BiH Students Arrive in the U.S.

On their first day, our guests from BiH stopped at DRSS to see the school

By Arch Grieve
After connecting with INTERA Technology Park in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH) nearly a year ago through the Dayton Sister City Committee and planning our school's first-ever international internship exchange for months alongside my counterpart from BiH, Ana Bogdanovic, I was very excited to welcome our first-ever international exchange student visitors to Dayton on Sunday, May 14, 2017!

Beginning on Tuesday, May 16, Edna, Rijad, Nikola, Mateo, and Dario, accompanied by their chaperone, Ana, will be participating in The Entrepreneurs Academy STEMmersion, an 11-day entrepreneurial program, a course developed for the Dayton Regional STEM School by Nucleus CoShare and The Entrepreneurs Center. Each of the students is currently enrolled at the University of Mostar and is studying Economics. The program will provide students with a hands-on learning experience and insight into the growing entrepreneurial culture of the Dayton region.

We met them at the Dayton International Airport after their long journey to the U.S., where they were greeted by five of our students from the Dayton Regional STEM School and their homestay families.

(From left to right) Gloria, Austin, Victoria, Bri, and Bethany were excited to greet our visitors at the airport upon their arrival to the United States! Each of them will travel to BiH in June of 2017 to complete their internship as well.

The students spent their first day in the U.S. visiting Wright State University

Today students began their time in Dayton with a visit to Wright State University, where they talked with teacher education students about education in BiH. 

The students speaking to a group of pre-service teachers in Dr. Holbert's Intro to Education course

After speaking to the students, they visited the Raj Soin College of Business Trade Room, where Dr. Akhbari gave them a look at the trade room and their Bloomberg analysis program. Dean Traynor also paid them a visit and arranged to have lunch provided for the students. 

Dr. Akhbari (left) and Dean Traynor (right) speak to the students as they visit the Raj Soin College of Business' trade room

After their visit, they were led on a short tour of the university, which included a stop at the Wright State University - University Center for International Education.

Irena Joseph, a native of Mostar, and Peggy Kelly, both instructors at Wright State University, lead the group on a tour of the Wright State campus

No visit would be complete without a stop for a picture in front of BART!

They are ending the day at The Greene to do some shopping and relaxing before their first day of classes begin tomorrow. We welcome them on their first trip to the United States and hope they have a great experience!