The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) is thrilled to present the 2025 cohort of the Access to Exchange Externship! Each of these promising individuals has had such an impactful international exchange experience of their own that they have each devised their own project to educate their peers and communities about the exciting world of international education. Read on to learn about each of our externs and their projects.
Julia Yong
Julia spent the spring semester of 2023 taking classes at the Temple University Campus in Tokyo, while completing a marketing internship with ShapeWin Co.
She will develop a presentation and guide for community college students interested in studying abroad, based on existing data and student responses from a survey that she will carry out.
Alexandra Dionisi
Alexandra got her first international experience studying Indonesian through the virtual Critical Language Scholarship Program in 2020. She followed up her CLS with five weeks of Spanish study at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain with funding through the Gilman Scholarship Program.
She will work with staff and directors at her community college’s Adult Center for Transition to promote and incorporate study abroad into the curriculum and support students with disabilities who want to study abroad.
Bryn Healy
Brynn studied abroad for a semester during her undergrad at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. She went on to finish a master’s degree in Ireland.
She will build a website and Instagram account focused on providing information about European universities with strong disability policies and support services.
Harunah Damba
Harunah traveled to the United States from their native Yuganda to participate in The Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement over five weeks during October and November of 2022. Directed at mid-career disability professionals from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the PFP facilitates the sharing and implementation of best practices for accessible civic engagement.
Harunah will bridge the informational gap for individuals with disabilities from around the world seeking international opportunities by organizing a webinar on how to study in the United States.
We at MIUSA/NCDE are eager to welcome our cohort of impressive and ambitious externs and believe their contributions will be of great value to the disability community and international exchange communities around the world!
