Did your study abroad program change your life? Is just joining the alumni network not enough? If so, you can give back to the program by volunteering with implementing organizations at their pre-departure orientation or using your skills and experience in any other capacity. Contact your implementing organization for information on volunteer or internship opportunities! They are always looking for alumni to help shape the way for future participants by contributing to their organizations. One such alum who did just that is Nicholas Wade.
Nicholas Wade is a 2016 Arabic Summer program alum who came back a year later to volunteer at the pre-departure orientation. Pre-departure orientation volunteers act as mentors and guides for incoming participants, while presenting their knowledge and experience. While there, he took the time to reflect on his experience in Morocco, its influences on his future ambitions, his relationship with his host family, and the importance of study abroad programs. In the video, he reflects, "I didn't know what I wanted to do [...] but when I finished, I knew for a fact that I wanted to study International Relations, I wanted to study Arabic, and I wanted to live and work in the Middle East in some capacity..."
Watch the interview below: