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NYU Tulsa Kicks Off with Alternative Spring Break

Posted on by Maxine P

Select NYU community members became the first to experience the University’s newest global site at NYU Tulsa through the Alternative Breaks program earlier this year.

A group of students and staff smile at a person speaking to them

NYU students and staff learn about Gathering Place before volunteering begins.

NYU Alternative Breaks emphasize exploring the integration of service, education, and reflection to create meaningful change in communities. The Tulsa trip focused on community development and outdoor recreation while providing opportunities for students to learn more about the area’s rich history and culture. 

A group of 12 students as well as two staff advisers spent one week volunteering at Gathering Place, a world-class riverfront park. Like its name suggests, Gathering Place functions as a space for the Tulsa community to experience nature together. Volunteers connected with guests through play, engagement, and surveying; performed horticulture duties; and learned about the park, its vision, and its goals. “It is not your typical park,” says Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development sophomore Amanda Wang. “It truly serves as a place for people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities to come together.” For Amanda that often involved using the park’s unique resources to interact with children—playing instruments with them at the outdoor music stage or making arts and crafts in the makerspace.

A person stands in front of a screen with a map and key of Gathering Place and talks to a table of students and staff

A Gathering Place representative introduces the NYU alternative spring break cohort to the geography and offerings of the park.

“By engaging in volunteering, students immerse themselves in a new community, broadening their perspectives,” explains Casey Duffy, the manager for domestic study away career development. Duffy accompanied the students to Tulsa as a staff adviser. “These hands-on experiences offer practical learning outside the classroom, providing them with valuable skills and a deeper understanding of real-world issues.”

Tulsa is an area with rich history, reflected in upcoming classes that focus on Native arts, Black economic freedom, subnational policymaking, and clean energy. During their trip, students got a taste of the city’s complex past and colorful present with excursions to historic sites and cultural centers.

They visited the historic Greenwood District and Black Wall Street, spending hours at the Greenwood Rising history center, which tells the story of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

The Woody Guthrie Center building with a mural of Woody Guthrie that says, "This Land is Your Land"

The Woody Guthrie Center

Additionally, they traveled to Pawhuska, home to the Osage Nation, one of Oklahoma’s 39 tribes. They rounded out the trip with visits to cultural sites, including the Bob Dylan Center, Woody Guthrie Center, Philbrook Museum of Art, and the Tulsa Artist Fellowship and Arts District. “The arts and writing scene is incredibly rich in Tulsa, and we had the opportunity to see what local artists were working on,” Amanda shares. “Their work has a meaningful purpose, touching upon identity, race, and gender.”

NYU Tulsa officially launches in spring 2025, providing a range of unique opportunities. “No matter what you’re studying, Tulsa can offer so many opportunities for you to dive deeper into your passions and interests. The community there is really what makes the city so special,” Amanda concludes.

Exploring Local Culture to Inform a Career

Posted on , modified on by Maxine P
Julia Antwi-Boasiako poses from rocky terrain in front of a green field of trees with hills in the background

Julia Antwi-Boasiako

For College of Arts and Science student Julia Antwi-Boasiako, the opportunity to study at NYU Accra was a chance to revisit Ghana, the country where she was raised, and explore new possibilities for her future. The senior, who is majoring in Global Public Health and Sociology and minoring in Chemistry, immersed herself in local culture and professional experiences through impactful courses and an intensive internship.

To learn more about the history of Ghana from the 15th century through the rise of slavery in the Americas, Julia signed up for the class The Black Atlantic. Students explored a range of genres, including film, fiction, and formal scholarship, to examine how African communities were shaped during this time. She also took City As Text, which focused on Ghana’s modern society. In this course, Julia had the chance to tour two different areas within Accra, an affluent neighborhood and an impoverished one. She drew on the city as a primary resource for academic research and critical inquiry, completing formal interviews with locals to help her construct her final project.

“I have always dreamed of installing health resources back in Ghana. City As Text gave me an understanding of the needs of the population and resources that can help improve their circumstances,” Julia says. “I hope to further my education in the health and medical field in order to accomplish this objective, and these courses have given me a boost in my motivation.”

A small group of people standing in front of Black Star Gate in Accra

Black Star Gate in Accra, a photo from Julia’s time there

It took Julia some time to adjust to the culture of the city—though she spent a large portion of her childhood in Ghana, she’s lived in the United States since she was 12. At first, there were times when it was difficult for her to understand the locals’ perspectives. “Despite all this, the culture in Accra was amazing,” Julia remembers. “The locals are very amiable, funny, and always eager to strike a conversation and get to know you. I made many friends with local shop employees and even security personnel.”

In addition to classes and exploring, Julia also interned for the African Social Research Lab, working with the Eban Centre for Human Trafficking Studies. The internship was more research-intensive than she initially expected, but that wasn’t a problem. In fact, it made her realize how much she enjoys doing research, helping her understand her ideal future work environment.

“I wanted to be involved with a human services organization, and the internship made me aware of wanting to be in a field that was more hands-on and interactive,” Julia says. “Being able to listen to the stories of others and try to understand their backgrounds and perspectives was something I really enjoyed doing.”

Repurposed with permission from the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development’s blog

Service and Immersive Education in Calais

Posted on by Katie L

NYU London and NYU Paris students recently had the opportunity to go on a volunteer trip to the French port city of Calais. Situated on the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel, Calais is an important transfer point for people who are seeking asylum en route to the United Kingdom. The group of about 40 students supported Care4Calais, a nongovernmental organization that provides refugees with food, clothing, shelter, health care, and legal resources. Students helped out with various tasks, like sorting donations of clothing, food, and toiletries and cooking meals for volunteers. They also toured the Calais Lighthouse and WWII Museum and tasted local cuisine at Au Côté d’Argent.

People inspect tarps and tents in a large room

Care4Calais volunteers inspect donations

A Deeper Understanding of the European Refugee Crisis

For Margi DiPietro, a junior Global Liberal Studies major on the prehealth track who studied away at NYU Paris, traveling to Calais was an ideal opportunity to learn in real time the challenges asylum seekers and French citizens encounter. Moreover, she perceived an opportunity to build relevant experiences toward her goal of becoming a doctor for Médecins Sans Frontières. Prior to the trip, Margi gained insight into relevant issues in the course France and Islam. “We learned about the Calais Jungle and analyzed information about immigration in France and the French responses to the refugee crisis,” she says. “I had not realized that there are camps of this scale in Calais, or that refugees are trying to cross the English Channel on boats like you see in the Mediterranean.”

Unforgettable Personal Connections

Kaila Jones, a junior Theatre major studying away at NYU Paris, also joined the trip. Kaila has been volunteering since childhood and describes how taking part in service opportunities while studying away was a chance to find common ground with people who use different languages and come from diverse backgrounds. Care4Calais changed Kaila’s perspective on refugees. “I had some prior expectations and assumptions about what these people would be like,” Kaila admits. “I was surprised to see so many smiling faces, and how people who had so little were willing to give and share with me. Despite everything they were dealing with, they still made room for fun, laughter, and happiness. Seeing that firsthand hit my heart in ways I will never forget.”

The Importance of Education Outside the Classroom

A person leaning over a cardboard box

A Care4Calais volunteer unloads a donation box

Ahmed Nasri, communications and student engagement coordinator at NYU Paris and one of the trip’s organizers, emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of cultural immersion opportunities while studying away. “The trip offered a transformational shift in perspective that enriched students’ academic journeys, since their theoretical knowledge was grounded in a real world context.” He explains further: “There is a significant difference between learning about a subject theoretically and experiencing it firsthand. This trip to Calais aimed to bridge that gap. While we can absorb information about the refugee crisis and immigration challenge from books and lectures, witnessing it in person amplifies students’ understanding.”

Written by Auzelle Epeneter

Homestays as Language Immersion

Posted on , modified on by Maxine P

One of the many benefits students gain from homestays is the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the local language. Here, a few students share their experiences learning, growing, and perfecting their language skills with their host families.

Fiona sitting on a music box in front of a microphone

Fiona practicing with her host family’s music ensemble

Fiona Cantorna, an Environmental Studies and Spanish dual major at the College of Arts and Science (CAS), chose to live in a homestay because she “wanted to connect more to the Porteño (Buenos Aires, Argentina) community.” That’s exactly what she did: her host family was a part of a weekly music ensemble, and Fiona had the chance to join them in making music. “My homestay was instrumental in improving my Spanish,” she says. “It provided a casual environment to practice my listening and speaking skills, in which I learned lunfardo (Argentine vocabulary) and even picked up the local Rioplatense accent!”

Chloe Bouquet Brown, an NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study student, lived with host Mina and her son, Xach, in Paris’ 10th Arrondissement during her time studying away. “My French transformed enormously throughout my year with Mina and Xach,” Chloe recalls. “They pushed me to practice French around the house. It was difficult at times, being tired from classes and yearning for home, but in the end, my confidence grew with their positive encouragement in the sanctity of the homestay. I interned at a local art gallery and could ask them about professional terminology and French work customs.”

Justin Strong takes a selfie in front of a boat

Justin visiting Venice while studying at NYU Florence

Justin Strong, a Business major at NYU Stern concentrating in marketing and management, chose to live in a homestay at NYU Florence because he knew the impact it would have on his Italian. “The homestay experience was phenomenal for my Italian,” Justin shares. “I told my host mother that I didn’t know any Italian, but I wanted to speak and learn as much as possible. Throughout the semester, we persisted in Italian, and it really paid off. Soon enough, we were having full conversations. I was really grateful for the homestay experience. By the end of the term, I was chatting with numerous locals without needing to switch to English.” 

Sam Husemann-Erickson, a CAS Politics major, says he decided to live in a homestay “not only because of the lower cost, but also because it was an excellent way to improve my Spanish and get to know Argentine cuisine and culture in depth.” His hosts were a retired couple who helped him navigate Buenos Aires and loved to cook.“My host parents were more than happy to teach me Argentine expressions and more natural ways to express myself, and our discussions over dinner and breakfast were a great way to practice my Spanish throughout my stay.” His host mother even kept track of the recipes he liked and, at the end of the semester, wrote them down so he could take them home.

Two students sitting at a table with their host family for dinner

Sam eating dinner with his housemate and host family

Devyn Costello-Henderson, a Vocal Performance major concentrating in classical voice at NYU Steinhardt, had studied French for years before deciding to study away at NYU Paris. She couldn’t pass up the chance a homestay gave her to improve her language skills. “Staying in a homestay forced me to become comfortable speaking the language,” Devyn continues. “I didn’t feel the need to speak perfectly, but I could communicate well with the family. My host family loved to chat with me, and it was very helpful to listen to their everyday conversations in French. I found I could quickly understand almost everything they said, even if my own vocabulary was not as complete. I had fluid conversations in French without needing to pause often to search for words. I still made mistakes, but I had a higher comfort and confidence level speaking the language.” 

Student Reporting in Buenos Aires

Posted on by Katie L
Maureen Zeufack smiles at the camera with a brightly colored building behind her

Maureen Zeufack

When Maureen Zeufack, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Class of 2023, researched options for studying away, she wanted to explore somewhere new and was immediately drawn to NYU Buenos Aires. A Media, Culture, and Communication major, Maureen found the opportunity to immerse herself in Argentina’s unfamiliar yet vibrant and multicultural lifestyle too good to pass up. “I wanted to go somewhere I didn’t have a connection to, somewhere completely out of my wheelhouse,” Maureen explains. “Academically, I wanted to improve my Spanish. Plus, the media classes aligned with my major, so it really was the perfect fit.”

The daughter of Cameroonian immigrants, Maureen has family in Africa and Europe, and she lived in Asia as a child. What she didn’t expect while studying in Buenos Aires? Finding a slice of home in a place she’d never been.

Maureen was intentional about her class selection, especially when it came to choosing Santiago O’Donnell’s course Reporting Buenos Aires. “I took the class because I knew the semester would go by quickly, and I wanted to have an excuse to explore the city, get more familiar with the culture and the people, and dive into everything,” says Maureen. O’Donnell, a former staff writer at both the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, assigns students stories that require them to engage with the surrounding city. This way they learn more about the city’s culture by putting themselves in new situations, observing their Argentine neighbors, and meeting people they may not otherwise encounter. “Since I’m Cameroonian American, I was interested in seeing what the African diaspora is like in Buenos Aires and, if there are Africans in the city, what’s going on in their communities,” says Maureen.

Maureen poses for the camera in El Buen Sabor Africano restaurant

Maureen inside El Buen Sabor Africano restaurant

For one of the class assignments, Maureen was tasked with writing a restaurant review. She was surprised to find there was only one African restaurant in all of Buenos Aires. Even more surprising? The owner and head chef, Maxime Tankouo, is also from Cameroon. And not only that—he and Maureen are from the same tribe.

“I thought, ‘What are the odds that in this country, where there aren’t many Black people or Africans in general, that not only is he Cameroonian, but he is also from the exact same tribe and the same part of the country as me?’” Maureen says with a laugh. “That was something we really bonded over.”

While sitting inside the walls of Tankouo’s restaurant, El Buen Sabor Africano, Maureen says she “immediately felt at home.” Although she was far from her familial home, there were pieces of it right there in Buenos Aires, from the music Tankouo played to the decor that filled his restaurant’s walls. She enjoyed a full meal—grilled corvina fish bathed in orange and red African spices, perfectly cooked sweet plantains, and a dish of spicy sautéed red beans and vegetables—all under the gaze of a large, painted lion, Cameroon’s national symbol, on the restaurant’s wall.

A plated meal of fish, plantains, onion, sauteed beans and vegetables

A filling meal of African flavors at El Buen Sabor Africano

Maureen gained more than just a good story for her class. “I know now that I’m especially interested in exploring the African diaspora experience in Argentina,” she says, which is what she focused her final class project on. She adds, “I realized the world is a lot smaller than you think. For something like this to happen while I was there, in a place where sometimes you don’t see a lot of people who look like you, it was necessary and refreshing. It was nice to see a familiar face and know that someone there had a similar background as me.”

Written by Kelly Stewart

Diversity and Inclusion in the NYU Global Network: Chijioke Obasi Named Director for Global Programs Inclusive Engagement

Posted on , modified on by Maxine P

When Chijioke Obasi joined NYU earlier this year as director for global programs inclusive engagement, she brought a wealth of experience to the role. Dr. Obasi, who is based in London, began her higher education career as a communication support worker for deaf students who use sign language. Since then, she’s held various faculty and administrative roles in both social work and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). And she’s found that the two areas are more connected than one might think at first. “Valuing lived experience and cultural humility is transferable across both areas,” she says. “Working with difference and developing good intercultural communication skills are essential to both.”

Portrait of Dr. Chijioke Obasi

Dr. Chijioke Obasi

Dr. Obasi’s doctoral research at the University of Central Lancashire centered the experiences of Black women and culturally Deaf women at work in the UK. She notes that her previous experience and research are directly applicable to her new role. “My work for the Office of Global Programs has made me think about how accessible our study away programs are for students from many different backgrounds,” she says. “It would be great to increase access for students with physical disabilities, for example, but this would need to be done in a way that promotes a truly inclusive environment, where students feel a true sense of belonging. I am keen to work with students and other colleagues to look at how we might best do this.”

Given how different DEI is across the world, it’s no small feat to ensure students from all backgrounds feel this sense of belonging and are able to realize their full potential while studying away. “Because of all the wide-ranging histories, legislation, and cultural practices across the world, we are not looking for a one-size-fits-all approach,” says Dr. Obasi. 

It takes time to adjust to the culture, language, and even climate in a new country. Dr. Obasi offers students opportunities to tap into all the resources they have available for intercultural learning and communication. “From their predeparture to their return and beyond, our office ensures that all students have the chance to engage with their personal issues of identity and self-awareness as well as wider issues of global inclusion.”

To further their mission, Dr. Obasi and the Office of Global Programs now hold an online mixer where students from across the NYU global network can build community and discuss DEI issues. She also hopes to work closely with students currently studying away to make a series of videos about the global sites and student experiences within particular affinity groups. In addition, her plans to work closely with NYU staff and develop intercultural competence extend the scope of the typical global programs audience. The hope is that every community member can help make the NYU global network an even more diverse, welcoming, and vibrant place than it is already.

Written by Kristin Maffei

NYU Madrid: A Day in the Life

Posted on , modified on by Katie L

Gabby, a Global Liberal Studies major concentrating in art, text, and media, learns about Spanish culture. Her day starts at her favorite coffee shop, then the Prado Museum, Retiro Park, and her internship at el Chico, an art gallery, and it ends at the NYU Madrid academic center where she attends her evening class on Spanish cinema.

NYU Buenos Aires: A Day in the Life

Posted on , modified on by Maxine P

Jida, a College of Arts and Science sophomore, shares what a typical day is like for her at NYU Buenos Aires, offering insights on her experiences volunteering, living with her host mother, and soaking up the opportunity to live and study at the NYU global network’s southernmost site.

A Universal Language at Every Age

Posted on by Maxine P

Through internships, volunteer opportunities, and class projects, NYU study away students can make a positive impact on the children in their local communities while also gaining valuable, real-world experience they can apply to their future careers.

While studying at NYU Prague last spring, Joey Duke, a junior majoring in Music Education at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, found there is more to his field of study than he could have imagined. Through the class Foundations of Music Education led by Professor Klára Boudalová, he had the opportunity to work with the Prague Symphony Orchestra to help make classical music accessible to children in the Czech Republic.

Seven people pose for a camera on the orchestra stage

Concert planners and participants pose for a photo onstage at Smetana Hall after the orchestra performance. Pictured from left to right are: Jaime Patterson, Jair Gonzales, director Klara Boudalova, Joey Duke, actress Veronika Kubarova, Jahnvi Seshadri, and conductor Jan Kucera.

“We worked on the Orchestr na dotek, which means ‘the orchestra to listen,’” Joey says. After a semester of learning from the orchestra, the class’ final project was to organize an orchestra completely on their own. “It’s their program created just for young audiences, and it was a game changer for me. It showed me there’s a lot more you can do with music education.”

Joey and his classmates “took a part in everything” when it came to creating the orchestra. They chose composers, selected and cut the music, wrote a storyline, and worked with the musicians and performers to ensure the performance went off without a hitch. 

“We knew we would be these kids’ first impressions of the composers, and we wanted to make sure we selected the right pieces and cuts,” explains Joey. Their orchestra focused on the works of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, which they intertwined with a story about pirates. “The music really couldn’t be more than three minutes at a time, so we had to select the most important parts. That took a lot of score reading and musical knowledge. Then for the story, Debussy features a lot of ocean music and Ravel features a lot of Spanish music, so we were like, ‘We’ve got it! We’re getting on a ship, we’re venturing across the sea, we’re going to islands.’ It was this big, fantastical process, and once we got past the blank canvas, the possibilities were endless.”

Similarly, at NYU Florence, Anika Istok, a junior majoring in Psychology at the College of Arts and Science and minoring in both Italian Studies and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies (CAMS), had the chance to connect with children through music. 

“Music is so important for kids,” says Anika who spent the fall of 2022 volunteering with NPM Bambini in Movimento, an organization that provides support, therapy, and inclusive recreational activities for children, adolescents, and their families to help improve their health and wellness. “It’s an important way for kids to express themselves, especially if they’re nonverbal, shy, or don’t initiate interactions. It’s amazing because, through something simple like playing our community drum together, they were able to bond in a way that, even with words, you can’t accomplish.”

Photo of Anika wearing an NPM Bambini in Movimento polo shirt

Anika Istok in her NPM Bambini in Movimento shirt

Volunteering with NPM Bambini in Movimento was fulfilling for Anika on multiple levels. It not only advanced her work in psychology and CAMS but also helped her become fluent in Italian. She noted volunteering as part of the culture at NYU Florence, so she knew she would get involved somewhere. Still, it was important for her to find an organization where she could really make an impact, and at NPM Bambini in Movimento, she was able to do just that. 

“We weren’t necessarily teaching music; rather, we were experiencing music together,” Anika adds. Anika helped teach two after-school classes, one for children between 2 and 5 and one for children between 6 and 8 years old. “A lot of the kids we worked with had either a disability or some sort of special need, and a lot of them were too young to be in school full time or had some trouble in school. Connecting with them outside of their normal educational environment was really important.”

Both Joey and Anika returned to New York City after their semesters away with newfound knowledge and appreciation for their selected fields of study. “This opportunity showed me that I could not only aspire to do something like this but do it. And then we watched it happen,” says Joey. “At the end of the day, music is who we are as a people. It carries all of our cultural meaning, it carries a message, and for kids to understand the music from where they are is for them to participate in their communities. For me, I realized there’s so much more we can do. That semester really opened my eyes to the impact we can make through music.”

Written by Kelly McHugh-Stewart

No Business Like Show Business: Internships at NYU Los Angeles

Posted on , modified on by Maxine P
Sean sits on a couch across from his supervisor as people walk by in the background

Sean discusses a project with his supervisor at Atlantic Records

While attending NYU Los Angeles, students from across the University enroll in the Experiential Learning Seminar. Taught by entertainment and media industry professionals, the seminar focuses on key areas like production, business, and criticism. A requirement of the NYU Los Angeles program, the seminar pairs classroom learning with real-world experience to integrate professional development and relevant research and debate and expand students’ understanding of how these industries work.

Discovering New Aspirations

Sean Kelly, a Music Business major and recording artist, has always been interested in the arts. In his first year at NYU, he fell in love with the business side of the industry while learning about record contracts and royalties. He knew NYU Los Angeles was the right place to augment his academic work with professional experience. As soon as Sean was admitted to the program, he applied for internships at his dream companies, one of which was the Warner Music Group. Atlantic Records, a label under Warner Music Group, hired him, and he was thrilled to be a sales and streaming intern.

Sean Kelly Portrait

Sean Kelly

Sean worked with various departments to ensure projects were ready for release and tracked streaming performance across channels. “Sitting in meetings gave me the scoop on how different departments function,” he says. “Communication and flexibility are huge skills to have in the music industry, and they’re ones I developed on the job.”

The internship reinforced Sean’s love for the music industry, but it also taught him about new positions and departments he didn’t know existed. “I definitely have new aspirations because of my deeper understanding of how labels operate,” he says. “I left LA with new career prospects and goals as well as completely new passions and interests.”

Building a Network

Margo Resnik portrait

Margo Resnik

Margo Resnik, Tisch School of the Arts Class of 2022, majored in Cinema Studies and knew she wanted to work in the film industry. But she also craved a role that would include analysis and history. After transferring from a community college in Santa Monica, CA, to NYU, she spent a year in New York City and then realized NYU Los Angeles would be a better fit for her goals: to be close to the film industry and graduate early.

Finding an internship in the competitive Los Angeles market wasn’t easy, but Margo credits NYU Los Angeles with making the process as smooth as possible. “They have a running list of new and upcoming postings that is updated daily, and they use every connection they have to help introduce you to different companies and people,” she says. Margo’s hard work and patience paid off when Artist Publishing Group hired her as a marketing intern last fall. During the internship, Margo learned many practical skills, but the relationships she formed were more important to her. “My boss was so incredibly helpful,” she says. “I’m still in contact with him, and he regularly reaches out to see how I am doing and provide me with leads for potential jobs. The entire experience has shown me there are people in this industry who truly want to help you.” 

Written by Kristin Maffei