Seeing the Business Side of High End Retail Sparks Ideas for J-1 Interns
Posted on Tuesday, October 4th, 2016 at 9:14 pm.By J-1 Intern Anna Martynova from Russia
Originally published on InterExchange Blog
J-1s admire jewelry by Turkish designer Sevan Bicakçi
As a marketing intern, I am very curious about marketing, branding and advertising of industry leading companies. So, I was thrilled to receive an invitation to InterExchange’s cultural meetup at Barneys New York Madison Avenue location. Luxury retail is one of the most challenging and interesting industries for marketing, especially in New York City, and I was very excited to get a chance to learn more about it.
Barneys is more than a luxury department store in NYC: it’s an iconic store that has become a part of fashion’s history. It has built a worldwide market presence and now has customers all over the world. But I had no idea how the company got to where it is – and I was looking forward to finding out.
Categories: Program Spotlight
Living a Dream
Posted on Friday, September 30th, 2016 at 2:56 pm.By Binish Desai, Secondary School Student from India
Blog originally published on Rotary Voices
Binish Desai and the brick his company makes from industrial waste.
India is my Nation
Valsad is my Station
Helping is my Aim
Binish is my Name
I’ll never forget the introduction I used as an exchange student.
Categories: Program Spotlight
A J-1 Experience in Sales Opens Entrepreneurial Doors
Posted on Tuesday, September 27th, 2016 at 2:17 pm.By Evelina Prodnova, J-1 Summer Work Travel Alumni from Bulgaria
Evelina organizes a monthly business meeting to discuss challenges for women in the workplace.
My first summer as a J-1 exchange student was in 2007. I was a first year at university and had worked the previous four summers in the Sea Resorts in Bulgaria as a shop assistant. I learned about the Southwestern Advantage program by chance. It sounded weird and different. I was going to gain communication skills by selling educational products door-to-door. I decided to take the chance as I was selected to be part of the program for that summer even though it sounded tough (and not appealing to knock on doors).
I ended up doing really well and was asked to take part in the management program. I ended up working with the company for six years, gaining much more than expected: mentors who helped me develop my leadership potential, skills obtained through management and sales training, and experience gained from recruiting teams and leading sales organizations – all in the ages when I was developing myself as a person, as a professional. Read More ›
Categories: Program Spotlight
J-1’s Accept the ‘Be a Changemaker Challenge’
Posted on Thursday, September 22nd, 2016 at 9:29 pm.By Kate Verey, CIEE Senior Director of Work & Travel USA
2016 Civic Leadership Summit participants contributing their ideas!
This August a select group of 62 students from the Summer Work Travel (SWT) program gathered at American University in Washington, D.C. for the CIEE Civic Leadership Summit, a three-day event that brings together passionate, young leaders from around the world for a dynamic exchange on leadership, social entrepreneurship, and cultural understanding. This group of Fellows represented 33 countries from three different designated J-1 sponsor organizations (CENET, Spirit and CIEE).
A highlight of the Summit was a daylong workshop called the ‘Be a Changemaker Challenge’ led by Ashoka’s Youth Venture, an organization that inspires and supports teams of young people to launch and lead their own community benefiting initiatives. During the Challenge, Fellows identified their passions to create change for social issues, and then worked in groups to develop plans for launching their own social ventures in their home countries. Read More ›
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
Making Peace One Exchange at a Time
Posted on Tuesday, September 20th, 2016 at 9:07 pm.By Marcellin Niset, J-1 Secondary School Student from Belgium
This story was originally featured on Rotary Voices
Belgian Exchange Student Marcellin Niset in Alaska
The Italian-American author and actress Vanna Bonta wrote, “There’s no hospitality like understanding.” That quote stuck with me as a Rotary Youth Exchange student to Alaska in 2015-16. I arrived in Alaska, a wilderness filled with beauty and love, determined to make my exchange purposeful and beneficial for myself, my host community, and the world.
An exchange is not only about a student going abroad, it is about all the people that make this exchange possible, and the ones that are impacted, directly and indirectly. Read More ›
Categories: J-1 Visa, Participants, Program Spotlight
Putting the “Green” in the Greenheart Global Leadership Conference
Posted on Friday, September 2nd, 2016 at 6:01 pm.By Kyle Trebotich and Haldis Toppen, CCI Greenheart Work and Travel Program
J-1 participant Kenyata Thomas of Jamaica helps to trim plants at the National Arboretum.
It’s about building Global Leaders: That’s why in early August, Greenheart Global hosted its third annual Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Thirty-six J-1 participants from 15 countries attended in three tracks: social justice, environmental sustainability, and international mission driven business. These are the adventures of participants in the environment track.
The group’s first stop was Green America Exchange, an organization that provides a stage for green companies to showcase their environmentally conscious goods. Our team had great questions, and the meeting turned into a dynamic conversation with group members sharing ideas about how these concepts could be implemented in their home countries. Sicong Wei from China said: “I think when I go back to China, I will look to find a similar organization to Green America Exchange and if I cannot find one, I will work with others to try and create one.”
Categories: Program Spotlight
In Boston, Au Pairs Help Clean Up the Charles River While Enjoying a Day Together
Posted on Wednesday, August 31st, 2016 at 2:13 pm.By Gisela Nilsson, Cultural Care Au Pair sponsor organization
Au pairs, community coordinators, and staff in front of Education First (EF) Center
“It looked so clean, but when you start looking, you find all sorts of things hidden,” one of the au pairs exclaimed as she meandered along the winding banks of the Charles River, collecting trash and other debris with fellow au pairs and community members.
Cultural Care Au Pair staff, community coordinators, and au pairs joined the Charles River Watershed Association to clean up around the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts this past spring. The Charles River used to be one of the dirtiest rivers in the country but has improved greatly thanks to efforts by the association and volunteers. Bags upon bags of trash were collected, and the clean-up team felt the accomplishment of their work. “I really enjoyed hanging out with other au pairs while helping clean up in the sunshine,” said one of the au pairs.
Categories: Program Spotlight
In Alaska, J-1 Participants See the Value of Our Ocean Everywhere
Posted on Wednesday, August 24th, 2016 at 9:04 pm.By Adriana Kusnirova, CCI Greenheart Senior Partner Relations Manager
J-1 participants attend the Weaving Watersheds project, a community-based Interactive, impermanent art experience.
In south central Alaska, the fishing community of Cordova cares so deeply about our oceans that you can’t escape the theme for even an hour while in town. A number of Summer Work Travel participants are also there this summer, experiencing Alaskan culture in this community tucked between the Prince William Sound and the Copper River watershed.
“Our Ocean” is an initiative led by Secretary of State John Kerry to raise awareness about ocean-related issues around the world, such as marine pollution and sustainable fishing. At Greenheart International, we believe in the importance of protecting all parts of our environment – so this is an initiative we are excited about!
Categories: Program Spotlight
J-1 Program Fosters Innovation and Global Perspective
Posted on Thursday, August 18th, 2016 at 8:29 pm.By Jessica Rey Dubra, Marriot International Host Employer
J-1 participants from Spain enjoying lunch.
Get inspired! Read this question and answer style interview with host employer Marriott International.
Why did your organization decide to participate in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program?
At Marriott International, we believe that international education is a pathway that leads us to three absolutes: peace, innovation and mutual understanding. While sharing an evening meal at the family table and experiencing an average day walking in a J-1 participant’s shoes is a good start, learning alongside him from the same white board in the same classroom is a life changing experience. Moreover, it is a pathway to diplomacy over war and a pathway to lasting friendships that transcend age, race, or borders.
Categories: Program Spotlight
Let’s Google it! J-1 Participants Explore Google NYC Office
Posted on Tuesday, August 16th, 2016 at 7:10 pm.By Tanya Burovtseva, InterExchange sponsor organization
J-1 participants meet with Google employees.
Arriving in a new country and embarking on a cultural exchange experience is not an easy task. Surrounding oneself with a network of like-minded individuals from the very beginning makes the J-1 Visa exchange program experience more interesting and fun.
InterExchange, one of the J-1 Visa sponsors, facilitated a series of weekly cultural meet-ups in its headquarters in New York City in June. These meet-ups helped participants learn about features of American culture and included discussions about cultural ambassadorship and the role of people-to-people diplomacy. The meet-ups also engaged exchange participants in cultural events such as a briefing session at the United Nations, sporting activities, and visiting major New York City attractions and landmarks.
Categories: Program Spotlight
| About Rebecca Pasini Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange | |
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Rebecca A. Pasini joined the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchanges in July 2023. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister - Counselor, Ms. Pasini has been an American diplomat since 1997.
Ms. Pasini previously served as the Director of Public and Congressional Affairs in the Bureau of Consular Affairs from 2021-2023. Other Washington assignments have included positions in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Office of Foreign Missions, and as a liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. She has also completed multiple overseas tours, including as Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs in Islamabad, Pakistan, and as the Consular Chief in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Other tours included Mexico City and Kuwait.
A Maryland native, Ms. Pasini has a Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University, a master’s degree in National Security and Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School, National Defense University, and an undergraduate degree from Mary Washington College.
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