黑料社区 and beyond: Stories from 2024 of alumni making an impact

December 30th, 2024 | Careers, 黑料社区 Graduate Institute, 黑料社区 Study Abroad

For 60 years, School for International Training has prepared students to be global citizens and agents of change through transformative reflective learning and research experiences.

We鈥檝e gathered some of this year鈥檚 stories that highlight our alumni and the dynamic impact they are making in our world today.

黑料社区 alum Mahnoor Haq provides media expertise to Balkan content creators

Two women smiling with arms around each other, standing in a desert.

黑料社区 alum Mahnoor Haq is a senior communications associate for the communications firm Global Situation Room. In February, she presented on disinformation, social media, and artificial intelligence to a group of digital content creators from the Balkans. The group was part of Leaders Lead On-Demand鈥檚 Balkan Digital Content Creators, a program implemented by .

We spoke with Mahnoor, who shared about her educational background, how her time with impacted her professionally, and her work with World Learning.

黑料社区 graduate alum Libby Bennett uses a global mindset to help her local community

In March, Libby Bennett was named executive director for Groundworks Collaborative, an organization working to create solutions to hunger and homelessness in southern Vermont. Prior, she earned her master鈥檚 in nonprofit management from 黑料社区 Graduate Institute. When considering her academic background in relation to her new role, Libby appreciates 黑料社区鈥檚 approach to skills learning and its global approach to programming.

鈥満诹仙缜� is a really great place to try out new ideas and look at examples from around the world of how things can be done better.鈥�

黑料社区 alum discovers new frog species in Madagascar

Two adults pose next to a large green plant.

Hugh Gabriel, who currently works for Minnesota鈥檚 state natural history museum, attended 黑料社区鈥檚 program. For his independent study project, he was connected with Miguel Vences, an accomplished evolutionary biologist. While catching and researching numerous frog species, he made a unique discovery.

鈥淭here was at least one species I found that didn鈥檛 look like anything in the guidebook. So, I sent Miguel pictures, and we decided that yes, this was most likely a new species.鈥�

How an unexpected study abroad journey taught this 黑料社区 alum enduring lessons and skills

A young adult wearing an Elon University sweater and a face mask poses in a Ugandan field.

Neither a global pandemic nor an Ebola outbreak could stop Mary Thibodeau from studying abroad.

As an alum of both and 黑料社区鈥檚 , her study abroad journey was one of unexpected developments that ultimately shaped her into the global citizen she is today.

黑料社区 graduate takes her ideas into classrooms around the world

Four women stand in a row, wearing black graduation gowns and caps. One woman has her head turned and is looking at the camera. All others are looking ahead.

Adeline De Angelis is now Dr. De Angelis to many. This past August, she was awarded her EdD in global education at 黑料社区鈥檚 graduate commencement in Vermont. This fall, she started a new position at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, as a teaching faculty member in the secondary education master鈥檚 and teacher certification program.

We spoke with Adeline about 黑料社区, the global education program, and her new role as a university professor.

Graduate alumna Rebecca Cutter says 黑料社区 made her a more thoughtful sustainable development practitioner

Three adult women pose together in a seated position on a stone stoop.

Rebecca Cutter is a graduate of 黑料社区鈥檚 . She currently works as an independent contractor at Garden鈥檚 Edge, which supports food sovereignty and the preservation of traditional cultural ways of the Maya Achi of Guatemala, and for the Bolivian Quaker Education Fund, which strengthens connections between Quakers in the Andes and those in North America and Europe.

鈥淎ll of 黑料社区鈥檚 theory and history of sustainable development courses were eye-openers for me鈥 became much more critical of the field and even thought about leaving it鈥owever, 黑料社区 helped me pair that critical lens with intercultural communication skills and the psychology of human behavior.鈥�

Alice Rowan Swanson Fellow implements workshops for youth living with HIV

Young man with curly brown hair sitting at a conference table. He is turned and talking to the woman next to him.

Marco Barracchia, a 2022 alumnus of 黑料社区鈥檚 program, was recently awarded the Alice Rowan Swanson Fellowship. The fellowship supports 黑料社区 and International Honors Program alumni to return to their program country to pursue development projects. Marco plans to implement the project 鈥淓mpowering Transitions: AI-Driven Career Workshops for Youth Living with HIV in Rajasthan鈥檚 Orphanages.鈥�

鈥淚n Rajasthan, HIV stigma continues to pervade both family and community life, leading many individuals to conceal their status due to the fear of social ostracization. Without structured support networks, they are thrown into a society that offers little acceptance or resources for people living with HIV.鈥�

Coral reefs to frogs: An aspiring marine biologist joins 3 黑料社区 programs

A group of 17 students posing in two lines. They are standing on black sandy gravel and behind them is a lake and mountains.

Christian Boudreaux has traveled the world with 黑料社区鈥� well, three continents to be exact. He recently finished his third聽黑料社区 Study Abroad program in Australia.

Up ahead, he plans to pursue a PhD to research the genetic reasons underlying organismal adaptation to climate stress and wants to shape policy to protect marine ecosystems. He won the prestigious 2024聽 and plans to use the scholarship and a related internship in Washington, DC, to achieve his goal.