I learned about the education abroad program at Babson College during my first year and knew that it was something I wanted to do. I got to fulfill this very exciting goal by spending the Fall 2022 semester in France, on the IES Paris: Business & International Affairs Program! Being an international student from Liberia, I am technically already studying abroad, but I knew that spending a semester somewhere else would add a lot more to my experience and push me to learn in new ways. That is exactly what happened. After spending a semester in Paris and traveling to other places, I feel like I learned so much in and out of the classroom that will stay with me for a lifetime. I’ve always been interested in French culture and language, which is what led me to apply for this very program. […]
Month: January 2023
Take a Moment With Tawah
Coming to the U.S. to study was like a dream come true for me. I got on campus with the help of my energetic mentors who I referred to as my “mommies.” I moved in and got settled on campus, happy to be a part of the orange and blue family and also to be called a Gettysburgian, but soon things changed when my mentors left. I felt lonely but also independent as always. I also thought of my mom and siblings who are miles away from me. Though I don’t see them everyday, the weekly communications are cherishable. The more we talk, the stronger I get. […]
A Day in the Life of Peipei
Peipei Soeung is first-year at Dartmouth College.
My first term in college was a roller coaster. I took three classes that turned out to be nothing like I expected. Allow me to walk you through all the dramatic changes that happened because of each of those classes. I only have classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So, for three days a week, I wake up at 8 AM in order to make it on time to my writing class which starts promptly at 8:50 AM. Out of the three classes I chose, this one scares me the most. […]
Voleak’s Journey Studying Abroad: Ireland and South Korea
Let’s take a walk down memory lane with me. I landed on a rainy day in Cork, Ireland. Waiting outside of the airport, I scanned the crowd for my transportation that the University of College Cork had nicely arranged for me, but I didn’t see anyone holding my name sign, just other names. I waited for what felt like a long time and still there was no sign of my driver. Until the other taxi drivers came up to me and asked and when I told them my predicament, they offered to call the number for me since I didn’t have a SIM card yet. I was suspicious at first, thinking they wanted to take advantage of me or convince me to ride with them. I was never so wrong; with the help of these gentlemen, I was able to arrive safely at my destination. That was my first culture shock to being in Ireland: I couldn’t believe that people were so nice. […]
Read More… from Voleak’s Journey Studying Abroad: Ireland and South Korea
Everything Emily
My summer break was a memorable one. I spent almost my entire summer in my home country Liberia and half in the United States. During the summer, while I was overly excited to come to the U.S., I was still committed to doing what I do best: “service” to my country. In June, I volunteered with an International Foundation “Davis Project for Peace,” which undertook its first ever project in Liberia where I served as the Head of Workshop Facilitation under the supervision of its supervisor Miss Junita Sangare. The goal of the project was to initiate a knowledge based system that empowers young women with education about their sexual reproductive health whilst creating a safe space that enhances their growth and development, which we achieved. […]
Kimheat’s Story: Babson or Bust!
There are many firsts in my first year of Babson College: fun, friends, food! For fun, I join extracurricular activities that I have never joined before such as Sustainability Club, Habitat for Humanity, empoWer, and First-Generation organization. All these clubs enable me to learn more about the Babson network and explore new interests, such as ways to help the environment or the local community. EmpoWer is my favorite club because I can connect with other female students from Wellesley, Olin, and Babson College and work together to amplify women’s voices through writing. I am also a Babson volunteer tour guide, leading prospective students on tours around Babson. […]
Keeping up With Courage
I still remember when I felt like my departure date for the States was a million years away. I remember not telling many family and friends because I thought I had more time to tell them; this was also the reason I started packing the day before my departure. But time was never subjected to my thought, so it came faster than I thought and caught me unprepared. I was not prepared to leave everything I had grown to know and love: my family, my friends, and my Liberian food. Nor was I prepared for the cold weather in the States, but I knew that this was what I signed up for, so I had to embrace it. […]
Seang is Soaring!
This summer was the most rewarding summer; I planned and led an impactful project at home (Cambodia). My project’s name is “Knowledge at Your Fingertips.” We bring knowledge to the students’ fingertips by constructing a library, purchasing eight new laptops and training students in basic computer skills at “Coconut School” on the Kirirum Mountain in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia. I applied and was selected for “Project for Peace” grant ($10,000) and received the SHE-CAN “Make A Change” grant ($2,000) to execute the project. […]
Get to Know Joyous!
My journey to becoming a SHE CAN scholar is full of hurdles and it’s unique in a way that is worthy of sharing. When I heard of SHE-CAN coming to Liberia in 2018, I grew curious and read about the excellent work they are doing, and it got me fascinated about being a SHE CAN scholar- the sisterhood that is established, the mentorship and training they provide- so it was this time that it all started. The application process was tedious, so much so that I felt like “this ain’t my thing.” […]
Write Right With Myra!
This Summer of 2022 was my first summer in the U.S. – the best summer of my life. It consisted of a lot of new and amazing experiences, but the most important of them was organizing a virtual summer writing program for a group of Liberian girls. […]