In Other “Study Abroad Day” News!

February 27, 2023 / Our Nighthawks

The Office of International Education and Sponsored Programs is pleased to share that, through our partnership with the Goethe Institut, we promoted the Berufsbrücke (Career Bridge) opportunity for NOVA students interested in German language and Engineering and received a heartening response. Through this program, students will learn German language skills to be able to communicate comfortably in a work-related context. Additionally, they will develop career-specific language competencies, European business etiquette and a foundation for effective intercultural communication​. Partnered with a German ‘buddy,’ participants will gain practical insights into vocational training at different companies in Germany. Students will undertake a rigorous virtual German language component throughout the spring semester and will travel to Germany in the summer for a three-week long apprenticeship program.

Initially expecting two or three placements, we were extremely pleased to receive 10! The following students were selected:

  • Nicholas Fonseca Alva
  • Adam Hammoudi
  • Jabed Hossen
  • Samuel Lewis
  • Jean-Pierre Manapsal
  • Delilah Saloman
  • Cayden Smedley
  • Ilyas Valiyev
  • Jean Warber
  • Lauren Yang

In addition, five NOVA students have been selected to participate in the Community, Activism and Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) Program, an eight-day guided program in Tunisia that is specifically for students of two-year institutions. Participants will be introduced to the world of advocacy and civil society organizations in and around Tunis through daily presentations, panel discussions, engagement with local peers, tours and community service. They will also interact with leading organizations, activists and community leaders on topics of civic engagement, sustainability, race and indigeneity, gender, migration and other critical global justice issues through a Tunisian and North African lens.

This program is funded through Project Minah, a funding initiative that enables students enrolled in community colleges and other two-year degree programs to engage with peoples of the Middle East and North Africa through Amideast’s programs.

The following is a list of names of our NOVA recipients:

  • Afrin Akhtar (Alexandria Campus)
  • Marmawite (Mariam) Debas (Annandale Campus)
  • Misa Layne (Alexandria Campus)
  • Nada Odeh (Annandale Campus)
  • Zaynab Mirza (unknown)

International study is an absolutely priceless opportunity for students. They make friendships that last a lifetime, gain skills and a breadth of world and cultural understanding that they would not get any other way. If you know of students who would be interested in changing their life through a study abroad opportunity, have them contact Leeza Fernand, associate director of the Office of International Education and Sponsored Programs at LFernand@nvcc.edu.

Submitted by:
Leeza Fernand, Assoc. Director of OIESP, LFernand@nvcc.edu