“Before YYGS, I was unable to speak throughout multiple discussions at my school. I was constantly afraid of saying the wrong thing and being ridiculed. But, the people at YYGS helped me realize I was surrounded by people who would not criticize me for saying the wrong things. And if I did say the wrong thing, they would help me correct my mistake and learn from it. This helped me improve and work on my speaking skills throughout the program.”
“YYGS really gave me a world mindset and taught me that every experience, no matter the culture or background, is valid and that everyone has something important to bring to the table.”
“Often times we forget to look at the other side of the debate, and this is something YYGS helped me overcome. As I returned back I have taken this approach in context to my academic as well as extra curricular activities.”
“I participated in the Biological and Biomedical Science Session, which was an area of discomfort for me because I do not study Biology, but that’s where the most growth takes place. I remember making it a mission to completely immerse myself in a new environment to give myself the room to be adventurous before I start university next year. This turned out to be the best decision for my future yet.”
“I found YYGS to be a wonderful place of self-exploration. The intense new environment, people from all around the world, college residential life… Listening to the stories of professors, researchers and my peers, I was amazed by the variety of our experiences and how we became part of the program in the first place.”
“The most memorable thing for me was the new connections that I was able to make with many people from different parts of the world. This made me more of a global citizen, understanding different cultures, and how those cultures have shaped different individuals to build up their identities.”
“The most memorable thing about YYGS was the Capstone Project, where my groupmates and I worked on the impacts of the Yemeni Revolution. This was the first time that I spent two weeks with students from different backgrounds and performed interdisciplinary research. If it was not for this project, I would not have dug deeply into the causes and influences of the Yemini Revolution and study the history and culture of a foreign country. “
“YYGS made me realize that I can do something almost impossible within my reality as black, gay and Brazilian. This program changed my life forever and now I’m more prepared and confident for the much bigger challenges that are coming in my life. Today, I feel safe and confident to confront what I see wrong in my society and thus face reality and be part of the change I desire.”
Quoting Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world .”
“Having the opportunity to explore New Haven with friends was a very unique experience. I had never before been that independent, so for me personally, this was very special and I enjoyed doing things on my own. From finding my way around campus to deciding how much money to spend, even doing my own laundry (and getting it done before curfew, whew, that brings back memories), I finally felt like a self-sufficient, responsible person. I am really looking forward to living like this at university, and I thank YYGS for giving me the opportunity to discover this about myself.”
“YYGS covered every aspect of college life thoroughly–from shared suites to buffet meals, we could get a genuine glimpse of what it is like to live on campus.”
