Category: FXUA Main

An Interview by Ariunaa Dashtsogt

This interview features FXUA student, Camilla Tashira. Camilla is from Brazil and has been studying for about a year at FXUA. Camilla would like to continue her studies at FXUA under the International Business Certificate Program. Camilla was very happy to talk, while we gained some perspective on her life. Likewise, I was happy to interview Camilla for “Student Voices”.

FXUA: Camilla, since you began studying at FXUA in January 2011, how much has your life changed?

CT: I have never actually thought about this. Obviously, many things have changed in my individual life … I believe that I have become stronger compared to who I was at the beginning. For example, my family always cooked and took care of me, but here everything was completely different from what I had before. When I came here, I was faced with uncomfortable situations, such as cultural shock. Though, despite any difficulty I faced when I arrived in the USA, today I am happy that I am experiencing student life in America. Living abroad is just amazing, now I have already learned such things as how to cook, spend money, and live independently. Moreover, the most important thing is that my mother is proud of me for studying at FXUA, in the USA.

FXUA: I am glad to hear this! Studying in America, do you find it important for students to improve their English levels in order to refine their experience?

CT: Here is the thing: first of all, I had studied five years of English, in Brazil. Unfortunately I did not learn anything! After I chose to attend FXUA, my English language barrier is greatly changed. My first semester here, I took an Intermediate ESL class at FXUA. Now I am studying in the College Prep level which is helping me to prepare myself for the Academic Level. In the beginning, I could not understand everything that people were saying in the classroom, on the streets, metro, and more. But now everything is totally different – I understand English so much better. Still, I know that my English needs some serious improvement, and it takes time. But I know that studying at FXUA has really made a difference in my English skills. If I were in Brazil, I couldn’t speak and write as well as I do today. So, I am completely sure that people can gain competent knowledge from the amazing and powerful professors of FXUA.

Secondly, I talk with my peers, instructors, and the others in only English. I mean, in the class, at home, and in the metro and bus I just speak, read, and watch everything in English. It has been worthwhile studying at FXUA, I have gained much experience and refined my English. As a result, the experience that FXUA students gain during their time here is unparalleled. FXUA’s small class sizes allow professors to devote more individual attention to each student and make education more interactive by increasing student participation.

FXUA: How did you choose FXUA? Were there any special opportunities you received by choosing FXUA?

CT: Brazil has many agencies of education affairs and they suggested that I take a look at FXUA. Agency officials said that “Nowadays Brazilian students have been choosing FXUA very often. There are many kinds of courses to choose from, including international business, marketing management, human resources,” and so on. They also pointed out that, “if you are unable to take the TOEFL exam, you can enroll in FXUA’s ESL program before attending undergraduate and graduate programs. FXUA has a five-level ESL programs beginning at the elementary level.” I was really happy to hear this, because at that time I had no TOEFL score.

Also, I liked FXUA’s location, just minutes away from Washington, DC. This means students have great opportunities to gain experience through internships and employment in a variety of industries around the DC Metropolitan Area. I am satisfied with the school’s classrooms, atmosphere, location, and quality of curriculum and instructors.

FXUA: Do like to study with the diversity students at FXUA?

CT: FXUA is a truly unique place where you can meet and become friends with students from 60 different countries. I have made many friends from all over the world, and we have had a good time. This allows students to broaden social networks while experiencing a multicultural environment all at once. FXUA is devoted to delivering a warm atmosphere where students can feel at home. FXUA students are very friendly, help each another, and know about the types of problems that will be faced by international students. I mean, we are all facing the same problems, such as missing family, culture shock, and adjusting to living in a new environment. If I studied in other, larger universities, I would meet more Americans, who may not care that I am an international student and couldn’t relate to the tough situations I face.

FXUA: How do you travel to school? Have you had difficulty with transportation to and from FXUA?

CT: Public transportation is very useful here. Students who live a little farther away from our University, might actually have their own car. I have faced no difficulties in transportation, because the bus always comes on time. I read that FXUA is located in one of the safest and most tranquil places to reside in the United States. Like me, many of my peers have great opportunities to discover and learn about American history and cultures while visiting magnificent historical places and living in a healthy environment and use public transportation to do so. When you come here, you will feel and see it all, I promise you! Don’t forget that this is a big part of why you came to the United States!

FXUA: What is your best memory of school? I mean, do you have any favorite stories from FXUA?

CT: Yes, I do. Actually, FXUA offers small-sized classes, which allow for individual attention between students and professors. Students have the opportunity to meet with academically qualified and professionally experienced professors in order to gain high-quality education. As I mentioned before, Brazilian students of FXUA usually want to meet and have fun together. So, it takes me to memories in my country. For example, last month I went to a Brazilian party in DC. There people spoke Portuguese and danced to Brazilian music. It was almost like being home.

FXUA: People might say that soccer is a symbol of Brazil. What else do you think defines your country?

CT: Yes. Our soccer team is very good! In addition to soccer, the Carnival is one of the famous symbols of Brazil. Everybody comes out to the streets for Carnival, which is held each year in February. Music is played and people dance the Samba. Even if things aren’t going well in their life, the Brazilian people like to smile and enjoys themselves. I think it’s a very important issue for our society.

FXUA: What are your future plans?

CT: I know how the time flies. For example, I cannot believe that I have almost been here for a year already. I plan to go back Brazil when I graduate. After that, I want to come back to America to travel. I want to visit California and Florida.

FXUA: Do you have any advice for the new and future students of FXUA? Maybe they will gain important advice from you?

CT: I just want to say “Don’t forget why you came to America.” It is very important. Some people think ‘I came to the US, so now everything is fine.” Just keep studying and never give up. Try to learn new skills and focus on improving your English. If you face culture shock or any kind of difficult situations please share your feelings with one another, including me. Be strong and be responsible to yourself. Always remember your dreams and goals. The employees of FXUA and students can help, understand, and support you while you are studying at FXUA. You are not alone here!

FXUA: Thank you so much for your time. I hope that students at FXUA, even new and future students can gain some useful information from your experience!

CT: All of you enjoy your time for Christmas and New Year. I wish you success in your studies during your new semester. I wish all the best for everybody that belongs to FXUA, and as I said: “Never give up!”

Camilla Tashira
Alumni

FXUA is a great place for someone who is interested in cultural diversity, religions and thinking. It is a small place where international knowledge is concentrated and yet a big school of life.
It was always my dream to study in the United States, and to know more about the world and cultures around the globe. FXUA has made this dream possible. The diversity of visions and cultures that FXUA has will help me in my future personal and professional life. We must learn how to understand each other, no matter how different we are and this is what FXUA teaches the best.

I am working as a Graphic Design Assistant at FXUA and the benefits that the university gives to the staff are very important for me. I am benefitting from a tuition fee discount as a student staff member, and am applying for a tuition scholarship to cut the price even more. If I am awarded a scholarship, it shows that my potential and skills were recognized among the faculty and staff of FXUA, which describes me as a successful student. This helps me to move towards knowledge, but also makes me happy to believe that everything I am working towards is not in vain.

I hope to pursue a career in Project Management or to start my own business in publishing after graduating from FXUA. The knowledge I am gaining with each new course makes me more and more confident in my future success. The best memories that I have gained in my time at FXUA center around my friends and group projects. The experiences we have at FXUA are better than I can even describe. The faculty members have made every one of my days at FXUA worth living as well!

Anton Onishchenko
Alumni, MBA in International Finance

have been experiencing great moments since joining the FXUA Faculty in the Fall 2011 semester. I have felt right at home from the first time I walked through the doors of FXUA’s Pender Drive Campus. There is an open friendliness and professionalism that makes FXUA a truly remarkable place to be. I enjoy the small class sizes, as they afford me opportunity to interact with all students.

The diversity of students at FXUA is a great asset and one of the reasons I like it here so much. I have had the privilege of working in multinational organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC (with 188 nationals) and the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, England (with 54 nationals). So you can understand my excitement about the diversity in FXUA. It is what I am used to and I enjoy meeting people from different parts of the world. I applaud our international students. They are not letting the fact that they are so far away from home deter them in any way. They remain focused, expectant, hard working, and very committed to their educational goals.

I can proudly say that FXUA is like one big family. You walk along the corridors and everyone has some kind of cheerfulness about them. The Faculty and staff operate an open door policy, which is rare in much larger universities. I make it a point to know not only the students’ educational goals but also any hindrances toward those goals and see how I could assist or refer them to the right channel.

Even though our students are now in the United States, it may be difficult to fully accept or even understand a different culture. I will encourage our students to be more interactive; to speak up; ask questions; and to feel free to speak with their professors about any academic challenges. I have very high expectations of our students because I want them to be fearless in the real world irrespective of their nationality. Language must never be a barrier to success. Students’ involvement and engagement is very important in the classroom.

Students are so far from home and for most of them, being here in the United States is the first time ever separating from their families. Other challenges include different culture, struggling with the English language, networking, and proper exposure. I am excited about all the new programs introduced this summer and I believe there more programs to come. At such, there will be continued expansion in enrollment. We are also hoping to be in a position to bring in more local students, so they too can be partakers of the benefits of studying in FXUA. So for FXUA, the best is yet to come!

Dr. Victoria Ashiru:
School of Business

I am extremely happy to share my view regarding my time here at FXUA. Studying at FXUA has been a remarkable experience. I have encountered diversity and culture in such a way that I have gained knowledge while understanding different cultures and working with different people that come from different countries. FXUA has small sized classes, which makes it possible for students to work one-on-one with the professor, enhancing a higher concentration on many aspects of the class material and subject of study.

It is a great opportunity to study abroad for a student in my position. It allows you the chance to study in a different culture and far away from your family which teaches you to be independent and practical. Such experiences have raised an immense practical exposure towards my course work as well as in the betterment of my IT skills. FXUA has been an excellent part of my journey because this is the place where I am accomplishing a dream – studying Computer Science in United States.

I am one of the fortunate students that works at FXUA as a library assistant. FXUA provides excellent benefits to student staff which aids us in tuition rate discounts. The Professors at FXUA are highly qualified in their areas of interest. The quality teaching by our professors make students understand the concepts better, while in a very diverse environment. Diversity is a great spirit at FXUA, where students from many nations to collaborate in studying together. As we have students coming from different parts of the world it makes student life fun.

I was one among the list of individuals who were awarded a scholarship because I had excellent academic scores and FXUA was generous enough to award a $2,000.00 scholarship towards my tuition, for which I am grateful. New students can apply for a scholarship on the FXUA website. It’s quick and easy. In a nutshell, FXUA has taught international students that challenges have solutions. FXUA makes what seems impossible, possible, especially when it comes to making our dreams come true. My long term goal is to get an internship in one of the Fortune 500 companies.

Tarun Reddy Guduru
Alumni, Master of Computer Science

Teaching at FXUA is truly wonderful for so many reasons. But the very best experience is sitting in the audience during the annual graduation ceremony and watching my students receive their diplomas.

It is the student diversity at FXUA that makes the University so successful. A student can come from any country in the world, with any background, and learn. At FXUA, the student will have a chance to reach their full potential.

I admire the international students at FXUA. They have a lot of drive and ambition. It is this determination that will make them successful in the future.

I like remembering all the students I have had over the years. Many of them are now my Facebook friends and I can see where they are living in the world today, the kinds of jobs they have, and for some, photos of their spouse and their young children.

My advice is to take full advantage of your experience at FXUA. We are located minutes from Washington, DC, where there are many international organizations and opportunities to network. Meet as many people as you can while you are here. Participate in as many activities as possible. Do not waste a minute.

I want students to come to class prepared and ready to learn. We have a lot of group discussions in my classroom where we share ideas and ask questions. That is the best way to learn. The most obvious challenges are the language and the culture. In addition to that, I think many students find the open environment style of learning different from the way they studied at home.

I began teaching at FXUA in 2006. Since that time I have watched the University grow and expand. I expect FXUA will continue to grow and expand adding new areas of study both on-the-ground and online.

Bonnie Wolfe:
School of Business

FXUA is proud to announce that our MBA Student, Ricardo Abella has earned his Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI). Consequently, Ricardo becomes one of the two students at FXUA who are certified as a PMP. PMI is known as a dominant organization with over 600,000 members and operates in approximately 185 countries in the world. FXUA is honored to congratulate Mr. Abella on behalf of our student body for his demonstrated experience, knowledge and performance in achieving this certification.

Many people ask me if the process of earning my PMP Certification was difficult – the answer is yes!  It was hard, costly and challenging. Earning the certification was not only costly in terms of money, time, or effort, but was especially taxing in terms of discipline, resilience and attitude. I have successfully managed projects for more than 10 years and had significant experience in dealing with projects, people and constraints. Throughout my career I had learned to combine my experience, my instinct, and my networking skills. However, I believe there are several reasons people should consider getting their PMP certification.

Your decision about taking this test will depend on your personal motivations, professional goals and career objectives. First and foremost, if the term “project management” is involved in your career, getting your PMP Certification should be on your must-do list, for numerous reasons:

• Preparing for the test will expose you to mainstream thinking about project management standards, techniques, best practices and current trends in the field of project management.
• You will learn creative new techniques to assist you in your project management activities.
• The certification can bolster a resume and perhaps place you ahead of a job candidate with similar experience who does not have the certification.
• The credential can certainly make it easier to find a job as a project or program manager. While it does not guarantee you a job, there are many employers who require PMP-Certified applicants.
• The PMP Certification is a global credential which gives you credibility as a project manager across the globe.

And yet, if project management is not your career path, I would still suggest that you consider getting your certification. By doing so:

• You will realize that most of the tasks we undertake as leaders and in our personal lives can be understood as projects.
• You will improve your organizational skills significantly – I certainly found this to be the case.
• An individual will be able to demonstrate that they have a certain amount of knowledge and education in the project management field. While this credential does not necessarily prove that you are a good project manager or that you will succeed in this field, it does indicate your seriousness and understanding of the subject matter.
• PMI Certificate Holders gain access to new networking opportunities including project management events. This professional certification will serve as an icebreaker and an excellent tool for impressing interviewers, colleagues and friends.
• Finally, you can set yourself apart from other professionals. Gaining this certification illustrates personal drive to further your credentials, knowledge and professional abilities.

Ricardo Abella Sarmiento
Alumni, International Business Management

When choosing a graduate program, I wanted to find an environment where I have the opportunity to meet people from different countries and get to appreciate life as they do. FXUA has given me this opportunity while experiencing multicultural environment at once. I remember my first days at the university; I was quite nervous and homesick. I came to class one of those days and fear that I appeared very moody. On this day, my professor Dr. Marietta Bradinova noticed that something was not right and gave me a hug. This simple gesture made me feel at home and lifted me up. My experience shows that FXUA is a very friendly environment where a student’s concern becomes everyone’s concern. We are a big family.

I am developing stronger ties with many of my peers and I have chance to work closer with the faculty and staff members as an assistant of Library. I do not feel like I am competing to be one of the best students at FXUA, but rather like I am working together with my peers to be a better team.

FXUA is strategically located close to the nation’s capital which gives students the opportunity to get a lot of internships from renowned firms here. I feel that education is “learning to learn” and our university is the right place to do so, as you get the opportunity to learn from a very diverse population. FXUA is also very affordable, allowing you gain a great education, knowledge and experience at FXUA for a fraction of the cost of other institutions.

When I graduate from FXUA, I am planning to go back to my home country and apply all I have learned here in any organization I work for or will own in the future. One thing I can say definitively is that my future is bright because of FXUA.

Chimeuma Opuwari
Alumni, MBA in Human Resource