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NYU Florence Embraces a History of Sustainability

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Katie L

NYU Florence does not offer your typical college experience. Located on the stunning Villa La Pietra estate, the 550-year-old, 57-acre academic center includes five historic villas, a world-famous art collection, Renaissance gardens, and lush olive groves. Prior to NYU inheriting it, the estate served as a retreat for its owners’ families. Today, it’s home to the NYU Florence community, connecting students and staff to the past—and to the world around them.

That’s why NYU Florence is committed to ongoing sustainability efforts, including growing their own food for the dining hall, launching a community farm, and optimizing museum operations for environmental sustainability, through the Terra Firma Firenze program. “The uniqueness of the center lies in its location in a well-preserved green area of the city; the buildings, the formal gardens, and the landscapes are visually and physically connected,” explains Francesca Baldry, Villa La Pietra’s collection manager. “When our students arrive, they become aware of how their well-being connects with the natural world.”

A Legacy of Self-Sufficiency

Three students holding bins filled with green vegetables smiling at the camera

NYU Florence students harvesting vegetables in the pomario.

For hundreds of years, a variety of wealthy Florentine families called Villa La Pietra’s five villas home. During that time, Tuscany’s economy was agriculturally based, and the estate was largely self-sufficient, growing its own food, monitoring the soil, and carefully preserving water. “It’s important to remember that, though a villa always produces food, it is not a farm. Its overriding purpose is the well-being of the folk who live on the estate. Here, that’s the NYU Florence students,” says Nick Dakin-Elliot, a horticultural associate at NYU Florence. “At Villa La Pietra, for most of history, its agriculture has been largely self-sufficient, with a proven record of sustainability. And soon we’ll officially launch our community farm, marking a move to return to sustainable, healthy food production at Villa La Pietra.”

To this day, the estate features olive groves, vegetable gardens, and a pomario (a walled kitchen garden), which includes over 100 lemon and orange trees in individual terra-cotta pots. When students broached the subject of how they could eat the bounty of food grown on the grounds, staff began pondering the possibilities. “Students are always the focus of all of our efforts, and we always take their voices into consideration,” affirms Baldry.

Building a Hyper-Local Food System

Starting this spring, NYU Florence’s dining hall will serve food grown on the estate. First, students will have the opportunity to sow, water, and harvest crops at the community farm. Then, they can taste the fruits of their labor in their next meal. Cristina Fantacci Cellini, NYU Florence visit and event coordinator, adds, “Having a hands-on approach in the vegetable garden is a unique experience, which teaches students the value of fresh and organic produce and the importance of composting.”

Two students crouch next to vegetable beds

NYU Florence students working in the no-dig vegetable garden.

In addition, the NYU Florence community can access a range of virtual and in-person lectures, workshops, and discussions to augment their connection to the center and the environment. Offerings include a discussion about caring for your veggies over coffee; a cooking lesson with black cabbage (also known as Tuscan kale), traditionally the only green vegetable available during late winter in Tuscany; and a foraging trip around the olive groves.

Green Initiatives Beyond the Garden

In addition to growing their own food, NYU Florence emphasizes sustainability in residence halls, classrooms, and the museum. In fact, Baldry recently shared NYU Florence’s efforts in relation to greening the museum and grounds as part of the Historic House Museums for a Sustainable World: Challenges and Opportunities conference organized by the International Council of Museums and DEMHIST. “In 2013 I read a book called The Green Museum, and I found it so inspiring!” says Baldry. “Is it possible, I asked myself, to spend less energy while still preserving artworks in a good museum environment?”

At Villa La Pietra, she’s doing just that. Museum staff aim to reduce energy usage and waste, consume less water, utilize eco-friendly supplies, and increase public participation in sustainability efforts. Furthermore, the whole community has drastically reduced its use of printed materials, banned single-use water bottles, and committed to using all recyclable products in the dining hall and at events. “We explore the concept of sustainability from many different angles,” concludes NYU Florence student Juancarlos (JC) Navarro. “It’s left us all with a refreshed perspective on our relationship to Tuscany’s beauty.”

Written by Dana Guterman

NYU Anthropology and Journalism Major Lands Internship at Haaretz

Posted on April 18, 2022, modified on April 18, 2022 by Kristin Law

When Anthropology and Journalism major Andrew Califf decided to spend a semester at NYU Tel Aviv, he thought he might get the opportunity to gain direct experience in social media management or land a general journalism internship. What he actually achieved, in just a few months, was the publication of multiple articles in Haaretz—the Israeli equivalent of the New York Times. This incredible experience helped bring him closer to his dream career.

From Internship to Mentorship

Andrew Califf

The third-year College of Arts and Science (CAS) student was no stranger to studying abroad. He had already spent a semester in Shanghai, wanting to take full advantage of the global campus that inspired him to enroll in NYU in the first place. But this time, he was determined to immerse himself in his passion for archaeology through NYU’s program in Tel Aviv. Israel, with its proximity to diverse Middle Eastern cultures and its incredible wealth of ruins, seemed like a perfect fit. And when he realized the opportunities Haaretz presented, it sealed the deal. “I met with an internship coordinator from Haaretz when I was in Nicaragua at an archaeology field school this summer,” Andrew says. “She had seen some of the fieldwork I was doing on my website, and the first thing we talked about was the archaeology department there. I didn’t even know that was a possibility!”

And what a treasure trove of possibilities it was. Though the newspaper’s archaeology section is widely read, publishing high-profile stories that attract the attention of the Smithsonian and National Geographic, the department is very small. Editor Ruth Schuster—whom Andrew would come to work directly with as he learned the ropes and mastered the tools of the trade—writes a large portion of the articles. “At first, I was in over my head,” Andrew admits. “I had to learn very quickly—to be able to take a step back from failure and figure out how to breeze through that part of the editing process the next time.” But before long, Andrew moved from simple listicles to features and news stories. “Ruth is one of the best archaeological journalists there is,” he says. “She saw my talent and desire to succeed, and because of her help and support, I’m gaining exponentially more than I ever thought I could from this experience.”

The city of Tel Aviv behind the Jaffa Clock Tower

Opportunities Abroad

Beyond Haaretz, the region has much to offer Andrew during his time abroad. At NYU Tel Aviv, he has found a great circle of peers driven by excellence and committed to making a difference. “This is a very healthy environment for me,” he says. “I’m writing about people who have been dead for thousands of years, but I’m surrounded by people with such passion for things that are afflicting the world today. People come here to help refugees, teach English, and work in conflict resolution. Working amid that energy is just incredible.” In his free time, Andrew ventures beyond the city, traveling to other parts of Israel as well as Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Tunisia.

Andrew Califf standing in a rock crevice

Photo of Andrew Califf by Rishi Dhir

When he’s not out exploring, Andrew relies on interviews to connect to those out in the field he hopes to join someday. “Archaeologists and anthropologists have time for you, and they love talking about what they’ve found,” Andrew says. At the same time, he uses his journalistic skills to zero in on unique findings, to make his work stand out from other publications covering the same story like CNN and National Geographic. “Being able to tell good stories while conducting good fieldwork is so important,” Andrew emphasizes. “If you go out and discover incredible places and incredible artifacts, you shouldn’t hide that in a boring abstract and a boring background with hundreds of footnotes. The combination of work I’m pursuing—it feels like I’m doing what I’ve always been called to do.”

Thinking about the future, Andrew has his sights set on an internship with National Geographic. He also hopes to do fieldwork in Mongolia, another step on his path toward specializing in journalism and archaeology in remote areas. He’s excited for his upcoming senior year and wants to pursue honors in both anthropology and journalism.

Written by Sarah Bender

United for Ukraine

Posted on April 1, 2022, modified on April 4, 2022 by Kristin Law

By Leah Gaffen, Special Project Manager, NYU Prague

NYU Prague students get involved in local aid efforts

As the war rages in Ukraine, Czechs feel a strong sense of solidarity with their Slavic neighbors. The Czech Republic has received over 250,000 refugees since the war began, and the refugees have been generously welcomed here. There are piles of flowers and collections of candles supporting Ukraine on Wenceslas Square—the very place where Russian tanks fired on buildings in 1968 and Czechs gathered to overthrow the Communist government in 1989—and in recent weeks, tens of thousands of Czechs have gathered there to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine.

Many NYU Prague students joined these efforts by making financial donations to local organizations or contributing canned food, hygienic goods, and other supplies to campus collections. Several even decided to get more involved. Below are some of the initiatives students have participated in so far.

Assembling Protective Gear

Putting together bulletproof vests was not a skill any NYU student expected to pick up during their semester abroad. But that is exactly what many NYU Prague students have learned to do as they support the efforts of Post Bellum, a nonprofit organization that has raised over $5 million to supply protective equipment for soldiers in Ukraine. Enlisting the help of volunteers is the fastest way for the Prague-based organization to assemble and transport bulletproof vests.

NYU Prague students joined the first volunteer brigade last Tuesday, which took place at the Czech Senate. Olivia Puntenney, a sophomore prehealth student majoring in Instrumental Performance, was one of them. “We arrived at the Czech Senate, where a room was set aside for us. Then the iron plates that go into the vests arrived in a truck, and we formed an assembly line to get them inside,” she says. The leaders and volunteers figured out how to put the protective material inside the vests, including the heavy metal plates, making a material “sandwich.” The vests, which weigh over 22 pounds when completed, can protect someone from the most common weapons used by the Russian army.

Since then, the organizers moved to a warehouse in the Prague suburbs that can accommodate more volunteers. However, NYU Prague students, along with students from other local universities and high schools, continue to participate. Within the first week, Post Bellum took truckloads of over 2,000 vests to the border. They plan to send at least 10,000 more, and the volunteer brigades will continue.

“It was such a strong experience. And so humbling as we spoke to volunteers whose families were in Ukraine,” says Olivia. “It felt good to be able to donate our time and do as much as we could.”

Students for Ukraine Livestream

On March 3, NYU Prague students rolled out of bed at 4:30 a.m. (CET) and onto the tram. Their destination? The National Theatre, where they were part of a 72-hour nonstop livestream organized by Students for Ukraine, a Prague-wide network launched by local Prague Academy of Performing Arts university students. They galvanized students, artists, activists, Czech TV film crews, and the National Theatre’s production department to raise awareness and money through this livestream, entitled Wake Up for Ukraine.

Olivia, a violaist who organized Music For Change concerts when she was in high school, knew she had to be a part of this event. She recruited several other students who weren’t afraid of performing in front of a camera—or setting their alarm clocks early enough for the 6:15 a.m. (CET) call time.

NYU Prague students in front of the Czech Senate on the first day of the volunteer brigade

Undergraduate Mason Bleu stayed up most of the night before writing a poem titled “We Ask,” which he performed during the livestream. Hannah Butts and Sasha Jones, both part of NYU’s ballet company for nonmajors, dusted off their dance shoes and debated whether or not it was appropriate to perform to Russian music.

“Because we arrived so early in the morning it was so cold, but the organizers greeted us with coffee and tea. It was so professionally run, with incredible cameras. I was amazed students had put this together in two days,” says Olivia. The NYU Prague students joined dozens of other students and artists who expressed their horror at the violence in Ukraine through singing, concerts, live painting, dance, discussion, experimental theatre, and more. The goal was to bring people together to express support for Ukraine in the midst of Russian aggression while raising money for the humanitarian organization People in Need.

Below is Mason’s original poem, “We Ask,” which he performed at Wake Up for Ukraine.

We Ask
By Mason Bleu

we ask
for peace and love spread through the clouds
instead of smoke from fighting making ears ring loud
when times are hard and there’s no redress
(and even in this time of stress)
we ask for peace and quiet to lay youth to rest
from broken trust that can’t be mend
solidarity placed in neighbors who disguised themselves as friends
we ask for pain to be relieved
battlefields turned into trees
for life is lost in times of war
where protectors pass for the lives of more
we ask that life return to those lost in fight
through memory we ask to always keep their light
their hearts so pure intentions right
the goal of freedom always in sight
we ask that things can change tonight
and for freedom we ask; it is your right
Ukraine with you we’ll always stand
with you we rise and take a chance
with you we fight hand in hand
we ask that they get off your land.

Staff Spotlight: Marian Ansa-Otu, Programs Manager of Student Services, NYU Accra

Posted on March 21, 2022 by Katie L

Marian Ansa-Otu, Programs Manager of Student Services, NYU Accra

Students traveling to NYU Accra might not always know what to expect when studying abroad in one of the largest cities in Ghana. Once they get there, however, staff members like Marian Ansa-Otu are available to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

For more than a decade, Marian Ansa-Otu, the programs manager of Student Services at NYU Accra, along with her staff, has made students’ experiences her top priority. “We manage and assist with all aspects of student life, including orientation, cultural programming, health and wellness, and community engagement,” says Ansa-Otu. In fact, she says, Student Services at NYU Accra operates with an open-door policy. “Students can call, text, email, or walk into our offices to share their concerns with us and we will go to great lengths to find solutions.” What’s more, each student has two mandatory meetings per semester with Student Services, so they have ample opportunity to discuss their experiences, successes, and challenges, get assistance, and learn about upcoming events.

Student immersion in the Ghanaian culture is another prime directive of Ansa-Otu and her staff. “Our office collaborates with the academic and other support units to plan, develop, and coordinate programs that help ensure successful cultural adjustment into the Ghanaian environment.” To that end, the staff sponsors workshops, lectures, field trips, and special excursions that correlate with traditions like Career Week, Ally Week, and Cultural Diversity Day. “Planning cultural activities that students can actively participate in helps them learn more about their new environment and culture while adjusting at their own rate and level of comfort,” says Ansa-Otu.

Additional benefits Student Services provides include welcome lunches, farewell dinners, city tours, meditation/reflection rooms, and day and overnight trips to tour different parts of the country.

Ansa-Otu says there is myriad proof that Student Services at NYU Accra is having a transformative effect on students. “Sometimes you see students who change significantly from the start of the semester to the end, evolving into more reflective and engaged students,” Ansa-Otu says. “We even had one student say that coming to this center helped her better understand not only herself but also the world. She said that she felt empowered by her education and left feeling like a new, stronger person.”

Content repurposed with permission from NYU Global Notebook

NYU Named Gilman Top Producing Institution

Posted on March 14, 2022, modified on March 14, 2022 by Kristin Law

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a program of the US Department of State with funding provided by the US government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

In recognition of the large number of Gilman Scholars NYU has produced, the US Department of State named the University one of the highly regarded program’s 20 large Top Producing Colleges and Universities in 2021. NYU was the only private research university in the large category to receive this distinction, announced last fall by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“Gilman’s mission is to make study abroad more accessible and inclusive by providing scholarships to outstanding US undergraduate students,” says NYU Office of Global Programs assistant director of student services Nyoka Joseph. “As a top-producing institution, NYU is recognized for its support of equity, diversity, and accessibility in study abroad through the programs it offers and the culture it has created with regards to studying or interning abroad for any student who wants the experience.”

Helping Students Fulfill Their Study Abroad Dreams

Since its foundation in 2001, the Gilman Scholarship Program has partnered with US higher education institutions to make study abroad more accessible for underrepresented students, including first-generation college students, students who are of historically marginalized ethnicities, students with disabilities, and students attending historically Black colleges and universities.

Students receive up to $5,000 in funding to study abroad for a full semester or academic year, and they are eligible to apply for an additional $3,000 in aid if they plan to study a critical need language (a language deemed critical to national security).

Each year, Joseph and her team host informational sessions to review the Gilman application process and teach students how to write strong essays. With three Gilman advisers on board, Joseph says they can mentor more than 35 student applicants each semester.

For Mika-Elle Metellus, a College of Arts and Science senior pursuing a double major in French and Politics, the Gilman advisers played a critical role in her Gilman success story.

“Thanks to the NYU Gilman advisers, my application process ran smoothly,” she says. “In the beginning of the spring 2019 semester, I attended a Gilman Scholarship information session at the StudentLink Center. I was then paired with an adviser who simplified the process for me by creating personal deadlines, reviewing all my essay drafts, and motivating me along the way.”

The Lasting Impact of a Gilman Scholarship

According to Joseph, students benefit from the Gilman Scholarship in many ways. One of the immediate benefits, she says, is the reduction of their financial burden. The scholarship allows them to focus on their studies while fully experiencing their new international environment. This was true for Mika-Elle, who studied abroad at NYU Paris in the fall of 2019. “I became fully integrated into the French culture and language,” she says. “My biggest takeaway from studying at NYU Paris was the language immersion that no classroom setting could ever provide.”

A view of the Eiffel Tower

When students complete their term abroad, Joseph says they gain access to the Gilman Scholar Network (a national alumni network), become a Gilman ambassador, and complete a service project for their NYU peers or their local community. They also qualify for at least 12 months of noncompetitive eligibility hiring status within the federal government. This allows US federal government agencies to hire eligible exchange program alumni outside of the formal competitive job announcement process.

Overall, Joseph says the Office of Global Programs at NYU regularly promotes the Gilman Scholarship because it continues to be an invaluable funding opportunity for students who might not otherwise have the means to study abroad. In the past 20 years, 307 NYU students have received a Gilman Scholarship. With Gilman they’ve been able to explore a new culture, study a diverse language, and acquire critical skills for their personal and professional development.

For more information about the Gilman Scholarship application process, please visit the Studying Abroad Gilman Scholarships page on NYU’s website.

Written by Samantha Jamison

Madrid Stories: Documenting Life During COVID-19

Posted on November 4, 2020, modified on September 29, 2020 by Chelsea Robles

Screen-Shot-2020-08-10-at-2.58.29-PM — Jack Siebert

“What we saw in this period of scarcity was the emergence of creativity,” said Robert Bahar and Almudena Carracedo, Emmy-winning filmmakers and lecturers at NYU Madrid, who described their experience moving Madrid Stories, a location-based course, to an online format.

Madrid Stories is a semester-long class at NYU Madrid that encourages students to look, listen and explore Madrid with a documentarian’s gaze, to represent the city from new perspectives, and to seek out stories that explore and question pre-existing notions of Madrid (and Spain more broadly). Jim Fernandez, site director of NYU Madrid and professor of Spanish Literature and Culture, explained that the nature of the course made it challenging to adapt for remote learning. “In some ways, Madrid Stories, rooted as it is in Madrid, was the most difficult course to adapt to an online format, when the COVID-19 crisis abruptly forced us to teach and learn remotely. But Rob, Almudena and the students did an amazing job, making some delicious lemonade from the lemons they were given, as it were. Each of the thirteen films, produced in quarantine, captures the strange rhythms of confinement, and tells a story about the impossibility of returning home.”

Some students felt that the creative process of film production might be a meaningful outlet and a means for making sense of the unprecedented situation they were facing. Robert Bahar

Bahar explained that in early March “our students had just begun work on their film projects and were offered the option to go home, and then leaving the site quickly became mandatory.” He explained that a decision had to be made about how to adapt the course curriculum, by either shifting toward an analysis of documentaries or keeping the focus on the production process. They sought input from their students, who responded with clear enthusiasm for wanting to continue creating their own films. In fact, some students felt that the creative process of film production might be a meaningful outlet and a means for making sense of the unprecedented situation they were facing.

“The students had little in terms of production equipment, but they did have iPhones and family. They created something absolutely amazing by scavenging any available resources to create a final product — all within two weeks. They had to reimagine their lives, the course, and the project. Their lives took a turn, but in the process of doing so, the class served as a mirror on themselves, and a mirror into themselves. The process of making their films was reflective of where they were in the quarantine,” explained Carracedo.

“We all learned to use digital tools to serve the production process,” noted Carracedo. “They had to learn new editing programs, and we taught them how to edit by sharing our screens and providing demonstrations.” The feedback process was also adapted to an online format. Zoom’s breakout room function allowed the students to work in small groups where they could view each other’s work and offer the critique and feedback that are essential to fine tune a film. “The difference between good and great is the last push of the editing and polishing,” said Bahar, “which is also the most difficult part of producing a film. We always push students toward great. We want to help them achieve their visions and be proud of their work.”

In addition to learning new technical tools to support the filmmaking process, students also had to develop new strategies to enable them to complete their work remotely. For Jack Seibert, a rising senior at Tisch School of the Arts, said he had to learn to remind himself “that artistic processes always encounter unforeseen bumps in the road — large or small — and it is our job as creatives to develop innovative solutions to those problems while staying on schedule. I found pursuing a creative process during this time to be incredibly beneficial to my future artistic career — whether working in theater or film — because I discovered personalized tools to recognize when I feel motivated or unmotivated, and how to either encourage myself to keep working or give myself breaks.”

Developing their film projects also helped some students cope with the sense of uncertainty brought about by the pandemic and they noted that the experience was cathartic and therapeutic. Claudia Picado, a rising senior at Steinhardt School of Education, Culture, and Human Development, explained that her film, Meires en Cuerentena, enabled her to process her experience through “self expression, while also creating something that represented my family and how we came together during quarantine.”

Colin Donahue, a visiting student at NYU Madrid from Swarthmore College, created a film entitled, In an Instant, that detailed idyllic scenes of life in Europe. It is a portrait of travel to Rome and Paris and all of the things you imagine global students doing. Donohue explained that when he first returned to the United States, he “spent the first two weeks of quarantine in my childhood bedroom reflecting on my past experiences and feeling grateful for the health and safety of my family. After looking back on the footage from my study abroad experience, I knew I wanted to use this project as an opportunity to not only remember Spain but to document how I experienced this international public health crisis.”

Donohue said that for him and many of his classmates, the creative process became “a philosophical reflection on the lockdown and quarantine, and the feeling of going back in time when one returns to their childhood home,” said Carracedo. They used the experience to produce introspective glimpses into what life was like during uncommon times.

While the final screenings of student productions are typically held in-person at a closing event at NYU Madrid, this year’s films were screened online, which allowed families and friends to participate.

View all Madrid Stories here (Vimeo).

Alumni Spotlight: In Conversation with Johileny Meran about Facilitating Study Abroad Opportunities for Students with Disabilities

Posted on September 23, 2020, modified on September 1, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

When Johileny Meran went to study at NYU London in the fall of 2018, she knew the experience would change her life. But she did not anticipate that her experiences there would directly lead to a meaningful career opportunity. Meran, a global public health major who graduated in 2019, is now working with Mobility International USA (MIUSA) to support students with disabilities who are considering studying abroad or other forms of international exchange. Meran served as NYU London’s Global Equity Fellow (GEF) while there and bolstered NYU’s commitment to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion abroad by creating an access guide for NYU London.

According to Meran, “Student life experiences on campus can differ based on disability. In the fall of 2018, as a GEF, I created a guide to London’s accessibility culture in an effort to help future students understand what to expect from a student perspective. It is all-encompassing in terms of including a diverse group of resources. I was committed to being a resource and helping improve diversity resources at NYU. Through my role, I learned that my experience informs my work rather than limits the scope to which I can do it.”

Meran not only made a lasting contribution to NYU London during her time at NYU by creating the NYU London Access Guide, but also to issues of disability awareness and accessibility abroad more generally. We had the chance to catch up with Meran and ask about her experiences at NYU London and her current work.

Can you tell me about your NYU career? How did you decide on your study plans?

One of the things that had me most excited about NYU was the fact that it was a global network and I wanted to know about the world and I thought being at NYU would offer a great start. The Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program also provided me with a support system from the start.

I entered NYU undecided about my major. At the time, I was still holding onto a life-long dream of becoming a doctor. During my first and second years, I realized that there was so much more that I could learn. I am a first generation college student, and college really opened doors for me in terms of learning what else was possible in the world. When I took one of my first classes in global public health, I immediately fell in love with the entire concept. I also thought it was important to think about the various influences on public health globally. Additionally, I noticed that there was not a lot of conversation around people with disabilities in public health and believed I could make a contribution there.I got hooked on global public health, and I just went for it.

Why did you decide to study abroad and why NYU London?

I knew I wanted to study abroad from my first year. I came to the United States from the Dominican Republic at a young age and I wanted to know more about what the world looked like and I thought studying abroad would be a great way to do that. I also knew that an NYU study abroad experience would provide a great environment to learn via studying rather than just traveling. I was also interested in exploring disability rights in different places and access in general.

I studied abroad very late in my NYU career compared to my peers. I traveled as a senior, rather than as a junior or sophomore. The reason for that was that, having come from a different country myself, I knew that access and disability rights are very different from one country to another. I did a lot of research because I wanted to know that not only would I be in a new place, but that I could do more than just go from my dorm to the academic center. NYU London was a great choice partly because of the accessibility of London as a city and partly because I was curious to explore the differences between British and American English. I already speak two languages so learning a new language was not a priority for me. But I knew London offered a chance to learn more about language in a different context.

You were the NYU London Global Equity Fellow in Fall 2018. Can you share what inspired you to participate in the GEF program? What were your priorities in that role?

I applied to be a Global Equity Fellow because of my experience as a student at NYU in New York. In a sense, I stumbled into disability advocacy on campus. I personally found that the best way to find community was to participate in NYU clubs and student life. Without a community, it can sometimes seem like a very big and vast place. I immediately started participating in and going to events organized by NYU clubs that aligned with my identity – the Latino Student Union LUCHA (Latinos Club), the Black Student Union, the First Generation Club. In those clubs and in those meetings, there was something missing for me because disability was never part of the conversation. So I decided to start bringing disability to the conversation and got a positive response from my peers. They wanted to know more and asked how they could help me tofounda disability community.

By the time I was studying away, I was already president of the NYU Disability Student Union. I was also one of the chairs of an accessibility committee, along with faculty and administrators at NYU. I had established a great relationship with the Moses Center – it was an important source of support for me. The GEF program was a great opportunity to continue that work while in London. It was not just about disability, but diversity and equity and inclusion in general. I was inspired to apply to be a GEF so that I could further explore these issues and discover what more I could bring to the table.

One of your many contributions as a GEF was the NYU Access Culture Guide. Can you talk about working on that and what making that lasting contribution to NYU meant to you?

In the beginning, I was very hesitant to do a disability-focused project. I considered taking a more general approach to diversity issues and not focus on disability. I had a few conversations with the GEF Student Advisor in NY about why I was holding back about bringing disability into the work and it dawned on me that this was something I could bring to the table. One of the nice things about arriving at NYU London was that there were so many pamphlets to orient students to the city. I realized that I could bring an accessibility lens to the information that is available to incoming students. One of the things that I really enjoyed about the project was that not only were the staff excited, but the students as well. When I shared that I was looking to put information together about what access was like in London, there were so many contributions. I also reached out to Emely Recinos, another student with a disability who was studying in NYU Buenos Aires at the time, to get her perspective about what access issues she wished she knew about before going to Argentina. The guide is not meant to be definitive; students are welcome to change it in later years.

I appreciated being able to give future NYU students something that I didn’t have. I relied on information from the Moses Center and the NYU London staff before I traveled, but there was still more I wish I knew in advance. So it felt good to know that I was giving future students more information to go in with. Much of the information in the guide elaborates on topics, like transportation, that were already covered in the existing student guide. I put it all together because I wanted more people to realize that the accessibility information for disability is so similar to the information that students already get. It actually does not need to be separate, but just included as an extra layer to the information already provided. After I finished the project, I felt really accomplished in the sense that another student interested in studying abroad would have this great information.

I understand that you are now working with Mobility International USA as a Program Coordinator for the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE). As I understand it, NCDE is a project focused on increasing the participation of people with disabilities in all types of travel with a purpose. What is your focus?

The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) is a project under the organization I work for, MIUSA, and it is sponsored by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. When I learned about this project, I was just so excited – beyond excited – because there is so much information available to anyone through the website. NCDE provides detailed information about preparing to go abroad, including creative ways to get around, and information about attitudes on disability that you may encounter during your exchange.

One of my favorite aspects of the project is also the personal stories. We collect and share personal stories from students with disabilities who have studied abroad in a range of places around the world. I love reading about their experiences. Sometimes you have moments of thinking that access is so hard in a particular country, why would someone go? But in reality it is a lot about the challenge you want to put on yourself as a student. I realized that the information shared via NCDE was a lot like the information I included in the access culture guide.

In my role, I focus on a variety of projects as part of the NCDE team of four, including the Inquiry and Referral Service. Anyone with a disability or any international exchange professional can submit a question and we do research to answer it. After receiving an inquiry, I immediately consider what the best resources are that I can offer this person – tip sheets, personal stories, etc – and then I also consider whether there are country-specific resources that I can offer. We provide meaningful support for both professionals trying to support a student with a disability or students with disability looking for information.

I also conduct interviews with students about their experiences and compile resources for the NCDE newsletter, Access to Exchange. It includes personal stories about experiences abroad, stories about disability access, and funding opportunities, among other things.

Finally, I regularly speak on panels or in other contexts to provide information about the services and opportunities we offer. The intent of this outreach is to encourage more students with disabilities to study abroad and participate in international exchange in general. Similarly, we also offer information and support to international students looking to come to the United States. We hope to see a more inclusive approach to exchange with disabled students participating along with their non-disabled peers.

How did your time at NYU London inform your decision to work with Mobility International on NCDE?

I met someone from Mobility International right after I returned from London. During the spring semester of my senior year, I was recruited by a summer camp I used to attend to come work for them for the summer. I went for my training during my last semester at NYU and it happened to be family day at the camp and one of the organizations presenting was Mobility International. I introduced myself and shared that I had just come back from London and that I wanted to learn more about their work.

After finishing my summer job, I was invited to by Mobility International USA to present with them at the 2019 Council on International Educational Exchange Conference. Actually, I later repurposed that presentation in my first blog post for Mobility International, 4 Takeaways from my Study Abroad Experience for Exchange Professionals.

While I was still looking for work, I learned that a position had opened up with MIUSA. I was in awe of the work that they have done and the NCDE project, I thought it could be a great place to start my career. I immediately saw so many connections between what I had done at NYU London and what I could do and learn at Mobility International that I just knew it was right.

What would you say to other students with disabilities, whether at NYU or elsewhere, who might be hesitant about studying abroad?

I think it is important for students with disabilities to participate in international exchanges. Doing so is a life-changing experience. To see a different part of the world and learn from a different culture, offers so much to you personally and to your career. Even though there may be challenges, it is a great opportunity to learn.

As a student with a disability, you are not just learning through the experience yourself, but you are also allowing others to learn from you through your experience – peers, future students, educators.

There is a great article on our website, 20 Truths that Every Exchange Participant Should Know, that addresses common concerns and highlights the benefits of study abroad.

What would you say to administrators or coordinators of international exchange programs, whether at NYU or elsewhere, about how to encourage and ensure access for all students?

I think it is important to note that at Mobility International we have a culture and a thought process of “challenge by choice.” This is the idea that you go to a place and you know that you will be challenged there, but you know that it is a challenge you can take on. Individuals in student advising positions may have preconceived notions about accessibility issues in particular countries. MI believes that students should be prepared to make informed decisions about study abroad opportunities by understanding the realities of accessibility and knowing how they might navigate challenges while abroad. You might think that a country is too inaccessible for a student but the only person to really decide that is the student. Your job is offering and support so that they know what access challenges they might be facing and whether they are willing to navigate those challenges.

It is important to be intentional about encouraging students with disabilities. If, for example, you are recruiting students to participate in a short-term exchange program, consider including language such as“students with disabilities are encouraged to apply.” Not including disability or access information in recruitment materials creates an additional barrier for students.

Is there anything else you would like to share or add?

My time as a GEF really solidified the benefit of student engagement. I would encourage students with disabilities to take on student leadership roles to inform educators and professionals about the information students need. Disability and accessibility are part of diversity. I mean this not just in terms of reasonable accommodations, but in terms of what student life is like.

NYU Buenos Aires Students Combat Stereotypes in Argentine Football

Posted on June 10, 2020, modified on June 7, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

In Argentina, football is sacred. The beautiful game is widely watched — and worshiped — often with deep passion. Unfortunately, descriptions of the passionate Argentine fan can at times veer toward stereotype, and two NYU Buenos Aires students decided to contribute to a local project trying to address the negative stereotypes of football fans, which they viewed as unfair representations.

Leila Al Dzheref, a sophomore at NYU Abu Dhabi, and Arik Rosenstein, a junior at the School of Professional Studies, thought sharing stories about “regular” Argentine football fans would go a long way in dispelling the notion that the country’s football fans’ passion somehow by definition violent or barbaric. They developed a project, El Mismo Amor in Passion FC, provides a different perspective by sharing stories about “regular” Argentine football fans. Al Dzeref and Rosenstein recently became involved in the Passion FC movement, hoping to highlight the real mindsets and beliefs of Argentine football supporters because they believe it is important to share these stories. Passion FC existed as a social movement before the students arrived in Buenos Aires, but they were able to make a contribution and remain active.

Passion FC was founded in Buenos Aires 2018 by local football fans hoping to engage others by creating a space for conversations around football. They have a website and social media presence, and sometimes organise events. The NYU Buenos Aires students’ El Miso Amor project was a series of Instagram stories. Passion FC released these stories to raise awareness about the misconceptions of Argentine football supporters.

Although it was Al Dzheref’s interest in learning Spanish that led her to study at NYU Buenos Aires, she is a huge football fan, so saw this also as a great opportunity to explore the culture of Argentine football. Rosenstein’s passion for sport has inspired him to pursue a BS in Sports Management, Media, and Business at SPS’ Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport. He said he chose to study at NYU Buenos Aires in part because his experience studying at NYU Accra in fall 2016 was so positive that he knew he “needed to have another unique and different experience.” Rosenstein immediately started attending football games and, like Al Dzheref, was keen to experience Argentine football culture.

Together Al Dzheref and Rosenstein started working with Passion FC, focusing on using football to facilitate conversations around contemporary social issues in Argentina. They developed their project, El Mismo Amor or “the same love,” after becoming acquainted with enthusiastic and kind fans of Argentine football. Despite being advised to be wary of certain clubs or neighborhoods because the football supporters were “animals” or “barbarians,” the two went to many matches and engaged the Argentine fans they met in conversation. According to Rosenstein, they “asked Argentinian supporters about their love of football and also about the common negative stereotypes of fans.” They found people eager to talk and after “moments of pure and authentic connection,” they realized that although football may be supported in different ways, the love of the game is the same.

The stories highlighted in El Miso Amori illustrated the vibrancy of Argentine football cultures and fans. One story focuses on Naza, whom Al Dzheref and Rosenstein met at a match in Lanus, a city just south of Buenos Aires. After asking him where they might purchase a Lanus team scarf, Naza invited the students to sit with him and explained what it means to be from Lanus. Bonding through football, they learned so much more about his life than they would have without that common interest.

Another story features Camilla, whom they met at a Velez Sarsfield match, the very first match Al Dzheref and Rosenstein attended in Buenos Aires. She was with her high school friends, and they bonded over being pushed and pulled by the other supporters. According to Rosenstein, “We had in-depth discussions about why Camila comes with her friends, her viewpoints of the team, the experience and of course her love of the game. Being welcomed by a group of highschoolers with no need to talk to us, shows just how many connections and social differences this game has.” The students found that Camilla and her friends valued showing them what it means to be from Velez. They left knowing that the next time they would go back, they would have friends at the stadium.

Al Dzheref and Rosenstein are quick to emphasize that they do not mean to imply that are not serious issues in Argentinian football or that all stadiums are safe. Rather, they say, “El Mismo Amor is about having a conversation.” They explain that it is about considering another culture, respectfully challenging other views or opinions. According to Al Dazheref, seeing the passionate commitment of the Argentinian football fans inspired her to “want to change their representation for the better.” Through El Mismo Amor they are “showing another side of football, not the side of fights and violence that is usually reported in the media.”

The El Mismo Amor project, via the Passion FC website and social media channels, has reached over 90,000 people, according to Rosenstein. He and Al Dzheref collaborated on sharing seven individual stories on Instagram, painting a picture of the different football cultures. The responses and the ensuing conversations have been positive and resulted in dialogues and debates about the public perceptions of violence in football and football fans, something Rosenstein believes demonstrates effective advocacy online. Al Dzheref finds that the move to remote learning because of COVID-19 has allowed them to think strategically about future campaigns and effectively sharing content.

Both students remain active with Passion FC and Rosenstein emphasizes they only “met because of NYU’s global commitment, so it’s a testament to NYU.” Al Dzheref is enthusiastic about her time at NYU Buenos Aires saying, “My experience in Argentina was one of the best in my life.” She was grateful for the opportunity “to see Argentina through my own eyes, without the distortions of others.” She and Rosenstein are similarly trying to open eyes through this project and encourage us to engage in dialogues about stereotypes and assumptions in Argentine football.

NYU Washington DC student Brianna Hall Hosts Dialogue on Inequity in Education

Posted on June 4, 2020, modified on May 31, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

Inequality in the education system is often debated and increasingly in the media due to COVID-19 and the global transition to remote learning. NYU Washington, DC recently hosted a virtual discussion to participate in the conversation on inequity in education and education reform, with special attention to the COVID-19 pandemic. Entitled The Education Divide: Inequity in the Age of COVID-19, this event was conceived of by former DC Dialogues Executive Board Student Member Brianna Hall, a rising Steinhardt sophomore. The dialogue aimed to bring attention to the inequalities in the United States K-12 education system that hinder higher education being an opportunity for all.

Finding that the COVID-19 crisis made existing inequalities, such as access to technology and the uneven distribution of resources, even more apparent, Hall explains that she wanted to organize this dialogue “because educational equality is the cornerstone to social equality.” Hall believes that a quality education is a crucial “building block to a brighter future” regardless of background. And further believes that those fortunate enough to obtain a higher education have a responsibility to have discussions about and consider solutions to the enduring inequalities in the education system. “We must never stop talking about those that the education system leaves behind,” says Hall, “and those future children the education system will continue to leave behind unless reform is implemented.”

One reform that Hall believes is “critical” to improving the education system is “educating the whole child.” This includes teaching children practical life and personal skills alongside the academic curriculum so that students leave school with the tools necessary to move forward in all areas of life. Hall also believes that it is important to “emphasize the value of each student’s individual culture and identity” from an early age to foster confidence and self-acceptance. Another reform that Hall sees as key is “increased public school funding and increased teacher pay.” With this increased funding, she would like to see “high standards of dedication, quality and professionalism” and believes teachers should receive summer training on how to support students emotionally and socially as well as academically.

The discussion naturally focused on possible solutions to mitigate inequalities and also ideas to better prepare school systems for future, similar extenuating circumstances. The panel included notable experts including Dr. Martha Kanter, Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign and a Senior Fellow at NYU Steinhardt’s Institute for Higher Education Policy; Dr. Tiffany Jones, Senior Director of Higher Education Policy, The Education Trust; Dr. David Kirkland, Executive Director, NYU Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools, Associate Professor of English and Urban Education, NYU Steinhardt; and Dr. Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, Associate Professor, International Education, NYU Steinhardt. Hall moderated the discussion.

Hall found moderating the event a meaningful experience and was impressed with the passion and knowledge of the panelists. One aspect of the discussion that she considered “illuminating” related to the COVID-19 pandemic because “people largely view the transition to remote learning and the closure of schools as the crisis, however, there has always been a crisis of inequality in education – COVID-19 just makes this crisis impossible to ignore.” In exploring this theme, Dr. Kirkland emphasized the structure of vulnerabilities that create what we often call “marginalized children.” These vulnerabilities can be related to a child’s socio-economic status – living in poverty, food or housing insecurity, insufficient adult support at home, coming to school hungry or with inadequate clothing, needing to work before and after school. Prejudice is another common structural vulnerability. Students facing assumptions or bias at school must study in a hostile environment, which compromises their abilities to learn or grow successfully. Discussing these vulnerabilities and the obstacles children face was “not an easy discussion to have,” according to Hall, but she believes it is important not to shy away from those difficult or uncomfortable conversations.

Hall was pleased with the discussion, saying, “It was everything that I anticipated and hoped for.” She hopes that this dialogue will continue to spur conversations generating ideas and solutions about how to improve the education system.

NYU London Community Stays Connected and Well

Posted on May 28, 2020, modified on May 22, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

The NYU London community is staying connected and looking out for one another’s wellness, all virtually. The Student Life and Wellness committee staff members have created a number of resources to foster a sense of togetherness and warmth even while apart.

The NYU London Student Affairs team have been working on a whole host of events to try and engage students remotely. The website has a new section, “NYU London at Home.” Virtual London highlights a hand-picked selection of remote events and activities taking place across London and the UK. It offers quite a few ways to get a virtual glimpse of London, including a curated set of virtual tours, online exhibits, and recorded performances. Students can discover a great deal and “enjoy British culture from the comfort of your bed!” A great way to safely experience London at the moment. The team has also been engaging with students, both past and present, via social media, in particular via Instagram (@NYULondon).

According to Andrew Davidson, Student Life Coordinator, “NYU London’s Bingo was a huge success and so is the QuaranTIME series; a series of posts encouraging self-care during these difficult times.” Students are also quite active. The Global Ambassadors and Global Equity Fellow will be hosting Instagram takeovers in the coming weeks to talk about their lives during lockdown. Moreover, according to Davidson, “the weekly NYU London newsletter, the Sunday Sandwich, continues to be appreciated by the student population and the Bedford Square News, NYU London’s student-led news, are starting to take creative contributions from students.”

NYU London is also focused on wellness, which is so important during this challenging time. A new Wellness committee newsletter for staff and other outreach encourages the community to stay connected and to look out for one another. The newsletter contains wellness tips, including a section on COVID-19 and mental health. It reminds everyone about the NYU London Google+ community, has a staff quiz, a reminder about a virtual all staff happy hour, and more. A nice way to stay connected and positive during a challenging time!