On the Journey to Med School, a Stop in Madrid for an Exciting Semester
How a Bio Major Met her Academic and Personal Goals in the Madrid Science Program Isabella Pompa (CAS ‘22) knows the power of saying “yes” to not just easy, straightforward opportunities, but also to things that challenge her. A biology major with goals to attend medical school and become a pediatrician, Pompa’s desire to push past her comfort zone and embrace new challenges with a growth mindset will undoubtedly serve her well in the medical field. Saying yes and leading with her curiosity led her to take advantage of a study abroad opportunity during fall 2019 in BU’s Madrid Science Program. Combining... More
A Path to Public Service Paved by Academic Experiences in D.C.
Augustine Jimenez stands out as an award-winning student, study abroad participant, and budding public servant Augustine Jimenez (CAS ’20) has always been interested in law, government, and politics. Coming from a humble background where he grew up in Mexico until the age of 6 and then having moved to Atlanta, Jimenez developed a keen understanding of how the government’s policy decisions shape people’s lives. Growing up, Jimenez, who was a Posse Scholar, saw the challenges and ramifications of economic inequality play out firsthand in his school and in his neighborhood. “Pretty early on I thought I wanted to work for the State... More
Getting to Know BU Study Abroad’s Newest Site Directors in London and Geneva
Christine Hoenigs and Leonella Castellano have joined the ranks of BU Study Abroad Site Directors who serve as leaders at our study abroad sites across the world. Thrilled about this next chapter for London and Geneva programs, we recently sat down with Christine, who is heading up London, and Leonella, who is at the helm in Geneva, to learn more about their career paths, first impressions as directors, and advice they have for BU students who want to work internationally. You both have interesting backgrounds. Can you talk about your paths to becoming Directors of the Geneva and London programs, More
Panel of BU Experts Discuss the Global Climate Crisis
Researchers share their work on equity, climate change mitigation strategies, health effects, and more According to a recent U.N. Report on Climate Change, scientists are observing unprecedented changes in the Earth’s climate. Immediate action is necessary, and efforts require collective, bold action on a global scale. That was the topic a panel of BU researchers examined during International Education Week’s Faculty Panel on the Global Climate Crisis. The panel included Cutler Cleveland, Associate Director of BU’s Institute for Sustainable Energy, and Professor in the Department of Earth and Environment; Dennis Carlberg, Associate Vice President of University Sustainability, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in... More
When Change is the Only Constant: How Study Abroad Navigated an Ever-evolving Landscape amid Omicron
A Look Back on the Scale & Complexity of Changes & How Students Ultimately Journeyed to Sites Undeterred by the constantly shifting COVID-19 public health guidelines and the unpredictability of new variants, Boston University’s Study Abroad sites have continued to welcome more students back this semester. Just as BU’s campuses in Boston have evolved with changing public health requirements in the city and state, BU’s sites abroad have had to meet the evolving requirements of seven countries and nine cities – in addition to Boston University’s expectations for keeping our students as safe as possible in this pandemic. Gearing up for the... More
Anthropology PhD Student Conducts Research in Pakistan Amid the Pandemic
Hafsa Arain examines the intersection of internet cultures, LGBTQ+ identities, and languages In June 2020 Hafsa Arain (PhD ’24) had planned to travel to Pakistan to complete research for her dissertation in sociocultural anthropology. With the pandemic disrupting or bringing so many aspects of life to a standstill in 2020, Arain had to face the difficult reality that she’d have to postpone her research. Arain came to anthropology via religious studies and English literature – she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from DePaul University and a Master of Arts in Religious Studies from Claremont School of Theology – and... More
International Education Week 2021 is Set for Nov. 15 – 19
Events will be offered both in-person and virtually Global Programs looks forward to once again facilitating International Education Week (IEW) at BU. IEW 2021 will mark Global Program’s 10th consecutive year of leading IEW efforts for the University. IEW is a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and of Education, seeking to highlight the importance of international education. From November 15 - 19 the BU community will come together to host numerous events – both in-person and virtual – by student groups, schools, colleges, cultural centers, and other organizations across BU’s campuses and at BU Study Abroad locations. To highlight... More
A Chat with Maria Arruda
CELOP’s New Managing Director Shares Experiences Living in Egypt, Importance of Fostering Cross Cultural Understanding Maria Arruda has fascinating professional and personal experiences on which to draw as she takes the helm as the new Managing Director for BU’s Center for English Language & Orientation Programs (CELOP). Arruda’s professional path has taken her from Boston to Ghana, West Africa, then back to the U.S. and, most recently, to the Middle East. While living in Egypt as an expat, Arruda experienced the dramatic social, political, and cultural changes of the Arab Spring and Egyptian Revolution firsthand. Her interests in international education, Islam, and... More
How Study Abroad in Paris Shaped an Architectural Designer’s Career Interests
Karen Wang returned to her beloved Paris for an exciting career in heritage architecture You could say Karen (Kai-chun) Wang (CAS ’13) came to BU with a big imagination. As someone who identifies as a “third culture kid,” she experienced cross-cultural transitions early in life, during her formative years. “I was born in Taiwan, spent a part of my childhood in Vancouver, then returned to Taiwan for elementary and high school,” Wang says. “Then I enrolled at BU for college.” While at BU, she took an active role in building and tailoring her educational experience, taking design classes in the College of Communication... More
Gaining a Global Perspective during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Study Abroad Delivered Popular Cross College Challenge Course When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all in-person study abroad programs around the globe in spring 2021, BU Study Abroad brought parts of the world to students through the BU Hub’s Cross-College Challenge (XCC). Three Study Abroad instructors from three different continents came together to create and teach a remote course titled XCC Worldwide: The Intersection of Gender, Race, Media and COVID-19. The course explored the impact of the pandemic through a social-economic and a racial/ethnic prism in Australia, the U.S., and Europe. Students examined how the pandemic has further exposed inequalities... More
Global Feature
Global Feature
Global Feature
