How can you be a rock band without instruments – and connect with people through song? Tune in to the next episode of Voices of Exchange and discover how one a capella group, The House Jacks, created a pitch perfect connection through song and how their music has struck a chord with audiences across the world, most recently in Latvia and Estonia. With a special holiday treat at the end, this final episode of Season 3 is one you won’t want to miss.  Catch Voices of Exchange on all major...

What happens when five musicians who have never met before and haven’t performed in person since the start of the pandemic get together in Abu Dhabi and Dubai? In the second part of this hip-hop diplomacy story, the ExchangeAlumni team of Next Level artist-educators dive into the magic of connecting in person and serendipity. For more Voices of Exchange, visit alumni.state.gov/voicesofexchange. Subscribe at bit.ly/SubscribenowVoE.

What happens when five musicians who have never met before and haven’t performed in person since the start of the pandemic get together in Abu Dhabi? Music, magic, and lifelong connections through “hip-hop culture.” In the first part of this hip-hop diplomacy story, the ExchangeAlumni team of Next Level artist-educators and Next Level Director Julian Brickhouse chop it up on music and mutual interests, and the breakthroughs they made in the United Arab Emirates. For more Voices of Exchange,...

Marie Christina Kolo wasn’t trying to be Wonder Woman when it came to the secret she kept for many years. But in her work as a climate activist, she wanted to be strong for her community. It wasn’t until she became a Mandela Washington Fellow that Marie Christine found the courage to get vulnerable, which allowed her to make a deeper impact.

To some people, dealing with climate change might seem like an uphill battle and even be depressing. But to Melissa Low, an ExchangeAlumni who has been working in the field – and participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties, or COP – for over a decade, it’s not a zero-sum game.

Mathew Holloway and Cornelius Finley have a few things in common: they are both Black men. They both come from Southern United States. And they are both ExchangeAlumni, who attended a seminar on American identity with other exchange program alumni in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But that’s where the similarities end...   In our two-part series on American identity on Voices of Exchange, Mathew and Cornelius talk about race, belonging, reclaiming your story, and why American identity is not just...

Mathew B. Holloway II and Cornelius Finley have a few things in common: they are both Black men. They both come the Southern United States. And they are both ExchangeAlumni, who attended a seminar on American Identity with other exchange program alumni in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But that’s where the similarities end... NOTE: The description above has been edited to correct an error. Mathew grew up in a small town, while Cornelius grew up in one of the biggest cities in the U.S.!

In the second episode of our three part arc on ExchangeAlumni working with augmented reality, or, AR, we spoke with Julia Beabout, the CEO and creative director of an award-winning AR creative studio. We continue our dive into the transformative power of the technology with ExchangeAlumni Grady Hart, Julia’s partner on the augmented reality project, Monumental Conversations. Grady - an ExchangeAlumni of the Mandela Washington Reciprocal Exchange program and a community partnerships...

In Richmond, Virginia, ExchangeAlumni Julia Beabout and Grady Hart teamed up to create Monumental Conversations, an augmented reality project that centers on the undertold stories of Black resilience and excellence in Richmond. Little did they know how the pandemic and the murder of George Floyd would transform their project. In this second of three episodes on the power of AR on Voices of Exchange, we hear how Julia got a deeper look at racism and its effect on a community, how her...

For Isabelle Foster, her return to the U.S. during the pandemic could have marked an end to a budding project. Yet the physical distance from her team created a new perspective that was perfect for those pulled miles apart: TavAR, an augmented reality (AR) app that brings communities closer to their roots and welcomes tourists to new places and stories. In the first of three episodes on Voices of Exchange, we hear how Fulbright ExchangeAlumni Isabelle Foster, David Franco, and Tania Vargas...

Welcome to Season 3 of Voices of Exchange, a podcast that delivers unforgettable first-person stories from people transformed by international exchange. This season we’re exploring how augmented reality is unlocking rural communities; how diversity and inclusion overlap in America and the world; and how artist-educators in hip hop culture are fostering creative exchanges to promote multilateral relations.  This podcast is brought to you by the Office of Alumni Affairs in the U.S. Department...

Voices of Exchange highlights the remarkable stories of U.S and international ExchangeAlumni whose lives have been transformed by international exchange. Over the past two seasons, we've embarked on a journey of unexpected discoveries - from a NASA scientist inspired by Star Trek, to a poet turned diplomat, to an airline cabin crew member turned podcaster and entrepreneur. Now, we want to hear from you! As we look forward to next season, we'd like to know: What was your favorite Voices of...

Join us for the season closer of Voices of Exchange, featuring Dr. Swati Mohan, NASA aerospace engineer and U.S. Speaker Program ExchangeAlumni, this Thursday, February 10 at 8:00 a.m. ET. Celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science with Dr. Mohan’s journey from Bengaluru, India to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, her viral moment as the lead for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover landing, and why she is a big proponent of encouraging other women to pursue careers...

A chance encounter during his International Visitor Leadership Program, or IVLP exchange, gave Imtiaz Asin a new perspective on life. While traveling in the U.S., Imtiaz experienced tolerance, cultural awareness, and diversity within the melting pot of cultures. When he returned to Canada, Imtiaz brought these lessons back to his community where he is the Vice President of the largest Muslim organization, the B.C. Muslim Association. In this episode, we hear how Imtiaz is re-energizing old...

A chance meeting led EdTech founder, entrepreneur, podcast host, and ExchangeAlumni Nidhi Nidhi to her first experience with the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). But it wasn’t the first time curiosity led Nidhi to new experiences.  In this episode of Voices of Exchange, travel with Nidhi from India to Singapore, Switzerland, and the U.S. to discover the ties that bind us, how Nidhi challenged societal norms, and how she is empowering young girls to take risks.

We’ve learned a lot in 2021 since we launched Voices of Exchange, and this special episode is dedicated to our favorite moments from seasons one and two.

Social entrepreneur and ExchangeAlumni Ian Tarimo likes to call himself an Ambassador for Exchange. That’s how strongly Ian, winner of the 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Impact Award and co-founder of Tai Tanzania, believes in the power of exchange programs. Ian also believes in democracy and fighting corruption, but it was his visit to the U.S. for the Mandela Washington Fellowship program that gave him a deeper understanding of the global issues we all face and more.

Poet, Foreign Service Officer, and U.S. Speaker Program Exchange Alumni Indran Amirthanayagam was born in Ceylon, a country that -- in name anyway -- no longer exists. In this episode of Voices of Exchange, Indran recalls how this feeling of loss for Sri Lanka’s former way of life inspired many of his writings and led him to call himself the “border-crosser.”  To Indran, it’s all about shedding old skin and learning new things - or, giving and gaining, while pushing linguistic and cultural...

Sitting at her 9-to-5 desk job in corporate finance, Mariya Ilyas loved her job, but craved something more. Her time in college had taught her the concept of community, resilience, and giving back, and - despite resistance from her family - Mariya accepted the opportunity to become a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Istanbul, Turkey, where she eventually discovered the power that lay in her hyphenated-identity.  This episode is a story of resiliency, self-sacrifice, and belonging. Join...

A tragic, yet fortuitous car accident changed the course of history for U.S. Speaker program ExchangeAlumni Philippe Cousteau, Jr., his family, and our planet. It led Philippe’s grandfather, Jacques Cousteau, to become a pioneer whose legacy still inspires Philippe - a TV host, producer, author, and social entrepreneur - every day. As world leaders gather for this year’s global climate summit, Philippe talks about why there is cause for hope and optimism amidst the climate change crisis,...

A pivotal moment on her Fulbright exchange and a realization about Anne Frank shifted the course of Stephanie Zhong's life, leading her to find her true calling. On the next Voices of Exchange, Stephanie talks about drawing on her Chinese American background in Hong Kong, soul searching and setbacks, and the power of storytelling. As an ExchangeAlumni of the Fulbright Scholarship program, Stephanie is part of a network of millions of ExchangeAlumni worldwide. Learn more about ExchangeAlumni...

When you think of Egypt, images of pyramids, statues, and mummies likely come to mind. But these iconic monuments and objects haven’t survived millennia on their own, and they’re not the only elements of cultural heritage Egypt has to offer. On this episode, Dr. May al-Ibrashy, an exchange alumna of the Middle Eastern-Western Dialogue Program, shares her trailblazing approach to preserving Egypt's cultural heritage, why these values are universal, and how funding from the U.S. Department of...

To Dan Tani, becoming an astronaut seemed unimaginable. And yet, for 16 years, Tani lived his dream as a NASA astronaut, going on two space expeditions. In this episode, Tani reflects on his pride in the U.S., his love for planet Earth, and his passion for sharing his experiences with others. Among all of his identities, Tani is proud to be a good “citizen of the planet.” Voices of Exchange is a podcast from the U.S. Department of State, brought to you by the Office of Alumni Affairs at...

Welcome to Season 2 of Voices of Exchange, a podcast that delivers unforgettable first-person stories from people transformed by international exchange. This podcast is brought to you by the Office of Alumni Affairs in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). New episodes will be released every two weeks on all major podcast platforms. You can also listen to Voices of Exchange on our website at alumni.state.gov/voicesofexchange and follow us on...