CAPA WORLD

Mariah is an official CAPA blogger, sharing her story on CAPA World. A Journalism major at SUNY Purchase College, she is studying abroad in London.

In today's post, Mariah reveals her observations about London and its diversity, the areas that celebrated it and what reminded her of home, as well as the cultural differences she noticed.

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I decided to study abroad because of the amazing opportunities I knew would come from it. I knew I would be putting myself in a foreign environment that I wasn’t used to. Surprisingly enough, the environment didn’t differ too much from back home. I was surrounded by a diverse environment where some areas were vibrant. In terms of adapting, their work environment was a bit "politer" than what I assume the Americans environment is.

My colleagues were not shy of being passionate during their conversations or discussing politics. It was also a usual thing to ask everyone if they wanted “anything to drink” throughout the day. It was a form of politeness I wasn’t used to.

The UN estimates that, by the end of this century, 84% of people will live in cities. Barcelona is a welcoming one, a community that embraces and encourages diversity, ambition and creativity. It’s a city that is thinking ahead, that is actively preparing itself for the future and for growth.

At CAPA, we seek to foster increased student diversity and to provide all participants with the opportunity to explore, challenge and redefine their identities in distinct ways. Launched in Spring 2017, The Diversity Advocates Program (DAP) is an extension of this philosophy and provides resources for advocates to pursue diversity initiatives of their own within their global cities.

Now, it’s time to announce our Fall 2018 Scholars!

Three students, three different skin colors, three different accents and three different backgrounds all studying media literacy abroad while enriching themselves in a new culture.

One from Washington D.C., attending Portland State University, one from Egypt who is also attending Portland State University, and one from Washington who is affiliated with Portland State through an adjunct professor of Washington State University. Each one of us is in London, a new destination for all of us, to study the same subject and experience the same culture. Since we come from varying backgrounds, we have varying perspectives and consequently have each had different learning experiences. Here are 5 things that we have learned about the UK from a student perspective.

From left to right, Rachel Jones, Yohana Lewis, and Anna Nelson

Lorenzo Corazzin is an official CAPA blogger for fall 2018, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Global Studies major at the Arizona State University, he is studying abroad in Sydney this semester.

In this week's post, Lorenzo expresses how Sydney is a good representation of globalization, diversity, location, and natural resources.

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Sydney is considered a global city by every measurable standard, being constantly cited as one of the world’s most multicultural, influential, and livable cities. A short walk around the Central Business District would have anyone compare the city to New York or London or any other metropolis on this planet. It is one of those places where it does not matter who you are or where you are from, you will find something you like to do. Getting around and managing to live in Sydney is a learning experience all by itself, so it’s a great location to do a study abroad program, but even better if you want to intern because there are endless opportunities.

The best thing about Sydney is that although it is a global city, has a big town vibe and all the positive aspects that come with that, it is never too far from nature. There are parks everywhere, sometimes so spacious and well-kept that it does not even feel like you’re in a city anymore. My personal favorites are the Royal Botanic Garden with views of the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Park by Manly Beach, and the Chinese Garden of Friendship, which is just a walk from the university and my accommodation in Ultimo. Even better, there are many beautiful beaches, probably the most I have seen in one single city. There is nothing that beats relaxing in front of the ocean after a week of work or school—I think that is something many people would pay for.

Happy Pride Week! This year, we are proud to be marching in the 2018 Boston Pride Parade on Saturday, June 9, 2018.

Join us as we celebrate diversity and the LGBTQIA community in our global city of Boston. As part of our ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion, CAPA The Global Education Network is sponsoring a Pride Parade Float and invites YOU – our partners, alumni, friends, and staff – to march alongside as we DisGO Beyond to the beat!

How Do I Register?

It is completely FREE for you to attend this! We only ask that you register here, that way we can keep track and notify you of any updates.

We're honored that our Diversity Advocates Program was selected as a finalist for the 2018 GoAbroad Innovation Awards in the Innovation in Diversity category! The GoAbroad Innovation Awards recognizes strategic efforts to expand international educational opportunities to traditionally underrepresented groups for the Innovation in Diversity category.

Launched this spring, CAPA's Diversity Committee created this initiative to exemplify our commitment to diversity in ways that are academic, experiential, and personal for our students to transport their activism and passions abroad. So, what exactly is the Diversity Advocates Program and who are our Spring 2018 participants?

Claire Shrader is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Pre-Occupational Therapy major at Mississippi College, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In this week's post, Claire talks about the Argentinian brand of kindness and what her experience attending church is like in Buenos Aires.

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When I say Buenos Aires is a city unlike any other, I hope you know it isn’t just me saying that because I love it, or because I don’t have much experience in other cities. The opposite is true—I’ve been in New York and Los Angeles and Dallas and Orlando and London and so many others…yet Buenos Aires has its own special flair. The architecture is amazing and so diverse. Today I took the bus from a relatively modern part of the city and within 20 minutes looked up in amazement at the buildings around me.

The amazing architecture in Buenos Aires.

Spanish is everywhere, but you’ll also hear Portuguese and English and Chinese often, and if your time here looks anything like my Easter Sunday, Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian, too. Buenos Aires is a massive city, and yet not once have I felt unsafe walking the streets alone or riding the bus or train. If you hit the streets anytime between 3:00-6:00 you’ll find most of the city seated at a café, enjoying coffee and a friend.

An Interview with CAPA Institutional Relations Manager for Equity and Inclusion Initiatives: Darin Smith-Gaddis

Meet Darin Smith-Gaddis, CAPA's first Institutional Relations Manager for Equity and Inclusion Initiatives. Since his start with CAPA in 2014, Darin has focused on building relationships with institutional partners. Drawing from his experience in developing key programs for education and diversity and inclusion efforts, he is committed to helping others understand and expand access for underrepresented students to study abroad. Below, he shares what led to his current role at CAPA, why study abroad is important, and how educators and institutions can be more inclusive. 

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself and your work with CAPA.
DARIN SMITH-GADDIS: I work on Equity and Inclusion initiatives as an Institutional Relations Manager for CAPA. I’ve had the opportunity to travel most of my life, starting with many trips from my home, Anchorage, Alaska, to visit relatives and friends in other states and other countries. I participated in my first study abroad in high school, spending an academic year in Brasilia, Brazil. After that I guess I never stopped. I participated in two study abroad programs in undergrad to the Czech Republic and several former Yugoslav countries and just kept going. By 30 I’d flown over 1 million miles getting to know the diverse communities and cultures that make up our world. At CAPA my primary goal is to increase accessibility for students to study abroad. Working with faculty, administrators and students, I try to bring study abroad concepts to fruition, create connections that lead to programs, and develop solutions to challenges to break down barriers. This means making sure our partners are informed and supported as they pursue their respective institutional missions.

Sarah is an official CAPA vlogger for fall 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Fashion Retail and Merchandising major at Lasell College, she is studying abroad in Shanghai this semester.

In this week's post, Sarah enjoys 3 cultural events at East China Normal University (ECNU) on her study abroad.

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Thanks Sarah!

Sarah's journey continues every Thursday so stay tuned.