The American University of Paris

I love to travel and meet and experience different people and cultures. I was an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Hartford in Connecticut when the September 11th terrorist attacks occurred, and, like most Americans, I was greatly affected by the sight of the Twin Towers crumbling in New York City. I remember sitting in my dorm room the rest of the day unable to take my eyes off the incredible events unfolding before me. So I decided to do something about it; I completed the rest of the school year, took a break from college life, and went to serve my country in the United States Army as an infantryman. I spent a total of four years in the Army including two one-year deployments to Mosul and Baghdad, Iraq. It was certainly a difficult time in my life, but I came back to America with a newfound sense of maturity and a new outlook on life. It was my first time traveling outside the United States and my brief exposure to the cultures in Iraq left me wanting more. With over a thousand students from so many different cultural backgrounds all learning together in the American liberal arts system, AUP impressed me immediately as the right place for me to further my interest in politics and international law. What could possibly be a more amazing and dynamic place than AUP for someone interested in studying politics? The fact that only about 40% oAUP's undergraduate student body are American citizens makes me feel privileged to hear the perspectives of people from so many different walks of life. I feel every young American citizen should have the opportunity to study here in such a diverse and multicultural environment. I came to AUP to experience a new culture and learn a new language. I was also very much attracted by AUP's international atmosphere and its strong International and Comparative Politics Department (ICP). I have found that the French stereotype does not always ring true. I have also had the experience of living in one of the world's truly greatest cities. And unlike at many large universities in the United States, at AUP you're not just a number. The smaller classroom environment allows you to get to know the other students and professors on a deeper level, truly enriching the college experience. AUP's diverse environment can be summed up as a multicultural melting pot of students and professors gathered together in an attempt to gain a better understanding of life in an increasingly interdependent world. In the ICP Department, this experience affects me directly by allowing me to hear the political opinions of people from all across the world, an experience unique to such an international institution. If you have ever been fortunate enough to have a class with Professor Susan Perry, then you just might be persuaded to become an activist, a lawyer, or both. With her guidance I have decided to continue my studies by going to law school. Through the help of the internship office, I was able to land a great internship working for an American international lawyer in Paris. It was not your typical internship experience in that I found myself on a daily basis working side-by-side with my employer on high-profile international disputes, using the knowledge I learned at AUP. It was truly an amazing experience and one that has solidified my intent to go on to law school upon graduation. Using my knowledge in both international politics and law, I would ideally like to be an attorney for a large international corporation, enabling me to continue to explore the world. My favorite neighborhood in Paris is the St. Michel area. With its tiny alleyways lined with every type of food imaginable and its location near the Seine and Notre Dame, it is easily one of the most charming areas of this city. But Paris is also home to some of the world's premier world institutions such as UNESCO. With its countless museums to its long and storied history, Paris has more than been the perfect backdrop for my academic experience here at AUP. I would say what is most of value at AUP is its truly international atmosphere. I so much enjoy hearing the points of view of people from all over the world and having a chance to try to understand many cultures and backgrounds. This kind of atmosphere, along with its ideal location in one of the world's greatest cities and its talented professors make AUP one of the most diverse and unique institutions of higher education in the world.

I'm from Grapevine, Texas and transferred to AUP my junior year in college. At the time, a girlfriend of mine was studying at the Alliance Francaise and knew that I was hoping to transfer to a university in Europe. I had visited London once and didn't feel as if it was much different from the States, so I was considering Italy, France or Switzerland. One day, I received a package in the mail from my friend. She had enclosed a brochure from AUP with a note saying that she knew this is where I should be. My heart jumped when I looked over the photos and read about the Comparative Literature program. I wanted to be one of those students discussing Proust on the grass at Invalides, or Hemingway at the Deux Magots. I spoke no French and had never been to Paris, yet it felt right. When I arrived in Paris no home, no friends, no job, and little cash I felt elated, excited and optimistic. I was 22 and on my own for the first time in my life, and was open to experiencing something new and fresh. That's exactly what Paris was. I was in a strange, new city with a different culture, and yet AUP gave me a foundation of familiarity since it was my school and gave me purpose and a sense of responsibility for my own path. I wrote for the [student newspaper] The Planet and also participated in the Beckett Project. Professor Gunns love of all things Beckett was contagious and I wanted to be part of something bigger than us all uncovering hidden facts about Beckett's Parisian life. I loved writing and exploring Paris and investigating current topics and events. The faculty at AUP is amazing and probably one of the best things about the institution. They quickly understand your strengths and help you overcome your weaknesses, and are incredible mentors to look up to. The small, intimate classes are key to AUP's success. Students form personal bonds with AUP professors, and a decade later I still call many of them my friends. I would describe the AUP classroom experience as unique and invaluable. AUP professors are masters of their subjects and truly love what they teach it's part of their essence and is not just a job but a passion and it shows. There was never a question faculty couldn't answer without firsthand knowledge and experience. That is what I feel is rare about AUP that your professors have lived what they teach, not just read about it. Their quest for knowledge and openness to learn and grow is a great example to the students they teach. I had not met many foreigners, especially from the Middle East, before moving to Paris. One memory for me that stands out: I was in Paris during the Bosnian war and was touched to see Croatian, Bosnian and Czech students hanging out laughing together. It made me realize that people are alike everywhere and that AUP was a place where race, nationality, color, and religion were equal. I've worked at Google for the past seven years and believe that part of my success is due to the multicultural environment I lived in at AUP. You learn to adapt, be flexible and open to change. The only thing certain in life is change, and it's fun to be exposed to different experiences and fresh new perspectives. In the seven years I've been at Google, I've had four different roles. My current role as video producer is my dream job. I produce, direct and edit internal marketing videos for Google and YouTube. It's exciting because I get to work on the latest technology and research and explore new creative ways to make videos. AUP is what you choose to make of it. There's an endless possibility of cultural experience among the students and faculty. The commonalities are freedom from cultural stereotypes, a love of exploration into what life has to offer in a vibrant historic city, and openness to learning. Before I moved to Paris in 1994, I had only traveled abroad once (to London). Since then I've been all over Europe, to Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Iceland, Turkey, Lebanon, and Mexico and can't get enough!

I grew up in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and spent my whole pre-AUP life there. I moved to Paris to attend AUP when I was 18 and have been a nomad ever since. I spent four years in Paris (with one semester abroad in Cape Town) and after graduating from AUP moved to Cape Town to attend graduate school. After finishing my MPhil in HIV/AIDS and Society from the University of Cape Town, I moved to Washington, DC to work for an international NGO: CHF International. Soon after joining CHF, I was sent on a two-month assignment to Haiti and ended up spending almost six months there setting up a rural clinic. I then moved to Rwanda  also with CHF  to serve as HIV/AIDS and Capacity Building Advisor on a large community-level HIV/AIDS program. In 2008 I moved to Chicago to take a position with Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights. I am currently based in Chicago, but travel around 70 percent of the time for work. Im Heartland Alliances Director of Global HIV Initiatives and I also Coordinate the Global Equality Network  a global lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) rights and protections initiative. I manage projects and work with partners in Guatemala, Nigeria, Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Sri Lanka. Why did I choose AUP? For several reasons! I wanted an international experience; I wanted to get out of the US; I wanted to attend a small university; I was greatly attracted by the concentrated international mix of students (800 students from 100 countries when I began at AUP); and, of course, Paris itself was quite a draw& If I had to describe classes at AUP in one word I would say interactive. Classes were small (I never had a class with more than 25 students) and always included an impressive mix of students from around the world. While there was the occasional lecture, more common were discussions and debates. And with such an amazing concentration of nationalities and global experiences represented in each class, the debates were always highly engaging and full of diverse insights. During my four years at AUP I lived in the 19th, the 18th, the 16th and the 2nd arrondissements. I loved living in the 2nd, just off of rue Montorgueil  I still miss breakfasts at Le Pain Quotidien with my French bulldog at my feet! I never lived in AUPs neighborhood, but I spent so much time there I know it better than some of the areas I called home. Its hard to describe how Paris enhanced my academic experience  I cant imagine what it would have been like anywhere else. I entered AUP having lived my entire life in suburban USA. I moved to Paris with limited international experience and very limited foreign language ability. I left speaking French, having a completely different worldview, and with friends from around the world. Paris gave me exposure that I would not have had anywhere else. Its still my favorite city to visit. Since graduating from AUP Ive gone to graduate school, lived in three countries, learned two new languages (Spanish and Haitian Creole) and have never stopped traveling. Ive worked in international development, public health, and global LGBT rights in a number of countries in Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East. AUP led me to this international career. Studying with Susan Perry, Georges Kazolias and others introduced me to international development, Africa, and human rights work in the developing world. Thanks to these professors, I developed an interest in international development and human rights work and pursued a career in this field. Studying at AUP was an incredible experience  academically, personally, and culturally. I value the amazing friendships I developed during my time there and that I still maintain today. AUP changed my perspective on what I could do with my life. Now, post-AUP, I cant imagine doing anything else. AUP opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities and helped me realize the options available to me.