New Faces of AUP
There is a good chance that you have not seen some of this semester's most recent additions to the AUP community. The incoming students of the spring semester, while not very many, are definitely noteworthy. As incoming students at AUP, something these four have in common, no matter on whether they are a freshman, transfer, visiting, or achieving their masters, is their excitement to meet people and integrate into the tight-knit community.
Image Credit: Michael Bowers
Michael Bowers
The 20-year old Australian has joined AUP this semester as a freshman. While unfamiliar to AUP, Michael is definitely not unfamiliar to Paris. Alongside attending culinary school for the past 10 months, Michael has also been a stagiaire at Cafe Jones, making dishes that are way above the college standard of a cooked meal. The change of scenery from an internship and culinary school to a "regular" university brings alternative opportunities for Michael to explore. In the three-to-four years to come at AUP Michael seeks to explore the athletic department and the numerous clubs. His favorite aspect of coming here is the sense of community that is present at AUP. Besides the excitement for AUP, Michael is also intrigued in exploring the acting scene. In a few years you may be able to say you attended university with a movie star.
Image Credit: Gabriel Green
Gabriel Green
While not new to the whole college thing, the twenty-five year old from Portland, Oregon has been traveling all over before city hopping from Amsterdam University to AUP. Having lived in Oregon, Idaho, Florida, Washington, Greece, Jordan, and the Netherlands, the most recent addition to Gabriel's living-list is Paris. Of course, each place has brought its own experiences: doing construction work, being a local photojournalist, a freelance photojournalist, and now a full-time student. Knowing his way with a camera, Gabriel has intermittently spent the last year and a half with the NGO Northern Lights Aid, helping out, and capturing the life of asylum seekers in Greece. The change of scenery from Greece to Amsterdam to Paris has made Gabriel excited for what the city and the university has to offer. His journalism major and international law minor make him eager to establish connections and take opportunities that are available. The moving away from Greece has not changed Gabriel's eagerness to continue volunteering and expand his freelance photojournalism. If you are interested in doing volunteer work, especially in Greece, be sure to send Gabriel a message.
Image Credit: Emily Jennings
Emily Jennings
Never having lived outside of the Washington D.C. area, the twenty-one year old Emily decided it was time for a change. Studying communications with a minor in French at GW, Paris seemed like the obvious choice. The difficult process of paperwork and getting a visa did not affect the excitement that Emily holds for her semester abroad. The ability to study in a small, tight-knit community is Emily's favorite part, "everyone here is cool and I am getting along with everyone so far. I want to keep meeting interesting people." Her time in Paris will definitely aid her in her future, which will include working for a nonprofit organization that promotes safety and human rights. Once Emily graduates, in the fall of 2018, beware to keep an eye out for a strong women that will take no bullshit when it comes to justice.
Image Credit: Abeer Saad
Abeer Saad
The newest face of the AUP graduate students is the thirty-two year old Egyptian, Abeer Saad. As a part of an exchange program from her home university, the American University of Cairo, Abeer came to Paris to complete a specific section of her Master's degree: the international management program. The intriguing part of doing a semester at AUP are the courses about health and politics, a topic that interests Abeer because of her work at the Ministry of Health in Egypt. An aspect of living in Paris and doing a semester abroad here is the opportunity to explore the Parisian lifestyle but have the American community on campus. The ability to meet people and create connections with people from all over the world is an exciting aspect of studying abroad for a semester. The connections she is creating in both Paris and in Cairo will allow for her to take the next step in finishing her degree and continue her work in the healthy system. Keep an eye out, as she plans on improving the Public Health System and the Pharmaceutical Sector of Egypt.
Be sure to say a quick hello to the new faces walking around on campus this semester and keep an eye out for all the badass things that your friends and peers are doing and achieving.
