“Before YYGS, I found myself scared of voicing my true opinion at risk of being ridiculed. However, YYGS has since taught me that despite cultural differences of opinion, my voice matters, and can play an active role in intellectual debate.”
“YYGS was a chance to discover my passions. Concepts I had only ever seen in books came to life in an environment bubbling with ideas and curiosity. It was moving to listen to professors explain problems as convoluted and present as the effects of COVID-19 on the global economy, and realize that this was what I wanted to do in the future. It was truly eye-opening. Enchanted by the sophistication of their arguments and thrilled by the novelty of it all, I uncovered debates that I wanted to discuss further, views that I wanted to read about, and research that I was eager to conduct.
“YYGS has shaped me into a better thinker, worker and has thrust me into a community which I adore. I cannot wait to move into higher education, to pursue the experiences that I shared at Yale.”
“The inclusive energy of Yale’s professors always seemed to have sparked my desire to know more and played a special role in developing my intellectual curiosity for the biological and biomedical sciences. Whether it was learning about the interrelatedness between stethoscope auscultation and music from Mr. Thomas Duffy or debating the various implications of developing artificial intelligence with undergraduate students through seminars, my mind was captivated by such creative and controversial approaches to learning.”
“As someone born in Serbia but having lived in Sweden for most of their life, the question of where I’m from was never really difficult. In Sweden, I’d tell people I’m from Serbia. In Serbia, I’d tell people I live in Sweden. But at YYGS, when asked where I’m from, I had to sort myself out. What didn’t help was that I was in Serbia at the time of the program. “Hi, I’m Nikola, and I’m from uh…, well I’m from Serbia, and I live in Sweden. And I’m reporting live from Serbia”.
“YYGS helped me see connections between economics, global health, and legal systems that fundamentally changed how I think about international affairs.”
“My first seminar was one of my highlights. We discussed the topic ‘’Sustainability and Privilege: how are they related?’’ The openness of my peers, as well as the kindness of our instructor, allowed me to speak out, participate in engaging conversations, and make new friends from all around the world.”
“For only two weeks, I was exposed to a range of different topics closely related to my drive for change and passion for impact. Furthermore, I felt connected with other youth scholars worldwide; we were linked through our common bond of leadership and amplified ambition despite the thousands of miles between us. I was impressed by the discussions we had about climate migration and refugees, and the immersing question of migration ethics. By reflecting and looking back on my intellectual experience, I am immensely grateful for having had the privilege of attending YYGS.
“I decided to deviate from the STEM-focused academics I am currently enrolled in and chose to attend the SGC session instead. I wanted to try something entirely new and I absolutely do not regret that decision. Attending SGC YYGS Connect was one of the best decisions of my life. Living in Kuwait, there are almost no opportunities available to interact with people from around the world who share similar interests as you do. YYGS gave me that opportunity which I had been craving for since I started high school.
“The month of YYGS, Bosnia and Herzegovina was under serious quarantine regulations. A harsh country-wide curfew was instated and it has a profoundly negative impact on the mental health of a lot of Bosnian citizens. I was doing my best to keep myself occupied and productive, and Yale Young Global Scholars Connect gave me that extra push I needed.
