Lezlie McCabe
Personal Statement: “I have been passionate about international education since my own experiences living, studying and working in Ireland. Being exposed to so many different people, from different backgrounds actually taught me just how alike we all really are. I have built my professional life around trying to educate my students about other people and cultures and I feel that ESF shares these values.”
Country of origin: USA
Places I have lived: Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs and Cork, Ireland
Places interested in working or visiting: I am very interested in visiting the Middle East, India and China and I hope to one day return to Africa.
Education: Lehigh University 2003 (B.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, 2007 (M.S. Ed)
Personal goals: Become more involved in my own community and better understand how local issues affect global circumstances.
Favorite Quotes:
“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” – Saint Augustine
“The challenge today is not simply to teach students to “know the other.” It is to help students see the world and its wonders and problems through the eyes and minds of others, to explore alternative interpretations of events and trends.” – Clara M. Lovett
Kate Akyuz
Personal Statement: “ESF is an organization that offers service opportunities for young adults to expand their international experiences by making personal and spiritual connections with far-away strangers who will soon become international friends.”
Country of origin: USA
Places I have lived: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and San Juan, Puerto Rico
Places interested in working or visiting: I very interested in visiting Africa, Middle East and Thailand. I hope to one day live in my husband’s hometown – Izmir, Turkey.
Education: La Salle University 1999 (B.A.), 2002 (M.A.) 2005 (MBA)
Personal goals: Be a kinder, more positive, and more spiritual person.
Professional goals: To establish an English school in a developing country.
Melinda Massaro
Personal Statement: “I am very passionate about international education and feel it is a very important for the future of our world. I am honored to be a mentor and feel that I can be a valuable resource for my mentees.”
Country of origin: USA
Places I have lived: Upstate NY, Manchester UK, Dalian, China
Places interested in working or visiting: China and India
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Photography, and Master of Arts in Student Personnel Administration.
Professional goals: : My goal is to continue promoting international education and to find opportunities for students who may not be an able to afford to study or travel abroad.
Extracurricular Interests and Volunteer activities: I volunteer for Philadelphia Cares and I also am an amateur photographer.
Bridgette S. Nelson
Personal Statement: ” I am in support of the vision and mission of Ms. Shonta Collins in wanting to help provide students of varying academic and ethnic backgrounds with equal opportunities to engage in and attain international educational/learning opportunities that otherwise may have been impossible based on economic status and/or other reasons. ”
Country of origin: Born in the United States of West Indian parents (Jamaica, West Indies)
Places I have lived: I have never lived outside the borders of the United States.
Places interested in working or visiting: Have a great interest in working and visiting Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.
Education: BA in Criminal Justice, BS in Nursing, Masters degree candidate.
Extracurricular Interests and Volunteer activities: I volunteered with a missionary group called Mission Jamaica in 2000-2001.
Professional goals: : Planning on conducting research in Jamaica, West Indies in the near future focusing on the quality of health care services provided to victims of gender violence, and how these services can possible be improved.
