America the Bilingual Podcast Interviews AFS-USA
AFS-USA President Jorge Castro participated in a podcast episode about the benefits of immersive, long-term study abroad programs. The episode is part of the America the Bilingual podcast hosted by Steve Leveen and supported by the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL. With the help of several guest speakers, Leveeen uncovers some of the unique benefits of longer term programs and makes a strong case for their preservation amidst the growing popularity of short-term study abroad opportunities. Listen to the full episode here.
YES Alumna Hosts LGBTQI Information Session
Monique Jafta, an AFS/YES alumna from South Africa, hosted a successful information session for LGBTQI students at her university this summer. After attending a health and wellness workshop, she realized that many students from her university faced discrimination because of their sexual orientation. As a response, Jafta held an information session on her campus to educate students about gender and sexual equity. “I encourage other YES alumni to hold informative events like this one at their colleges and universities. I am merely one person and cannot make a huge impact alone, but with the help of others, we might be able to change the world,” she told YES. Read the full story on the YES website.
AFS-USA Alumnus Opens Georgian Restaurant in D.C.
AFS-USA Alumnus Jonathan Nelms will open a Georgian restaurant in Washington, D.C. this fall. His interest in the Republic of Georgia started in high school when he befriended a Soviet-Georgian exchange student who was studying abroad in his Florida hometown. The following year, Nelms studied abroad in Russia for a year through AFS, and he eventually became a compliance lawyer specializing in the region after receiving his B.A. from Harvard and J.D. from Georgetown. His enthusiasm for Georgian culture and food hasn’t waned as evidenced by his plans to open Supra, D.C.’s first Georgian restaurant. Read about Nelms, his team, and Supra on Food Service Monthly. You can also help fund the finishing touches of his restaurant by donating to his Kickstarter campaign.
Profile of an AFS-USA Reverse Alumnus on Forbes
Matthew Rizai, an AFS-USA Reverse Alumnus, was recently featured as a business thought leader on Forbes’s online publication earlier this month. Rizai was an AFS Student from Turkey who studied abroad in Michigan. He continued his education in the U.S. and later founded a successful data and report management software company called Workiva, which now works with more than 70 percent of Fortune 500 companies. Read more about Rizai and his company on Forbes.
AFS Student Breaks Football Records at Iowa High School
Roope Niskanen, an AFS Student from Finland, has quickly become a football phenomenon at Audubon High School this season. During practice, he kicked a 65-yard field goal and has almost kicked a 58-yard field goal during a game – feats that no student has ever made in Audubon High School football history! “It was a completely new thing to me…I heard the crowd go, ‘Whoa!’ during that first kickoff. I was like, ‘I’m going to love this sport,’” he told The Des Moines Register. Read the full story here.
Local Scholarship Recipient Reflects on Her AFS Experience in Paraguay
AFS-USA Student Aria wrote about her study abroad experience on the School District of Marshfield’s website. Aria was the recipient of a local study abroad scholarship that is provided each year to one Marshfield High School student. Read about her eye-opening, immersive experience here.