring solutions for their poverty,” Eyasu says.
Eyasu realizes how incredible this opportunity was for him and how he has been able to contribute to the research field of microeconomics – as an undergraduate student no less.
“Before this, I had not had experience with research,” he says. “Our supervisors were very helpful in showing us what is expected of an academic research paper. You have to be thorough; you have to back everything up with previous research and understand the importance of contributing to the existing field of research – not just reiterating what people have already said.”
The Director of Geneva Programs, Leonella Castellano, and Geneva Internship Placement Manager, Mehrnaz Tohidi, feel immense satisfaction and pride when Geneva students, like Eyasu and Rowland, excel in their internship workplaces.
“Our dedication to student professional development is highly rewarding, especially when witnessing successes like those of Kagan and Nathan over a time span of just four months,” Castellano says. “They leave Geneva with invaluable skills, newly found self-confidence, and, most importantly, a broader critical perspective on global politics that impacts not only the U.S. but also the entire world community.”
Tohidi says students like Nathan Eyasu and Kagan Rowland are the highlight of her job. “During their placement interviews, both exhibited a quiet confidence,” she recalls. “They both made the most of their time in Geneva by proactively attending side events and conferences. I had the opportunity to attend a roundtable discussion at their internship, led by the former Head of the Africa Region of UNCTAD. During this event, I heard Nathan share his insights on the economic development of Ethiopia. His perspective, as a representative of Generation Z, was immensely appreciated, and his remarks were particularly poignant.”
Photo Credit: Nathan Eyasu, while visiting the UN headquarters
A Look at BU’s Newest Study Abroad Programs
Wide-Ranging Study Abroad Opportunities Add Even More Options for Students
Studying abroad creates the opportunity to journey to new places – literally to new destinations, and figuratively to widened world views and perspectives. It encourages reflection and can fuel exposure to new cultures, customs, and ways of living. As the saying goes, to make the world better, you must make your world bigger.
While there is great comfort in the familiar, it is beyond familiar territory where true growth happens. Boston University Study Abroad (BUSA) hears this sentiment time and time again from students who spend time abroad. The transformative nature of studying abroad is undeniable. To that end, BUSA constantly evolves and creates new study abroad opportunities, adding to its diverse program opportunities for students.
This past academic year, BUSA has launched new programs as well as renewed academic opportunities in some locations that had operations temporarily shuttered during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. View the new and renewed programs from this academic year below and visit the BU Study Abroad website to learn more about each exciting opportunity.
New Programs, Academic Year 2023-2024:
- Sydney, Australia – Offered during the fall semester, the Sydney Study Abroad Program is a one-semester non-internship experience that allows students the opportunity to explore one of the most progressive cities in the Pacific Rim region while earning credit to advance their undergraduate degree. Coursework focuses on various aspects of Australia’s dynamic history and contemporary culture, including its literature, politics, economy, and media, as well as coursework in computer science. Sydney students also benefit from the excellence of the Boston University Sydney Center’s staff, facilities, and activities while abroad.
- Santiago, Chile – The Santiago Program offers students the opportunity to study in the political and financial capital of Chile and enroll directly at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Universidad de Chile. Students will also be able to take advantage of courses, staff, facilities, and cultural excursions offered by BU’s partner IES Abroad.
- Amman, Jordan – Students may improve upon or launch their Arabic language skills while engaging in topics related to Arabic culture, politics, and religion in Amman – one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world – while experiencing the renowned Jordanian hospitality and bustling markets (souqs). Students study at the CET Academic Center in the Sweifiehneighborhood of Amman.
- Padua, Italy Conflict & Crisis Reporting (Summer) – The Padua Conflict & Crisis Reporting program will prepare students to begin covering conflicts, crisis, and hostile environments smartly, ethically and with greater safety. Based at BU’s Padua Academic Center, the program will take advantage of unique opportunities in Padua, including engagement with the IMP Festival (International Month of Photojournalism).
- Cape Town, South Africa The Cape Town Program offers students the chance to pursue courses in their designated fields of study through direct enrollment at the University of Cape Town and in collaboration with academic partner IES. The University of Cape Town, the highest ranked university in Africa and oldest university in South Africa, is situated near the base of Table Mountain National Park.
Aidan Flanigan (CAS ’23), who was one of the first BU students to take part in this program, says his experience inspired him and reaffirmed his interest in African politics. “I left the program feeling confident in my chosen studies and with a new excitement for my major…I would strongly recommend doing the program if you want to build on your knowledge of African political structures. I was able to meet future politicians and lawyers with strong ambitions that in turn inspired me,” he says.
Renewed Programs, Academic Year 2023-2024:
- Universidad San Francisco De Quito Exchange, Ecuador – The USFQ Exchange immerses students in the cultural and ecological diversity of the northern Andean country of Ecuador, through direct enrollment in university coursework and all-inclusive excursions throughout the country. Students may choose from two programs: the Cumbayá Program or the Galápagos Semester Program (GAIAS), which brings students to several of Ecuador’s unique climate zones.
- The Grenoble Science Program at the Université Grenoble Alps, an institution that dates from the fourteenth century, is an ideal choice for pre-health and other science students. This unique program combines science coursework with French language study and is designed to allow students to take courses that fit neatly into their existing curricula and requirements.
- Grenoble Engineering – Students study at the Université Grenoble Alpes. The program, offered only in the spring semester, is ideally suited for second-semester sophomores in engineering. There’s no prior language requirement, and engineering courses are taught in English by French faculty.
- Berlin, Germany – The Berlin Study Abroad Program offers students the opportunity to pursue 15-19 credits by taking courses in German language and area studies in the German capital of Berlin. Students take advantage of courses, staff, facilities, and cultural excursions offered by IES Abroad. German language students may also choose to enroll in an internship or courses offered by a local host university, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU).
- Auckland, New Zealand – The combination of academic work, field trips, and personal travel opportunities gives students a rich introduction to New Zealand life and culture. Students directly enroll at the University of Auckland and take four elective courses that depend on their specific field.
Mother, Daughter Duo Take on Paris
Laura and Julie Pitois Complete BU’s Paris Study Abroad Internship Program, 26 Years Apart, Deepen Their Love for the City
In many ways Julie Pitois (UNCA ‘25) has followed in her mother’s footsteps. They both studied sociology and French. Their love for the city of Paris and its beautiful architecture is infectious. But perhaps the most striking similarity is that they completed the same Paris study abroad program – the Paris Internship Program – albeit 26 years apart, and both interned for non-profit organizations in Paris.
Julie’s mother Laura Pitois (CAS ‘98) first enrolled in the Paris Internship program as a junior BU sociology major in 1997.
“When I first went on study abroad, I wasn't fluent in French,” Laura recalls. “And I would say by the end of the semester, I was pretty fluent. I kept learning and continue to learn…I still speak French.”
During her time abroad, Laura says she fell in love with Paris and calls the City of Light her favorite place in the world. Beyond developing fluency in French and falling in love with Paris’ rich culture, Laura notes that doing the Paris Internship program opened doors for her professionally. “Having a non-profit Paris internship on my resume definitely helped, especially because I work in international education,” she says.
When Laura graduated from BU she returned to Paris and was able to get a work permit. She loved it so much that she ended up living and working there for more than five years.
“I stayed in touch with Renée, [Pontbriand, then the Assistant Director and currently the Director of Study Abroad Paris for BU] and I was able to fill in for her when she went on maternity leave,” Laura says. When Renée returned, I moved into a program assistant position and helped with housing, communications, and other things.”
Laura worked for BU Paris until she had Julie, and their family moved back to the U.S. when Julie was 9 months old. “So it's no exaggeration to say it changed my life,” Laura says. “Julie wouldn't be here if I had never studied abroad because I met her Dad in Paris.”
Perhaps it’s of little surprise that Julie would end up studying abroad in Paris, but she doesn’t take any of it for granted. Julie has worked hard and knew that studying abroad would help her improve her French language skills. “I’ve looked forward to studying abroad for a long time so I could become more fluent,” she says.
Interning at the non-profit organization Prométhée Humanitaire has helped Julie advance her French, among other skills. “The organization helps children who are living in the streets in Haiti, Senegal, and Madagascar, and they help provide them with shelter, food, education, and community activities,” Julie says. “What I’ve done is help with all their fundraising efforts, contacting various sponsors who are designer clothing and jewelry companies that we can sell at a fundraising event.”
Before going abroad, Laura gave Julie plenty of advice and insight, no doubt, but perhaps among the most practical was the tip to get comfortable jotting down phone numbers quickly at her internship.
“Julie can tell you, I drilled her on catching phone numbers quickly, especially with the higher numbers like soixante-dix, quatre-vingts…it can get very confusing,” Laura says. “I told her how, as an intern, it was hard when people called me wanting to leave a message, and I had to try to catch their number. So we worked on that together, because I wanted to save her from what I went through with the phone numbers.”
Being able to catch phone numbers accurately helped Julie as she called on sponsors for her internship’s fundraising event. Aside from improving her French and getting valuable experience working with sponsors, Julie learned what it’s like to work in a non-profit organization, noting that the idea of it was completely foreign to her before the experience.
Another avenue of personal growth for Julie came in exploring new neighborhoods. Laura loves setting out with no real destination and walking around Paris all day, meandering in and out of shops and galleries. “I will go out all day and just walk around, but I don’t think Julie loves that quite as much as I do,” Laura says.
Julie admits that it’s not her favorite thing to do and that her feet begin to hurt, but Julie told her mom recently, “I actually did a lot of walking today, you'd be proud of me, because we were handing out flyers for the sale. I felt like I was channeling your energy today, because we were walking around neighborhoods that I'd never been in. I saw some really cool architecture and shops.”
Julie also praises the public transportation in Paris, which saves her feet, and allows her to get around the city quickly. “I never really understood the hype around public transportation, because we don't have that anywhere that I've ever lived [before Paris]. But now I get it. It's definitely fun to take the metro and just go wherever you want. Or the bus because I take the bus to my internship.”
Being able to see the city and re-live studying abroad, in a way, through her daughter’s experience has been special for Laura. Laura notes how brave and incredible she thinks Julie and all students who study abroad are. “The fact that you're stepping out and being really brave and doing something totally different – it’s very valuable,” she says. “I've talked a lot about how I think studying abroad helps with your personal development – as a human, as a student, and as a worker – because it really takes you out of your comfort zone. And I think through that discomfort comes growth and maturity.”
Pictured: Baby Julie, visiting BU Paris with her mother Laura in 2003
Laura also notes her appreciation for longtime director, Renée Pontbriand, who has been working for the program since 1992 and at the helm for 16 years.
“I want to thank Renee for being such a wonderful director to me and to Julie,” she says. “Just knowing that she's running the program was really comforting to me. To know that she was there and that she's done such a fabulous job for so long. And that it's still available for Julie and, who knows, maybe her sister in a few years, who is a senior in high school. I'm really thrilled that the program’s still there, it's still going strong, and it's still providing this wonderful opportunity to students.”
How First Class Helps International Students Transition to BU
Online, Pre-arrival Course Covers Many Important Topics, Helps International Students Prepare for Arrival in U.S.
For all international students coming to BU, Global Programs offers an online, noncredit pre-arrival course designed to prepare them for their transition to the American classroom and the University.
The course, first launched in 2016, is aptly called First Class and is delivered on Blackboard, with short videos, polls, and self-checks designed to be completed from anywhere, on any device. There is a second First Class course offered by the ISSO, currently in the edXedge platform, to help students maintain their visa status while at BU.
"BU First Class introduced me to the different resources on campus, and I also appreciated the videos of students who discussed ways to deal with stress and the importance of health and wellness,” says Myat Thadar (QST ’26). “Taking the ISSO [portion of the First Class] course has helped me maintain my visa status and allowed me to prepare accordingly to visit my home country Myanmar during the summer break!"
Comprised of several sections, First Class helps international students in myriad ways and covers everything from academics to health and wellness to preparing for entering the U.S.
Simran Raikundalia (CAS ’25), a junior studying biochemistry and molecular biology with a minor in mathematical statistics, remembers the uncertainty she faced when transitioning from an international British high school to a university in the United States.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I made, and First Class was one of the first orientation platforms that helped me transition into studying abroad and understand that this step outside my comfort zone was worth it,” she recalls. “The most helpful information I gained from this course was regarding the BU Classroom principles. I learned a lot about engaging with professors outside of the classroom as I was introduced to the concept of office hours and learned more about Classroom ethics. Additionally, I was unaware of the importance of each syllabus and the breakdown of course grades, as during my high school, grades were simply based on end-of-year exams.”
PhD student Erning (Henry) Chen agrees and says the parts about the American classroom experience were most helpful for him.
“For those [students] who have not been studying in the context of the U.S., I think talking about the classroom experience is helpful. Especially, there are quite a few students invited into these videos to provide testimonials and talk about their experiences,” he says. “The most helpful thing that I found was, I think, the conversations and dialogues that happen between certain students.”
Read on for some additional highlights and feedback about First Class from BU international students who took the course in fall 2023:
“I really feel educated and informed about BU after this class. I have learned things about various different aspects, and highly appreciate BU’s effort’s on ensuring me smooth transition into the BU community/society. Please keep up the good work for students that are coming in the future!”
“International students can easily feel overwhelmed and lonely by an unfamiliar environment. However, this module made me feel that I am really taken care of by the University, and I do not need to worry about the new beginning.”
“I wasn’t aware of the rules related to plagiarism, overall the content was really helpful.”
“I know now that participation is really important in assessing the grade, which was not in my home university.”
Some additional comments on what else students learned…
BU’s Magaly Koch and Mira Kelly-Fair Studied Coastal Erosion in Brittany, France
International Seminar Brings Together Experts in Physical Sciences
As part of her National Science Foundation-funded research, Dr. Magaly Koch, geologist and research associate professor, co-led an international seminar and workshop in South Brittany, France. For this opportunity, Koch and her U.S. and French collaborators, who are experts in a range of disciplines, including marine geology and geospatial technology, selected nearly a dozen master’s and PhD students from across the U.S., including Puerto Rico, after a competitive selection process, to work on international research and learn from one another.
One of the PhD students who was selected for the seminar is two-time BU student Mira Kelly-Fair (MA ’22), who studies coral ecosystems. Specifically, Kelly-Fair is working on an NSF project based on mangroves in Belize. “This fellowship that I went on [with Professor Koch] is in line with this idea of studying coastal erosion,” says Kelly-Fair. “Obviously, the coastal erosion that we see in Northern France is going to be significantly different from what we’re looking at in Belize, but it was a great way to connect with a lot of other people in the field…and it was cool to learn more about radar aspects of remote sensing.”
Professor Koch specializes in the application of remote sensing and geographic information systems in the study of groundwater resources and environmental change of arid lands. She has traveled to numerous countries studying environmental change and coastal zone challenges in the face of a changing climate and was thrilled to co-lead this opportunity.
“This opportunity was meant for advanced graduate students, where they spent two weeks in a seminar style workshop,” says Koch. “It’s completely interdisciplinary… everyone had different backgrounds, and we wanted it that way. The emphasis was on the physical sciences; we had students with backgrounds in structural geology, tectonics, oceanography, and one student from Puerto Rico who specializes in investigating algae blooms.”
Professors on the trip included experts in satellite remote sensing, data sciences, computer sciences, among other specialties. “The students all learned from each other and from us,” says Koch. “And that was the purpose: to have them give a sort of overview of all these techniques and methods that can be used in many disciplines, with the main focus being the interface between the land and the ocean.”
Kelly-Fair agrees that it was interesting and valuable to have a wide range of specialties represented. “It was great to get such a wide diversity; people really had a range of what they were studying, from people who were more strictly in the area of remote sensing to people to were much more biology-focused,” she says. “I think we really covered the spectrum.”
They also used the opportunity to emphasize the importance of effectively communicating science, and students had time to present their work so everyone learned what members of the group are studying.
Kelly-Fair says the big takeaway for her was around the connections she made in France and that she has since participated in industry conferences where other participants and Professors from the seminar were in attendance. “Some of the people who were instructing us [in France], I have run into at conferences, and they’ve been able to connect me with even more folks, and I’ve gone to their talks.”
She also enjoyed the field trips they went on, which included a visit to one of the islands where they examined different elements of wind erosion and tidal erosion.
“When you are doing remote sensing research, a lot of what you’re doing, in addition to using the satellite imagery, is what we call ground truthing,” Kelly-Fair explains. “Seeing how those things are working on the ground. We have a lot of non-satellites and outputs by things like NASA and the European Space Agency that can map out potentially how wind is moving. We’re seeing a lot of changes with climate change. Being able to understand how those dynamics are shifting is really important, and we can get that information from the sky, but then going there and validating what we’re mapping out is accurate is really crucial.”
In addition to field trips, they went on a cultural excursion to Sous-Marin Flore Et Son Musée, a museum that showcases submarine building dating back to WWII and how the development of military and maritime infrastructure shaped the area.
“I’ve worked on boats for a very long time, so I really enjoyed that aspect of learning more about marine culture,” Kelly-Fair recalled.
This coming summer, Professor Koch is headed to Japan, where earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis are major coastal hazards. They have selected 12 PhD students from various universities across the U.S. This time, Professor Koch is working with Dr. Shunichi Koshimura, a Professor at International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, and the founding deputy director of the Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience, Tohoku University.
CELOP and BU Dining Partner on English Language Program for Dining Services Staff
Recently dozens of BU Dining employees completed an English language program designed and taught by the Center for English Language and Orientation Programs (CELOP)’s Gina Giamei. The program – English for Dining Services – was offered to BU Dining employees who work in various functions across BU’s Dining Halls. Dining services staff members who expressed an interest in participating and were approved by their managers took part in the inaugural program in spring 2023 for six weeks.
The program received high marks from both employees who participated and their managers. Given the all-around success of the first program, Giamei developed and taught two twelve-week classes in fall 2023, and both sessions have been a win-win for CELOP and BU Dining employees.
“This is looked at as a success by Aramark (and I feel confident stating) also by BU,” says Mark Camus, Senior Human Resources Manager at Aramark. “It has also been a win with CELOP staff as well as our clients Kris Klinger and Paul Riel of BU Auxiliary Services.”
Camus, who describes himself as a big supporter of this kind of initiative and has previously instituted ESL classes at other organizations, adds that employee feedback has been strongly positive overall. “Notably, for the pre [and] post assessment testing done for the recently completed fall 2023 class, there were visible improvements for almost all participants,” he says.
“The program is geared towards staff who work in dining services and gives them the vocabulary and linguistic expressions to communicate effectively in the workplace,” says Maria Arruda, Managing Director of CELOP. “We are thrilled to partner with Aramark on this important initiative and training for their employees. Students not only demonstrated that they have made progress, but also the program helps advance Aramark's diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic priority.”
CELOP Senior Lecturer Gina Giamei shadowed employees working in the dining halls and kitchens while building the curriculum to ensure it would be relevant to their needs. The focus is on making it easier for employees to do their jobs and communicate while working.
“I talked to managers and looked at the workspaces,” says Giamei. “I tried to stay open to what the student needs are and what they want to know. The students have come from many different countries and backgrounds…Dominican Republic, Haiti, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, China, Hong Kong, and Myanmar.”
Giamei, who specializes in working with beginners and has been teaching for 30 years, also led lessons on following instructions and how to read a recipe. Being someone who learned to speak Japanese fluently, Giamei is empathetic to the challenges of learning how to speak or develop fluency in a new language.
“I have a lot of empathy for my students because when I first moved to Japan in 1993 I knew very little about the language,” Giamei recalls. “It was hard. The first year was very difficult and we didn’t have all of the technology that we have now. I had my phrase book that I carried everywhere. I found translating between English and Japanese to be difficult… It took a long time to understand the meaning of what I translated, and so I can relate to the struggle.”
Robert Luther, Food Services Manager at Marciano Commons, says he sees the benefits of the program and that the individuals working on his team feel more at ease and comfortable approaching him and speaking. He adds that Giamei has been instrumental in helping Aramark employees feel comfortable.
Mark Yates, Food Services Manager at Warren Towers, echoes Luther’s sentiments. “It’s been nothing but positive,” he says. “They are excited to learn and feel proud about what they have accomplished. I am so happy to see this.”
Due to strong interest and demonstrated progress shown by the employees who participated, Aramark is now offering additional classes to employees during the current spring 2024 semester. The spring 2024 classes include a new Digital Literacy component.
“I am so happy with this class…I enjoy it,” says participant Witney Chow. “Gina is a great teacher.”
Giamei says she is thrilled with her students’ success. “I always let my students know I’m there to help and that’s what I want to do – just help them.”
BU’s First Women’s Basketball Recruit from Russia Weighs in on Navigating Life as an International Student
Anastasiia Semenova (CAS ’26) grew up “in a big basketball family” in St. Petersburg, Russia. Both of her parents and her brother played basketball, including at the professional level. With the sport being such a big tradition in their family, Semenova credits her parents and brother with instilling in her a love for the game that she began playing at a young age.
“The idea of going to the States to play basketball was definitely my parents’ idea that they kind of introduced me to because my brother was actually doing the exact same thing,” she says. “He left home when he was 14 and he went to high school…then got a bunch of offers. He was a really great player and decided to go to James Madison University to pursue his basketball career and academics. So I'm definitely following in his footsteps in a sense.”
During recruiting season, Semenova wasn’t able to travel to BU but she made her mark nonetheless – from more than 4,000 miles away – by writing to the coaching staff and sharing a highlight reel that showcased her many talents as a player. She made an impression on the coaches, as Semenova went on to become the first recruit from Russia for the Women’s Basketball program. She also holds the designation as being the first international first-year student athlete in the program since 2015.
“BU was definitely at the top of my list,” Semenova says. “I ended up having like four or five offers from different Division I schools, and that was honestly way more than I expected, being away from the States for recruiting. BU ended up being my top choice because of the academics and strong coaching staff that created an atmosphere where I realized I'll have a family away from my family, which was really important for me as an international student.”
Women’s Basketball Head Coach Melissa Graves describes Semenova as “a great basketball player who has a high IQ, plays with pace, and puts pressure on the defense by being a threat from both inside and the perimeter.” Graves notes how impressive it is that Semenova has grown in so many facets over the past year and says her essential leadership qualities have helped drive their team’s success both on and off the floor.
As an international student at BU, Semenova is double majoring in computer science and economics and minoring in business. She enjoys finding community alongside her fellow international student athletes, of which there are many throughout the athletic department on different sports teams, especially with sports that are popular outside of the U.S.
Bonding with her fellow teammates helped ease the culture shock she felt when Semenova first came to BU. While the women’s basketball team did not have any other international students on its roster when she started, she found community with her fellow teammates and with the coaching staff. Now, as a sophomore, Semenova is thrilled to mentor other international students who are on the team or will join soon.
“This year we have two Spanish girls who are freshmen, and we have one who is a transfer from Estonia, which is kind of close to me [Russia],” she says. “I’ve been to Estonia, and she has been to Russia so we kind of bonded over how we are both from Eastern Europe, which was great… I like that the freshmen international [students] ask me ‘how do we do this?’, ‘where do we get that?’…I tell them don’t worry, I got it figured out,” she says with a laugh.
In addition to navigating cultural differences when Semenova first came to the U.S., she also had to learn the subtle differences in how basketball is played in America vs. in Europe. “That was such a shock to me because certain things that I used to do I can’t do here now, or vice versa,” she says. “There are some differences in rules of the game as well as pace and physicality of it. American basketball is played much faster, and there is an emphasis on getting stronger in the weight room, which leads to a more physical game. There’s also more of a hierarchy here, if that makes sense, where there are stricter restrictions on certain positions.”
Having to learn some new rules of the game while navigating language and cultural differences – all while being the only person on the team from Russia – could have toppled the 6 feet, 2 inches tall power forward, but she rose to the occasion.
With a classic student athlete persevering-at-all-costs outlook, Semenova told herself and tells other new international student athletes, “It will get better. It will get better. Maybe not in a week or a month or two, but it will. You will adjust and everything will work out fine. Don’t lose your hope.”
“Ana was the first to offer help to our newest members of the team who are also international, and she has been a huge factor in their positive transition,” says Head Coach Graves. “Amongst all her team contributions, she has found success in the classroom too. Many people would struggle with everything Ana has on her plate, yet she does it all, in a second language and so far from home. This is why Ana embodies what it means to be resilient.”
On and off the court, Semenova is shining. On the court, she scored a season-high 21 points in early January against Lafayette. “This season, our team is very new with six freshmen and two transfers,” she says. “This has given me a chance to take on a leadership role as one of the few people who know the program and have been with the team for a while.”
Looking forward, Semenova wants to not only improve her leadership skills but also continue developing other skills that will be useful in life after basketball. “I continue working hard in the classroom, looking for internships and future job opportunities. Overall, I am enjoying this stage of my life, knowing that there's more to explore and achieve beyond the basketball court.”
In Russia, Semenova was a member of the expanded Russian National U18 Team. She was an All-Star on the U16 team that captured the European Girls Basketball League championship. In her career, she has won two Russian Championship bronze medals on the U16 and U18 teams and a bronze in the Russian Women's Super League Division I. On a more localized level, she is a three-time gold medalist in the St. Petersburg Championship.
Global Programs’ 12th Annual Photo Contest is Here
Submit Your Photos for The Chance to Win
This year marks Global Programs’ 12th year running our annual photo contest, highlighting incredible photography from around the world. Given BU’s diverse and creative community, there is no shortage of awe-inspiring photos each year that capture even the most remote corners of the globe.
With this year’s contest, we return to the theme of “Global Engagement” and look forward to seeing the ways in which the BU community interprets the theme and shares its remarkable images, be it here in Boston or anywhere around the world.
Submit your photos on this contest webpage, view prize details, and follow us on Instagram @buglobalprograms with #2024GPPhotoContest. And visit our website archive to view the past 11 years of beautiful finalist photos.
Two Extraordinary Pakistani Students Take Part in American Classes, Summer Fun in Boston as Part of Sister2Sister Exchange
During Summer Term 2, two young Pakistani women – Maheen Ali Mir (’26) and Fareena Ahmed (’24) – visited Boston University as part of their participation in the Sister2Sister Exchange Program. The Sister2Sister Program is a highly selective public-private partnership supported by the Department of State, led by American University, and run in partnership with U.S. universities, like BU, that provide summer scholarships to students who enroll in undergraduate course in their field of study and complete a cultural reflections project. The Program not only provides Pakistani female college students from underserved backgrounds with academic, personal, and professional development but also gives them exposure to American culture.
“We were delighted to support Maheen and Fareena this summer in Boston University’s second year supporting the Sister2Sister Exchange Program,” said Willis G. Wang, Associate Provost for Global Programs. “This is an important program in collaboration with the U.S. State Department that helps empower Pakistani women college students, and I have no doubt that Maheen and Fareena will continue to make great strides in their academic and career goals.”
Hosted by Global Programs, Maheen Ali Mir and Fareena Ahmed embarked on their first, solo journeys outside of Pakistan in early July and spent six weeks living in Myles Standish Hall alongside other BU students, many of whom also hail from places beyond the U.S.
Maheen Ali Mir and Fareena Ahmed are pictured with Lauren Thorman, Kamelia Turcotte, and Ellen Song from our Global Programs office.
“There is so much diversity in the U.S. and at BU,” says Ahmed. “We’ve had so many international students here [at BU] and living in Myles Standish this summer. It’s been very positive and fun to see people from all over the world.”
Being able to interact with and meet people from different countries and cultures is part of what drew Ahmed, who studies at the Institute of Professional Psychology, Bahria University Karachi Campus, to apply to the Sister2Sister Program. “I’ve met people from all over the world, and I’m really grateful for those connections, memories, and friends,” she says.
Ali Mir also noted her desire to experience cultural exchange and diversity while participating in the program. “I’m interested in exploring different cultures,” she says. “I’ve noticed that people are very kind to each other here, and that there is a progressive approach to gender equity, a positive way forward to deal with different [societal] problems. I’ve also noticed there’s a certain human connection regardless of where someone comes from or the differences we have, and I’ll take that home with me.”
Ali Mir hails from one of the most remote regions of northern Pakistan, an area that has only scarce healthcare access, educational opportunities, and communication capabilities. As a sophomore at Lahore University of Management Sciences in Lahore, Pakistan, she is studying social sciences and took an introduction to entrepreneurship class while at BU.
“Studying entrepreneurship here was fascinating,” she says. “One thing that was different from what we’d do in Pakistan is addressing the problem where you come up with more than one solution and something that can be put into action. The research and design thinking that we’ve done is definitely going to stay with me.”
This entrepreneurial mindset will serve Ali Mir well, as she has long term goals to run a business and work in her community. “After coming back from the Exchange Program I’ll be an example for the young girls who are hesitant to think out of the box [about their futures]. I’d like to equip myself with skills that will prove to be successful in my professional career and then deliver them to the young girls in my region who would then be exposed to a vast knowledge about career prospects that I didn’t have when I was growing up.”
During their time here, Ali Mir and Ahmed met with several faculty members and administrators to learn more and make connections in their respective fields of study. In the Questrom School of Business, they met with Sandra Deacon Carr, Master Lecturer in the Organizational Behavior Department.
“Fareena and Maheen are remarkable young women whose enthusiasm for learning is inspiring,” says Deacon Carr. “They are inquisitive, intelligent, hardworking, and focused on making the most of their educational experiences. I enjoyed meeting them and learning about their aspirations for the future, and I look forward to following them as they pursue their academic and career goals.”
Before attending the final presentations from Innovate@ BU’s Social Impact Entrepreneurs from its Summer Enlight program, Ali Mir and Ahmed also met with Siobhan Dullea, Executive Director of Innovate@BU.
“Both Fareena and Maheen were social innovators at their core,” says Dullea. “They both discussed ideas they had for improving their communities through a social entrepreneurship lens. They discussed their local social challenges and how they could improve the lives of individuals in their country. Their passion, energy, and desire to improve lives was infectious.”
Reflecting on her time at BU, Ali Mir says, “After coming here and exploring, I feel more connected to my own society. I feel like I am privileged to come here and explore things at a global level. I am representing my region, and what I’m learning is something I want to use for the people in my home and will give back.”
Like Ali Mir, Ahmed has learned how studying in a foreign place has helped her imagine new possibilities for herself and boosted her independence and professional development.
A student of psychology, Ahmed is keen to use her knowledge and experience to help normalize mental healthcare in Pakistan. She says that while the country and culture is moving in the right direction by not treating mental health as such a taboo topic, there is still much progress that can and should be made. “Here [in the U.S.] mental healthcare is not as stigmatized as in Pakistan,” she says. “It seems like mental healthcare is encouraged here, and I am hoping I can do something so it’s the same way in Pakistan.”
During her time at BU, Ahmed took an introduction to clinical psychology course and thoroughly enjoyed the class. She noted how impressed she was with the professor talking about his personal experiences, sharing how he does assessments with clients, and encouraging students to write reflections after class.
“I’ve witnessed a lot of personal growth in myself in the last six weeks,” Ahmed says. “This experience has taught me so much. I plan to contribute all the knowledge I learn to my community and guide others, especially young girls in Pakistan, towards their own career and self-development.”
Long term, Ahmed plans to earn a master’s degree in a sub-discipline of psychology, preferably somewhere abroad – perhaps in the U.S. – and then return to Pakistan to apply what she has learned. “I’d like to help address issues and help people help themselves,” she says.
Traveling Abroad? Learn More about International SOS & Staying Safe
International SOS Provides Health, Safety and Security Assistance Services to Travelers Abroad on BU Business and Students Studying Abroad
Boston University has partnered with International SOS, a leader in the international medical and security services industry, to provide health, safety and security assistance services to travelers on BU sponsored international trips including students studying abroad. International SOS provides destination-specific pre-departure information and advice, such as entry and exit requirements, cultural and customs information, as well as health and safety risks including crime, terrorism, personal freedom, local disease outbreaks, local food/water safety, transportation safety, and more. Most information is available on the member portal and International SOS experts are also available 24/7 at the assistance hotline to answer questions and provide more specific information.
During your trip, International SOS can keep you apprised in real time of any emerging risks based on your current location and/or future destinations. They can help you find trusted local medical providers or identify medical and security concerns related to your trip. The assistance hotline is available 24/7 to provide health and security assistance or advice including arranging for urgent and emergency medical needs or evacuations.
Coming soon, on-demand virtual training will be available through International SOS’s digital learning library. Topics include travel safety for students, avoiding petty crime, stress management while traveling, and more. Once available, details on accessing the library will be included in the pre-travel advisory email sent by BU and International SOS to every international traveler prior to any registered trip.
Your International SOS member portal can be found at internationalsos.com. Log in using membership number 398GDA956456 and your BU username and password. International SOS also has a free assistance app, “International SOS”, available on both Google play and the Apple app store. The app provides access to the same features as the member portal on your mobile device. The 24/7 assistance hotline is available worldwide at +1-215-942-8487.
Boston University cares about the health and safety of all members of the Terrier community, whether you’re on the Boston-based campuses or traveling abroad. Global Programs has a dedicated Health, Safety & Security team to help keep Terriers abroad safe, and they can be contacted at GlobalHSS@bu.edu or 617-353-5401 to find out more information about the services available through International SOS.
Global Feature
Global Feature
Global Feature
