Riverland International Student Club » IREX

Olya Ibragimova

Ivan Okhin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:35:00 +0000

Hello!!! I’m Olga from Turkmenistan and I am alumni of the Global UGRAD program’09, Austin, MN and I visited RCC and that was awesome!!!
You know, sometimes many things in life are challenging, but obstacles can be always overcome…to be a newcomer in another city or country can be challenging, and whenever one goes somewhere everything looks new. Sometimes, one feels good or bad being in a new place. To be honest, first days in America were boring for me, I felt myself isolated a little bit and I was afraid of coming a new day. You may be laughing, or say that I was not mature enough or I might be like a child, but I bet every international student goes through such a test, because everything seems absolutely different. However, being far from sweet home, I understood one very important lesson in my life that wherever I go I must seize every opportunity to get to know new things and experience both challenges and good times. To tell you the truth, I did not want to leave my friends, school and favorite places at the end of the last month of my stay in states. I felt I didn’t want to go back to my country. So I’ve been adjusted to a new culture and I liked that. I was able to tell about my culture, traditions and customs to different people. I got very good experience, knowledge and new skills. I really understood what a melting pot means when I was walking in the crowd streets of Chicago, and I realized how life in America is rushing.
To be short, being in states not only helped me to go through challenges (that helped me to see who I am) but it also gave me a great opportunity to explore America by my own. I realized how time is very important, how manageable I became and how life is various when you see it from another part of the word. Take a chance to explore and experience, I adore it…

Kanykei Kadyrberdieva

Ivan Okhin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:54:08 +0000

My name is Kanykei Kadyrberdieva. I am a foreign exchange student from Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia. I major in Business Administration in the American University of Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. This academic year 2009-2010 as a finalist of the of Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD) funded by the US Department of States, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board, I was tentatively placed at Riverland Community College.

I like the college for its simple educational system and great consistency of offered courses. As for me, I am very satisfied with the courses I take at the college. Given amazing opportunity to learn more about American culture and history, I took American Government and Democracy and Intro to Theatre and Film classes along Business courses. Even though my major is Business, I am very interested in politics and law.

The faculty and the students in college are very friendly and helpful. They are always willing to assist students with course schedules, to provide necessary information and to give their warm advices. There are several centers that help students on their studies, so it seems that in existence of writing and tutoring centers no single student is going to fail any of his classes.

Moreover, Riverland Community College is rich in extra curriculum activities and clubs. I am personally a member of International Student Club and Amnesty International US. I try to be involved in as many clubs as possible, though doing community service and participating in outside activities are also of my primary interests. I enjoy volunteering in Austin Public Library and in American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Consequently, I like studying at Riverland Community College, because this college is worth being chosen for the place to continue your higher education and gain valuable knowledge.

Personally, I want to express my giant gratitude to all my instructors, workers of Admission Office and endless love and respect to our wonderful and irreplaceable international advisor Mel Morem.

Riverland Community College welcomes Global UGRAD Fellows

Ivan Okhin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:45:23 +0000

Riverland Community College welcomes three new international students on campus as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in Eurasia & Central Asia (Global UGRAD). These new Riverland students include Tatia Gogoladze from Georgia, Kanykei Kadyrberdieva from Kyrgyzstan, and Victoria Vlad from Moldova. continue reading »

Victoria Vlad

Ivan Okhin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:00:15 +0000

My experience at Riverland started in August 2009. My major is Economics here, at Riverland, and International Economic Relations back in my country, Moldova. Before coming to Riverland I completed one year of International Economics Relations in the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova.

My dream was and still is to study in the USA. My dream came true this year. In December 2008 I applied for Global UGRAD. I took part in this contest of IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) and was selected for participation in the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program, a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the United States Department of State and administered by IREX.

Being a student at Riverland is a wonderful experience. Actually is the way you make your experience. But this is another story. Initially I didn’t want to come to Riverland. I was happy to know I won the contest, but my happiness vanished when I found out my location. I wanted to quit the chance. I wrote to the IREX Senior Program Officer, telling her I’m disappointed in the location they chose for me. I judged it without knowing it. With the help of my parents, who gave great advice, I realized that was not a chance to be missed.

Here I am, at Riverland College, I simply love it. And yes, it is the way you make it. I am a full time student, enjoying the courses offered at Austin Campus, such as Financial Accounting, Personal Financial Management and Planning and Popular Culture.

I am a positive, hard-working girl, and every day I struggle for my dreams, I walk on the path of life with my head up, trying to be the best in everything that I do. Riverland and its teachers and advisers, all try to make everything better, just for you. They are focusing on individuals. This way you feel more special and responsible to be a good student.

I successfully completed a series of trainings in Business and Leaderships: Leader Project, Richard Ivey School of Business, May 2009. Also I have an award of completion the Summer School of Business and Leadership, June 2009, Romania, Brasov. In April 2009, I took an award taking part in the International Symposium of Young Researchers, with a project called “Development of International Economic Relations in conditions of economic crisis”. I also have an award in a Literature International contest, Romania, July 2007. I am a journalist at my Faculty’s newspaper “REI-Action”.

Every day I try to acquire knowledge and the best experiences here, at the college. On campus, a lot of opportunities wait to be experienced. I mean about the student organizations you can get involved in and keep yourself busy, getting skills for your future career. Currently, I am the President of Amnesty International. Also, in the International Student Club I have the Vice-President role, which requires me to assist the President in coordinating club’s activities. As a Phi Theta Kappa provisional member recently I took part in the Fall Leadership Conference. Moreover, I had the chance to participate at the MN Student Leadership Summit, as a member of the Student Senate.

Back in my country I volunteered for the Association of European Trainers from Moldova. As a Riverland student, I took part in American Red Cross and Austin Public Library volunteer activities.

You can gather a valuable experience and meet great people at Riverland. It is an honor for me to be a part of an energetic team of young people who have the same values and ideas as I do.

Riverland helps me a lot. My long-term career prospects are enhanced by my experiences through the development of self-confidence, independence and cross-cultural skills.

Returning to “the other story” it is really up to you weather you want to have a good experience or not at Riverland. My experience is amazing.

“The best is yet to be”. ~Robert Brown~

Rustam Zufarov

Ivan Okhin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:59:53 +0000

Greetings!

The world has been flattening rapidly for the last few decades, and new businesses are flourishing on a daily basis. This is precisely the type of impact that encourages me to further education grow, develop in my career, and pursue my goals. In order to accomplish my goals I have to study, get a good education, and continually increase my knowledge working towards the career growth. I am from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. During my freshman year at the university in Tashkent I participated and selected as a finalist of the Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program which is administered by International Research and Exchange Board, and sponsored by the US Department of State. Program sent me to study to Riverland Community College where I studied during the 2006-2007 academic year as an exchange student. At the beginning of the 2008 I came back to Riverland Community College on my own and have studied one more year. After Fall, 2008 semester I transferred to the Minnesota State University, Mankato, and currently working on my Accounting degree.

Small class sizes at the Riverland Community College especially fascinate me. In the small classes, students are usually in the closer relationship with instructors, have more correctly evaluated grades, understand the subject better, and have more in-class work. For the two years I have been studying at the Riverland Community College, I have learned that college has well-trained and professional instructors and great advising. Riverland Community College did not only contribute to develop and enrich my professional skills, but also helped me to become independent and gave me the chance for the personal development. Being independent and personally developed will be useful for me throughout my whole life. That is why I had been an active member of different clubs and organizations in the college throughout two years. Also I encourage other international students to be active in the social life of the college. Student Senate President position was the highest position I have ever held at Riverland Community College. Being a President of the most influential organization of Riverland Community College was a big honor not only for me, but also for other international students of the college and of course for our great international student Advisor, Melodee Morem.

My vision of the future is constantly evolving, but the importance of education remains constant. For its future international students Riverland Community College will be the first and the very important step on the long way of the professional education life, and will definitely help your dreams to come true!

Cheers!

Greetings!

Cheers!