Student Blogger

So I was interested in the bus-riders even before I met Miguel Acosta and his friends. And while I could try to describe the space they created — how the trolley fell silent when Erwin started to play the violin, how passengers were steadily drawn in when the others started to rap, marking the rhythm with heads or feet or fingers — I couldn’t capture it quite as much as this video. Read More »

Each semester, one student from each HECUA program abroad takes on the role of student blogger, sending regular dispatches from the field. Ramah Aleryan will be HECUA’s student blogger for the Globalization, National Identity, and the Politics of Belonging program in Norway this fall semester. Ramah is a junior at Colorado College, majoring in Sociology and […] Read More »

Each semester, one student from each HECUA program abroad takes on the role of student blogger, sending regular dispatches from the field. Ramah Aleryan will be HECUA’s student blogger for the Globalization, National Identity, and the Politics of Belonging program in Norway this fall semester. Ramah is a junior at Colorado College, majoring in Sociology and […] Read More »

Writing this in the back of the bus, as we wind our way through the mountains and back to Quito, I have mixed emotions. I’m angry at the corporate greed and consumer shortsightedness that threatens the mangroves, and worried about this ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. But I’m also so grateful... Read More »

In my home community, tail-wiggling is not a typical activity to partake in in front of a group of new acquaintances ranging from 6-77 years. It is, in fact, closer to a nightmare scenario. Read More »

Every semester, one student from each HECUA program takes on the role of student blogger, sending regular dispatches from the field. Syd Stratman will be HECUA’s student blogger for the Making Media, Making Change program this spring semester. Syd is a senior at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Studies in Cinema and Media Culture […] Read More »

This program made me more aware of how much I don’t know about the indigenous people who lived on the land that I now live on, and how important it is to learn about indigenous rights in the United States. Going abroad made me more independent and confident, and gave me life-long friends and memories. Read More »

What I love about HECUA’s Inequality in America program is not just the class material, the internship placement, or the incredible cognitive growth you go through, but the way in which the program director Phil Sandro makes time for students’ mental health. Read More »

But the thing about studying or living abroad is that there really is no guarantee you will enjoy the experience. You can read all of the promotional material and Google Image search all you want, but there’s no way of telling whether you will be thriving or enduring the next three months until you have actually settled into your new life overseas. And to my slightly surprised gratitude, I have discovered that I love the abroad life. Read More »

With my work experience, I probably don’t need an internship, but I fell in love with the MMMC program and its community partner: the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN). The MMMC classes allowed me to dive into topics and learn about the power of media and how we can use it to create real changes and connections within our local, national, and global communities. Read More »