October 26, 2016

Alumni Day in Algeria

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alumni day talk Alumni Day brought together the diverse alumni community in Algeria to collaborate and attend professional development workshops.
Approximately 120 alumni gathered to celebrate ‘Alumni Day’ on August 27th. This event was hosted by PAS Algiers to bring together the diverse alumni community in Algeria. Ambassador Joan Polaschik opened the event with a welcoming speech and afterwards four distinguished alumni shared their experiences while in the United States and spoke about how their exchange opportunity impacted their lives and careers. 

Participants then attended professional development workshops presented by Embassy staff and successful alumni on effective grant writing, social media branding, and public speaking.  During lunch, one of Algeria’s oldest alumni, Ambassador Nourredine Djoudi, delivered a moving speech about how his studies at Bowdoin College in 1954 as a Fulbrighter during the Algerian war of independence influenced his view of the U.S. and as an Algerian independence movement leader and diplomat. Later, Ambassador Polaschik delivered certificates to the 2016 Alumni Grant Award Winners.  The Alumni Day concluded with an Exchange Programs Fair, where over 200 visitors were able to ask questions and meet with alumni who had been on previous exchange programs.