We are very proud of our alumni who are becoming change-makers around the world. This page is dedicated to sharing our alumni's successes and achievements. Click the photos to read more.
Alumna wins 3-month fellowship in Neuroradiology in ItalyOur World Link #FLEX ’07 alumna, law student, and youngest radiology specialist in Serbia, Dr. Valentina Opancina, MD, PhD won the European Society of Radiology Award for three month neuroradiology fellowship and is right now doing it in Milan, Italy...
Bringing Free Education and Cultural Centers to UkraineOur World Link #FLEX alumna Mariia Donets '15 (Ukraine/IA) is doing amazing things in her position as the head of the Gonacharenko Education and Culture Centers across Ukraine...
Young Person of the YearCongratulations to World Link #FLEX alum Yaroslav Morozov '18 (Ukraine/CO) on winning the district stage of the city competition "Young Person of the Year" (2021)!
Alumna receives Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace FellowshipCongratulations to our #KLYES '16 alum Asma Rassem (Yemen/CO) on being awarded this prestigious fellowship!
UN SDG #5: Working Towards Gender EqualityA year with World Link helped me realize my passion for social work with gender-based violence and gave me confidence that I can make a change...
YES Alumni Spotlight: Samman RazaCongratulations to our #KLYES alumna Samman Raza '17 (Pakistan/CO) for being selected as the YES Alumni Spotlight!
Read about her exchange year experience and her current self-defense academy project!
Read about her exchange year experience and her current self-defense academy project!
Kyiv Future Interview: Vira HrabchukAnother one of our alum was interviewed on the podcast, "Kyiv Future"!
Learn how our #FLEX alumna Vira Hrabchuk '19 has devoted herself to helping her country, its' people, and its' future.
Learn how our #FLEX alumna Vira Hrabchuk '19 has devoted herself to helping her country, its' people, and its' future.
Kyiv Future Interview: Daryna HilOur alumna Daryna Hil '19 (Ukraine/CA) was interviewed on the top Apple podcast about Ukraine, "Kyiv Future".
Take a listen and learn about her passions, volunteering, and projects!
Take a listen and learn about her passions, volunteering, and projects!
Luka Bluashvili '19: Georgian National News InterviewCheck out the Georgian National News segment about Luka's #GYSD project!
Luka Bluashvili '19: Strength in UnityLast December, our #FLEX alum Luka Bluashvili '19 (Georgia/IL) was able to finally complete the #GYSD project he started at the end of his exchange year.
For Luka's GYSD, "Sakartvelo (Georgia) on My Mind", he raised an astonishing $1600 USD from his host high school community for a small rural school in the mountains of Georgia, in just ONE month!
The passion Luka had for his project was evident and earned him a place in World Link's Top Ten GYSD 2019 Project Competition!
You can read more about Luka's project here.
For Luka's GYSD, "Sakartvelo (Georgia) on My Mind", he raised an astonishing $1600 USD from his host high school community for a small rural school in the mountains of Georgia, in just ONE month!
The passion Luka had for his project was evident and earned him a place in World Link's Top Ten GYSD 2019 Project Competition!
You can read more about Luka's project here.
World Link Youth Representing Local YouthFebruary of 2018 was the first time Karmen had heard of the Lääneranna Youth Council. As an active 15-year old teen in her community, she was invited to join to group. “I didn’t even hesitate to say yes”, she reflected...
World Link Alumna Wins American Song Contest 2020Congratulations to our alumna Nuraiym Nurgazieva '19 (Kyrgyzstan/IA) for winning the American Song Contest 2020, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. Read more about the process and take a listen to her winning performance.
Alumni Highlight: Tsiko Khomasuridze '14 (Georgia/CA)Recently, Tsiko was working at the UN Association of Georgia as a Project Officer. The project is called Fostering Inclusive Democracy...
Ten Year Update Interview with Ina Gjika
Solving Food Insecurities in India with World Food PrizeToday, our #KLYES alumna Nandhika Kamalakkannan '20 (India/CA) virtually presented her research paper during a round-table session at the World Food Prize - Global Youth Institute. Her paper was specifically selected by a panel of judges for this presentation...
Alumni Highlight: Natalija Budzane '19 (Latvia/CO)After returning home in 2019, this alumna became the first #FLEX City Representative of her home city, Liepaja! Meet Natalija Budzane from Latvia...
«Tounes Alwen» (Colorful Tunisia)Within 4 months of returning home, World Link '20 alumn Medhi (Tunisia/CA) organized "Tounes Alwen", an event focused on discussing race relations in his home country, inspired by his U.S. experiences...
My Host Family: Kickstarting My Journey in MusicIn August 2016, I arrived in the USA and this was the real kickstart of my journey in music. Noticing my interest in musical instruments, my amazing host parents, Jason and Christina Smith, bought me a guitar as a welcome present...
Alumni Highlight: Mariam Tsitskishvili ’10 (Georgia/MO)Meet Mariam Tsitskishvili from Georgia. Mariam completed her program 10 years ago in Clark County, MO. She was hosted by Michael and Alice St. Clair. She attended Clark County High School...
Great Things Come From Small BeginningsCommunity service inspired this World Link alumna to dream big.
Alumni Highlight: Tom SabuIn 2015, he became a Team Lead for “National Service Scheme (NSS)”, a program sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resource Development... His team implemented many successful projects, but according to Tom, the most important was “Wealth from Waste”...
Alumni Highlight: An Interview with Award Winning DoctorWhen not studying for her third higher education degree (law) or being the youngest attending radiologist ever at her institution, this next alum in our #alumnihighlightseries is providing free ultrasounds and checkups to those in need...
Alumni Highlight - Demi Van ZelstAt the beginning of the exchange year, we ask our students “What is your passion?” It is this question that Demi consistently asks herself and has guided her through her success…
Alumni Highlight - Karina DarbinyanIn 2016, Karina graduated with a general medicine degree from Sechenov University and then two years later with a master’s degree in Linguistics, with a specialty in Professional Communication in Medicine...
ADA Inspiration- From the U.S. to KyrgyzstanDuring their exchange year, World Link students get to learn about and experience first-hand the benefits the Americans with Disabilities Act has had on the country…
ADA 30 Highlight – Benay GozkamanIt was our privilege to see her transform from a girl reliant on the help of her host parents, host sister, and others into a completely independent student…
ADA Highlight – Ani GamkrelidzeHer exchange year inspired her to work on her talents and passions…
ADA Highlight – Darya SukhovaDarya said her exchange year made her more of an adult. It made her more independent and more confident. She learned to cope with her disability better and realized she can still have a fulfilling life despite it…
ADA Highlight – Enejan TolegovaBefore FLEX, I led a secluded life because of my disability. I thought people will not understand me and maybe I am not an interesting person. I was very shy to make friends, to communicate with people. But that was before FLEX...
ADA Higlight – Nuriya EdarbekovaNuriya is in her 3rd year studying English Language at Khorog State University in Tajikistan. She takes what she is learning in her studies and applies them…
ADA Highlight – Ghulam MurtazaGhulam is about to complete his first year of the Bachelors of Law Program at Justice Law College and University in Pakistan. After completing this program, Ghulam will be pursuing a specialty in Human Rights Law…
ADA Highlight – Yana SinitsynaBesides studying, Yana is leading children and teens in English-Learning day camps organized by the university…
ADA Highlight – Ikhwan BwanaadiIkhwan is the founder of “Lamu Organization for Youths and People Living with Disabilities (LOYD)”. His organization has helped 100 households secure food during the COVID-19 pandemic…
World Link Alumna’s Charitable Youth TheatreDuring her exchange year here, her passion and motivation to be a disability rights activist ignited even brighter. Immediately upon returning home, she began implementing…
Welcome Back to Your Old Home and New Land of OpportunitiesIn September, all at once, I achieved several goals: becoming a city representative, becoming an alumnus of the month, and organizing, what turned out to be, a big project…
March Alumni Spotlight: Shae AmatkiranI became aware that I’m capable of doing so much more than I think. I’m forever grateful for the people who I was surrounded with during my exchange year because they had the biggest impact on me and made me change for the better…
World Link Alumni Achievements 2020A short handout, given out at our Annual Local Coordinator Meeting 2020, highlighting different World Link alumni and their achievements.
Finding My Life PathMy U.S. experience as a whole was comprised of me doing any club, activity, and sport I could find. I tried to immerse myself in anything my school had to offer…
A Young Leader in the PhilippinesFaykha Khayriyyah Alonto Ala is the youngest official in Marawi, a Muslim-majority city in the west of Mindanao, the second-largest island in the Philippines…
Nino Nanitashvili: Emerging Youth LeaderWorld Link '10 alumna Nino Nanitashvili was selected as a top ten US State Department’s Emerging Youth Leader. The following is an article written about her, this prestigious award, and her peacebuilding work in Georgia Today.
An Interview with World Link Alumna Gabriela UncuWorld Link wanted to gain some insight as to what has inspired and continues to inspire this new alumna and now leader to work hard as she moves into her future…
The Doors the YES Program Opened For MeThe best opportunity that I managed to grab a hold of since my year in the United States was being accepted to a German international university, Jacobs University Bremen…
What My Exchange Year Taught MeMy exchange year with World Link made me realize the huge importance of intercultural communication. It is so amazing to get to know different perspectives and share yours…
October Alumni Spotlight: Elvana QeliSince I was a child, my mother taught me the first lessons about giving back to my community through volunteering…
Alumna Training Tomorrow’s EntrepreneursSince her exchange year in 2011; World Link YES Program alumna Noemi Chausidis has made quite a list of achievements…
Look of HopeVolunteering for me has always been that one thing that makes me feel alive. It is what makes me feel helpful in society as I give back to the community…
My American Experience as a Bridge to SuccessMissouri soon became my second home. I lived in a very small town called Luray with the St. Clair family. I went to Clark County High School…
Bridging the Communication Gap Between Deaf and Hearing CommunitiesOnly two month’s after returning home from his exchange year, World Link alumni Nehemiah Danjuma (2016; Nigeria/CO) started creating a Sign Language Acquisition Program to help his home community learn sign language…
The Right to ReadBeing surrounded by books, and being able to serve in the library, was one of the best things I experienced in the USA…
Sergey Sek ’04 (Kazakhstan): a Successful Strategist with a Philosophical MindsetDuring our interview Sergey Sek ’04 told me how from an anxious teenager growing up in Kazakhstan’s most dangerous city he turned into a successful businessman, philanthropist, and an adventurer…
Alumni Update - The Hajiyeva SistersFLEX program taught me that no dream is too big – if you work hard and persist, everything is possible...
BYLP Alumni Builds Therapy Garden for Disabled ChildrenThe experience on the Belarus Youth Leadership Program for Daniel Emelianov opened his eyes and his heart…
An Eye-Opening Experience- Canada’s House of CommonsIt is her love for her country and her passion for helping others which has opened the door to new, exciting, and eye-opening opportunities which better herself and her homeland…
Let’s SURF!Although the Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum is my first extensive experience doing research in the energy sector, I am eager to study energy geopolitics and the role of rational energy consumption…
U.S. Embassy Pakistan HighlightWorld Link alumna Samman Raza '17 (Pakistan/CO), during this difficult time, found a way to feed 105 families!
Interview with a Future YES PhysicistMy placement organization, World Link Inc., motivated students to be as engaged as possible, so I got the chance to really prove myself and show my full capabilities…
Connection Camp – Promoting Inclusion in UkraineWorld Link alumna Maryna Tuzhanska (2010; Ukraine/CA) is currently leading the largest branch of the All-Ukrainian Youth NGO “Foundation of Regional Initiatives” (FRI). Her branch unites over 50 active young people…
Learning the SignsImagine not being able to communicate with those in your community – even family members. Feelings of frustration and isolation develop for all involved, as they did for Nehemiah when he went deaf…
My Journey to Becoming Alumni CoordinatorI have returned from my exchange year in the June of 2012. Filled with energy, motivation, and a mindset to change the world, I was now that kid, who likes to be involved into everything…
My Ten Year Reflection10 years ago, I remember walking on a hallway in a very small airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It felt strange, mixed feelings, tons of questions in my head, is it going to work…
Alumni Prepares Students for Exchange YearNow four years later, Ruslan was given the opportunity to prepare 119 Kazakhstani exchange students for their own life-changing year abroad…
Hand in Hand for LiteracyIt was then that I decided to dedicate my Global Youth Service Day 2019 project to this cause. I held the project at GIK College and provided free sets of books, notebooks, and…
Letters of Hope to RefugeesThe idea came naturally in late September, when dozens of citizens gathered in front of the Municipality in Ruse and took the streets in protest against the settlement of refugees in local military barracks…
World Link is an international student exchange and development organization with programs sponsored by public support.
