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Thank you to all the students who submitted pictures for WORLD’s 2024 Study Abroad Photo Contest! WORLD staff deliberated and narrowed the choices down to our top 10 finalists. Now we need your help to determine the winner!

Please take a look at the photos below and then cast your vote for your favorite three photos by noon on Friday, April 19!

Please remember to cast your vote for your favorite three photos by noon on Friday, April 19!

by: Damaria Y Ramierz-Espinal

On February 2^nd while students were in their daily routine with either classes or other matters, at WORLD we were preparing for a wonderful event that morning. The WORLD Fair was in full swing with the festivities and excitement from the children from an elementary school visiting our campus.

Nearly 80 3rd and 4th graders had the opportunity to learn about multiple countries and cultures from around the world. In total, Stetson students presented 15 tables with each one highlighting a different country or continent. The children had a fantastic time at the fair with a range of games, food, activities, and fun facts for them to explore.  Everyone one who tabled also had a great time interacting with the children as they were able to share a piece of new cultures and home with them. The WORLD Fair was a great success with everyone having a blast during the event!

By: Anne Walcher

As the sun dawned on this Tuesday morning, the campus of Stetson University was quiet and calm. Only a few students stayed on campus over the winter break. But the WORLD Office with all its ambassadors buzzed with excitement and anticipation. It was the start of International Student Orientation Days, a time for WORLD to welcome new students from all over the world. The welcoming committee gathered in U-hall, ready to extend a warm Stetson welcome to the arriving students and ready to help move them into their new home.

The official kick-off took place Wednesday. The day started early (no worries, we had plenty of coffee) with a jam-packed schedule at the Lynn Business Center. WORLD aimed to provide our new internationals with essential knowledge from Immigration Basics, Handling the Logistics, Student Health Insurance to Living on Campus and Working on Campus. However, it wasn`t all business- after a fun campus-wide scavenger hunt we had a delightful lunch from Moe`s, fueling students for the remaining activities. In the afternoon, the group embarked on a trip to Walmart for some essential shopping. The day ended with a cozy Pizza dinner at WORLD, providing the perfect setting for students to unwind and share stories.

The second day started a little bit later but there was no shortage of enriching activities. Presentations about Academic Culture in America and a following Mock Class were combined with Campus tours, showcasing the main buildings and key locations on campus.  A break and lunch from Publix offered moments of relaxation and sustenance for the last presentations of International Student Orientation. Finally, the group gathered for a picture in front of the iconic fountain- a symbol for unity and shared experiences.

Reflecting on these days of orientation, it was a blend of many feelings. We had stressful moments trying to find one student’s luggage, funny moments laughing about stories students shared with us and sometimes even sentimental moments because these days reminded us how we felt when we arrived at Stetson. Friendships were made, and the shared experiences created a strong sense of community.

The New International Student orientation days were not just an introduction; they were the first chapter in a story of cross-cultural connections, personal growth, and the pursuit of knowledge on our vibrant campus of Stetson University.

Welcome to all our new international students!

WORLD Ambassadors worked with the African Student Union and the International Student Organization to host Nigerian Culture Hour at WORLD on Friday, December 1 at 5pm. More than 30 students were in attendance to learn some fun facts about Nigeria, playing a Mentee game, and enjoying real Nigerian food prepared by Deltona caterer Forks & Fingers Nigerian Cuisine.

Stetson trustees, faculty and staff hosted 22 international students for this very American holiday!

Every year WORLD asks the Stetson community to host our international students for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. This year, 6 people signed up and hosted 22 students!

The students really enjoyed themselves as well as the hosts. A few comments the hosts shared with us were “I didn’t think I was going to have this much fun tonight!”  and “Family gatherings are important to me.  This is the first time I have felt this comfortable and good since arriving to Stetson this year.”

We are so grateful to our hosts who took the time to show our students what Thanksgiving means. The time spent together was special, and we are sure the parents of these students were grateful knowing their children were in a warm, welcoming environment!

WORLD was so happy to sponsor the photo and video contest for students who studied abroad – whether coming to DeLand for a semester or more for an exchange program or heading out to another global location. The voting was close, but almost 150 votes cast, the winners are:

Study Abroad photo contest winner: Aaryanna Kania, Cherry Blossoms in Seoul (South Korea)
Study Abroad film contest winner: Emily McMahon, English Historical Landscapes & Innsbruck (Scotland, England, and Austria)

International Student photo contest winner: Ayoub Sendhaji, Soccer Game
International Student film contest winner: Anh Trinh, DeLand Christmas Parade

Each contest winner will receive an Amazon gift card, and each entrant may see their artwork in materials used to promote their location of choice during the next academic year. Congratulations to all participants of the contest.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a short video/film for the 2023 Study Abroad Film Contest! We loved reviewing the submissions and have narrowed it down to our two favorites. Please take a look at them using the links below and vote for your favorite by May 1, 2023!

Summer in Ecuador (Summer 2022 language and culture program in Cuenca, Ecuador)

European Origins of Psychology (Summer 2022 psychology program in Germany and Austria)

English Historical Landscapes and Innsbruck Program (Summer 2022 history program in Scotland and England and the Summer 2022 Innsbruck, Austria program)

Two international students won Maris awards this year for their outstanding oral presentations. Congratulations to Shadia Muñoz-Najar ’23 from Peru and Evans Asuboah ’24 from Ghana!

Black Home Schoolers of Central Florida provides support for families who chose to home-school their children. They depend on donations to provide these essential services. Evans reviewed their website and realized they needed a modern, streamlined look, more intuitive navigation and increased speed. Many parents were complaining about how difficult it was to find information.

After much research, Evans used the insights to address the pain points and meet the evolving needs of the community. After 100 hours of writing over 5,000 lines of code, a new, refreshing website emerged. Evans tested his new website among users and it was clear by the feedback that he made drastic improvements.

Last but not least, everyone who tested the new website said they would donate to the organization! Check out the new website here: https://www.blackhomeschoolerscfl.com/

Meanwhile, Shadia tackled a perplexing Latin America resource “curse”: why do some countries with plenty of resources struggle with long-term economic growth? She examined several variables, such as resource dependence, economic inequality and political instability and their effects on different countries. Country policies and political management seemed to be a significant determinant.

Congratulations Shadia and Evans for winning a Maris Award for this excellent work. For those of you who don’t know, this award recognizes quality scholarship at the University’s Undergraduate Scholarship Day.