What is your favorite travel memory?
At the conclusion of my Peace Corps service in Morocco, I took a solo trip to Türkiye where I spent a few days exploring the city of Istanbul. I visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Arasta Bazaar, and the Sultanahmet Square.
As Türkiye is a Mediterranean country that is considered the crossroads of the Middle East and Europe, I really enjoyed getting to know the culture through the food, museums, and people I encountered during my stay.
I had such a good time in Istanbul that it led to me taking a year's worth of Turkish classes and studying a bit of Ottoman history during my graduate studies.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Since coming to Academic Programs Abroad, I have become even more confident in using my French skills outside of academic settings as it is now my main language of work and life.
Furthermore, it was through my work with APA that I was able to deepen my connection to the African continent through a work assignment in Dakar, Senegal. This allowed me to better understand different regions in Africa as I had only previously been in Morocco. Being of the African Diaspora from the U.S.A., going to West Africa for the first time was extremely important to me as it allowed me to connect with and exchange knowledge with West Africans face-to-face which had been a goal of mine for the past 10 years.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
A student who had little to no experience abroad or with the French language took part in APA's semester program in Paris. Upon leaving the program, they had acquired a new sense confidence and overall ease with both France and the French language.
Success stories like those make me incredibly proud of not only what our programs can offer students but also the growth that students experience as they overcome their fears and develop a stronger sense of self while navigating early adulthood in the context of a foreign country.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
I would really like to take part in the Multi-Country program that offers a semester of studies between France, Morocco, & Senegal. I think being able to conduct francophone studies between each of these countries while also garnering knowledge of the shared and separate histories of each through coursework is a once in a lifetime experience.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
What makes Academic Programs Abroad unique is the emphasis our programs put on La Francophonie. Our French-immersion programs operate not only in France but throughout other French-speaking countries and regions around the world, offering a wider and more varied experience with the French language and Francophone cultures.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Being able to consistently offer a high-quality service/product to clients is what I believe to be one of the biggest factors in being a successful company. This establishes a firm sense of trust among clients, encouraging their loyalty and satisfaction with a company. This bolsters the company's reputation as more people would be willing to consider using the service/product of the company as word of mouth continued to spread.