Cultural Ambassadors Open Windows into the American Experience

Fellows of the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in Eurasia and Central Asia are busy with cultural activities and Tweeting, blogging, recording, and filming their experiences. The IREX Global UGRAD team is pleased to acknowledge these Cultural Ambassadors and highlight the work of six fellows for their efforts to share widely their version of life in America.

Pavel Koshkin of Russia, studying at Tennessee Tech University; Tatiana Nesterenco of Moldova, studying at St. Cloud University; Chingiz Rahmanov of Azerbaijan, studying at Augustana College; and Elshad Yusifov of Azerbaijan, studying at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, won the competition to create a video of a “Day in the Life of a Global UGRAD Fellow.”

Aizhan Tilenbaeva of Kyrgyzstan, studying at Chadron State College (photo below), and Anzhelika Osmanova of Kazakhstan, studying at Augustana College (photo above), won the competition for a combination of the fullest Cultural Passport to America and the best blogs. The Cultural Passport to America, modeled after an American passport, allows fellows to record their cultural events—ranging from observing local government committees and taking historical tours of their towns to attending football games and volunteering for the holidays—by having their university advisors stamp their passports. When fellows return home, they are equipped to share their experiences with their communities and broaden the reach of their cultural understanding.

The Global UGRAD Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, and is implemented by IREX.