IOU Respect Team U.S.A.

IOU Respect International Exchange 2012: Team U.S.A

HI Chicago is very excited to host the IOU Respect International Exchange this July! This annual two-week long educational program is organized by Hostelling International for young people from Egypt, France, Germany, Morocco, Tunisia, and the U.S.A. The exchange bridges cultural divides by building intercultural understanding and mutual respect in its participants. By taking part in workshops and fun activities around Chicago, each person grows into a global citizen. 

Four individuals from each country, between the ages of 18-23, along with a Team Leader, were chosen to represent their nation on this unique program. The American participants hail from four different states and all share a strong desire to become more effective and open-minded world leaders. Each one has such an interesting background that we feel is definitely worth sharing.

So without further ado, we would like to introduce:

Hannah Higginson-  
She is a student of Anthropology, International Studies, and French at the University of Utah. Her travels include service trips to Guatemala and Haiti, and she desires to improve skills for positive and effective intercultural communication and cultural sensitivity. We wish her the best of experiences as she builds new friendships while exploring Chicago!

Logan Meinzer-
 A student of Ohio State University, he studies Russian, International Studies, and French. Logan is already well acquainted with HI as the Vice-President of the Hostelling International club on campus. He has studied abroad in Moscow, and traveled to South Korea, England, and Italy. Logan eventually wants to become a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. State Department, and we think he is well on his way to achieving this goal! We know Logan will enjoy this unique experience and will also enjoy Chicago.

Dmetri Hayes-
He is a 19 year-old student of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT. He is of Native American descent and has also previously studied French. At his high school, he was the National Honor Society President, as well as the President of Student Council. Dmetri grew up in a self-described small, conservative town in Michigan that he feels lacked diversity. Therefore, he is thrilled to have the opportunity to be in the presence of open-minded, young people from a variety of backgrounds during IOU Respect. He has never traveled outside of the U.S.A, but after this          experience, we’re sure he will find another way to connect abroad. 

Alexandra Ponton-
A recent graduate of UNC Asheville, she has a degree in International Studies and French. She was born in Bogota, Colombia and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. During her college years, she was a member of the Global Ambassador Program, which allowed her to visit elementary schools to teach the importance of travel, learning languages, and interacting with people from different cultures. She has traveled to several countries in Western Europe, and studied abroad for a year in France. After IOU Respect, she will be teaching in China where she will have the opportunity to practice her Mandarin. We know that IOU Respect will provide her with great experiences that she can take with her wherever she goes.

Jose Sanchez (Team Leader) - 
As a former IOU Respect participant, he knows from experience the challenges and rewards of this program. He graduated in 2011 from the University of Houston with a degree in Political Science and is very excited to be returning. His experience in organizing diverse communities around social justice campaigns and background in leading groups of students as a teaching assistant will serve him well. Jose also speaks Spanish and French and has a passion for creating inclusive community environments, in which all can excel. We know that he will do a great job as a Team Leader and we wish him the best of luck in this new role. 

Megan Johnson (Coordinator) – 
She is the Regional Engagement Manager for HI-USA and has been key in making this program a success. After running the educational programs at HI Chicago for the past eight years, this will be her sixth IOU Respect International Exchange. She has a background in education, specifically a master’s degree in multicultural and organizational communication. After college, she taught English in Japan through the JET program for two years where really developed her passion for the powerful outcomes of travel. Megan is a great asset to HI Chicago and Team U.S.A. is lucky to have her!