AUP Magazine - Fall 2023

International Cooperation

Cultural Program Postcards

What Makes a Brand?

Dear AUP Community Members,

It has been a tremendously exciting first year, as I have been getting to know faculty, staff, students, graduates, families and friends of AUP. I have been privileged to meet members of the Founding Classes; Mme Marie Delamater, the wife of our founder, on a Zoom call; and alumni from all over the world, who continue to bring their AUP educational experience to all that they are and do in their communities.

And, of course, it has been truly inspiring to see this learning experience here on campus, where faculty are constantly reimagining courses to engage our students in thinking across boundaries, be they geographical or in other forms, to tackle some of the most pressing questions of our time. We remain true to Lloyd Delamater’s founding vision of “bridging narrow nationalisms,” through paths of study that connect us to each other and to a future that requires our attention and imagination.

The highlights in this issue of the AUP Magazine are emblematic of collaborative international priorities and projects rooted in our shared humanity and the pursuit of truth, justice and beauty. We see how Lauren Morris ’20 is reinventing portraiture to express the contemporary Black experience through a reinterpretation of classical forms. We travel with Faith Toran G’18 to the frontline of global emergency relief efforts and discover how they impact the mental health of those working on climate projects. And we glimpse how Olivia Baes ’13 and G’14 and Emma Ramadan G’14 turned a shared passion for Marguerite Duras into acclaimed translations of her work.

We find echoes of our founding vision in our main feature article, which presents community reflections on the importance of international cooperation, including the critical notion that our distinctively global community shapes a committed interculturalism, driven by

intellectual curiosity and by a sincere respect for difference. You’ll also see this in our photo essay showing the Cultural Program, a sort of traveling mise-en-abyme of what it means to study at AUP, the very foundation of which is the respect that comes from an informed understanding of other people, places and cultures.

It is through a deeper understanding of self in relation to others that we are each transformed and come to understand the role we can play in shaping a more equitable world. Our final feature piece asks community members how they think about branding in this context. In many ways, AUP’s new MSc in Strategic Brand Management foregrounds important notions of trust and transparency by highlighting AUP’s unique value proposition, which enables connection with and commitment to others. These are just some of the enduring strengths of an AUP education – an education that is lifelong, and that all members of our community experience.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kilian Ordelheide

WRITER & COPY EDITOR

Joseph Pearson

PROOFREADER

Amanda Murphy

IMAGERY

Krystal Kenney

Rita Martinos

Alfonso Sjogreen

DESIGN

Leland International

Questions or comments? communications@aup.edu

Sonya Stephens President of The American University of Paris

Yearin The Review

The 2022–23 academic year was an exciting time of change for AUP. We welcomed President Sonya Stephens to our community, inaugurated a new research center and strengthened growing traditions such as Founding Week. Here’s a snapshot of life on campus over the last 12 months.

FALL SEMESTER 2022

AUP Welcomes Largest-Ever

Incoming Class

September 2022

More than 610 undergraduates, graduates and visiting students attend Fall Orientation in Paris – a record-breaking cohort of global explorers.

PAAC

President

September 2022

The President’s Alumni Advisory Council, a University-run alumni organization that acts as a sounding board for AUP’s leadership, meets President Stephens for the first time.

The Inauguration of Sonya Stephens

October 2022

This exciting new milestone in AUP’s history took place at the American Church in Paris, where ACP’s first classes were held in 1962.

Meets AUP’s 13th

Family Weekend Held on Campus

October 2022

AUP opened its doors to its extended family by welcoming parents, family members and friends of students to campus for a tailored two-day event.

Fall Fest Hosts First InPerson Meal Since 2019

November 2022

This inclusive, student-led event, held on American Thanksgiving, offers on-campus community members a home away from home for the holidays.

Creation of the Center for Media, Communication and Global Change

January 2023

The rebranded Civic Media Lab, led by Professor Jayson Harsin, explores the role of new technologies and media innovation in political, social and cultural developments.

SPRING SEMESTER 2023

AUP Library Hosts Comic

Book Festival

March 2023

This cross-departmental collaboration explored the role and representation of women in the Frenchlanguage graphic novel industry.

AUP’s Second Founding Week Celebrates Community

March 2023

This year, alumni, students, staff and faculty came together to explore AUP’s founding values of international cooperation and cultural exchange.

CCDS Begins Second EUFunded Research Project

April 2023

The OppAttune project, funded by a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Grant, aims to examine and reduce the negative impacts of political extremism.

Students Perform Footloose

Musical

April 2023

VIVRE performing arts collaborated with AUP’s Office of Student Leadership to put on a production of Footloose, based on the 1984 musical film.

Alumni Weekend 2023

May 2023

AUP hosted an on-campus reunion that included student–alumni networking, faculty research presentations and the return of our famous boat party.

Sonya Stephens Presides

Over 2023 Commencement

May 2023

The Class of 2023 walked across the stage at the historic Théâtre du Châtelet to receive their diplomas from President Sonya Stephens and join our 20,000-strong alumni community.

AUP HIGHLIGHTS On Campus

Exploring the Tuileries Garden in Paris

The Joys of Walking Paris

Do you remember the first time you walked around the 7th arrondissement? How did it feel to immerse yourself in a new culture and experience a different way of living? By traversing Paris on foot, you develop a closer connection to French society and a more meaningful sense of self. For AUP students, the city also becomes a living campus – an extension of the classroom that gives students the chance to apply learned theory in real-world contexts.

“I love learning about the history of Paris,” says Merrick Sanford, a visiting student from The George Washington University in Washington DC. Merrick is Co-Chair of the Walking Around Paris club, a social group that encourages fellow students to learn about the history of the local areas by exploring them together on foot. The group meets up once a week during Fall and Spring semesters, choosing a different arrondissement to explore each time.

This year’s trips have taken students to Montmartre and the Tuileries Garden Christmas market. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions about the history of the area as well as about their fellow walkers, combining a social activity with continued academic discovery.

“We’re a very relaxed, open club,” says Merrick. “I’ve made friends with people from different backgrounds.”

If the Walking Around Paris club has made you want to relive your days meandering the Parisian streets, then get in touch with alumni relations to organize a free campus tour.

I‘ll Be in Paris Soon!

The Founder’s Day Forum

AUP’s Founder, Dr. Lloyd A. DeLamater, signed the original charter of the American College in Paris on March 27, 1962. More than 60 years later, community members marked this special date in AUP history with the inaugural Founder’s Day Forum. This lecture, which was part of the University’s 2023 Founding Week celebrations, saw Professors Susan Perry and Stephen Sawyer reflect on the University’s founding values of international cooperation and cultural exchange.

Both speakers framed DeLamater’s vision in the context of how their own research helps make sense of current events of international significance — in this case, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the protests surrounding pension reforms in France. They explored how AUP’s methods of imbuing these academic ideals in its community members prepare students from all over the world to thrive in international environments, to respect and engage with multiple perspectives and to strive for collaboration across borders, languages and cultures.

The full event recording is available online.

Professor Susan Perry

Professor Stephen Sawyer

Alumni Mentors Share Expertise with Students

AUP’s Global Mentoring Program invites members of our 20,000-strong alumni network to mentor students by sharing unique perspectives on what it means to pursue an international career.

This year’s participants took part in additional events such as a Lunch and Learn kick-off meetup, which took place on February 7. Two alumni professionals met with students over lunch to give them a taste of what mentorship feels like. They were Clara Rachel Eybalin Casséus ’06 and G’09, an independent researcher and associate professor in the field of sustainable development, memory and critical migration, and Stephen Kooshak ’98, a retired UN international civil servant with over two decades of experience in peacebuilding and democratic governance.

Another alumna, Amy Wendel ’03 took part by giving a Zoom lecture about her career path to interested students. Amy works as Senior Director and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility at GoTo, where she oversees the billion-dollar SaaS company’s ESG, sustainability, social impact and volunteer programs.

The University is grateful to all alumni who pass on their expertise to a new generation of students. For more information about signing up to be an alumni mentor, visit the AUP website.

Clara Rachel Eybalin Casséus ‘06 and G’09

The work of Stefan Lukić, whose performance art included unfurling a banner in Belgrade that read “Stefan does not recognize borders”

The Art of Deradicalization

Interdisciplinary research is central to AUP’s academic philosophy; for proof, look no further than the Center for Critical Democracy Studies (CCDS). This year, CCDS completed an EU-funded comparative study, titled D.Rad, which brought together 17 universities and NGOs in an interdisciplinary exploration of the contributing factors of radicalization and polarization in Europe.

D.Rad culminated in a special exhibition hosted in the Escape Canopy, an art gallery in Paris’s 18th arrondissement. Six international artists sought to complicate violent and extremist binary narratives that have been used to create and view the “other,” offering perspectives on themes such as social inclusion, crossing borders, community and cross-cultural understanding. The exhibition was curated by Dr. Maggie Laidlaw (Glasgow Caledonian University) and ran from April 1–22.

The vernissage was attended by more than 250 people, including AUP’s President Sonya Stephens and Dr Umut Korkut (Glasgow Caledonian University), head of the D.Rad consortium. “It is certain that radicalization is not in itself a bad or dangerous thing and can even push us to produce artistic works that fascinate or upset us,” said CCDS Director, Professor Stephen Sawyer, who also spoke at the launch event. “But this does not take away from the need to understand the processes of radicalization and how, if it leads to civilian violence, we can in turn deradicalize.”

CCDS is now working on a second EU-funded collaboration, named OppAttune, which examines the negative impacts of political extremism.

A Science and Cinema Masterclass

AUP students regularly encounter diverse viewpoints via exposure to interdisciplinary industry professionals. On March 14, 2023, French–Venezuelan filmmaker Alexis Gambis was invited to give a masterclass to students, consisting of a lecture, a technical workshop and an exclusive screening of his 2020 film Son of Monarchs. Gambis is part of the “Science New Wave,” a movement characterized by a rejection of traditional scientific film conventions in favor of experimentation and personal expression.

Gambis’s films explore scientific themes alongside those of migration, identity and belonging. He invited students to engage with these themes by heading out into Paris to shoot the natural world at the micro scale using a specialized camera attachment. “It had never occurred to me how similar film and science were until Alexis’s class,” said first-year Sterling Knight. “My mind was flipped upside down in the best way.”

“Alexis embodies the spirit of interdisciplinarity,” said Isabelle Carbonell, who organized the masterclass alongside fellow film professor Emre Caglayan. “He uses the modalities of a scientist and filmmaker equally to imagine new ways of understanding the world.”

Watch the Masterclass Lecture

How ReSisters Prioritizes Community and Advocacy

When AUP senior Morgan Smith arrived in Paris from a small, conservative US town, she was hoping to form new friendships with people who had different perspectives. She joined ReSisters, a student club whose members work to promote intersectional feminist resources, discussion and activism on campus and out in the world.

Morgan became the club’s President. “ReSisters was super welcoming and helpful in getting me adjusted to Parisian life,” she says. “The students here are some of the most passionate people I’ve ever worked with.”

As well as hosting social events, the club acts as a mouthpiece for AUP’s on-campus community and conducts projects with atrisk local communities; their ongoing period products drive, in collaboration with Campus UNICEF, collects menstrual product donations and redistributes them to refugee women experiencing homelessness in Paris.

The club is keen to hear from alumnae, including past ReSisters, who are available to speak to students about their careers, interests and projects. “Many of our alumnae have gone on to big things!” says Morgan.

Contact ReSisters: theresisters@aup.edu

AUP HIGHLIGHTS Alumni

Benedetta Porcaroli in a still from Amanda, in which she plays the title character

An Alumna’s Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers

Read Carolina‘s Full Interview

She says that her time in Paris exploring the city’s many small cinemas was one of the biggest drivers for her personal passion for film. “I loved the cinemagoing experience,” she explains. “It made me realize I could combine my desire to write and my love of the screen.”

Cavalli’s advice to current AUP students looking to break into the film industry is to take themselves seriously right from the start – even if other people don’t. She encourages them to reach out to industry professionals with email introductions and through networking without concern for how they might respond. Worstcase scenario? They don’t. “That shyness is something lots of people have,” she says. “But it’s not going to help your career.”

Amanda stars Benedetta Porcaroli in the title role as a woman returning to her Italian hometown from Paris who attempts to convince a childhood acquaintance that they are somehow still best friends.

Carolina Cavalli ’13 made the transition from a comparative literature major to an award-winning screenwriter, director and author, whose first film, Amanda (2022), achieved acclaim at both the Venice and Toronto international film festivals.

I think the desire to not be alone is universal, I find friendship to be a very pure human sentiment.

Addressing Eco-Grief among Humanitarian Workers

Having taken part in the Sustainable Development Practicum during her MA in Global Communications, Faith Toran G’18 sought out a career focused on environmental and humanitarian work. Just five years out from graduation, her career has already taken her all over the world to the forefront of global emergency relief efforts where she works as a communications professional for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Faith worked on crisis communications in Haiti and Cameroon. After nine months of emergency response work, she took a job with MSF’s climate office, working on the organization’s decarbonization efforts. “MSF has a principle of doing no harm when we respond to emergencies,” she explains. “That has to include not harming the planet too.”

As part of this work, she meets people who work on climate innovation in a wide range of international contexts. She became concerned about growing eco-anxiety among humanitarian workers and began exploring the mental health impacts of working on frontline climate projects. Her podcast with MSF Canada shares stories from eco-anxious climate workers, helping listeners reconcile with their place in a world undergoing profound environmental stress.

Cameroon © Faith Toran 2022

Reimagining the Black Figure within the Classical Space

AUP’s Fine Arts Gallery hosts an annual Black History Month exhibition every February. In 2023, alumna Lauren Morris ’20, who produces work under the name LO, was selected to exhibit her show “The Fate of God and His Darlings.” Her striking portraiture reimagines conventions of Christian iconography and Western art through the lens of the contemporary Black experience. The exhibition, which ran from February 2–28, was LO’s third solo show, following two in Atlanta, Georgia.

LO paints Black models using the poses and symbolism of figures from Christianity such as saints, angels and martyrs. She has been influenced by contemporary Black artists such as Kehinde Wiley and Kerry James Marshall, as well as by the global #BlackLivesMatter movement following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in 2020. She has been keen to use such symbolism to show the joy and hopefulness of the Black experience, an effect increased due to her decision to choose her friends, in some cases also AUP alumni, as models. “These are people whom I love and whom I think are beautiful,” she explains. “I’m so glad I got to encapsulate their youth.”

An Anniversary Alumnae Collaboration

Ruby Veridiano G’15 and Dianne Dodd Cheseldine ’66 first met when they returned to campus in May 2022 for AUP’s 60th-anniversary reunion weekend. The pair swapped stories of their studies in Paris five decades apart and discovered a shared interest in sustainable fashion. This led to them collaborating on a special lecture on the topic at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) in Reno, Nevada, on April 6.

“It’s amazing to think that this started over a glass of wine as we were looking out over the Seine,” says Dianne, who is a Professor Emerita of Foreign Languages at TMCC and the founder of the Dianne Dodd Cheseldine Distinguished Speaker Series, which has since 2000 invited exceptional individuals such as Ruby to share their knowledge and experience with the college’s students.

Ruby herself is a fashion changemaker, storyteller and educator who has worked with organizations such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. She spoke on the connection between women’s empowerment and sustainable fashion and the importance of centering BIPOC voices in fashion industry narratives. “I’m grateful to Dianne for the opportunity to bring our global conversation to her local campus,” says Ruby.

Co-Translating Marguerite Duras

The intensity and openness of international study in Paris can lead to lifelong friendships.

Emma Ramadan G’14 and Olivia Baes ’13 and G’14 originally bonded during their MA in Cultural Translation over a shared passion for French author Marguerite Duras. Since graduating, they have worked together on two critically acclaimed co-translations of her works, the latest of which, The Easy Life, received positive reviews in both The Guardian and The New Yorker.

The process of co-translation would not have been possible without the mutual understanding they developed with each other at AUP. “We felt really comfortable going into the translation process because there was trust that we both had the same Duras in our heads,” said Emma. “That allowed for a willingness to negotiate that made the translation stronger.”

The pair also cite their close, continued mentoring relationship with faculty members in

the Department of Comparative Literature and English as a vital component of their success. “They would pick up on whatever you were interested in and challenge you to grow within that interest,” says Olivia. “From my first year, I felt like I was taken very seriously.”

Emma and Olivia hope to collaborate on further Duras translations in the future, but in the meantime are pursuing solo work. Emma’s forthcoming translations include My Husband by Maud Ventura and My Great Arab Melancholy by Lamia Ziadé, while Olivia is developing a feature film, Sirena, with Barcelona-based production company 15L Films, as well as curating her late father’s photography archive.

Emma’s Website Olivia’s Website

Olivia Baes ’13 and G’14

Emma Ramadan G’14

How I Came to AUP:

Via the Army

Paris,

In the early ’60s, Frederick E. Low ’67 was a rebellious teenager with a love of French language, music and culture. His dream was to leave Long Island, New York, and move across the Atlantic. “The army said, ‘be all that you can be,’ and I took that to mean they would help me get to France,” says Low. After basic training, he passed a French proficiency test and put in a request to the Pentagon for reassignment. His call was answered; in 1963, he was stationed in La Chapelle-St. Mesmin, a French commune near Orléans, working as a typist and translator. When his three-year enlistment ended, he asked for a local discharge and moved straight to Paris with his fiancée, Renate.

The couple settled into what Low calls a “fixer-upper” on rue d’Aboukir. He found a job at the American Library in Paris and applied to what was then the American College in Paris. “I was interviewed by Lloyd DeLamater, ACP’s founder and President,” says Low. “It was not often that a 21-year-old, ex-military student applied!” He and Renate were married on September 18, 1965 – two days before he started classes. His ACP highlights included glimpsing his literary hero, Jean-Paul Sartre, two rows in front of him at the cinema.

Want your journey to AUP to be featured in the magazine? Let us know at communications@aup.edu.

Great journeys, like this cultural excursion to Mont Saint-Michel in the ‘60s, have long been part of the AUP experience

Do We Need

Cooperation? International

The American University of Paris was founded on the core, guiding principles of international cooperation and cultural exchange. Our founder, Dr. Lloyd A. DeLamater, a diplomat, believed in moving beyond the confines of narrow nationalism and encouraged graduates of what was then the American College in Paris to appreciate multiple perspectives and find meaningful work in international environments.

Dr. Lloyd A. DeLamater welcomes members of ACP’s inaugural class

More than 60 years later, the nature of international cooperation is undergoing profound change. The Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the climate crisis all bring new challenges to those seeking to cooperate across borders. How has AUP’s approach to understanding and contextualizing the need for international cooperation changed since ACP’s founding? How does furthering these values as a community both contribute to our shared sense of identity and have a positive impact on efforts to resolve contemporary global challenges?

In search of answers to these questions, the AUP Magazine turned to our on-campus community to ask why they thought international cooperation was still so important today. Students, staff and faculty had the opportunity to share their thoughts on a communal whiteboard – and, in some cases, on camera – at a booth set up in the lobby of the Combes Student Life Center, right outside the AMEX Café.

People’s answers were full of passion, driven by a firm belief in the benefits of international cooperation. They show both the breadth of perspectives within the AUP community and the sensitivity and rigor of the University’s academic approach. Topics mentioned included sustainability, education, migration policy, and diversity and inclusion – but despite a wide range of responses, three key themes emerged. By looking at each in turn, we begin to uncover a picture of why our global community believes AUP’s founding values are still so vital in our modern world.

1Because Problems Don’t Stop at Borders

This first group of responses is summed up well by Professor Oleg Kobtzeff of the Department of History and Politics: “Because the alternative would be catastrophic.” Climate change and peacebuilding were two of the most common issues cited in this vein; these large-scale, cross-border issues cannot be tackled by nations or organizations working alone and have the potential to lead to disaster if unaddressed.

But despite the risk of traumatic events in the future, Kobtzeff argues that the world is still progressing towards an improved quality of life for more and more people on Earth. He says that’s largely down to international cooperation through nongovernmental or intergovernmental organizations. AUP alumni regularly go on to be employed in these kinds of institutions, or else they collaborate across borders in other ways as part of their work. Examples include alumni coordinating countrylevel preparedness to the Covid-19 pandemic for the World Health Organization, holding the fashion industry accountable for unsustainable fast-fashion practices by promoting climateconscious approaches, and working at the

forefront of the European Union’s regulatory response to rapid technological advancement in artificial intelligence.

AUP faculty members’ research also regularly incorporates explorations of the theory underpinning this kind of work, as well as of the global impacts of efforts to collaborate across borders. Our five interdisciplinary research centers are a fantastic example of this, as each one deals with a topic of global importance: democracy studies, genocide and human rights, environmental degradation, communication and global change, and writing and translation respectively.

Students hear from local artisans on a Cultural Program study trip to Ghana

2

Because Exposure to Diverse Perspectives Enables Personal Growth

“AUP is in a unique position, because students and faculty come from all walks of life,” says Annalisa Cabral-Sanchez, current Undergraduate Student Council President, when she stops by the booth to contribute. Over 100 nationalities are represented on AUP’s campus. Classes are often an intimate model of international cooperation in action, as space is given to multiple perspectives, ensuring a productive, intellectual discussion environment. Texts and examples come from multiple countries, cultures and languages, so the impacts of global problems are considered in diverse contexts.

“International cooperation is the cornerstone of AUP,” affirms Professor Susan Perry, Director of AUP’s master’s programs in international affairs. “It’s what we do in every class. It takes place every time we interact with a student.” From the interdisciplinary introductory classes that form the first-year experience right through to the master’s level, classes encourage students to constantly reflect on their own perspectives through listening to their peers.

This experience is at the core of our use of the word “transformative” to describe an AUP education. When people from different cultural contexts interact, they consider new ideas and break down their preconceptions. “AUP is a place that nurtures multicultural and multidisciplinary perspectives,” says Dr. William Fisher, AUP’s Provost. “Experiences are designed to lead students outside their own original cultural and intellectual comfort zones to experience a sense of being not at home, while developing understanding and compassion for others.”

Our alumni community shows the collective impact of this approach; alumni actively change the communities within which they live and work after graduation. Examples include one strengthening social protections against mass evictions and upholding civil rights in Berkeley, California; another working as a local councilor in Sweden; and a third in Karachi, Pakistan, reforming the city’s pharmaceutical market. Alumni act as representatives of the values inherent in international cooperation, even at the local level, sharing what they’ve learned about diverse perspectives with people all over the world.

3 Because Everyone Has the Right to Be Heard

Today, it can sometimes feel like international cooperation is in crisis, given the resurgence of populist elected leaders and the return of armed conflict in Europe. Certain community members chose to problematize our question, arguing that it’s not simply the case that we need international cooperation of any kind, but rather an approach that undoes existing hierarchies and makes space for a greater range of voices, considering issues of human rights, diversity and marginalization.

Those forwarding this viewpoint argued that the way international cooperation is perceived – and therefore the way in which it is best conducted – has changed in recent years as historical power dynamics are criticized and reassessed. Global movements such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter have left a lasting impact on international cooperation, and the uneven responses to and impacts from the Covid-19 and climate crises have shed new light on ongoing power imbalances.

Within AUP’s student community, we found a growing belief that the historical over-influence of Western countries on issues of international cooperation needs to be addressed. “I think it’s

so important to uplift voices from elsewhere in the world who have different perspectives, opinions and belief systems,” says current student Vanessa Torpey. Recent graduate T’Anna Johnson ’23 agrees, choosing “global citizenship” as her response to our question: “It makes such an impact on our lives when we are aware of our own cultural surroundings and see other people and their own cultures regularly.”

By celebrating and understanding everyone’s cultural backgrounds, global citizens can ensure international cooperation is conducted more ethically and equally.

There’s no denying that AUP graduates are themselves global citizens. DeLamater’s legacy is plain to see in the united belief among community members that international cooperation is as vital today as it was 60 years ago. We need international cooperation so empathetic, inclusive communities like AUP’s own can continue striving for positive global change.

Cultural Program Postcards from the

AUP’s Cultural Program has existed for as long as the University itself. For more than 60 years, students have traveled to destinations across the world, immersing themselves in diverse cultures and perspectives. Alumni often cite study trips as a highlight of their AUP experience. With the travel difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic now behind us, the Cultural Program is stronger than ever. This year, we sent global explorers as far afield as India, Turkey and Uganda. Not only do study trips allow students to connect theory to practice in diverse international contexts, they also increase their face time with faculty, allowing intellectual discussion to take place in situ. In addition, these programs provide opportunities for genuine social interaction, as students and faculty alike build lasting memories together, while also engaging with the world.

Professor Stephane Treilhou with students on an art history study trip to Madrid and Toledo

1 Professor Stephane Treilhou (center) of the Department of Art History and Fine Arts with students on a study trip to Madrid and Toledo, Spain. Faculty mentorship is one of the Cultural Program’s most powerful and enduring benefits.

2 For art history and fine arts students, seeing artworks displayed in the geographic and cultural contexts in which they were created helps uncover their historical and social significance.

On this MSc in International Management (MSIM) study trip to Biella, Italy, students take on a client-focused fashion project that touches on marketing, finance and management ethics alongside themes of sustainability and complexity.

5

students learned about the history of the Lanificios, the Biella region’s renowned wool artisans. The

archives contain over 30,000 fabric samples and over 10,000 architectural drawings.

creations to life.

At Casa Zegna, MSIM

Casa’s

6 Students met alumna Shannen Henry ’19 (left) on a tour of her fashion studio, Bottega Kaylia. Here, she collaborates with local craftspeople and wool manufacturers to bring her

7 Those studying the Middle East visit Istanbul to trace its history from the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires to modern-day Turkey. One highlight is the beautiful Hagia Sophia, which has throughout history been a church, museum and mosque.

8 MSIM students take a selfie with Professor Robert Earhart on a trip to Athens, Greece, where they worked on a consultancy project with a local social enterprise, Ithaca Laundry.

9 The month-long Sustainable Development Practicum in Auroville, India, sees students explore development communications in context, engaging with local NGO partners.

Undergraduate students take a river safari as part of a communications and politics study trip to explore Uganda’s culture, society and environment.

Do you have Cultural Program study trip photos from your time as an AUP student?

If so, don’t hesitate to share your memories with alumni@aup.edu.

Brand What Makes a

Branding is changing. What was once viewed as “nice-to-have” is fast becoming mission-critical not only to businesses but also to governments, NGOs and international organizations. A well-defined brand can cut through product homogenization and connect with consumers on a personal level, making it the key distinguishing factor between one company and the next. Having a strong personal brand is also increasingly important to a wide variety of career paths and can help cement an individual’s identity.

We asked AUP community members who work with or study branding to share their personal perspectives on what makes a brand. Their answers show the extent to which approaches are evolving, as consumers begin demanding more from the companies they engage with and brands take on new roles in identity formation, value setting and social responsibility – becoming, in the process, a vital global force for change.

Professor Waddick Doyle, Director of the MSc in Strategic Brand Management

“Branding used to be about products. Now it has become the center of any management and organizational process. In the SBM program, we look at how brands can be used to transform organizations and change the way they work. Branding is about structuring experiences and habits and about designing identities. It’s also a tool for internal organization and can be vital for allowing employees to participate in the aims and values of their organization. It’s also important to note that branding doesn’t just exist in national contexts; it’s at the center of the world economy in the post-Covid era.”

Daisy Hoops

Andre Gray, alumnus and Chief Creative Officer of Annex88

“Brands aren’t things you can touch or feel; instead, we understand them like what we understand the most: people. There’s such an inundation of messaging right now that it often pushes brands to think that they need to speak more often. But if you understand that brands are people, it puts you in a different frame of mind. If people don’t trust your brand, they aren’t going to advocate for it. And there’s nothing that builds trust more than another human being saying something good about your brand.”

Andre’s LinkedIn Profile

Daisy Hoops, current master’s student, MSc in Strategic Brand Management

“For me, brands are only as strong as their values. Given the oversaturation of products on the market right now, connecting with people on an emotional level is the best way to stand out from the crowd. Part of this process involves individual reflection – a process of personal branding that helps you discover who you are and what values are most important to you. The best brands out there are run by people who really know themselves. If you’re able to connect with someone on that human level, you’re doing an amazing job.”

Daisy’s LinkedIn Profile

Professor Michael Behnke

Professor Michael Behnke, AUP faculty member, Founder of Belly Button brand consultancy

“Traditionally, branding was managed by the brand owner themselves. Today, brands are built by multifaceted stakeholder communities, including by consumers. Social media has had a huge impact on branding, as it has given consumers a voice that can be heard everywhere. Branding has become more challenging as brands now need to be seen as being active in sustainability or social justice, for example. There needs to be a sense of ‘doing good.’ That’s a paradigm shift. In the past, marketing activity was driven by continuously making better things. Now brands need to be seen as making things better.”

Read the Full Interview with Michael

Tobias Lord ’03, Brand Director at BAUSELE

“For me, brands are about trust and transparency. A product does something, but a brand enables a sentiment, reassuring you and connecting with you on an emotional level. Strong brands are ones with which people build affinities. Today, brand purpose is everything; to succeed in branding, you need to tap into emotional triggers in a way that feels simple and authentic. Consumers are all marketing-savvy, and the trust that takes years to establish can be destroyed in minutes with a disingenuous faux pas.”

Darcee Caron G’13, Director of AUP’s Center for Academic, Career and Experiential Advising (ACE)

“The first thing that comes to my mind is personal branding. I love to support students and colleagues as they define and work towards their personal and professional goals. For me, the best personal brands are hyper-focused on unique value propositions. Every person has a particular set of skills, experiences, personality traits and educational achievements. That unique combination is what sets us apart from one another. People who are able to articulate this are generally great advocates for themselves and are the most successful in achieving their goals.”

Tobias’s LinkedIn Profile

CLASS NOTES

Alumni stories from across six continents

Got an update for your fellow alumni? Share it with us by visiting aup.edu/class-notes.

If you have a question about the Class Notes section, or if you would like to be put in touch with any of the alumni mentioned here, don’t hesitate to contact us at alumni@aup.edu so we can facilitate the connection.

CLASS NOTES

BARBARA FREMINEUR (NÉE BRUNI) ’63

since 2004, I have had a job that I love: artistic director of Hillel at UCLA, the university from which I graduated with a BA in Liberal Arts.

I’ve been living in Honolulu for five years now, after spending 28 years in Scottsdale, Arizona, six years in Brussels and 12 years in New York City. My bestever school year was my one year at ACP as part of the college’s first class! If anyone is near Hawaii, I’d love to see you.

PERLA KARNEY ’65

I was a freshman at AUP from 1964–65. I fell in love with Paris and never fell out again. I came to AUP’s 50th-anniversary reunion. I am still close friends with my roommate Cynthia Gross (Hale); we lived in a big, beautiful old apartment on Rue Greuze in the 16th arrondissement

I married my husband Ami in Los Angeles, and we were together for 50 years until his death six and a half years ago. I have two wonderful children and five grandchildren. I was a successful theater producer for many years, and

I feel lucky and blessed in so many ways and will always be grateful to AUP for accepting me as a 17-year-old freshman from Munich, Germany.

LEIGH-WAI DOO ’66

Let us create an AUP Hawaii Hui (club)!

It would be great to have a chance to speak French in Honolulu, and we could also recruit students to study in Paris. It may change their lives as it did mine and my family’s. For a surfing kid from Hawaii, experiencing the contrast of sophisticated Paris flipped my world and gave me an entrée to Europe, opening up my perspective, spirit and enthusiasm for learning. In 1965–66, I was elected to be student body president. I then went

Years 1963 - 1972

to Columbia College and Harvard Law School. Hawaii alumni can contact me on lwDoo4u@icloud.com

H. ERIC FENN ELBOT ’66

In those fascinatingly fragile ACP early years (1964–66), I was on a work scholarship. I spent my time chauffeuring our charismatic founder Dr. DeLamater, serving as a controversial student government president, and covering my Parisian mother’s back with her extended family while she accompanied my important, world-changing father.

In year two, my brother, Charles, joined me for 3 a.m. Les Halles breakfasts with aspiring writers, organized by ACP’s Professor Spicehandler. My own professional journey involved teaching at three universities, including directing a master’s program at Harvard, advising three Presidents (starting with President Carter) and founding a corporation that developed neurotechnologies for national security.

Returning meaningfully to Paris is on my bucket list. I sadly failed to do so before my brother passed. Perhaps my children’s careers will give me the opportunity to do so in the future. Until then: fully savor every moment of your Paris experience!

My full-length drama, Adele Hugo, was chosen by the UK theater group London Playwrights for their 2023–24 season. Set in the 1860s, Adele Hugo relays the story of Victor Hugo’s youngest daughter, who falls in love with a British lieutenant and leaves Europe to pursue him over nine years in Halifax and then Barbados. My comedy Eternity had three productions during spring and summer 2023. It was produced by Theatre Odyssey in Sarasota, Florida, in May 2023; by Bancroft Players in Hitchin, UK, in June; and by Studio Players in Lexington, Kentucky, in July. Rounding this out, Eternity was selected to be performed as an audio-play by a theater group in Atlanta, Georgia, which will be turned into a podcast in the fall.

I continue to be a pioneer in the digital art world. My latest collection of digital paintings was recently featured in an eight-month show at the Art Ovation Hotel in Sarasota, Florida. The collection is called “Zero + One” and can be viewed online.

ELAN GARONZIK ’70

JEFF GLASSOVER ’72

Jeff’s Website

CLASS NOTES

LANE WILLIE SHARMAN ’72

VALERIE HENDERSON (NÉE LAWRENCE) ’73

Ryan Bates (a fellow AUP student from the 70s) and I connected in June 2023 at Cate School, a co-ed boarding school in Carpinteria, CA, founded by Curtis Cate. I shared with Ryan that the founder’s brother, Karl Cate, helped get AUP off the ground in the ’60s. We were amazed at how small the world really is!

We were attending class reunions and a memorial service for Betty Woodworth. Her husband, Stan Woodworth (also deceased), was my French teacher at Cate and recommended AUP to me. Stan spoke French, Japanese, Greek, Italian and Spanish – a most brilliant individual who animated l’esprit français. The greatest generation is departing, and I love every one of them – especially Elisabeth Deren, ma mère française, born in 1914 who incorporated me into her family in 1971–72.

I have wonderful memories of my two years in Paris! I’m still friends with Michele H-J, who married in France and has such lovely children and grandchildren. I would like to reconnect with other AUP schoolmates, including my roommate Marian; Kermit; Georgia; Marina S., who misunderstood a story told to her third hand, like a game of telephone; and Marian V., who I was supposed to meet in New York City under the clock at Central Station in 1976. Sadly, I was late – I tried to find you, but it was harder in those days, and I guess you couldn’t make it.

After graduation, I did an MA at the University of California, Berkeley. I married, had a son and, later, divorced. I’m an ardent advocate of Waldorf school

education; a life highlight has been helping start and being on the Board of a Waldorf School (Rudolf Steiner School) for 20 years. I’m a Facebook fan, and I’m still working full time. I revisited Paris in 2000 and in 2010. My niece also took grad classes at AUP!

GULGUN DOKUZ (NÉE ERDOGAN) ’79

I returned to Singapore after I was relocated to Dubai for three years. I am still working at Heidelberg (Cement) Materials, where I’ve been for the last 20 years. Following acting as COO responsible for the Asia and Pacific region, I am now working as Senior Adviser to the CEO.

My family is happy that Covid restrictions are over. It was a difficult experience for us, as we could not see each other for two years in a row while my husband was in Turkey and my son in Australia. I am also glad that I can unite again with AUP friends in Singapore and that I can continue communicating with my ACP friends around the globe.

CHAS A. MILLER III ’81

In 2022, I joined Classical Excursions as Director of Traveler Services and Tour Director. Classical Excursions specializes in small group travel with a focus on

architecture and gardens. I have had extensive experience in the travel field over many years having led more than 70 tours worldwide. I also head a family foundation and serve on numerous boards and committees in the fields of historic preservation, museum programs, art conservation, education, health care and scientific research.

It was also an important year for me personally as I married my partner of 27 years at a ceremony at one of Newport, Rhode Island’s famous Vanderbilt mansions: Marble House.

Chas’s Website

CLASS NOTES

KAREN ALBRIGHT LIN ’84

My eldest son is still near us. Our youngest has moved to San Francisco, and we certainly miss him. My husband and I dance at least once a week, watch movies, and travel now that things have opened back up, most recently to Bonaire to snorkel.

After my husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I found out he was eligible for the California End of the Life Option Act, which offers medical aid in dying, or death with dignity.

I’ve been busy since 2020. During the pandemic we were shut down. That meant a good amount of time to write and edit my clients’ work. There was lots to do, between marketing my novels (Mu Shu Mac & Cheese and American Moon: A Chinese Immigrant Story), being honored with a spot in the anthology Fresh Starts, and teaching for two Colorado Writers Conferences and on the huge online writing community, Scribophile. You can find out more about my work at karenalbrightlin.com

I wrote a book about the journey (thelastdeliplatter.com), and now I am a volunteer, helping people in California understand that they have choices about how and when they die if they are terminal. My writing and public appearances have brought me immeasurable comfort, and the fact that my husband was able to choose his day and date of death brought him ultimate joy and freedom.

Sadly one of my longtime collaborators and critique partners passed away unexpectedly in April.

ALISON CLAY-DUBOFF ’84

Karen’s Website

Alison’s Website

DONALD GWIRA ’85

REX KOONTZ ’85

I curated the exhibition “Golden Worlds: The Portable Universe of Indigenous Colombia” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, from November 6, 2022, to April 16, 2023. It was such a pleasure to work with my colleagues at the Museo del Oro, Bogotá, and at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to bring the largest show of Colombian antiquities ever assembled to the US.

I am a former martial arts instructor who, from Fall 1982 to Spring 1985, instructed students at the gym in the American Church in Paris on the Quai d’Orsay. In July 2022, at the African Goju Awards ceremony organized in Accra, Ghana, I was awarded a 7th degree Black Belt and inducted into the Ken Gwira Hall of Fame for my outstanding contribution to the history and development of the Martial Arts Institute, African Goju and South American Goju. I am a flying kick expert, and I hold the record for jumping over 12 people and breaking a two-inch tile at the end of the jump. This feat has never been equaled.

Also, in September 2022, I was named Moores Professor of Art History at the University of Houston.

MARY MIDDENDORF WILSON ’85

This past May, I returned to Paris and to AUP’s campus for the first time in 38 years. It was wonderful to see how the American College of Paris had grown into The American University of Paris and how the campus had been transformed. I was there to attend the AUP graduation of a friend and was proud to bear witness to the next generation walking across the stage, just as I did 38 years ago in the American Church. I know AUP will continue to make a positive impact on the world and shape young minds for years to come.

Rex’s Exhibition

CLASS NOTES

Since graduating, I have landed in Villanova, Pennsylvania, where I have made my home and raised my three daughters. Looking forward to visiting Paris again soon.

CARLOS REID ’91

I have been volunteering with the All Faiths Foodbank for almost five years.

I am an artist, entrepreneur and business leader who has embarked on a lifelong journey to refine my skills and shape my unique artistic vision. After studying at the University of Cincinnati and AUP, my passion for art flourished. Continuing my education at the renowned Parsons School of Design, I honed my skills across various mediums, earning recognition in major exhibitions in New York City.

Christopher (Kiko) Robinson, Class of ’89, died unexpectedly but peacefully in his sleep on Monday, May 8, 2023, also his birthday, in Miami, Florida. He leaves behind friends and family from around the world who mourn the passing of a true bon vivant.

Recognizing the need to merge creativity with business acumen, I delved into finance, gaining valuable experience at the New York Stock Exchange. Equipped with a strategic mindset, I founded the Carlos Reid Gallery – a dynamic space dedicated to showcasing emerging and established artists worldwide. For more information about me and my work, visit thecarlosreidgallery.com

JANE HAMILTON ’87

CHRIS ROBINSON ’89

Carlos’s Gallery

DWIGHT HUGH SIMON DAY ’96

I welcomed my daughter Redd Elise in May 2022. We live together in Colombia, and I am enjoying life as a single dad.

ANA NOV ’00

I was the first Cambodian woman to join AUP in 1999–2000. I have lived in Canberra, Australia, for the past ten years. After four years working in the education industry, I am now studying law and finance. You can contact me via email at ana_november@yahoo.com

Years 1987 - 2000

SARAH ZOEN (NÉE ZIPKIN) ’00

After 15 years with an international NGO and over a year as an ESG management consultant, I recently joined the human rights consulting firm Pillar Two as an Associate Director, North America. I will be advising European and Australian Fortune 500 companies on how to embed human rights due diligence into their operations and supply chains. I’m still based in the Boston area with my husband and two boys (Keanu and Rai). We always welcome visitors from the AUP community! Reach out if you want to discuss human rights topics such as stakeholder engagement, worker well-being, gender equality or just transition (sarah.zoen@pillar-two.com).

Sarah’s LinkedIn

CLASS NOTES

THERESE VON BLIXENFINECKE ’01

I have accepted a new position as Managing Director of HM Queen Silvia’s Foundation – Care About the Children. For more information visit www.drottningsilviasstiftelse.se

JULIE

I studied my undergraduate year at AUP. Today, I am the founder of the Holistic Movement and an international TV speaker and writer. I conduct online and live sessions in body, mind, healing, workshops and more. My best advice for this generation is to workout holistically and think positively. You can find me on Instagram @holisticmovement.co.

Cenk and I first met at the pool table in the AMEX Café in 1997 in the Bosquet building. We are proud to be alumni but even prouder to have now become AUP parents! Cézanne will be a visiting student in the Fall semester, 2023.

Thank you, AUP!

I recently started a new position as senior lawyer-linguist at the European Central Bank, a fascinating role in the current economic climate. Working for EU institutions is a lot like being at AUP – a constantly changing international environment with new things to learn and people to meet on a daily basis. Such fun!

I am now working as a fractional CMO, consulting for luxury brands such as Guerlain (LVMH), British heritage

RAMMAL ’02

PATRIZIA REINDLSCHWEIGHOFER ’04 AND CENK ISIL ’01

LOUISE DE TURCKHEIM (NÉE KAHRMANN) ’04

AURELIE-ANNE GILLY ’01

The Foundation’s Website

Julie’s Instagram

jeweler David Morris and New York contemporary fine jeweler Eva Fehren. I launched my consultancy, LDT Luxury Communications, in 2022. I also sit on the board of the female leaders’ networking platform Mumble Forum.

HEATHER PRICE ’09

In 2019, I was invited to help lead the US Army’s efforts to transform its technological capabilities by commissioning tech talent at higher ranks than those allowed by traditional pathways for joining the military. After years of hard work getting this new program off the ground, I commissioned as a Captain in the US Army Reserve in August 2022.

In May 2023, I completed grueling infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia (now Fort Moore). I am now assigned to the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) as a Civil Affairs–Technology Officer in

the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade. In my civilian capacity, I serve as an advisor for industrial base policy at the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon in Washington DC.

THOMAS J. CARRICO, JR G’10

In fall of 2022, I successfully completed a PhD in Religion, Ethics and Philosophy at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.

HANNA SKEPPNER ’10

In December 2022, I decided to quit my job and move to the Alps to finally do the ski season I’ve always dreamed of. It was the best decision I’d ever made. After four months in the mountains, I felt revived and alive, and my priorities and perspective on work shifted. It’s important to know when to take a break

CLASS NOTES

and do something different. Remember to do things that you’ve always dreamed of and make room for change. This will also be a challenge, but perhaps in a different, more exciting way.

CORINNE IVARI MESHKATI ’13

On December 24, 2022, I gave birth to my baby girl, Victoria, the most beautiful gift for Christmas.

GIULIANA MAZZETTA ’14

I am excited to return to Paris for a Managing Director role at Mestiza Estudio, which provides clients across fashion, beauty and hospitality with a wide range of bespoke creative offerings. Having worked with the likes of Stella McCartney and STAUD, Mestiza helps clients express their distinct identity through branding, visual storytelling and design, as well as through creating holistic and immersive experiences that set them apart in a fast-changing culture. I look forward to rediscovering all the magic of Paris and to reconnecting with the AUP community.

I cofounded a European think tank called International Development Research Network (IDRN) in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. We told ourselves, if you can’t find a job, then create one. We have just received our first French subsidy and are excited for our first-ever festival on circularity in the 18th arrondissement in July.

After graduating from AUP, I moved to the UK and completed an MA in Early-Modern History from Durham University before taking some time off and working at a museum in Paris. I am currently a thirdyear PhD student in history at Columbia University, where I study gender, race, sexuality and military culture in the 20th-

MARIE ROBIN ’17

ANDREA ROCIO LIMON ’14

IDRN’s Website

Mestiza Estudio

century French Empire. In New York, I occasionally hang out with AUP grads!

Marie’s Profile

My doctoral dissertation explores the French system of military prostitution, known by the name Bordel Militaire de Campagne (Mobile Field Brothels), in the First Indochina and Algerian wars, as well as the impact of the military’s management of sex on broader processes of decolonization. This spring, I passed my doctoral oral examinations and successfully defended my dissertation prospectus, officially reaching the status of a PhD candidate! In the upcoming year, I will be conducting research for my dissertation in Paris, Vietnam and Morocco.

MICHELLE LYNCH ’18

I’ve spent a lot of time recently reflecting on how AUP set me on a path that led me to an incredibly happy future. It was at AUP that I began to study Medieval and Renaissance literature and theater, and now I work on the production team at Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC. It was in the AMEX Café that I got to know my best friend and soon-tobe husband. I’m so grateful for my Paris beginnings, and I can’t wait to visit the city this fall for our honeymoon!

INAS HAKKI G’18

I won an award in two categories (best oped and the student’s award) of the Samir Kassir Award for freedom of the press. You can access my winning article translated into English with the QR code below.

CLASS NOTES

MICHELAH BROWN ’19

RENEE WALTON G’20

I have been accepted as a PhD researcher in Philosophy at the University of Glasgow in the Theatre and Film Department. I am also a GTA (Graduate Teaching Assistant).

Michelah’s Profile

ANNA CHAPMAN G’20

In March 2023, I represented New Zealand at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York – a forum dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment. This year’s theme, technology and education in the digital age, focused on the unequal pace of digital transformation and how it exacerbates existing inequalities. The continuum between online and offline gender-based violence is particularly problematic for women and LGTBQIA+ people in the public sphere, such as politicians and journalists. Over 7,000 participants and ministers took part in over 900 events and long negotiations.

I have been promoted within my team at the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business to lead our Executive MBA program as the Senior Program Administrator. In my role, I guide our two cohorts from orientation until graduation. A huge perk of my role is being able to travel with our students to an immersive health care policy course hosted in Washington DC and a global business course hosted in a different international location each year. Last year I went to Prague and this year we are going to Singapore!

My experience being part of Student Government at AUP is the reason I work in higher education. I want to help students enjoy their time in a master’s program just as I did while attending AUP, and I cannot imagine myself doing anything else!

ZACHARY EGAN ’22

I was appointed as an OECD official, where I am now serving as a Digital Producer at the International Energy Agency in Paris. I am working on various communications projects surrounding our work with energy.

KARL

BALDACCHINO G’22

After graduating from the MADIL program, I secured a junior research position with Studyportals, an international company ensuring no one lacks information about studying abroad. I found out I got the job while in Paris preparing for graduation.

Karl’s Profile

During my six-month job search, I did an internship focused on protecting the right to education. This allowed me to conduct research on the global flows of international students and their interest in studying abroad. Working with data has been a big learning curve. But thanks to AUP’s emphasis on continuous learning, I have become proficient in using data analysis software like Excel and Tableau. It’s been a rewarding experience, and I look forward to what the future holds!

ALEXANDRA MARIN G’23

I am delighted to share that my successful completion of the rigorous MA in Diplomacy and International Law at AUP has been the most fruitful and enriching educational journey of my life. AUP has provided me with a solid foundation and equipped me with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of the professional world. I am thrilled to announce my recent accomplishment – a six-month internship at the headquarters of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris.

During my internship, I had the privilege of immersing myself in the multifaceted realm of international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. This experience allowed me to explore diverse policy areas, including human rights, development and sustainability.

Reunite on campus in 2024

Mark your calendars on April 25–27 for AUP Alumni Weekend 2024! Relive your student days in Paris and reconnect with old friends from across six decades of AUP’s history with an exciting weekend of activities on campus and across the City of Light.

You’ll take part in networking events with AUP students, catch up with your professors over lunch, or take a campus tour to see how much AUP life has changed since your own graduation. And, of course, the social events and parties will be a great opportunity to celebrate your lifelong membership of our extraordinary global community in style!