Student Global Engagement Fellow Alumni/ae: Where Are They Now? (Part Three)

Student Global Engagement Fellows are a group of inspiring graduates and undergraduates who promote and execute impactful thematic civic engagement projects across OSUN on their campuses and their communities. The Global Engagement Fellows demonstrate strong cross-cultural leadership skills as they collaborate with peers worldwide who are creating their own social impact projects and engaging with community issues.

This is the third article in a series telling the stories of student Global Engagement alumni/ae who have graduated and now reflect on how the experience shaped their development and how the leadership skills they gained not only enhanced their projects and careers, but also positively affected the communities they live in.

Mihail Mishev, American University of Bulgaria

Before joining the OSUN student Global Engagement Fellowship program, Mihael Mishev was already a very politically engaged student at American University of Bulgaria, especially when it came to fighting discrimination against Roma people. He helped develop strategy for the national government in 2021 and after participating in OSUN’s Get Engaged Conference in 2022, joined the Global Engagement Fellowship.

Impressed by the cooperative environment at Get Engaged, Mishev realized he was much more interested in collaborating with colleagues, as opposed to competing with them. He was also thrilled by the diverse approaches students took as they engaged with their communities. “All of these (Get Engaged Conference) presentations give you hope that your problems are not the worst in the world. And they remind you that your approach is not always the best. You can get feedback from sharing projects and everybody asks for advice, such as ‘What do you think I can do with your own experience?’” he says.

Joining the program fostered Mishev's engagement with Bulgarian politics, connecting him with key figures who could join his events and support his initiatives. The program also assisted Mishev in getting a micro-grant for a project he undertook after completing the fellowship. Mishev is interviewing Bulgarian Roma about their struggles as minorities and how they manage to overcome such obstacles. By featuring the human dimensions of the Roma, Mishev hopes to affect the stereotypes that exist about the Roma Bulgarian community. 

Yalda Negah, American University of Beirut
 
Yalda Negah, a student Global Engagement Fellow alum from 2022-2023, applied to the program with the aims of strengthening her capacity to lead civic engagement projects focused on women's rights and the education of girls. As an Afghan woman, she understands the crucial role of education for gender equality, and she believes that her mission is to work for educational accessibility. 

Negah says the program allowed her to develop several important professional skills. “I got to meet and know people who were already working in the area of education, which was where I wanted to be. It was an amazing opportunity for me to enlarge my network,” she says. She also ỉmproved her public speaking skills by leading monthly civic engagement workshops, meeting with fellows, telling students about OSUN opportunities, and joining a professional development retreat in Bógota, Colombia. Negah says, “I got to know so much more about civic engagement. I became more self-aware and also found my own passion and interest.”

After completing her fellowship, Negah focused on her project, Equal World, which screened documentaries that raised awareness of women and other marginalized groups’ issues. The project highlighted women around the world, specifically in developing countries in the Middle East, who are underrepresented in mainstream dialogue. She also collaborated with other fellows to organize cross-campus events that brought diverse perspectives to students and encouraged discussion. 

For Negah, the fellowship was a learning opportunity that cultivated her leadership skills. As a student, she could strike a balance between academic and civic engagement commitments, giving her the chance to run workshops, attend conferences, or travel for retreats, without feeling overwhelmed. 

Negah believes that the non-judgemental environment of the program can be a big support for upcoming fellows. “Even if the (fellowship) idea is new, it's totally fine,” she says. “You don't have the complete picture yet. You can share your thoughts. And as a team, the coordinator and the other fellows always welcome and support you. Sometimes they guide you if there's a challenge or problems. You overcome obstacles together.” 

Aleksandar Vitanov, Bard College Annandale

Aleksandar Vitanov was a sophomore at Bard College, majoring in Politics and Music, when he joined the student Global Engagement Fellows. At Bard College, he got the chance to explore civic engagement through liberal arts courses. This encouraged him to create his Music Mentorship Initiative project, which offers tutoring and free private lessons to music students who otherwise cannot afford them. Vitanov’s desire to expand his project led him to OSUN and he eventually applied for the Global Engagement Fellowship. 

Vitanov received various material and non-material resources for his project and the related leadership development. The fellowship stipend helped him to cover some of his project expenses and it allowed him to communicate with a cohort of students at Bard College and other OSUN campuses. While meeting, sharing, and planning workshops with fellow students, Vitanov learned how to organize events that focused on the student experience and he honed his facilitation skills. 

Like Negah, Vitanov participated in a professional development retreat in Bógota that immersed him in an active learning environment enriched by diverse cultural engagement. His peers also supported him in exploring issues related to civic engagement leadership through multi-dimensional approaches. “I realized I could see the interrelation between those issues. I believe this is going to stay with me throughout my life, and certainly, contribute to my professional development,” says Vitanov.

As Vitanov continues his studies at Bard College, he is spending the fall semester at the Bard Globalization and International Affairs (BGIA) Master’s program in New York City, where he is taking graduate courses in international relations and interning with an organization that does research through polling, surveying, market development, and evaluation.

As the current cohort of student Global Engagement Fellows continues its work bringing positive change to communities and societies, OSUN will continue to share students' inspiring stories. Stay tuned for more stories from student Global Engagement Fellows alumni/ae.

Post Date: 11-27-2023