Virtual exchange is a tool to create powerful international experiences for young people. Program alumni emerge with transformed outlooks and perspectives. The Stevens Initiative is committed to supporting virtual exchange alumni as they develop professionally and continue building cross-cultural ties. 

We are pleased to announce the 2023 Stevens Initiative Alumni Fellowship, a unique opportunity for alumni to continue to build on the skills they learned during their virtual exchange programs. To honor the legacy of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens following the tenth anniversary of his passing, the Fellowship provides 24 Stevens Initiative Alumni Fellows an opportunity to form meaningful relationships with one another while fostering global learning, professional development, and leadership exploration. The 2023 Fellowship brings together a cohort of young people (undergraduate students, graduate students, and early career professionals) from eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa and seven states within the U.S. and Washington DC, who participated in ten different virtual exchange programs.

Programming for this second iteration of the Fellowship, which is supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, includes monthly virtual sessions, the implementation of collaborative community projects, an in-person workshop in Amman, Jordan, reciprocal visits to each Fellows’ home community, and a culminating summit in Washington, DC. From these planned activities, Fellows will go on to share what they’ve learned with others in their communities. Read more about the 2023 Fellows below, listed in their pairs:

Fellow Bios 

Ahmed Saleh | Aden, Yemen

Virtual Exchange: Amideast’s Qisasna, World Learning’s The Experiment Digital, and Soliya’s Global Circles

Year of Participation: 2021

Ahmed Saleh is the Founder and the CEO of Technology & Education for Change, a non-profit organization that provides youth with the appropriate knowledge and skills to address computer illiteracy challenges. Ahmed wanted to do something that would transform his society and foster international relationships, so he joined three Stevens Initiative virtual exchange programs. He participated in Amideast’s Qisasna program, a podcast exchange program between Yemeni and American youth intending to instill global citizenship values. With a passion to transform the education system in Yemen, he was motivated to develop  the Tamkeen project, an initiative that empowers women by providing the technology skills needed to enter the  workforce. The U.S. Embassy in Yemen granted him $20,000 to implement the Tamkeen project, and he has successfully shared the skills and knowledge required to penetrate the IT field with women in Yemen.

Camille Parkinson | Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: Amideast’s Qisasna 

Year of Participation: 2022

Camille Parkinson is originally from West Chester, Pennsylvania, and relocated to Fairfax, Virginia, to attend George Mason University. Camille will graduate with a B.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a concentration in Interpersonal Dynamics and a minor in Intelligence in May 2023. Upon graduating she will also be commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer in the United States Army (Delaware National Guard). Camille hopes to become an elementary school teacher to inspire the next generation of scholars and peace facilitators. Camille recently completed a study abroad in Rwanda focused on the power of justice, reconciliation, and peace in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. As an alumna of Amideast’s Qisasna program, she is appreciative of the opportunity virtual exchange has provided for a cross-cultural experience with peers in Yemen, where she produced two podcasts on social and cultural issues that impact both Yemeni and American society.

Muhanad Belhasan | Benghazi, Libya

Virtual Exchange: Culturingua’s Global Social Entrepreneurship Journey

Year of Participation: 2021

Muhanad Belhasan is a recent high school graduate from the Gifted Centre of Benghazi who placed ninth state-wide in his senior year exams. He is now pursuing an engineering degree from the University of Benghazi. Having lived five years of his early childhood abroad in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, Muhanad speaks fluent English, and his perspectives have broadened greatly from that experience. With unparalleled curiosity and a burning desire to try out anything new, Muhanad’s first communal activity was serving as an active member of the Lybotics Super Team for Robotics from late 2020 to early 2022. He traveled frequently and attended many tournaments, workshops and events during his time with the team. He is currently a Global Shaper in Benghazi Hub, and continues to search for opportunities to develop himself and his skills.

Xitlalih Torres | San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: Culturingua’s Global Social Entrepreneurship Journey

Year of Participation: 2021

Xitlalih Torres is a first-year student at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Her passion for cross-cultural exchange and bridging the divide between people has led her to pursue her undergraduate degree in International Business with a minor in New Media. Education is a priority for her, so she regularly mentors students at her former high school, sharing about her recent college experience and supporting them by sharing valuable advice. Although her time at Trinity has only just begun, she started strong by joining the rigorous Summer Bridge Program. She also joined the First Generation Investors, a club that focuses on educating first-generation students about responsible financial practices. In addition, she is currently working on developing a marketing plan for a business in her community. 

Jamila Naboulsi | Tangier, Morocco

Virtual Exchange: Global Education Benchmark Group’s Sustainable Development Virtual Exchange 

Year of Participation: 2020

Jamila Naboulsi is an engineering student, a social activist, a kickboxing champion, and a hiker. She wears many hats, each one a testament to her versatility and commitment to making a difference in her community. Through her work as the founder of Guard Up Morocco, Jamila has empowered young women through the practice of martial arts and sports, instilling in them the values of teamwork, discipline, and respect. She has also led the charge in promoting responsible and sustainable hiking by launching the Eco-Friendly Hiking Initiative, inspiring others to take action and protect our natural resources. As an alumna of Global Education Benchmark Group’s Sustainable Development Virtual Exchange in 2020, she has used her experience to lead many virtual workshops about entrepreneurship, leadership, and social work to share her experience with other people. Jamila has a deep passion for volunteering. She has worked as a facilitator and leadership trainer with the GAP Association in Turkey, developing skills that have helped her become an even more effective leader and advocate. 

Mariama Bah | New York City, New York, U.S.

Virtual Exchange:  Engineering World Health’s Virtual Engineering Innovation & Cultural Exchange

Year of Participation: 2022

Mariama Bah is originally from Guinea, West Africa, and is a multi-lingual first-generation U.S. citizen and college student earning a BA in both Engineering Studies and International Affairs. An Opportunity Network Fellow, she is passionate about cross-cultural collaboration for sustainable development. Towards that end, she has worked as a sustainability intern assisting with operationalizing climate change initiatives. She has also worked with Lafayette Sunrise, a youth-led climate action movement. As a Engineering World Health fellow, she worked with other students in the MENA region on improving medical device donations. On campus, she is an EXCEL Scholar conducting research on ways to expand inclusive teaching in civil and environmental engineering in higher education. After graduating, Mariama plans to pursue an interdisciplinary master’s in community climate adaptation with a focus on fieldwork in the Latin America region. In her spare time, she is an avid reader, occasional creative writer, and fashion enthusiast. She is currently engaged with She Shall Speak, empowering young black girls across the diaspora. 

Malak Khayari | Casablanca, Morocco

Virtual Exchange: Global Ties U.S.’s MENA-USA Empowering Resilient Girls Exchange

Year of Participation: 2022

Malak Khayari is currently a second-year architecture student with a love for art, history, and cultures. She has lived in several Moroccan cities since her childhood. Her ambition drives her to seek out experiences that will help her develop as a person and learn from her surroundings. Since 2018, she has taken part in many extracurricular activities. In 2022, she was able to learn more about how communities handle mental health concerns through her involvement in Global Ties U.S.’s MENA-USA Empowering Resilient Girls Exchange. The program gave her the tools to enhance her emotional resilience and learn stress-relieving practices.

Loreley Godfrey | Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S. 

Virtual Exchange: Global Ties U.S.’s MENA-USA Empowering Resilient Girls Exchange

Year of Participation: 2022

Loreley Godfrey is 18 years old and is from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. With a parent serving in the U.S. Navy, Loreley grew up traveling overseas where she learned to speak fluent Japanese and Italian. As a participant in Global Ties U.S.’s MENA-USA Empowering Resilient Girls Exchange, Loreley learned about cross-cultural mental health issues. She was inspired to pioneer legislation with her state senator that would expand mental health education for Granite State students. Loreley is an incoming freshman at Wellesley College where she will be studying Political Science. 

Malak Diab | Amman, Jordan

Virtual Exchange: IREX’s Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge

Year of Participation: 2021

Malak Diab is an aspiring data scientist whose thirst for self-improvement is insatiable. With a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems, she eagerly seeks out opportunities to expand her horizons and hone her craft. Malak’s ambitions extend beyond her career; her altruistic spirit drives her to volunteer in a myriad of fields, each time leaving a lasting impression. With her tenacity for growth and her dedication to service, Malak is a force to be reckoned with. Her love for personal development and volunteering extends to learning about different cultures and collaborating with them to make a positive impact. She participated in IREX’s Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge and was a member of  IREX’s Alumni Club. Malak’s unwavering commitment to cross-cultural understanding and continuous search for learning opportunities is a testament to her dedication to making the world a better place.

Hayaa Azmi | Katy, Texas, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: Engineering World Health’s Virtual Engineering Innovation & Cultural Exchange

Year of Participation: 2022

Hayaa Azmi is from Katy, Texas, and is currently a third-year Biomedical Engineering student at University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to university, she participated in the robotics club at her high school for four years. While in the club, she traveled to Ecuador with her team members to mentor and teach LEGO robotics at different schools in Quito, Ecuador. This trip sparked her passion for cross-cultural learning. This past summer she participated in Engineering World Health’s Virtual Engineering Innovation & Cultural Exchange where she and her teammates designed a concept of a solar powered oxygen concentrator with power protection. She hopes to combine her passion for cross-cultural learning and biomedical engineering into a career that helps design/redesign medical devices to be effective in various regions around the world.

Mohammed Ahmed | Duhok, Iraq 

Virtual Exchange: IREX’s Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge

Year of Participation: 2022

Mohammed Ahmed is a 22-year-old Petrochemical Engineering graduate. He currently works as a Project Engineer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where he is assisting in the process of building thousands of houses for refugees. His passion for sustainability and global solutions led him to participate in IREX’s Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge. In addition to his professional pursuits, Mohammed studies computer programming as a hobby and is currently working on starting an online business.

Holden Garrison | Morganton, North Carolina, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: IREX’s Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge

Year of Participation: 2022

Holden Garrison is 21 years old and graduated in May of 2022 with a BA in Global Affairs and Development with minors in Spanish and International Entrepreneurship from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was an Honors Ambassador and received international and university honors upon graduating. Additionally, he received the Provost’s Student Excellence award, the highest academic award offered by his university. He has spent the last nine months working with his family’s small business gaining hands-on experience with entrepreneurship. Holden participated in IREX’s Global Solutions Conversations in his last semester of university, while simultaneously participating in the hybrid study abroad program studying business in Belgium. Holden recently completed a certification in Business Analytics Science through the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with the intention of broadening his skillset. His personal interests include sustainable agriculture, social entrepreneurship, and ethical traveling.

Lana Bahr | Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Virtual Exchange: Soliya’s Connect Program

Year of Participation: 2022

Lana Bahr is an English language teacher at Dangakan Project and the onsite facilitator of the Peace Leader Professional Course by Jesuit Worldwide Learning in Iraq. She is also a project facilitator at Hope for Communities, a non-governmental organization, where she helps to educate orphans, internally displaced people, and refugees in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Sulaimani. She is an alumna of Soliya’s Connect Program. Lana is from the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, and she is interested in peace and conflict resolution studies, intercultural communication, leadership, traveling, art, and music. 

Amy Sit | New York City, New York, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: Soliya’s Global Circles

Year of Participation: 2021

Amy Sit is an educator, researcher, organizational strategist, and aspiring UX/UI designer who seeks to design experiences that help individuals and organizations become more connected, curious, and compassionate. After earning a BA in International Development Studies at Brown University, she earned an MBA from the Quantic School of Business & Technology and worked in a variety of roles, including in college advising, brand strategy, organizational change management, and market research. After participating in Soliya’s Global Circles program in 2021, she was inspired to become a cross-cultural exchange facilitator with Soliya. She currently balances her online UX/UI design bootcamp classes with teaching English part-time and facilitating Soliya’s Global Circles Program.

Eya Najai | Mégrine Chaker, Tunisia

Virtual Exchange: Soliya’s Connect Program

Year of Participation: 2021

Eya Najai is a community management intern at an artistic association, l’art rue. She is currently a master’s student studying Marketing and Innovation Decisions. She is a Marketing and Communications graduate and holds a master’s degree in Competitive Intelligence. As her end-of-study project, Eya helped create a Tunisian online marketplace that sells kids’ products. She participated in several virtual exchange programs including Soliya’s Connect Program in 2021 and Global Circles in 2022. She also participated in Soliya’s Introduction to Online Dialogue Facilitation in 2021. Eya is also a member of the Tunisian Red Crescent Association where she contributes to several humanitarian efforts.

Ai-Kee Cheung | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: World Learning’s The Experiment Digital and The Next Gen Coders Network

Year of Participation: 2020

Ai-Kee Cheung is a second-year student at Boston College studying chemistry and mathematics. Ai-Kee has been involved with the Stevens Initiative since 2020 after participating in World Learning’s The Experiment Digital and The Next Gen Coders Network in the summer of 2021. In addition to her interests in connecting and meeting with others around the world, she is also passionate about mental health access and care for everyone. She has volunteered at Samaritans\National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for four years now and plans on continuing to advocate for mental health access and battling mental health stigma.

George Angly | Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Virtual Exchange: William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan’s M2GATE and Business and Culture: A Virtual Practicum

Year of Participation: 2018 & 2020

George Angly is a Management Consultant at Kearney based in Dubai, UAE. He previously served as a Sustainable Development Advisor to the Egyptian Minister of Local Development. George is a USAID Scholar at the U.S.-Egypt Higher Education Initiative with a bachelor’s degree in business from the American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt. He has participated in two Stevens Initiative virtual exchange programs, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan’s M2GATE in 2018 and Business and Culture: A Virtual Practicum in 2020. As an alum, he served on the review committee for the 2020 Stevens Initiative Virtual Exchange Grant Competition. He has also participated in two in-person exchange programs in Washington, U.S., and Beijing, China. George was awarded the AUC’s Academy of Liberal Arts Leadership and Innovation Award for his research on Egypt Vision 2030 and is an alumnus of the McKinsey Forward Program. 

Stefani Davila | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: IREX’s Global Solutions Conversations and Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge 

Year of Participation: 2022

Stefani Davila is an undergraduate junior majoring in Business of Creative Enterprises at Emerson College. Stefani is originally from Quito, Ecuador, and currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts. She has dedicated her life to service. She is a volunteer and an active photographer for Fundación Jóvenes Contra el Cáncer in Ecuador. She is the founder of Meraki Youth Organization located in Miami, Florida, which is dedicated to community service, acts of kindness, and climate justice. Stefani has been accepted into prestigious seminars such as the Clinton Global Initiative University 2023, the Public Policy Leadership Conference at Harvard Kennedy School, and the Washington Seminar. She participated in IREX’s Global Solutions Conversations in 2021 and Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge in 2022. She plans to eventually manage the family foundation, Fundación Jóvenes contra el Cáncer, not only in Ecuador, but also in the United States.

Nedjla Khelfa Sahel | Skikda, Algeria

Virtual Exchange: World Learning’s The Experiment Digital

Year of Participation: 2019

Nedjla Khelfa Sahel is a third-year undergraduate student studying Statistics and Commerce. She is currently an exchange student and traveled from Algeria to the U.S. to study at Otterbein University in Ohio for the 2023 spring semester. She participated in World Learning’s The Experiment Digital during the summer of 2019 and served as a Peer Mentor in 2020. Since 2017, she has actively engaged in her community by organizing initiatives and projects with local NGOs to help promote sustainable development. She previously worked remotely as part of a global multidisciplinary team, researching & co-designing a Future Career in Humane Tech newsletter and expedition event. She is an alumna of the English Access program and the Women2Women Virtual University. In 2022, she became a trainer of 21st Century Skills as part of the 21 FREE Project implemented by World Learning Algeria.

Meghana Kumar | Berkeley, California, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: World Learning’s The Experiment Digital

Year of Participation: 2017

Meghana Kumar is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Economics and Data Science at UC Berkeley in California, U.S. She participated in World Learning’s The Experiment Digital in 2017. She’s passionate about refugee rights and has worked on language development initiatives for refugees. In addition, she is a research assistant on a study measuring the impact of rental subsidies on refugees in Jordan. She is also a teaching assistant at UC Berkeley, where she currently supports an economic development course. After graduating this spring, she will take on a role as an associate consultant at Bain & Company’s San Francisco office. 

Jameel Al-badrani | Baqubah, Iraq

Virtual Exchange: World Learning’s The Experiment Digital

Year of Participation: 2019

Jameel Al-badrani is from Diyala, Iraq, and is a third-year undergraduate student studying Medical Laboratory Technology. He was a participant of World Learning’s The Experiment Digital in 2019 and afterwards became an ambassador and a peer mentor for the program. He was also involved with the Impactional Youth Organization. Jameel completed an internship training at his local health center assisting the lab staff with various tasks. Jameel has interests in many different fields including health, cultural exchange, and languages.

Angelina Freeman | Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: World Learning’s The Experiment Digital

Year of Participation: 2019

Angelina Freeman is originally from New Mexico, and is a third-year undergraduate student at American University studying International Studies and Arabic. In addition to her participation in World Learning’s The Experiment Digital in 2019, Angelina studied abroad in Malang, Indonesia, with the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program during the 2018-2019 academic year and with the Critical Language Scholarship program the summer of 2022. She spent the fall of 2022 in Halifax, Canada, participating in Fulbright Canada’s Killam Fellowship. Angelina is a Peer Facilitator for the AUx program at American University, is an intern at the Research on International Policy Implementation Lab, and is involved in International Studies research programs. 

MohamedAmin Omar | Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Virtual Exchange: World Learning’s The Experiment Digital

Year of Participation: 2022

MohamedAmin Omar is a third-semester civil engineering student at the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani. He is the founder of the Opportunity Club with more than 171 members and the co-founder of the MIS Club. He has volunteered with several events and projects such as TEDx Nishtiman and TechFest. He speaks Arabic, English, Kurdish, and Turkish. He participated in different cultural programs such as World Learning’s The Experiment Digital. He believes that all people are equal regardless of their country or where they come from.

Brooklyn Burgess | Northridge, California, U.S.

Virtual Exchange: World Learning’s The Experiment Digital 

Year of Participation: 2019

Brooklyn Burgess is a second-year Microbiology major and Global Health minor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Brooklyn has been involved with World Learning since 2019, beginning as a participant of The Experiment Digital. She subsequently volunteered as a peer mentor for two summers and ultimately served as a facilitator in 2022. In addition to youth leadership, Brooklyn has a strong interest in learning critical languages to promote peace and advance international dialogue. She is currently studying Arabic at UCLA and has studied Hindi with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Passionate about improving her global competence skills, Brooklyn has also participated in other government-sponsored programs, including Youth Ambassadors.

The 2023 Stevens Initiative Alumni Fellowship is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.