GlobalPittsburgh Hosts Group of College Students from Mexico to Learn About STEM Programs, Career Paths

GlobalPittsburgh hosted a group of 24 college students from Mexico for the first leg of a two-week training program covering careers and education opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The group arrived in Pittsburgh on June 28 and departed on July 5 for the second week of the program in Albany, NY.

The group came to Pittsburgh through Global Ties U.S., the national citizen diplomacy organization of which GlobalPittsburgh is a member, as part of a new program called Mexico Meet America in partnership with the University of Guadalajara, the second largest public university in Mexico.

GlobalPittsburgh arranged for the students to meet with representatives of area companies and universities, and also to participate in customized training sessions on job search skills, leadership and career planning.

Under a newly-signed memorandum of understanding between Global Ties U.S. and the University of Guadalajara, three groups of students came to the United States to visit cities based on their professional interests. In addition to the STEM group in Pittsburgh and Albany, another group focusing on international trade will visit Tucson, AZ, and San Diego, CA, and a third group studying entrepreneurship and innovation will visit Atlanta, GA, and Raleigh, NC.

The Mexico Meet America program is designed to ensure that the Guadalajara students gain a once-in-a-lifetime introduction to leaders in their field of interest, as well as improve their English language skills and develop global proficiencies, according to Jennifer Clinton, President of Global Ties, U.S.

“A lot of hard work and negotiation brought us here – and I'm convinced we will post more such positive announcements in the future involving Global Ties U.S. and Mexico,” Clinton said.

Training sessions and activities arranged by GlobalPittsburgh included an orientation to American politics and culture by Dr. Scott Morgenstern, Director of the Center of Latin American Studies at the University of Pittsburgh; a session on leadership and career planning with Benjamin L. Walker of ExperiLearn LLC; a site visit at Bombardier Transportation; a site visit at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science; an interactive workshop on informational interviews and networking skills presented by Rachel Mauer, President of The Mauer Group and Senior Advisor at Business Beyond Borders; a tour of Global Links followed by a volunteer activity sorting medical supplies for the organization; a workshop on how to get into U.S. university graduate STEM programs presented by representatives of the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University's Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences; and a workshop focusing on analyzing opportunities and job searching resources presented by Jean-Philippe Michel of SparkPath.

Frank L. Lojacono served as local Project Coordinator for the program, helping to manage the daily logistics and sharing his entrepreneurial experience with the group.

Home hospitality dinners with local GlobalPittsburgh host member families allowed the students to experience American family life. They also took part in several cultural and community activities, including a tour of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens; a visit to Carnegie Science Center, and a Pittsburgh Riverhounds soccer match.

For over 50 years, Global Ties U.S. has been providing its members—from large, national organizations to smaller, community-based ones across 45 states and 13 countries—with connections, leadership development, and professional resources, so that they are the strongest, most effective organizations they can be. For more information on Global Ties U.S., visit www.globaltiesus.org.

GlobalPittsburgh, which was founded in 1959 as the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors (PCIV), boosts international connections in the Pittsburgh Region and around the world through three main programs:
- Coordinating activities and events for globally-minded members.
- Hosting delegations of international leaders for the U.S State Department.
- Attracting international students to the region through its Study Pittsburgh initiative.

For more information on GlobalPittsburgh, visit www.globalpittsburgh.org.