What is a Global Engagement Fellow?
Global Fellows are undergraduate students across the Open Society University Network and Bard International Network who provide assistance to students across both networks to conceptualize and produce civic engagement projects. Watch this video, created by our 2020-21 Global Fellows to learn more.
Global Engagement Fellowship in Action!
During January 2023, OSUN Global Engagement Fellows joined the OSUN Student Government Association Fellows, faculty and staff from across the network for a week-long leadership retreat at the Universidad de Los Andes (UniAndes) in Bogotá, Colombia. Participants attended numerous civic engagement-oriented leadership and debate workshops, as well as public speaking sessions and workshops on self care. Highlights included several sessions devoted wholly to Fellows discussing the civic engagement work they conducted in their communities and then brainstorming about ways to expand impacts through cross-campus collaboration.
2023–24 Fellows
Zarlasht Sarmast
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWS PROGRAM COORDINATORAmerican University of Central Asia (AUCA)
Zarlasht Sarmast is a graduate of the American University of Central Asia, Department of International and Comparative Politics. She finished her first MA degree in the department of International Relations and Security at the OSCE academy in Bishkek. She has previously served as the Spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kabul, Communications specialist for GIZ in Central Asia. Zarlasht is currently working for the Open Society University Network as a Program Coordinator for the Global Engagement Fellows program. She is the author of the photo storybook “A Journey from Kabul to Bishkek”. She is the Director and CEO of the project “Afghanistan Politics on the Verge of Transformation”. Zarlasht is currently pursuing her second Masters Degree in applied psychology at AUCA.
Dareen Alhajaref
LEAD GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAl-Quds Bard College for Arts and Science (AQB)
Dareen Alhajaref is a sophomore at Al-Quds Bard College majoring in Media Studies and Digital Communication. As Dareen leads the AQB Debate Union and co-leads the Solidarity Film Society, her main goal is to push for civic engagement to become an integral part of the higher education system. Drawing on her experience from working with diverse groups of people over the last four years, she hopes to allow students to grasp the concept of global civic engagement manifested through the establishment of a framework in which it becomes a powerful tool meant for both professional and personal development, as well as one that allows them to step towards a more diverse, equal, and inclusive world. As a Lead Global Engagement Fellow, she strives to foster an environment in which students from all over the world can be their own unique individuals who have the space and the opportunity to make tangible contributions to their communities locally and globally. Dareen strongly believes that students are not a merely passive demographic that is destined for the job market, but rather agents of change who have the power to mobilize and break oppressive cycles through sustainable, productive, and student-led participation and initiatives.
Sayed Anwar Ibrahimi
LEAD GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Central Asia (AUCA)
Sayed Anwar Ibrahimi is a second-year Software Engineering student at the American University of Central Asia. He built his first website when he was in 10th grade and then started to build websites and do back-end programming for different companies. As a Lead Global Fellow, he wants to be more active civically, create and implement projects that focus on issues that the community of Afghan students face and experience while integrating into new institutions and societies, in particular the evacuated students from American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) now at other OSUN institutions.
Vũ Đức Huy
LEAD GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWFulbright University Vietnam (FUV)
Huy is the founder of YUU Organization, a youth-led non-profit organization working to empower ethnic minority children and youth in the Central Highlands of Vietnam through education, employment, and cultural conservation since 2017. Huy follows the servant leadership model, inspired by Mother Teresa, and focuses on work with the Indigenous community in his hometown. In his third year with the Global Fellows Program, Huy aims to amplify the voice of youth in civic engagement across the network.
Christina Anastas
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAl-Quds Bard College (AQB)
Christina Anastas is a Genetics student at Al-Quds Bard College for Arts and Sciences. Christina is the founder of 'Melodies For Palestine', which is the first music initiative on campus. She is also a trombonist, pursuing her diploma in trombone performance at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music. Christina is motivated to raise awareness of the value of music in the Palestinian community. She wishes to help those who live in difficult situations and don't have the capacity to express themselves. Music creates compassion, tenderness, and peace, and making music in Palestine not only helps people to stand up for their rights but also consolidates their sorrows and struggles.
Ameed Faleh
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAl-Quds Bard College (AQB)
Ameed is the leader of the Solidarity Film Society (SFS), an initiative that seeks to build bridges between the peoples of the Global South through showcasing films from all over the globe and hosting discussions surrounding the topics that such films tackle. Through an intersectional framework, Ameed aims to expose the local Palestinian community to the struggles of marginalized people from all over the world. Committed to the idea of global citizenship, Ameed hopes that such solidarity will foster a collective respect and admiration of other cultures in his local community. In his role as a Global Fellow, Ameed hopes to reach students from different backgrounds, gain valuable experience, as well as raise awareness about the interconnected nature of oppression around the globe.
Qais Ahmad Dost
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Afghanistan (AUAF)
Qais Ahmad Dost a junior student of Political Science, majoring in International Relations at American University of Afghanistan. Qais has also been working as a mentor in OSUN’s ESL and Mindfulness program. Besides, he always wants to experience and learn new things in life.
Elham Wardak
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Afghanistan (AUAF)
Ahmad Elham Wardak is a senior IT Software Engineering student at the American University of Afghanistan with a minor in Public Administration. He previously worked as an Administrative Assistant for Sustainable Energy Services of Afghanistan and as a Senior Human Resources Assistant for Afghan Social and Health Organization. Elham is now working as a mentor for OSUN's ESL and Mindfulness program. Aside from that, he’s a current tutor for the IT department at AUAF where he assists students with IT-related issues. Apart from school and employment, Elham spends his leisure time taking photos and videos for his photography account.
Hussein Al-Ameri
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Beirut (AUB)
Hussein Al-Ameri is a sophomore undergraduate student at AUB who is pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration with a double concentration on marketing and information decision systems. He is also one of the recipients of the MEPI scholarship. Hussein was a first-place winner in Yemen at the English-Speaking Union and was previously a participant, ambassador, grant recipient, and peer mentor for World Learning's program, The Experiment Digital. He has completed a couple of internships with AMIDEAST, including one with a project called Nahdet Shabab, which means "Youth Renaissance" in Arabic, and another at the library. Moreover, Hussein is one of the creators of The Negotiators, a project aimed at helping recent high school students think globally by discussing worldwide issues and guiding them in their undergraduate studies journey. During his free time, Hussein enjoys writing songs or going to the gym to clear his mind.
Wael Frikha
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Beirut (AUB)
Wael is a Political Science student at the American University of Beirut. Currently on an exchange semester at the University of Pennsylvania, he is using this opportunity to expand his horizons and further his passion for social justice. From a young age, Wael has been actively engaged in developmental projects in his home country of Tunisia, particularly those aimed at supporting vulnerable groups and minorities. With a deep interest in migratory issues, he has worked closely with various migratory and refugee organizations.
Wael is a recipient of the MEPI Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarship. He firmly believes that leadership plays a crucial role in shaping lives and serving the underserved. With a goal to promote global human rights through civic engagement, Wael is determined to create equal access to opportunities for everyone.
Roya Maliky
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Beirut (AUB)
Roya Maliky is from Afghanistan. She is a junior student at the American University of Beirut, majoring in public administration and minoring in political studies and international law. She is currently working as a member at large of the Afghan Club, promoting Afghan culture, and assisting in the implementation of club projects at AUB. Furthermore, she is interested in working as an investigative journalist to reach out to the voice of vulnerable Afghan women through reporting and projects, she has worked as a senior instructor and organizer of events in different academic organizations for four years back in Afghanistan. As a Global Fellow, she aims to help students have a smooth academic life and be happy with themselves mentally and socially in their academic journey by promoting mental health awareness and other related civic engagement. Overall, she wants to invest in a healthy and just community.
Iren Dimitrova
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Bulgaria
Iren Dimitrova, a second-year student at the American University in Bulgaria pursuing a double major in Business Administration and Information Systems. She has a passion for business and technology, as well as a strong commitment to civic engagement and social justice. Over the past seven years, Iren has been actively involved in projects with a positive social impact. As a member and president of a club in the largest NGO in the world, she has initiated various civic projects, including the "Buy and donate", "Charitable Christmas Initiative", "With a flower in hand against the reproductive problems", and the pilot online climate project "Positivity-ACT News", which tracks the environmental benefits of the global pandemic (COVID-19). This program aims to extend the life of valuable literary works and preserve invaluable information for future generations.
Roona Farahi
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Central Asia (AUCA)
Roona Farahi is a third-year student at the American University of Central Asia, majoring in Human Rights and doing her minor in European Studies. She was the leader of the Presentation and public speaking skills club, and at the same time, she was an active member of the Flex Volunteering club where she and the members implemented various projects including, Gender equality, Education and development, and Children empowerment. Further, Roona implemented her first project called “A Step Ahead” granted by the Afghan Civic Engagement Program for the high school students at Bilimkana American high school. Her second project was supported by the Afghan Civic Engagement “Afghan Female Refugee Empowerment”, in which she delivered several workshops on awareness of these refugees regarding their refugee status and rights in Bishkek Kyrgyzstan. Roona is empowering young children of these refugees through the “Young Afghan Female Refugee Empowerment” project.
Navruzmo Khayolbekova
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Central Asia (AUCA)
Navruzmo Khayolbekova is a junior student majoring in Business Administration at AUCA. She served as the vice-president of the Student body and currently, she serves as the chair, as well as co-founded the Business club “Case Club”. She is driven to become more involved in campus life to create a safe learning environment where students' perspectives can be recognized. In addition to her activities at the university, she has successfully led various initiatives in her home country aimed at empowering girls. Also, Navruzmo has a strong interest in current environmental concerns and believes in the power of collective action. In 2022 she received an OSUN mobility scholarship and studied abroad in Bangladesh where she took the course “civic engagement" and was writing her project proposal on one of the bothersome problems in Dhaka, “Waste Management- Growing Greener BRAC”. As a global fellow Navruzmo aims to engage in bringing attention to the significance of current environmental issues and the ways fellows could work together to tackle them. This fellowship will be a fantastic opportunity to unite the actions and suggestions of all OSUN students and propose long-term solutions.
Oybek Turaev
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAmerican University of Central Asia (AUCA)
Oybek Turaev is a junior student majoring in Software Engineering at the American University of Central Asia, he identifies him as a growing leader to serve the community. Since his first year, he has been on the Dean’s List and he is an alumni of the C5+1 Youth Council where as a leader of his team, he implemented “Cybersecurity Championship” social project which is the winner of the “Best Project Team'' nomination at the Civic Engagement Awards Ceremony while engaging 42 university and high school students to take action against cybercrimes. As a representative of his team, he participated in the OSUN Summer Workshop on Policy Labs in Budapest to share project results and to collaborate with other Capstone teams. During the Fall 2022, he was at Bard College, NY through OSUN Mobility Program, which highly impacted him to identify the core principles of international networking, volunteering for the community, and personal growth as a leader. His goal as a Global Fellow is to challenge him in terms of high responsibility, and effective guidance for other students to build a civically-engaged community while advancing his personal and leadership qualities.
Freda Agyeman
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAshesi University
Freda Agyeman is a junior at Ashesi University, studying Business Administration. She is a driven and passionate individual who is committed to promoting civic engagement and social justice. In her free time, Freda enjoys volunteering in her community and supporting local initiatives.One of Freda's most significant projects is Photo4Her, an initiative she founded to empower young women in her community. The project provides photography training and equipment to young women, allowing them to document their experiences and tell their stories through visual media. Photo4Her has received recognition and support from various organizations, including the OSUN Microgrant and Ford Foundation. Freda is also an avid supporter of student-led initiatives and enjoys helping other students bring their ideas to life. As a Global Engagement Fellow, Freda plans to use her experience and knowledge to support Ashesi students who want to build their projects and apply for grants. She believes that by promoting collaboration and innovation, we can make a positive impact in our communities and beyond.
Mcebo Vincent Hlanze
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAshesi University
Mcebo Vincent Hlanze is a Junior studying Business Administration at Ashesi University and is currently on an exchange program at the University of California, Berkeley. He values teamwork, consistency, and integrity, which have made him skilled at leading people and managing projects. He is personable and regards himself as someone who can create everlasting relationships. He founded Dreams Arise Youth Empowerment Organization, a community project in The Kingdom of Eswatini that brings the youth together to share their skills, talents, and resources to better other underprivileged youth through academic mentorship. In addition, he serves as the President of a newly formed Investment Club on Campus, whose mission is to improve students' financial literacy. As a Global Fellow, he aims to develop leadership skills, collaborate with changemakers, and promote social justice and human rights worldwide. He hopes to inspire others to create a more equitable world.
Splendour Kalu
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWAshesi University
Splendour, who won the African Design Challenge Award at Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2021, is the founder & CEO of Communities Will Connect, an initiative that empowers girls and boys in rural communities with tech skills. He is among the six elected Ashoka Young Changemakers currently co-leading the 'Everyone A Changemaker Movement' in Nigeria. He has served as an ambassador to the World Literacy Foundation, where he helped promote literacy and impacted the lives of many children and young people in his community. Splendour is currently a peer mentor of the #CovidUnder19, an Initiative of the Terre des Hommes Foundation that meaningfully involves children in responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Splendour is helping to create a world where problems will not outrun solutions, and he has impacted the lives of over 300 people within and across his community.
Emilia Cooper
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWBard College
Emilia Cooper is a Bard student from NYC in her second year of undergrad. Emi is an Economics Major, focusing on policy around racial justice and economic security. She is currently employed by the Economic Democracy Initiative as a research assistant, working to create a data tool to disseminate information about public employment programs around the world. Emi has led projects around carceral justice reform including Bard New Orleans Exchange program, where she and several volunteers interned for Operation Restoration. Emi is also leading the Bard ReEntry Collaborative, a project to facilitate Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) student mentorship of formerly incarcerated youth. Emi also leads a volunteer program in Kenya, coordinating volunteers to teach and build infrastructure at a primary school in a rural village. In her role as an Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences (ELAS) student fellow, Emi has organized events, including thrift sales and workshops, to promote student entrepreneurship on campus. As an OSUN Global Engagement Fellow, Emi has also provided support for student-led civic engagement initiatives by holding office hours and planning tabling sessions for student projects. In her second year as a Global Engagement Fellow, Emi looks forward to continuing to build community in the 2023-2024 cohort and build upon her current civic engagement endeavors.
Muhammad Faraz Sadiq
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWBard College Berlin (BCB)
Muhammad Faraz Sadiq is a second year student at Bard College Berlin, studying Economics, Politics and Social Thought. He comes from Pakistan, where he was actively engaged in promoting youth political engagement before moving to Germany. During his university studies, he has been taking the lead in civic engagement projects that promote continued education, cultural exchange, and community building. He was chosen to serve as Access to Education Fellow at Bard College Berlin from 2022-23, and is currently running the Open Classroom project. His initiative seeks to promote engagement with literature and arts, to promote the role of universities as places of community building and education, and to promote access to education.
Judah Firestone-Morrill
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWBard Early Colleges
Judah Firestone-Morrill is a high-school-age New York-based founder and leader of the BHSEC Advocacy Club, a student-run club that promotes civic discourse and organizes activist initiatives at the local level and beyond. Judah has organized a walkout to protest public school budget cuts, a protest of gun violence, a global climate strike, and more. He has been featured in an array of news outlets with audiences in the millions, including Forbes, New York Daily News, and Spectrum. Judah also helps create biweekly informative Instagram posts on current events for the BHSEC Advocacy Club, which have been featured on accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers. Judah’s efforts have been acknowledged by NYC mayor Eric Adams, and Judah is constantly working on new initiatives and collaboration efforts, including a Civic Action Project on political polarization. He is a fellow and social media manager of Next Generation Politics, and is a member of the youth-led climate activism group, Fridays For Future.
Hasibul Hasan Ahmed
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWBRAC University
Meet Hasibul Hasan Ahmed, a passionate Bachelor's student of Computer Science Engineering at BRAC University. With a keen interest in social entrepreneurship, AI model synchronization, and API development for startups, He is also an accomplished web programmer who takes cybersecurity seriously. As the co-founder and Deputy Director of Social Impact Lab BRACU, He is an expert in external and internal partnership and strategy development. He has collaborated with national non-profits on various initiatives, such as mental health advocacy, road safety, and reducing carbon footprints, to create a positive impact. Apart from his work at Social Impact Lab BRACU, Hasib has founded ODD School, a start-up committed to the development of sustainable education. He is also a UN Millennium Fellow, dedicated to making a difference in his community and beyond. With his skill set and passion, he is all set to make a mark in the world of social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Maria Ruigomez Eraso
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWCentral European University
María Ruigómez Eraso is a student of the master in Cultural Heritage Studies at the Central European University in Vienna. Her research is centered around the restitution efforts of artworks in the context of the Franco dictatorship in Spain. María is also currently working at the CEU Culture Hub, where she helps to organize cultural and community engagement activities at the university. As a Global Fellow, María aims to further contribute to the university’s sense of community through arts and culture and serve as a resource for other engaged students and their projects.
Dang Thi Thao Nguyên
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWFulbright University
Nguyên is a core member of YUU Organization - a youth-led non-profit organization, and also a Wellness Ambassador at Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV). She is now working on poverty reduction along with promoting sustainable development and civic engagement by empowering youth through cultural preservation programs; job orientation, educational programs; and training camps. On her campus, she has been organizing monthly well-being initiatives and weekly teatimes to promote the health and well-being of Fulbright students. As a Global Fellow, she desires to be a helpful source for supporting Fulbright students and students across OSUN to develop and sustain their social projects.
Robert Aharanya Claudio
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWHubs for Connected Learning Initiatives
Robert Claudio is the founder of the community upright project that aims at developing opportunity-oriented youths from his community through mentorship, educational support, and football tournaments that engages them positively, in an effort to combat drug abuse in the community. In his second year as a global fellow, Robert wants to use his experience while working with other student leaders across the OSUN network in promoting civic engagement in his home institution and other OSUN partner universities.
Myat Moe Kywe
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWParami University
Jaycob Beasley
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWTuskegee University
Intuitive thinker and youth advocate Jaycob Beasley is a first-year sociology student at Tuskegee University in Alabama. He is an academic scholar with expertise in project management, advocacy, group collaboration, and community organizing. He strives to educate his peers and is passionate about taking action to address societal issues. Jaycob joined the OSUN Global Fellowship Program to help encourage students to take part in civic engagement as a social activist within his community and abroad. Jaycob wants to create a link between students who care deeply about social and environmental justice and possibilities to get involved in advocacy and mutual help.
Cameron Jones
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWTuskegee University
Cameron Jones, is a sophomore CS major attending Tuskegee University, and his career related goals pertain to becoming a professional computer programmer, for which he has the highest level of study. He also plans on networking within software companies and by projects. He has an innate passion for technology, especially AI, UI, and UX development. He is currently a part of AI Farms, a research project with the CAENS program conducted using autonomous AI to gather data on plants and help in reducing urban footprint. He is also a UNCF Tuskegee University ambassador tasked with assisting students on campus to gain scholarships through planned student events and engagement activities. He is a youth advocate and is very passionate in helping young students prosper in a multitude of ways. During his free time, he likes to work on building computers, and is from Nashville, Tennessee.
Jose Mauricio Gonzalez Aguacia
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWUniversidad de los Andes
Jose Gonzalez is an environmental engineering student at Universidad de los Andes, pursuing a minor in environmental sciences and biodiversity. As a professional technician in web and multimedia design, he has worked as a marketing and communications manager, concentrating on web development and content creation in multiple campaigns. He has also contributed to research in paleontology, ecology, and climate change at his university. Jose's personal interests, such as music, hiking, and photography, have served as inspiration for some of his professional projects. Collaborating with multiple stakeholders over the years, he has created cultural and academic events to raise political, environmental, and social consciousness among local communities and students interested in sustainability. In his first year as a global fellow, he aims to empower other fellow students and connect with other experiences and tools of Global Fellows around the world.
Juan Andrés
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWUniversidad de los Andes
Juan Andrés is a Colombian Non-Binary person, who studies at the Universidad de Los Andes. Juan is an activist in the LGBTQ+ community, and leads social justice movements in favor of human, sexual and reproductive rights, from a perspective of the global south. Juan works actively in the transitional justice process of the comprehensive system of memory, truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition in the Colombian peace process, especially for LGBTQ+ victims of violence. Juan leads Diversxs Uniandes, a student initiative that works with and for gender diversity and sexual dissidents.
Laura Sofia Arana Estrada
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWUniversidad de los Andes
Laura is an economics student at Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes) in Colombia with a minor in government. She is the co-founder of Altruismo Eficaz Uniandes, an initiative dedicated to encouraging students to find ways in which they can have a positive impact on the world through their careers, given their interests, resources, skills, and knowledge. She is also the president of the Uniandes Student Council, the largest body for student representation at the university, where she strives to develop and implement projects for the well-being, mental health, engagement, and social responsibility of almost 15,000 students. As a Global Fellow, Laura aims to inspire others across the network to find ways in which they can help their communities and even the world.
Itumeleng Mabotse
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWUniversity of Witwatersrand
Hope Mokadi
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT FELLOWUniversity of Witwatersrand