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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!

NYU Washington DC Student Tracey Lan Shares her COVID-19 Experiences

Posted on May 19, 2020, modified on May 11, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

Studying abroad can be a time of great transition and growth, perhaps all the more so when plans are interrupted. For one student, focusing on recording the details of her COVID-19 experiences has become a way to not only document this time for herself, but also to connect with and encourage others. Tracey Lan, a Global China Studies sophomore from NYU Shanghai planning to minor in Business and Social Science, is studying away in NYU Washington, DC this semester. She returned home to China because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been vlogging (video blogging) about her departure from DC, quarantine,and her mental health.

Tracey initially chose to study in Washington DC “for all its wonderful museums, its cherry blossoms, its livable environment (which is all shown in my NYU DC vlogs!).” She was also keen to learn more about American politics in the nation’s capital, to explore career interests through the internship program, and to learn to lead through the Global Leadership Program.

Tracey started vlogging last year in NYU Shanghai to record her experiences. “I wanted to vlog so that I can always go back to those days in the future, even when I am very very old — I love the idea of nostalgia,” says Tracey. The positive feedback and comments from friends and followers further inspired her to develop content that may be encouraging or informative for others, she adds. For her COVID-19 vlogs specifically, Tracey says she had a “sense of a mission to communicate” because she noticed a great deal of misunderstanding and a lack of information about what was happening in China. She wanted to show “the real life of a Chinese student impacted by COVID-19 in order to have a better sense of China during the pandemic,” and says she hopes that her vlogs will “inform, inspire people, and cheer them up.”

Tracey also feels as though she has been relatively fortunate. Despite a turbulent journey home, she believes she missed the worst of the pandemic in both China and in the US. Tracey also said she feels very fortunate for the support she received from NYU Washington, DC. Tracey’s time in mandatory quarantine was especially brightened when she received the news that she was a recipient of the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Fellowship.

These experiences have strengthened Tracey’s belief that everyone has the right to global education. Reflecting on what people think and say about COVID-19 pandemic which she has experienced in both the Chinese and US settings, Tracey has a sense of purpose. She wishes to engage actively in global education in the COVID-19 situation, that enlightens people to pursue knowledge and approach global issues from a less self-centered, more respectful and sympathetic perspective.

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NYU Prague Professor Leads Music Education Students in Engaging Locally

Posted on May 8, 2020, modified on May 10, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

Klára Boudalová is a teaching and performing artist, scriptwriter, and concert presenter. She teaches Foundations of Music Education at NYU Prague, a course with a syllabus she describes as “practical” and which involves community engagement because she always wants “her students to make a difference.” This year, she had planned for the students in her course to work with children in Prague on a musical project.

Klára’s focus on connecting students with the Prague community through music is consistent with her own work. She is an accomplished musician and music educator. For the past twelve years, she has worked for The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra as a creative author of education and outreach programs, working mostly with school groups and families (chamber and orchestral concerts, workshop series), young aspiring artists (masterclasses and discussions) and music teachers (leading a professional development project Music for Schools).

As an educator, Klára has designed outreach programs for many professional and student orchestras. She has also written a series of twelve audiobooks entitled “Don’t be Afraid of the Classics” which became a best-selling, award-winning, nationwide classroom music teaching tool in the Czech Republic. An early music soprano and a lover of swing and Irish folk music, at NYU Prague Klára helps students find their own passions for and styles within the field of music education.

For her class this year, instead of being able to work together with children in Prague on a project, NYU Prague students are now designing their own projects. According to Klára, “Each student was asked to connect with their local community – find kids who are bored at home or reach out to former teachers – to find something beneficial that can be done through music.” In redesigning the course, she realised that there are currently many people who could benefit from support and so she asked students to design projects relevant to the COVID-19 situation in which children must stay home. The students were encouraged to use their creativity when designing their projects.

The Foundations of Music class is meeting twice a week at 9:00 – 10:30 pm local time for Klára, which works only because Prague’s cultural institutions are closed so she is not performing in concerts. But with students now joining from China, Alaska, and everywhere in between, this was the best time. Teaching remotely to a global cohort means that “the students have a lot more academic responsibility now,” according to Klára. “Originally they would have developed their projects with me present, guiding them in their lessons, but now they have to respond on their own. I have one-on-one mentoring sessions with them to track their process.” She has been impressed with how well the students are doing on their own.

The students are also actively sharing with one another and with Klára in the class meetings and are creatively approaching their local musical engagement. Students began by exploring tools to facilitate virtual music education, such as online learning apps and videos. They are also generating their own ideas. For example, teaching children how to make homemade instruments out of pots or other materials they would find at home and then composing music with their home-made instruments. Klára is pleased with the interactive aspect of the class, despite not being able to meet in person. “We are all tracking each others’ research and progress through a shared google drive folder with videos that the students are making. Everyone is recording videos and reacting.” Klára and her students are creatively making the most of a challenging time.

The results have shown that Klára and her students are all doing what they can “to make this better.” Students have recorded cute videos for family singing and home dancing. Others have started a home disco project or are teaching vocal warm up techniques to singers so the do not loose their sound quality during lockdown. One student, Valesca Gongora, a Steinhart sophomore majoring in Music Education, created an online choir and together they recorded a song video dedicated to health care workers. The choir recorded “Shed a Little Light” by James Taylor, which Klára calls “amazing, touching, emotional and incredibly inspiring.” You can have a listen here.

Valesca “immediately knew” that she wanted to organise a virtual choir when the class shifted to remote learned and the students had to develop projects. “During quarantine,” says Valesca, “I’ve seen people turn to the arts for support and comfort. As a music education major, that was such a beautiful thing to me. My goal was to put together a meaningful project that had the power to take our minds off of the craziness of the world for a few minutes. Music truly brings people together and can make us feel connected while we are social distancing.” She also feels that it is important for people to have a creative outlet during this time of uncertainty and fear and that music can provide a sense of normalcy. “It makes us all feel connected,” Valesca emphasises. “Working on this project has taught me that communities can still unite during this time of social distance, we just have to make adjustments and be creative.”

Klára has also been making the most of this time outside the classroom and music. She is currently staying with her parents in South Bohemia and making homemade masks for local medical facilities. She has sewn over 150 of them so far and has become quite good at it.

NYU London, Tisch, and RADA Modernize Shakespeare in a Virtual Performance

Posted on May 1, 2020, modified on May 3, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

NYU London’s intensive Shakespeare in Performance course involves sixteen actors who audition for their places and who train at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). The course, part of a long-standing partnership between NYU London, Tisch, and RADA, always concludes with the performance of a Shakespeare play. When COVID-19 necessitated the move to distance learning, both students and instructors were determined that the show must go on.

In a normal semester, the students train at RADA for full days on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays throughout the term. The training culminates in two full-time weeks of rehearsals and a final performance of the Shakespeare play. This final performance is always organised such that students share roles so that each actor has approximately the same number of lines and stage time. It is usually an intense and intimate experience.

Course Director Geoff Bullen, in collaboration with his RADA colleagues, has chosen to see this forced change of approach as an opportunity to experiment. This year, RADA’s Gary Lagden, whom Geoff calls “an exceptional teacher / director,” with whom only half of the students had a chance to work with before NYU London closed, will direct an abridged Coriolanus, tailored to video. According to Geoff, “The plan is to take advantage of the format (and its inevitable unevenness) and have the play be devised as a kind of samizdat, an underground or revolutionary kind of action, but still with a keen focus on language, imagery, and delivery. It could be ideal for editing into a showcase.” The virtual performance will be delivered via NYU Zoom.

Instead of two weeks rehearsing together in person, the students will put the performance together over four days of intensive rehearsals. Director Gary Lagden is “really excited about this production.” Having never directed an online Shakespeare play before, he is enthusiastic about the challenge and looking forward to working with the students, saying “my mind has been wonderfully active with ideas.” The challenge, according to Gary, is to in four days create a performance of Coriolanus that “uses the voice as the tool of communication” with the actors “using their own vocality to create scene, mood and character.” He believes it will be both demanding and fun.

Meanwhile, before the rehearsals commence, the training classes that provide the foundation for this final performance are underway. Students in this course are taking on Shakespeare together from around the world. RADA tutor Adrienne Thomas has been very impressed with how constructively the students are working, saying, “I’ve been happily reminded of what a delightful group they are, supportive, bright and imaginative with a real commitment to the work.” She has also seen improvements in their work as they develop their connection to language through breath, body and voice. Although not anticipated, she and others are finding the virtual learning a meaningful experience. “I’m very moved at our ability to communicate over these great distances and at this difficult time. Long may we continue to explore what we share as human beings and what unites us, through the medium of Shakespeare’s wonderful language.”

Marie Kallis, a Tisch junior majoring in Drama, has found the transition to remote learning “fairly smooth” and also inspiring. Marie had known she wanted to study at RADA since she was a freshman because she “adores Shakespeare” and was “really eager to study his worth with the RADA faculty.” Having been looking forward to the experience for so long, Marie was disappointed when she had to leave London but has found the NYU London and RADA teams “have done an excellent job putting together a course for us online and my classmates have continued to stay motivated and engaged, which is such a positive energy and outlook to have.” Although “studying acting is super challenging over Zoom because it primarily relies on being present with your partner(s)”, there have been some opportunities presented by remote learning. Marie appreciates the many individual tutorials, which she finds “immensely beneficial.”In addition, they have found ways to continue some classes that would seem impossible over Zoom, including a Physical Performance class.

Marie feels that remote learning has provided some unique learning opportunities: I have definitely acquired some tools and techniques that I’ll carry throughout my work. For example, in our physical performance class, it’s been so freeing to not be able to see my classmates or myself on the screen. I feel the freedom to move without ever worrying about if what I’m doing is “incorrect” based on what other people in the class are doing.”And, during our presentations, Zoom made it possible for me to feel like my scene partner and I were the only two in the room, as we couldn’t see the rest of the faculty. And, that’s how it should always feel – feeling present in the moment with who is on stage with you and having an awareness that the audience is there, but throwing all the judgement and the feeling like you’re being “watched” out the window.

All are optimistic that the course work will pay off. As the training continues and preparations for the final performance commence, Director Gary Lagden is hoping to explore theatrical truth through the screen. “The glory of this new digital restriction being mined and exploited to create a creative constraint that can achieve a true synthesis of performer and sound. This production will be in close up. It will be necessarily low tech and edgy. It will aim for truth and transformation. The wonderful work that the actors have undertaken with the RADA tutors now being the foundation of this performance.”

Marie is similarly enthusiastic about the online production. The final show is something all the students look forward to, so she was “thrilled” to learn it would go forward and finds it “really thoughtful of our faculty to make this possible for us.” Although it has “definitely been an adjustment to perform via the camera and work out all the technical kinks that come with an online production,” Marie is grateful to work with “an amazing director” who is Gary Lagden, who we were all so excited to work with again. He is “really making this process worthwhile.”

Understanding the challenges of an online performance, Geoff and Gary and the students have chosen to embrace the challenge and not aim for perfection in this unique, shared event. They will celebrate the happy accidents in performance and technical blips. Gary’s vision is that, “We will work together to tell this tale; we will challenge ourselves to be present and heroic in action.”

Hollywood Digital Climate Summit: May 16, 2020

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Chelsea Robles

On Saturday, May 16th, NYU will be partnering with YEA! (Young Entertainment Activists) to bring you the Hollywood Digital Climate Summit!

Designed to educate and activate young entertainment professionals and college students about climate change, the Hollywood Digital Climate Summit will bring the brightest minds from entertainment and advocacy together. From 11:00 am- 6:30 pm PST, YEA! and NYULA will provide attendees with the tools they need to actually implement sustainable measures within their everyday lives/jobs. Plus, NYU students get tickets for free with the special promo-code YEA-NYU.

Featuring, Cynthia Littleton (Variety, Business Editor), Heidi Kindberg (HBO Green), Bruce Miller (Showrunner, The Handmaid’s Tale), Gloria Calderón Kellett (Showrunner, One Day At a Time), Melissa Sun (Sierra Club), Atossa Soltani (Founder/Director, Amazon Watch), Favianna Rodriguez (Artist/Activist), Jamie Margolin (Founder, Zero Hour), Kevin Patel (Founder, One Up Action), Jen Welter (First NFL Female Coach), Josh Fox (Filmmaker), Laura Bell Bundy (Actor/Musician/Activist), and more to be announced soon!

The Summit will be packed with interactive, action-oriented content to keep you engaged and a part of the conversation with live industry guests.

Get your tickets to the Summit now! Or, check out all the ways you can get involved as a volunteer and apply to volunteer today!

Internships Without Borders

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Chelsea Robles

PHOTO-2020-04-17-14-38-01 — Bakari Young-Smith

After a winter break which involved volunteering at an orphanage in Tanzania, and visiting the location where his mother had studied abroad some 30 years ago, Bakari Young-Smith was looking forward to heading to NYU Shanghai for his spring semester. But one week before his planned departure, the rising junior at NYU’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing, decided to make alternative plans following the COVID-19 outbreak in China, and the suspension of in-person courses at NYU Shanghai.

After consulting with his advisor at NYU’s Office of Global Programs, Young-Smith decided to enroll instead at NYU Tel Aviv, and then returned home to Virginia, unpacked the bags that he had prepared for China, repacked them for Israel, and then departed for NYU Tel Aviv — all within a few days’ time.

Marrying his academic background in nursing with his interest in gaining “a new experience in an entirely new setting,” IIana Goldberg, internship coordinator and instructor at NYU Tel Aviv, arranged for Young-Smith to intern with NALA, a non-profit that works to combat tropical neglected tropical diseases in Ethiopia, and focuses on improving hygiene and sanitation practices. Yet after spending roughly half of the semester conducting research on health practices among communities in Ethiopia’s Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region — the global spread of COVID-19 upended internships and course work, at least temporarily, and sent Young-Smith and his cohort back home.

Despite the upheaval, many NYU Tel Aviv students chose to continue their internships remotely. “I think that what helped make the students resilient in the face of the disruptions” explained Goldberg, “was the fact that we had sufficient time at NYU Tel Aviv to build a sense of community, throughout the student body, with the efforts of the whole staff, student life director, and resident life assistants […] the whole fabric of support helped everyone remain calm and rational and able to see the larger picture.”

While the internship students had the option to complete a written career exploration project in lieu of continuing their internship projects remotely, Goldberg explained that many students “were very resolute about sticking to their internships. For example, one of our students has had a life-long interest in fashion and retail and was initially crestfallen when told the academic center was closing, but his employers were open to having him continue his responsibilities while working remotely. Another student, studying documentary production at Gallatin actually increased his attendance at the internship to more weekly hours, and the company sent him a hard-disk with materials and set him up to work remotely with the film editor.”

Following his move back to the US, Young-Smith chose to forge ahead with his internship with NALA because he felt there was more he could do. His work shifted to initiatives to spread critical public health messages about mitigating the spread of COVID-19 to remote communities in Ethiopia. Taking an innovation-oriented approach, he worked on low-tech ways — beyond the traditional routes of radio, television and internet — to engage isolated communities in disease-preventing behaviours.

Together with his local counterparts, he has helped to launch effective public health campaigns, including printing public health messages on toilet paper, and coordinating neighbor-to-neighbor outreach. For Young-Smith, examining how communities in Africa are responding to COVID-19 has “broadened my global perspective.”

“Having a chance to develop this kind of transglobal solidarity,” said Goldberg, “by working from afar for local causes will be a valuable experience not only professionally but as a global-civic achievement.”

NYU’s Shanghai Community Sends Supplies to Help NYC’s Fight Against COVID-19

Posted on April 13, 2020, modified on April 16, 2020 by Martha J Bekink

As New York City’s hospitals fill with coronavirus patients and medical staff struggle with shortages of personal protective equipment, NYU’s Shanghai community has pulled together to support New Yorker’s in their fight against the pandemic, sending some 17,000 masks to NYU New York.

Last week, a group of NYU New York parents who are based in Shanghai purchased some 10,000 N95 masks to help protect medical workers on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19 at NYU Langone Medical Center. NYU Shanghai, with the help of a school donor who paid shipping costs, arranged for those masks to be delivered to New York City. NYU Shanghai also shipped separately some 4,000 N95 masks from its own stockpile to colleagues in New York.

“Even if we are thousands of miles away, we still feel anxious and want to do something to help,” said one of the parent donors, who wished to remain anonymous. “As members of the NYU family, we hope that New York University will be alright, New York will be alright, and America will be alright.”

Vice Chancellor Lehman said he was moved by the parents’ generosity. “The bonds of affection between China and the US can produce tremendous benefits for the world,” he said. “We are proud of and grateful to these devoted members of the NYU community for stepping forward to help NYU Langone’s healthcare workers in this hour of need.”

10,000 N95 masks donated by Shanghai-based parents of NYU New York students arrives at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City on April 7.

Tuesday’s delivery was the latest in a series of protective equipment donations that has streamed across the Pacific from Shanghai. As the “hot zones” of the coronavirus pandemic have shifted away from China to New York and elsewhere, NYU Shanghai has drawn from its own resources to help fellow NYU Global Network members in Washington Square.

Over the past several weeks, in addition to the N95 masks, NYU Shanghai staff in Student Health, Finance, Public Safety, and the office of the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor have sent a combined total of 3,000 medical and disposable masks to colleagues at NYU New York.

NYU Shanghai is paying forward the generosity that flowed to the campus during the height of the COVID-19 epidemic in China. The university received 850 disposable masks from NYU New York in early February, in addition to several hundred pairs of gloves, 20 protective suits, and thermometers. Corporate donors and NYU Shanghai faculty members also donated another 21,000 masks and other monitoring and protective equipment to the campus throughout February and March. The community also came together quickly in the Light a Lantern project in February to raise more than U$50,000 to assist the people of Wuhan in their fight against the virus.

This post comes to us from NYU Shanghai. You can find the original here.