CGE

A large group of young African leaders gather in a lobby

UMBC Center for Global Engagement welcomes its second cohort of the Young African Leaders Initiative 

/ 12 minutes of reading

This summer, UMBC’s Center for Global Engagement (CGE) is excited to welcome its second cohort of the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, the six-week flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The new cohort includes 25 innovators from countries across Sub-Saharan Africa representing education, journalism, tech, health care, and more. Continue Reading UMBC Center for Global Engagement welcomes its second cohort of the Young African Leaders Initiative 

A collage of images showing students traveling with mentors and teaching with children

A Journey of Growth

/ 14 minutes of reading

International travel offers ample opportunities to stretch yourself—one minute you may be the expert and the next, completely clueless about how something works. Retrievers currently in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program—teaching English or researching around the globe—find themselves oscillating between their teaching and student roles on a daily or hourly basis. By engaging their host communities through openness and cultural humility (and many shared cups of tea or coffee), these Fulbrighters are finding their balance along the way. Continue Reading A Journey of Growth

A group of students standing behind a wood sign with the words South Africa written in white on an education abroad trip

CAHSS dean establishes a $400,000 education abroad scholarship  

/ 2 minutes of reading

UMBC CAHSS Dean’s Education Abroad Scholarship. The scholarship guarantees $100,000 per year for the next four years to help offset the financial costs of studying abroad. Undergraduate and graduate students with at least one major in CAHSS, and who need additional financial support to study abroad can apply for awards ranging from $1,500 – $5,000. The inaugural round of scholarships have been awarded to 24. Continue Reading CAHSS dean establishes a $400,000 education abroad scholarship  

a man in running gear stands in front of the brandenburg gate in Berlin Germany

Meet a Retriever—Brian Souders, Ph.D., globetrotter and study abroad champion

/ 4 minutes of reading

Currently, Brian Souders is the associate director for global learning in the Center for Global Engagement at UMBC. But Brian, who came to UMBC in 2000 to be the university’s inaugural study abroad coordinator, has worn a number of hats in his 20+ years as a Retriever. He’s a two time alum (Ph.D. ’09, language, literacy, and culture, M.A. ’19, TESOL), and after years of helping faculty and students achieve their overseas learning and research goals, Brian recently took part in his own Fulbright exchange program. Take it away, Brian! Q: What’s one essential thing you’d want another Retriever to… Continue Reading Meet a Retriever—Brian Souders, Ph.D., globetrotter and study abroad champion

Man standing with his arms crossed in front of a backdrop of flags from around the world and students sitting.

Studying abroad is poised to make a post-pandemic comeback – here are 5 questions students who plan to study overseas should ask

/ 4 minutes of reading

Before the pandemic struck in 2020, the number of U.S. students studying abroad had been pretty much rising steadily each year. The global spread of COVID-19, however, brought the steady growth in study abroad to a screeching halt in early 2020. Continue Reading Studying abroad is poised to make a post-pandemic comeback – here are 5 questions students who plan to study overseas should ask

Three students walk down academic row on a sunny day

How to Bridge Your Two Homes

/ 5 minutes of reading

With Jess Presuel ’23, biological sciences, an international student from Mexico Jess Presuel’s route to UMBC was not a direct flight from Mérida, Yucatán—her home state in Mexico—to UMBC. She originally arrived in Maryland in 2015 as an au pair to a family with five children. There, she immediately felt accepted and as she cared for the children, they helped her learn English. Over time, Presuel realized she was ready to pursue her dream of becoming a surgeon, starting in fall 2021 working toward a degree in biological science. At UMBC, Presuel knew that she wasn’t just on campus to… Continue Reading How to Bridge Your Two Homes

A group of three students wearing backpacks stand close together smiling in front of a building. College enrollment.

Influx of students from India drives US college enrollment up, but the number of students from China is down

/ 4 minutes of reading

This year’s “Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange” report shows a 91% decline in the total number of U.S. students who studied abroad during the 2020-2021 academic year. The pandemic also led colleges to develop more online global learning opportunities. Continue Reading Influx of students from India drives US college enrollment up, but the number of students from China is down

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