Route J-1

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.

Evelina proudly presents the Spencer Hays award to one of her former managers.

I was also exposed to life-long values and philosophies such as a strong work ethic, integrity, and hard work. It planted seeds for my entrepreneurial mindset and a drive to change the world and fight against unfairness. I was shown that dreaming big matters. The experience taught me not to be afraid to try!

Today, I work as a program coordinator at two NGOs: one that encourages women and girls to work in information technology and entrepreneurial fields and the other one oriented towards sustainable support for digital small and medium enterprises in Bulgaria.

The J-1 experience helped me get accepted into a 5-week intense course by Babson College in Massachusetts and the Institute of International Education (IIE) Summer Entrepreneurship Program that was sponsored by the America for Bulgaria Foundation. In the summer of 2014, I had the chance to meet venture capital investors, angel investors, small and big entrepreneurs, incubators and accelerator programs from the USA, which allowed me to gain experience on how to turn ideas into successful businesses.

Evelina enjoys a baseball game in Colorado with fellow J-1s

Afterwards, I joined the executive board of the Association of Bulgarian Leaders and Entrepreneurs (ABLE), which is comprised of alumni from the J-1 Summer Work and Travel program. In this capacity, I promote leadership and entrepreneurship in Bulgaria. I am also a co-founder of Brain Workshop Institute, an organization that provides sales and organizational management trainings and coaching to young professionals. And, I am a Ph.D. student in organizational psychology researching the formation of organizational culture and effectiveness in startups.

The J-1 program is one of the best opportunities in the world. My exchange experience exposed me to different cultures, put me in environments that challenged me to grow, and helped me define what I wanted to do in my professional career and personal lives. This program will open your horizons. I encourage everyone not to miss the chance to try it!

Categories: Program Spotlight