IREX is pleased to announce the winners of the Global UGRAD in Eurasia and Central Asia [6] video competition, “Life in the U.S.: Sharing My Global UGRAD Experience.” Global UGRAD students have been busy documenting their diverse experiences since they arrived in the United States in August 2011. This competition is one component of the Global UGRAD Cultural Ambassadors Passport to America program, in which students document and reflect on their diverse American experiences.
The IREX Global UGRAD Team extends its congratulations to three 2011-2012 Global UGRAD students for their outstanding videos: Anton, from Ukraine, studying at the University of Louisiana at Monroe [7]; Asel, from Kyrgyzstan, studying at Utica College [8]; and Batyrbek, also from Kyrgyzstan, studying at Augustana College [9].
The video competition gave the students an opportunity to highlight different parts of their American experience, including their friendships, campus life, community service work, travel, and internships. Anton, Asel, and Batyrbek’s videos were selected based on their unique presentation of their Global UGRAD experiences and their creativity in sharing what they have learned this past year. Enjoy the winning videos below:
Along with their videos, Global UGRAD students also submitted applications for Life in the U.S micro-grants. The micro-grants will allow participants to implement U.S. Culture Projects in their home countries, and in their proposals, the Global UGRAD students explained how they will creatively share their U.S. experiences with others when they return home. In addition to the three video competition winners, eleven other students received micro-grants this year. See their video submissions here [10].
The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in Eurasia and Central Asia [6] is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs [11] of the U.S. Department of State and is implemented by IREX.