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IES Abroad Honors Study Abroad Students with Global Citizen of the Year Awards

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Feb 21, 2019, 11:48 ET

CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- IES Abroad, a leading not-for-profit study abroad and internship organization, announced today that four U.S. college students have been recognized as part of its annual IES Abroad Global Citizen of the Year Awards. Now in its third year, the awards are the first student-focused, study abroad honors of their kind.

Students who studied on an IES Abroad or IES Internship program in 2018 submitted applications to be considered for the award. IES Abroad received inspiring submissions from its students across 25 U.S. colleges and universities, such as Grinnell College, University of Virginia and Indiana University, to name a few.

Breana Ross (IES Abroad Cape Town Customized Program, Spring 2018 | University of Miami) has been selected as the 2018 IES Abroad Global Citizen of the Year for her dedicated work with students from high-need townships in South Africa, through the Students' Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO) in Cape Town.

This next generation of future leaders is diverse, passionate, and action-focused about social justice, and committed to a more inclusive global vision. Many of IES Abroad's students – 93 percent of whom find employment within six months of graduation, among other benefits – prepare themselves for futures that embody global citizenship through their service abroad. The Global Citizen of the Year Award highlights the experiences of those individuals.

Honored students for the 2018 Global Citizen of the Year Award include:

Global Citizen of the Year Winner:

Breana Ross | IES Abroad Cape Town Customized Program, Spring 2018 | University of Miami

Global Citizen of the Year Finalists:

Idil Tanrisever | IES Abroad Buenos Aires–Latin American Society & Culture, Spring 2018 | Lafayette College
Jeremy Marks | IES Abroad Shanghai & Beijing Customized Program, Summer 2018 and IES Internships Cape Town, Summer 2018 | University of Iowa
Phoebe Forlenza | IES Abroad Milan–Italy Today, Spring 2018 | Barnard College–Columbia University

As the winner of the Global Citizen of the Year Award, Ross will receive a $1,000 cash prize, and the three finalists will each receive a $400 cash prize.

An international jury of IES Abroad employees reviewed the student applications, looking for contributions the students made that affected their local community while abroad; lessons they learned not only about themselves, but also about the local community in which they lived; and plans to sustain or continue their impact once they have returned from abroad.

As part of their applications, student winners shared a range of meaningful contributions and anecdotes, such as volunteering in impoverished Argentine villas, like Idil Tanrisever; collaborating with local businesses to facilitate cross-cultural understanding, like Jeremy Marks; and assisting refugee, migrant and immigration services, like Phoebe Forlenza.

Breana Ross' commitment to and reflections on the importance of mutual learning experiences contributed to her winning the award. Ross also successfully articulated how she will apply her experiences abroad now and in the future, which showed that she strives to be a global citizen every day, not just today, or simply just for this award.

Now a senior journalism major at the University of Miami, Ross builds cross-cultural bridges of poetry, storytelling and education through a writing organization she founded during her sophomore year called Written in My Soul, the mission of which is "to teach youth from low socioeconomic backgrounds how to express themselves in a healthy manner through poetry," according to Ross.

She carried this passion with her to Cape Town, and she discovered an outlet for it through her involvement with SHAWCO, a student-led service organization at the University of Cape Town. Through SHAWCO she was able to teach reading and math to second and third graders in Nyanga and Manenberg, two impoverished townships in South Africa.

"The children I worked with in some of the townships were some of the happiest people I have ever seen, yet they were some of the poorest," Ross said. "Many of them did not have adequate food, water, shelter or clothing, yet they approached each day with a happiness and zealousness that changed my entire perspective. They did not focus on what they did not have. They focused on being happy in the present moment and showing love the best ways they knew how."

In addition to working with local youth, Ross found an outlet for her love of journalism by contributing content to the University of Cape Town's newspaper. Upon her return to the United States, she plans to continue using her journalism skills to give voice to overlooked international issues.

"Using my love for writing and storytelling allowed me to not only reflect on the experiences I was having, but also to share my blogs and stories with an audience both in South Africa and back home in the U.S. to spark meaningful dialogue," she said. "As a storyteller, I now think of my stories as providing a window into a world different than that of my viewers. I look for stories that tackle social issues, issues that Americans may find uncomfortable but South Africans would proudly and comfortably discuss."

Ross also plans to implement what she learned studying abroad in Cape Town to improve the reach and impact of Written in My Soul.

NOTES TO EDITORS

More information and imagery for each awardee can be found in the IES Abroad Global Citizen of the Year Award Press Kit, here.

If you would like to interview a student, or need additional information, please get in touch with Mekky Media: Email: [email protected] | Direct Line: 773-580-9721

ABOUT IES ABROAD
Founded in 1950, IES Abroad is a not-for-profit academic consortium of more than 260 top-tier American colleges and universities, with more than 240 additional partner universities worldwide. IES Abroad provides premier study abroad and internship programs around the world through IES Abroad, IES Internships, IES Abroad Customized & Faculty-Led Programs, and The Study Abroad Foundation. With more than 400 study abroad programs in 85 locations worldwide, the organization creates authentic global education opportunities for more than 10,000 students annually. IES Abroad has nearly 140,000 alumni who have benefited from studying on IES Abroad programs since its inception, and offers more than $5 million in scholarships and financial aid.

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