FSC, Mexican Students Bond during Campus Visit
July 9, 2018
FSC and Mexico’s Instituto Tecnológico de Zacatepec (ITZ), are basking in the glow of a $25,000 grant that brought four ITZ students to Farmingdale for three weeks last month, to study business management and pal around with four FSC students.
The grant came through 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund and Fundación Televisa, in partnership with El Tecnológico Nacional de Mexico (TecNM). The Innovation Fund is a public-private sector collaboration that is the leading education initiative in the Western Hemisphere. It provides support to American universities to help build sustainable partnerships with higher education institutions in the rest of the hemisphere. The fund’s goals are to build institutional capacity, increase student mobility, strengthen regional education cooperation, and enhance competitiveness in the Americas.
In addition to taking a course jointly taught by FSC’s Dr. Mengsteab Tesfayohannes-Beraki and ITZ’s Dr. Josefina Samano-Galindo, the eight students enjoyed excursions to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Fire Island, and attended a Yankees game. Next January, ITZ will host their FSC colleagues.
“Taking a course in New York has been a wonderful experience, and meeting new people has enhanced our communication skills and cultural exchange. I really look forward to seeing my new friends in Mexico!” said ITZ’s Gisela Perez-Laguas.
FSC student Nicole Carhart said two famous quotes describe the experience she enjoyed: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do” (often attributed to Mark Twain), and “A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles” (travel writer Tim Cahill).
Fellow student Dean Nelson sounded equally enthused.
“It was a great experience learning the cultural differences and similarities between our two countries. Showing the ITZ students all of my favorite places to see was truly amazing, and I cannot wait until they do the same for me in Mexico!”
The four FSC students were selected for the program by a former School of Business faculty member. The others include Boris Leiva and Danny Morales.
Dayna Richardson, international program coordinator in International Education and Programs, wrote the winning grant proposal.
“I had no idea how fulfilling it would be to get to work with students and professors as part of this program. It has been the highlight of my time here thus far. I fell in love with the whole group! I’m excited about the next part of the program and can’t wait for ITZ’s staff in Mexico to bond with our students, like I have with theirs!”
(L-R, front row): ITZ’s Brandon Ferrer-Tapia, ITZ’s Anuar Cohate-Valencia, FSC’s Dr. Mengsteab Tesfayohannes-Beraki, ITZ’s Gisela Perez-Laguas, ITZ’s Esmeralda Beltran-Prisco. ITZ’S Dr. Josefina Samano-Galindo, FSC’s Nicole Carhart (L-R, back row): FSC’S Boris Leiva, FSC’S Dean Nelson, FSC’s Danny Morales
(L-R, front row): ITZ’s Esmeralda Beltran-Prisco, ITZ’s Gisela Perez-Laguas, ITZ’s Brandon Ferrer-Tapia, ITZ’s Anuar Cohate-Valencia (L-R, back row): FSC’s Danny Morales, FSC’S Dean Nelson, FSC’S Boris Leiva, FSC’s Nicole Carhart
(L-R, front row): ITZ’s Gisela Perez-Laguas, ITZ’s Brandon Ferrer-Tapia, ITZ’s Anuar Cohate-Valencia (L-R, back row): ITZ’s Esmeralda Beltran-Prisco, FSC’s Dayna A. Richardson, ITZ’s Dr. Josefina Samano-Galindo
