“My favorite lecture was “Being A Verb” by Wu Qing. I won’t forget what I learned while Qing shared with us the importance of being a global citizen. She reminded us “to be a verb”, to take action to see the change we desire. I remember Wu shared that you should make sure to know your rights if you demand something from the government. I admired how Wu was unafraid to speak out and voice her opinions when we she saw wrong. This has further encouraged me to do the same.”
“The seminar on Black Panther and cultural discourse taught me the power of films. In a way, film is literature, a thought I never had. I’ve always viewed movies as entertainment, but after reading African Epics and literature, I was able to see how directors are inspired by other media to convey a contemporary issue.”
“We as human beings almost always have an initial impression and judgment of people based on their appearances. This program taught me to open my heart to everyone and I am so thankful it taught and showed me a different side of love and connection. My favorite lecture had to be ‘Dreams and Visions in Islamic Tradition’ by Prof. Ozgen Felek; I loved the way it combined reality and dreams and the messages that those dreams retained.”
“This is what makes YYGS stand out. It is free of boundaries. I’ve never imagined myself grouped with three peers coming from Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore and discussing issues surrounding Syrian and Turkish immigration policies. We come from different places, yet our liberal minds allow us to break the invisible boundaries between us.”
“It was primarily the lecture of Professor Akhil Amar that stuck with me the most. His passionate explanation of why he is a defender of an “original intent” interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and his interaction with students gave me the mindset to follow my interests in American history and law. My time at Yale has set my passions and goals for the future, ensuring that I will pursue the cross-section between political science and pre-law studies as I approach college.”
“In my seminar, ‘Global Health: The Major Players and Challenges for the Future,” I learned about the social influences that are barriers in health care. Living and learning alongside peers from around the world broadened my views by learning about countries and cultures I have never encountered before. I was informed about healthcare in various communities and learned how it differed from my own. It was interesting to see how each of our backgrounds influenced the way we understood the topic.
“I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated my special meal with Jemilat Salami-Oyenuga, I remember her talking about imposter syndrome and reassuring us that we all deserved to be and belonged at Yale, this really resonated with me, confirming for me that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.”
My capstone at YYGS was based on the use of CRISPR-cas9 in biomedical warfare. This has inspired me to pursue research internships where I can further my knowledge on this subject, and to hopefully pursue a career in this field.
“YYGS made me step out of my comfort zone, empowered me and made me feel capable of achieving my goals and changing the world.”
Each year at my school, a group of students is selected to be part of a council that comes up with projects to improve and address various issues. I campaigned to be part of this group. We made a poster and a video to present ourselves to voters and speak about our proposed projects.
“One of the best things about YYGS was to discuss world events that you thought you had a pretty clear view on with someone from the other side of the planet and learn an entirely new perspective.”
I decided to start a small business. I contacted my younger cousin who lives in the Swedish countryside with an idea to sell Christmas trees with home delivery. We have now secured a local supplier and are currently in the progress of gathering orders.
“Going to YYGS made me feel brave enough to make things happen. I may have been shy and reserved but just being present was enough for me to know that…there is hope for me to do even bigger things.”
I started a school club called Peer Support whose main goal is to make the school environment more positive. As part of our ‘becoming’ we held a Mental Health Day where students signed up to do performances and art displays to boost the theme of mental health. It was a great success!
