Alumni share memories and updates

Through the generosity of alumni donations, we are able to offer $300 discounts to 8 more students for Global Youth Village 2019. These are available on a first come, first serve basis. Register today. Below alumni share memories and updates.

Michaya is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree and attended GYV in 2017

Tell us what you are up to these days. Work? Family? Travel?

The day after my high school graduation I had left to ship off to U.S. Army Basic Combat Training and AIT. I graduated as an Iron Soldier, top of my class. Because of these endeavors, I started school a semester behind. I now attend Liberty University, pursuing my degree in International Relations with a concentration in Strategic Intelligence. GYV has profoundly made such a remarkable impact on my life and my perspective of foreign relations. My experience and exposure to different cultures and international affairs influenced the concrete selection of my degree. It is a passion I’ve possessed all of my life: diplomacy and implementing diversity. GYV just gave me the encouragement to actively pursue my purpose. I am currently learning Arabic with the help of my Egyptian friends from GYV and best friend from South Sudan. Studying a critical language not only advances me in my career, but also brings communion in my engagements with my new brothers and sisters across the world. I am devoted to servant leadership and humble action that creates transformative change. Lately, I am beginning that change in my community to extend to make greater difference in the world.

Tell us how GYV has helped you get where you are today:

The Global Youth Village truly made me realize what it means to be a global citizen. It prompted me to think of the importance in international relations and building unity in our world. The love, passion and enthusiasm shared within the Village is strong enough to break walls and builds bridges, and that’s what they prepare us youth to do. My last year of high school, I helped manage a student-led campaign called Overcoming Adversity with Diversity, a club about embracing every students’ cultural diversity and eliminating the stereotypes set against them. This was inspired by GYV.

Pervez Khan has a Masters in Organization Development

Tell us what you are up to these days. Work? Family? Travel?

I am happily married with two lovely daughters. My training is in Organization Development, and my work is empowering nonprofit leaders and organizations to do their work better and more efficiently. It is rewarding work. I have been active in the interfaith and inter-cultural scene for some time. Being a native of the Washington, DC area affords me the opportunity to meet with powerful leaders and attend excellent events; therefore, I see it as almost a civic duty to stand up for the oppressed, the weak, and those who are vulnerable in our society. I also love strengthening ties between seeming disparate communities. I keep in touch with some alumni over social media (mainly Facebook). I love seeing what everyone is doing nowadays.

Tell us how GYV has helped you get where you are today:

At GYV, bunking with a Jewish person for a summer was a new experience for me, and an enlightening one. I have taken that microcosmic experience into my interfaith and inter-cultural work and expanded upon it. I worked for a decade to improve Jewish-Muslim relations in the Washington, DC area, and to great success. I have also worked with other faith communities. My career also benefits from my time at GYV, because I can always look back at that tremendous level of diversity and reflect on what such an opportunity has led me to believe about the world and our trajectory for the future.

Diyaa is a senior in high school and attended GYV in 2017 and 2018.

Tell us what you are up to these days. Work? Family? Travel?

I’m working hard to get through my senior year! I have spent the last few months applying to colleges and leadership, academic, and service programs. This past summer, I completed my Girl Scout Gold Award when I developed a program to help teenagers get involved in their communities. This summer, I am planning to travel to England with my family.

Tell us how GYV has helped you get where you are today:

At GYV, we took workshops that taught us about working with other people, leadership, and service. The courses and interactions that I experienced at GYV helped me immensely with my Gold Award project. In addition to this, some participants from England told me about their country, which has increased my interest in visiting there. GYV showed me how much I value having an international perspective, which is something I am looking forward to exploring in college.

Anything else you would like to share?

GYV was one of my first experiences living with many people  my age who had different views on the world. Looking ahead at college, I know this experience will make my adjustment easier.

Liz is in her first year of college

Tell us what you are up to these days. Work? Family? Travel?

I am currently in my first year of college working toward a degree in clinical psychology and communication. I also began interning with Legacy in the fall of 2018 and love every minute of it.

Tell us how GYV has helped you get where you are today:

Before I went to GYV I was very quiet, reserved, and scared. I wasn’t very outgoing, I didn’t make friends easily, and I wasn’t sure who I was or where I wanted to be in life. By the end of the first day, I was volunteering to speak in front of the group, making friends, and having the time of my life. Before GYV, I was also preparing to go to school to be a biomedical engineer not realizing that I don’t like science and definitely didn’t want to be an engineer. I have found myself now happily volunteering to speak in front of people, I have begun searching for new and exciting interactions with people I may never have noticed before and I’m no longer studying to be an engineer but instead a clinical psychologist and communication specialist aiming towards helping the youth the way GYV helped me.