VIU Magazine Spring 2016

V I R G I N I A I N T E R N A T I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y
UNIVERSITY
M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 5
Apply for
Federal Student
Aid at VIU
p.16
A
Glimpse
into the
Life of a
Syrian
Refugee
p. 44
When a Career
with Google
isn’t Enough
p.41
Women can be
CEOs Too
p.50

WANT YOUR DEGREE
ON YOUR TIMELINE?
GET YOUR DEGREE ONLINE.
STUDY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
FLEXIBLE
8-WEEK
SCHEDULE
AFFORDABLE
TUITION
POPULAR
PROGRAMS
VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
WEB: ONLINE.VIU.EDU
EMAIL: INFO@ONLINE.VIU.EDU
PHONE: +1.800.514.6848
VIU is accredited by ACICS and certified to operate in Virginia by the SCHEV.
TEST DRIVE A SAMPLE COURSE AT ONLINE.VIU.EDU
2 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
2 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

TM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
VIU.EDU
V I R G I N I A I N T E R N A T I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y
UNIVERSITY
M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 5
Spring 2016
A
Glimpse
into the
Life of a
Syrian
Refugee
p. 44
Apply for
Federal Student
Aid at VIU
p.16
When a Career
with Google
isn’t Enough
p.41
Women can be
CEOs Too
p.50
CONTENTS
6VIU STUDENTS INTERVIEW MARYLAND STATE SENATOR CATHERINE PUGH
The senator discusses being a female business owner and her plans for making
change happen in Baltimore and the State of Maryland.
10
REPRESENTING VIU
ABROAD
17
VIU NAMED REGISTERED
EDUCATION PROVIDER BY PMI
55
A CAREER 68 YEARS IN THE
MAKING
12
THE WRITTEN WORD
24
KICKSTART TO FITNESS WITH
MR. VENEZUELA
56
BULGARIA: TO UNDERSTAND A
PLACE, FIRST UNDERSTAND ITS
PEOPLE
14
WHY I LOVE TEACHING
AT VIU
26
VIU SPORTS CLUB:
FOCUS ON HEALTH
61
WHEN STUDENTS BECOME
SOLDIERS
16
A NEW STUDENT CENTER
AT VIU’S MAIN CAMPUS
35
ACADEMIC COLLABORATIONS
AROUND THE WORLD
64
SAY YES TO NEW ADVENTURES
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
3

TABLE OF CONTENTS
DANIEL OKABE’S
AMAZING RACE
This student
never dreamed
where his life
– or his legs! –
would take him.
UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Issue 5, Spring 2016
PRESIDENT
Dr. Isa Sarac
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Emily Leighty
20
SPOTLIGHT:
08 WORLD TRAVEL WITH
PRESIDENT ISA SARAC
Where has VIU sent its
representatives over that last few
months?
50 WOMEN CAN BE CEOs TOO
Where do women stand in the
business arena? Will the world see
an influx in female CEOs, or will men
continue to dominate the most
powerful companies?
66 EMPHASIS ON ENGLISH IN
THE VIU ADMISSIONS PROCESS
Are you seeking admission to VIU?
Get some advice from one of our
admission advisors!
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Ariunaa Dashtsogt
PR SPECIALISTS
Jane Bondarenko
Loubna Salagh
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Hussein Abdinoor
Nadine Alroz
Koorosh Azhandeh
Kolawale Bakare
Alessandra Balestieri
Suellen Basilio
Dr. Klara Bilgin
Dr. M. Bradinova
B. Byambajav
Oumar Cole
Camilla Nunes
Tam Emanuel
Allison Forbes
Marcia Garces
Claire Gimble
Brittany Glen
Dorothy Gudgel
Abhilash Gudipalli
Bonnie Wolfe
Natasha Jeter
Christina Koonts
DESIGNER
Erica Bethel
PHOTOGRAPHER
Justin Rosen
Hilary Kozikowski
Jana Lachmann
Kevin Martin
Allison Millward
Dr. Nathan Minami
Patrick Moss
Mohamed Moustafa
Dr. Theresa Poussaint
Jeffrey Prater
Ariunbileg Purev
Dr. Michael Ross
Dr. Rebecca Sachs
Shilpa Sainath
Ana Serrano
Stephan Shelley
Marija Smilevska
Robyn Taylor
Dr. Dereje Tessema
Anudari Tsogtbayar
Dr. Emrullah Uslu
Susann Wieczorek
EDITORIAL OFFICE
4401 Village Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-591-7042 Fax: 703-591-7048
A NOTE TO READERS
The views expressed in the articles are
the authors’ and not necessarily those of
University Magazine or Virginia International
University.
No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photo copy, recording, or any
information storage and retrieval system
without written permission.
62 THE DREAM CHASER’S PERSPECTIVE
A VIU alumnus tells stories from his most memorable adventure and
explains why it is so important to broaden your perspectives through
travel.
Copyright © 2016 All rights reserved.
Printed in the USA
Virginia International University.
4 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

WELCOME TO READERS
VIU.EDU
Message from the Editor
Dear readers,
It is my sincere pleasure to introduce our readers to University Magazine (UM)’s Spring
2016 issue. We are wrapping up publication of this issue in December 2015, and many
of us, naturally, are beginning to reflect back on the past year. As a member of VIU’s
increasingly diverse community of students, faculty, and staff, it is hard not to be in
some way affected by the tragedies that shook the global community in the past 12
months: terrorist attacks in France in January and in November; the April earthquake
and subsequent aftershocks in Nepal which resulted in a devastating number of injuries
and loss of lives; the heatwave in India lasting from May to June which took the lives of
more than 2,000; the economic situation in Greece and its resulting worldwide effect
in July; the warehouse explosion in China in August; the on-going situation with Boko
Haram in Nigeria and neighboring countries; and the Refugee Crisis which began in
April and continues to affect refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Libya, to
name only a few. It has certainly been a hard year for many among us.
The unique, inclusive environment at VIU has provided a safe place for all to share,
mourn, empathize, and – perhaps most importantly – have conversations about these
events. Through these moments, many of us have learned to connect with our peers and
colleagues and have taken another step away from impressions that were born of fear,
prejudice, misinformation, or ignorance. In this issue, readers will find several articles,
like the interview with Syrian student Mohamed Syed (p. 44), which highlight some
of the issues affecting our global community today. The UM team was deeply moved
by the sentiments expressed by Mohamed and the others, and we hope you will be
impacted by their powerful words, too.
We are also pleased to offer our readers some inspiring tales of world travel, including
a story from one of our most well-traveled alumni (p. 62) and some advice for visitors
to Bulgaria from one of our beloved faculty (p. 56). You will also hear from Marija
Smilevska, a student who comes to the US from Macedonia and had to challenge
her preconceptions of a culture that is different from her own (p. 32). VIU always
encourages people to go, to experience, to learn, and to open their hearts and their
doors to friends from all over the world. These stories are proof that experiencing
another culture can drastically change your perspective.
Finally, I hope our readers will look forward to some of our lighter pieces in this issue,
including book recommendations from VIU faculty (p. 12) and adventurous anecdotes
from the bravest of VIU’s students (p. 64). Perhaps you will even be inspired to add one
of their wild undertakings to your bucket list in 2016.
On behalf of the whole UM team, I wish you a happy, healthy, and blessed new year!
Emily Leighty
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
5

FEATURE
Building Up
Business
in Baltimore
VIU Students Interview Maryland State
Senator Catherine Pugh
By Oumar Cole and Jana Lachmann
Not long ago, two of VIU’s brightest Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
students, Mr. Oumar Cole and Ms. Jana Lachmann, had the privilege of traveling to
Annapolis, Maryland to meet with State Senator Catherine Pugh. As future business
professionals, interviewing Senator Pugh on her extensive knowledge in business and
political affairs was a thrilling, one-of-a-kind experience for both students. Furthermore,
these students had the privilege to be invited to sit in on a congressional committee
hearing chaired by Senator Pugh. Continue reading to learn more about the students’ day
with the senator.
Jana Lachmann, Senator Catherine Pugh, and
Oumar Cole
Jana Lachmann: You were the first
of seven children in your family to
attend college. Was it difficult for you
financially?
Senator Pugh: In fact, my brother went to
college, but he didn’t finish. College was
a major achievement in my parents’ eyes,
as neither one of them had high school
diplomas. To earn my first semester’s
tuition, I worked nights at a nursing
home until 7 a.m., and then I worked
during the day as a secretary at a chemical
lab starting at 8:30 a.m. It was not a big
deal to me as I had been working since I
was 14 years old. There was even a time
when I worked three jobs to be able to
pay my whole tuition.
Oumar Cole: What interested you in
obtaining an MBA?
SP: I could always hear my father in my
ear saying, “You always think you know
everything, so you need to figure out what
you can do, and then you can control
your own destiny.” I figured having a
business background would be a good
fit for me, so I went on to obtain my
master’s.
OC: What did you do after you completed
your MBA program?
SP: I have probably done everything you
can possibly think of. I was an assistant
professor at Morgan State University, a
news anchor at night at our local radio
station, a vice president at Brunson
Communications where we owned
television stations and radio stations,
a business developer helping African
Americans and other minorities own
their own businesses. I even started and
ran my own newspaper for seven years
until becoming a special editor for the
Baltimore Sun.
JL: We know that you successfully started
your own public relations firm. Do you
think that has inspired other women in
Baltimore to start their own businesses?
SP: I used to sit on the Board of Women
Entrepreneurs of Baltimore where we
encouraged women to start their own
businesses via micro-lending and we used
to incubate small businesses for women.
My background in business has really
helped me; from being a partner in a
local retail outlet, to helping other folks
to start businesses, and then to looking
at legislation from a business perspective
and even to looking at the city as a
business and how you run it in such a way
that wealth is equalized and opportunities
are created for everyone.
OC: What interested you in Politics?
SP: As part of my public relations
business, I was a fundraiser for other
candidates. Someone called me up and
said, “There is a vacancy in the fourth
district. Who are you going to be raising
money for?” My answer was, “I should
probably do that for myself.” I raised
the money, and I ran, and I won! I had
always been in the background doing
community volunteerism; I volunteered
on 23 community boards throughout
the city. While setting up citizens’
involvement in Neighborhood Watch
programs throughout the city, I realized
that everything somehow just linked
backed to politics. When we look at how
it is that we do certain things, what is it
6 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
that needs to be changed, how do you fix
everything, somewhere in the bottom of
all of that politics plays a role.
JL: We know that you’ve created many
programs such as the Fish Out of Water
Project and the Baltimore Marathon,
which were designed to promote
Baltimore’s tourism and ultimately
raise money for good causes such as
youth art programs and the Need to
Read campaign. Are there any similar
programs that you are currently working
on?
SP: The Baltimore Marathon was a
tremendous undertaking because I saw
it as an opportunity not only to raise
money for worthy causes but to also be
a champion of tourism for the city. Our
first marathon saw 6,000 participants;
this year, our fifteenth, saw close to
25,000 participants, which generates
$40 million for the city of Baltimore.
The Fish Out of Water Project raised a
million dollars which we used to wire
classrooms and provide instruments
for children. As a legislator, I take
the opportunity to be creative. I am
working on a demonstration project
going on for ex-offenders to create
business opportunities. When we look
at the landscape of wealth and wealth
opportunities and building opportunities
for folks, we have about 5,000 exoffenders
that come back to our city
every year, but we have these training
programs that go nowhere. When I
was campaigning five years ago I asked
a local business owner if I could put a
sign up. “Do you remember me? You
were my graduation speaker,” he said. I
was about to ask if it was a high school
or college graduation when he said,
“From prison.” He went on to say, “I
never forgot what you said. What you
said was, ‘I am glad you got your GEDs.
But you have a hard road ahead of you.
Let me make a suggestion. If you have
the capacity or the capability to start a
business, do so, because nobody walks
into anybody’s business and asks about
your background. What they care about
is the quality of your service, so provide
good service.’” What he said to me was,
“That was me five years ago. This is my
business. Go across town and put a sign
up in my other business too.” So what
I did this past session was write a piece
of legislation requiring the state to do a
demonstration project for ex-offenders
to start their own businesses because
what I saw was someone who really was
earning a better quality of life than a
$10.00 an hour job. This is the way we go
about creating opportunities and building
wealth and giving people the respect
that they deserve. Afterwards, they have
earned their way back into society. Let’s
give them a better way of life. That is what
I am hoping this process will do in the
long run.
OC: You are currently serving on the
finance committee and as the majority
leader of the senate. What does your
work look like on a day-to-day basis?
SP: It’s crazy! [She laughs.] I’m a runner.
I like to get up in the morning and run
or walk or do something. My day usually
starts at about 5 a.m. because I will have
a meeting at 7 or 7:30. One of a few
boards that I serve on now is University
of Maryland’s Medical Systems Board. In
addition to sitting on their finance and
investment committee, I also created a
minority business enterprise community
so we could expand opportunities
for minorities to business with the 13
hospitals with University of Maryland.
Due to my busy schedule, I sometimes
end up having a breakfast or luncheon
meeting. At night you have to be in the
community, community meetings and
forums, making speeches and visiting
schools in the neighborhood. I started
the Baltimore Design School which is
now in its fifth year. It took me two years
to get that up and running and I chair the
board there. I usually get home around 10
or 11 at night and then I am on the phone
bugging people for another hour or two
until someone tells me, “Hey, Catherine,
it’s time to go to bed!”
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
7

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
World Travel
with President
Isa Sarac
VIU made 2015 a year of networking and professional
development. Many of our staff, faculty, and even students
made business and educational trips abroad to destinations
such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil, Egypt, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, and Turkey. VIU’s president, Dr. Isa
Sarac, kicked off the trips with visits to the United Kingdom
and Italy. We asked the President’s Office and others to
share highlights of their trips, lessons learned, and favorite
experiences with our University Magazine readers. Enjoy
reading!
UNITED KINGDOM
By Loubna Massey and Anudari Tsogtbayar
In September 2015, Dr. Sarac visited the United Kingdom
accompanied by Ms. Loubna Massey, a faculty at VIU, and
Ms. Anudari Tsogtbayar, a VIU student. It was a busy 10 days
as the VIU team had several academic collaboration meetings
with various universities including South Bank University and
Middlesex University. Key topics included organizing summer
programs, evolving online education, and exchanging faculty
skills.
In an effort to strengthen collaborations in business studies,
Dr. Sarac met executives from University College, one of the
most prominent business schools in London. He also signed an
academic collaboration with Greenwich University, which is
famous for its historical buildings often featured in Hollywood
movies. Dr. Sarac also visited Oxford University, Westminster
Abby, Parliament Square, and the British Museum.
Prior to coming to the US and founding VIU, Dr. Sarac lived
in London and studied at Henley College in Coventry. As an
alumnus, he was thrilled to accept Henley College’s invitation to
meet their president, Dr. Goy, during this trip. It was an exciting
visit for everyone as tremendous success and growth has been
made by both Dr. Sarac and Henley College in the years that have
passed since Dr. Sarac’s graduation.
The VIU team also attended USA College Day Exhibition 2015,
an event held annually and organized by the US-UK Fulbright
Commission. VIU was one of the 180 exhibitors representing
American colleges and universities such as Harvard, Yale,
Columbia University, Stanford, and MIT. British students were
interested in various VIU programs, especially undergraduate
degrees. They were also intrigued by VIU’s location just minutes
away from the nation’s capital of Washington, DC.
At the end of the trip, Anudari expressed her appreciation to Dr.
Sarac for his constant desire to engage students with university
affairs; he always encourages them to go out of the classrooms
and open up doors for themselves. Anudari was selected to
participate in this trip in recognition of her academic excellence.
She also represents one of VIU’s collaborators, Royal Academy in
Mongolia.
8 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
ITALY
By Camilla de Jesus Nunes
In October 2015, Dr. Sarac and Ms. Camilla de Jesus Nunes,
Curriculum Coordinator at VIU, participated in conferences
in London and Rome. Both the 7 th International Seminar and
the 8 th General Assembly on Higher Education, Innovation,
and Internationalization – promoted by the Coimbra Group
of Brazilian Universities – were hosted by the University of
Manchester in Manchester, UK. Significant new research findings
were presented by guest speakers to the educators who came from
all over the world.
VIU representatives also had the chance to visit the University
of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute. Afterwards, the
VIU team visited Siena, Italy to attend a conference entitled
Internationalization of Higher Education: Moving Beyond
Mobility. The conference was promoted by the International
Association of Universities (IAU) of which VIU is a member. The
University of Siena hosted over 100 universities in this event. Dr.
Sarac was fascinated by the richness of sessions on partnerships
and networking and the effect of internationalization on
the local community. Hands-on lessons from researchers in
internationalization of curriculum and intercultural learning
outcomes proved to be great resources for Camilla as she focuses
on the development and enrichment of the academic curriculum
at VIU. As a trusted international university in the Washington,
DC area, international educators also had the chance to learn
from VIU; many of them were interested in the successes of Dr.
Sarac and expressed their interest in collaborating with VIU.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
9

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Representing
VIU Abroad
TURKEY
By Tam Emanuel
In November 2015, Dr. Suleyman Bahceci, Executive Vice
President of University Affairs, and Mr. Prashish Shrestha,
Executive Vice President of Operations, traveled to Istanbul,
Turkey, to represent VIU in a several educational fairs.
With over 40 education consultants from Turkey, Russia, Africa,
Central Asia, and the Middle East, in addition to 16 universities
and colleges from the US and UK, the Mezun Study USA Fair
was a success. In an engaging workshop followed by a generous
networking lunch reception, agencies got to know the missions
and interests of UK and American universities including VIU. “In
fact, many of the consultants want to collaborate with us, as VIU
has strong international bonds,” said Mr. Shrestha.
The Mezun Students Fair was the next educational fair the
gentlemen attended. The event gathered over 500 locals at the
Hilton Hotel in Istanbul. The VIU team was asked many questions
by attendees such as how to apply to VIU, what program of study
is the best fit for their future careers, and what they need to
prepare or expect in order to study in the US, to name a few. “It
was so impressive to see hundreds of enthusiastic students willing
not only to change and educate themselves but also to utilize their
knowledge for their nations’ futures. It’s exactly aligned with
our mission: Dream. Discover. Accomplish,” said Dr. Bahceci,
who added that VIU will put even more efforts toward helping
students like these achieve their dreams.
VIU’s executive team also met representatives from several
institutions such as Fatih University, Sehir University, a local
elementary school, a charity foundation, and a hospital, as well as
local education consultants.
Of his first trip to Istanbul, Mr. Shrestha stated, “When observing
the blend of culture in a truly Eurasian country, one could become
overwhelmed with its friendly people, diversity, and beautiful
landscape full of history.”
10 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
KAZAKHSTAN & KYRGYZSTAN
By Ana Serrano
With a mission to diversify the student body and reach out to
prospective students in Central Asia, Dr. Bahceci, Executive
Vice President of University Affairs, represented VIU at the
EducationUSA Kazakhstan Tour 2015 in Kazakhstan and also
traveled to Kyrgyzstan to with meet our collaborating institutions.
During the EducationUSA event, Dr. Bahceci met with Nazabayer
University graduate students and their Director of Career and
Advising Center, Mr. Yevgeniya Kim, in Asatana, Kazakhstan. His
trip continued to the Zhubanov Aktobe Regional State University
in Aktobe, Kazakhstan, where hundreds of local students were
interested in learning how to study at VIU in graduate and
undergraduate programs. Some of the highlights from Dr.
Bahceci’s trip were a presentation at the Almaty Educational Fair,
meeting Mr. Mark Moody, US Counsel General in Kazakhstan,
and talking with many more local institutions’ administrators
EGYPT
By Natasha Jeter
including Drs. Akgul and Amirgaliyeya from Suleyman Demirel
University and Dr. Mukashaova of Alma Management University.
Next, Dr. Bahceci continued on his trip to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
where one of VIU’s partner universities is located. When meeting
with International Ataturk-Alatoo University (AAU) students,
Dr. Bahceci was able to explain to them the benefits of a US
education and advantages of studying at VIU.
In October 2015, VIU representatives Mohamed F. Moustafa and
Natasha Jeter traveled to Egypt to attend college fairs in Cairo and
Alexandria. Misr International University in Cairo was their first
official meeting wherein they discussed potential collaboration
and future opportunities for both institutions. For the same
purpose, the VIU team was able to reach out to some of reputable
high schools in Cairo such as Al-Bashaer School.
The VIU team also went to EducationUSA Alexandria where
they discussed the VIU admissions process, language proficiency
requirements, school programs, and scholarship opportunities
available at VIU. They even visited the US embassy in Cairo to
participate in a seminar which was organized by EducationUSA
Cairo.
Not to glaze over their early morning trip to the Great Pyramids
of Giza and the Sphinx, it goes without saying that they had a blast
taking lots of pictures in the desert, Natasha on the back of a
camel, and Mohamed on his horse. Ending up in Muscat, Oman,
their last leg of the trip, they were able to meet even more collegebound
students. As a native Arabic speaker, Mohamed was able
to manage large groups of students and enjoyed informing and
inspiring them about the advantages of the American education
system in both Egypt and Oman.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
11

THE WRITTEN WORD
SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS
SCHOOL OF
LANGUAGE STUDIES
The
Written
Word
Are you looking for a good book
to pick up during the cold winter
months? Take a recommendation
from one of our VIU faculty!
Dr. Bonnie Wolfe
recommends:
Instructor Patrick
Moss recommends:
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
This is a magical adventure story of survival,
acceptance, and adaptation. The story
focuses on the relationship between a boy
and a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker
who are stranded at sea together on a small
boat. The tiger and the boy must somehow
come to terms to survive together. The boy
must think with great ingenuity and the tiger
must learn. At the end, the reader is left not
knowing what is real of the boy’s adventure.
Pi allows the reader the possibility of seeing
life as one would like to, seeing it in its most
beautiful form.
My favorite passage from the book reads,
“I will tell you a secret: a part of me was
glad about Richard Parker. A part of me
did not want Richard Parker to die at all,
because if he died I would be left alone with
despair, a foe even more formidable than
a tiger. If I still had the will to live, it was
thanks to Richard Parker…It’s the plain
truth: without Richard Parker, I wouldn’t
be alive today to tell you my story.”
Roots by Alex Haley
After reading the stories about Alex Haley’s
unforgettable ancestors – Omoro, Kunta
Kinte, Kizzy Waller, and Chicken George
– you will become interested in your own
roots and wonder what stories lie hidden in
your own family tree. The book also teaches
you the way of the world in the haunting
tale told by the storyteller Nyo Boto about
the crocodile trapped in a net. Out of all
the hundreds of books I have read in my
lifetime, this is a powerful one that stands
out to me.
My favorite passage from the book
reads, “Out under the moon and the stars,
alone with his son that eighth night, Omoro
completed the naming ritual. Carrying
little Kunta in his strong arms, he walked
to the edge of the village, lifted his baby
up with his face to the heavens, and said
softly, ‘Fend kiling dorong leh warrata ka
iteh tee.’ (Behold – the only thing greater
than yourself.)”
12 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
SCHOOL OF
EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC &
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
SCHOOL OF COMPUTER
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Dr. Rebecca Sachs
recommends:
Dr. Emrullah Uslu
recommends:
Dr. Nathan Minami
recommends:
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Dune series is not only profoundly
imaginative, absorbing, and frequently
awe-inspiring; it’s ingenious, multifaceted,
intricate, and complex. In a sweeping epic
spanning millennia and ranging across
the universe, Herbert somehow interwove
mysticism, politics, environmentalism,
philosophy, genetic manipulation, artificial
intelligence, organized religion, and mindaltering
substances in a sci-fi fantasy that,
despite having been written in the 1960s,
can shed light (both painful and optimistic)
on current realities and stimulate readers to
reflect on their values, sometimes in the face
of seemingly impossible moral dilemmas.
When do the ends justify the means? Can
there be such a thing as altruistic despotism?
How does mass brainwashing happen?
What are the origins of our myths and
legends? Dune makes readers consider
the extraordinary mental, physical, and
emotional development that can be achieved
through intense training, but also the costs
of near-immortality and omniscience. It’s
the sort of series that can be read again and
again, with the potential to generate deeper
insights every time. (I’ve only read it once,
but I think I’ll read it again!)
Why Nations Fail by Daron
Acemoglu and James Robinson
This is one of the most influential books about
the rise and fall of nations. It investigates
historical evidence and combines it with
current examples. Acemoglu and Robinson
show, as the Wall Street Journal puts it, that
success comes “when political and economic
institutions are ‘inclusive’ and pluralistic,
creating incentives for everyone to invest
in the future. Nations fail when institutions
are ‘extractive,’ protecting the political and
economic power of only a small elite that
takes income from everyone else.”
One of the most inspiring parts of the book
for me was the question of whether the
economic system makes a nation’s political
system better or the other way around.
A Message to Garcia by
Elbert Hubbard
This book is about the high value that
employers place on work ethic, commitment,
and personal initiative. This is the foundation
for any successful professional in any line
of work. When published, Hubbard’s book
spread across the world like wild fire. Within
a few years it was printed in every known
language around the world, which is quite
a feat for a book written in 1899!
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
13

LIFE AT VIU
Why I Love Teaching at VIU
By Kevin Martin
ABOUT
VIU
Founded in 1998 by Dr. Isa Sarac
University Colors: Red and blue
Motto: “Dream. Discover.
Accomplish.”
Mascot: Tiger
24 degree and certificate programs
offered
86% of student body is enrolled
in graduate level programs, 14%
of student body is enrolled in
undergraduate, certificate, or
language programs (offered onground
and online)
90% international students, 10%
domestic (US) students
Over 100 countries represented by
student body
90% full-time students, 10% parttime
students
66% of faculty and 22% of staff hold
doctorate degrees
Student demographics: 51% male
and 49% female
Enrollment by Region: Asia 75%,
Africa 6%, North America 1%,
South America 3%, Europe 6%,
Middle East 10%
Student Faculty Ratio: 9:1
Working at VIU has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career
thus far. I have worked in a variety of settings similar to VIU, but this is
truly a unique environment full of amazing people and ideas. Where else
could a collection of students and faculty from more than 120 countries come
together to grow together as a collective learning community?
I serve as the associate dean of the School
of Education and have been at VIU since
2013. During my time here, VIU has grown
tremendously. Our growth has occurred
across the institution, including many new
departments, innovative practices in online
education, outstanding staff and faculty
additions, an increase in new students, and
the addition of new academic programs. I
am constantly impressed with our progress
when I reflect upon how far we have come
in such a short amount of time.
AN INTERNATIONAL ATMOSPHERE
The first thing that I do to explain VIU
is to say that we are like a mini-United
Nations. Students come from all over
the world to study at VIU, significantly
forming our campus into an international
environment. Although we are located in
a buzzing metropolis, VIU’s atmosphere
looks and feels international in every sense
of the word. This diversity in thought and
practice makes VIU an exciting place where
sharing ideas is both safe and challenging
at the same time.
TEACHING AT VIU
I have had the privilege of teaching several
courses since beginning at VIU, including
Academic Writing, Oral Communications,
and Language and the Human Experience.
Through these courses, I have gotten
amazing insight into realities around the
globe through the eyes of my students.
Of these courses, the one that is the most
meaningful to me is Language and the
Human Experience. In this course, we
learn about the intersection of language
and culture through the lived-experiences
of a language informant.
The amount of growth that I see in students
over the course of the semester is amazing.
To be able to move from just using language
in the course of our daily lives to expressing
the fundamental nature of language as a
communicative tool and how it affects
our lives is quite remarkable. At the end
of a recent semester, a student remarked
how difficult it would be to be the last
living speaker of his language holding all
of the knowledge and experience of the
entire history of his people in his head
without being able to effectively convey
it to the world. This incredibly powerful
comment demonstrated a depth of growth
and development far beyond my own
expectations as an educator. In fact, it was
clear that a seed had been planted in this
student to be a life-long steward to nurture
and cultivate life and the human experience
with care. This simple comment made me
remember that our goal as educators is to
continue growing as individuals in a way
that improves our lives and the lives of
others.
STUDENTS AT VIU
I am always impressed with the amazing
knowledge and experience of students
coming to VIU. Not only does this
wellspring of experience allow for
interesting discussions in class, it also
allows for tremendous growth of students
and faculty through shared learning. This
14 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
gets to the heart of the student-centered
experience espoused by VIU. The classroom
moves beyond just a lecture from the book
to a more experiential exposure to realities
experienced by students throughout their
lives.
The international aspect of VIU merges
a variety of perceptions, practices, and
lenses that really brings out the most in the
classroom experience. I am always learning
from my students and continue to broaden
my own horizons. This is truly a shared
community of learning and teaching that
we have at VIU.
COLLEAGUES AT VIU
Along with amazing students, VIU has
exceptional faculty and staff dedicated
to bridging the gap between theory and
practice. I am constantly amazed by the
drive and ambition of my fellow educators
who strive to conduct research and improve
practices. With staff and faculty from
all over the world and from a variety of
experiences, I continue to grow and learn
about the world.
COLLECTIVE STORIES
A common theme shared by faculty
members is that of the stories that
collectively define VIU. These stories
include all of us that make up the learning
community. We are truly building bridges
and creating meaningful, positive change in
the world by being a part of shared stories
among community members.
INNOVATING HIGHER EDUCATION
One of the great things about working
with students and colleagues at VIU is
that groundbreaking ideas emerge from
the incredible work that we do. With an
electric atmosphere of discussion and
academic debate, our university is able to
grow and stretch to innovate and create the
future. Our international setting brings in
refreshing ideas and new ways of thinking
that are not found across every institution
or sector.
VIU has a collective environment of
innovation and engagement in the
principles of moving higher education to
new bounds. One of the most exciting
things about VIU is the high caliber of work
and growth that goes on both in and outside
of the classroom.
WHAT’S NEXT?
At VIU, we are always thinking about
what is on the horizon. This is the kind
of direction and leadership that higher
education institutions need in order to
remain ahead by working to anticipate the
future needs of the various stakeholders
and sectors that we serve. Service is an
important part of our mission and direction
as the university constantly ensures that it
is working to meet the variety of needs of
students, staff, faculty, future employers,
and sectors.
If you asked me “What’s next for VIU?”, I
would explain that the best is yet to come.
The future is quite bright for our learning
community, and we will continue to shine as
innovators and leaders in higher education.
For these reasons, it is truly an exciting time
to be at VIU!
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
15

UNIVERSITY NEWS
Apply for Federal Student Aid at VIU
Virginia International University (VIU) is very excited to
announce that the university now participates in the Federal
Student Aid Program as an eligible school! With this great
change, VIU is excited to provide an even greater amount of
students with access to a quality education with an emphasis
on the learning opportunities available at our university,
rather than the concerns of fitting the cost of the degree into a
student’s already tight budget.
It’s no secret that young adults across the United States face
great challenges in terms of financial strain for earning
graduate degrees. As the workforce grows and demands
increase, unfortunately so do the costs of higher education.
American college students are often hard-pressed to come up
with the funds for their tuition and living expenses, and have
to make a lot of tough decisions, reconciling their need for a
degree with the amount of money readily available to them.
Federal Student Aid has been an excellent resource to these
students, allowing them a solution to financial struggles they
may have faced. In the short term, students are able to earn a
degree, while the burden of paying for it is greatly lessened.
VIU Shuttle Service Gets a Facelift
The VIU shuttle operates continuously five days a week from
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and boasts several new stops as well as
a smartphone application that shows students where the shuttle
is located and its expected ETA. Students love using the free Wi-
Fi inside the shuttle while chatting about their upcoming finals,
current events, and what kind of “trouble” they got into over the
weekend.
The current shuttle route stops at the Vienna Metro Station, Fair
Oaks Mall, Giant Food on Jermantown Road, Circle Towers, the
Oakton Park apartments, and the VIU campus. VIU is looking at
expanding offerings in the near future as well.
The best part about the shuttle service, of course, is that it is free of
charge to the VIU community! For more information on the free
shuttle and to download the schedule, visit us on the web at http://
viu.edu/students/services/viu-shuttle.html.
VIU is a known advocate of affordable higher education
having offered our low tuition rates, flexible payment plans,
and university-sponsored scholarship funds for the past 18
years. Today we are happy to be part of an institution that
allows students to apply for Federal Student Aid. For more
information on the financial aid programs available at VIU
and for information about how to apply, please visit us on the
web at www.viu.edu.
A New Student Center at VIU’s
Main Campus
In early November, VIU opened a brand new student center at
the Village Drive campus. The long-awaited student center is the
result of several months of space planning and construction that
transformed a massive garage into an inviting and airy space that
will serve as the main leisure area for VIU students. The student
center has a dedicated study space; an area of café-style seating
where students can enjoy lunch with friends and classmates; a
game area which boasts ping pong and foosball tables; and a TV
area with comfortable couches where VIU plans on broadcasting
major sporting events or other educational or cultural programs.
The Office of Student Affairs and the VIU Career Center are also
located in the new student center, and both departments look
forward to being able to offer programming for students in this
new space. Current students are invited to stop by for a visit and
to explore!
16 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
VIU Named Registered Education Provider by PMI
The Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s largest
project management member association, recently named VIU a
Registered Education Provider (REP). REPs are organizations that
have been approved by PMI to help project managers achieve and
maintain the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, Program
Management Professional (PgMP)®, and other PMI professional
credentials. REP organizations have met PMI’s rigorous
quality criteria for course content, instructor qualification, and
instructional design. VIU joins more than 1,500 REPs in more
than 80 countries. These organizations include commercial
training providers, academic institutions, and corporate training
departments within corporations and government agencies. The
university is honored to be a part of such a prestigious organization
and looks forward to educating quality project managers at our
university.
Project Management Day
In November 2015, VIU announced its first ever Project
Management Day at the campus. With impressive keynote
speakers, passionate club members, and a group of volunteers
hailing from Brazil, France, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria,
Project Management Day was a success.
“It was a great event for learning the secrets of managing
project team members, risks, and procurement management;
these are areas where professionals are most likely to fail,” said
Maria Garces, President of the Project Management Club at
VIU. Keynote speakers included Mr. Bradley Webb, Director
of Customer Success for Logi Analytics, Dr. Reggie Smith III,
Chair Emeritus of the Board of Directors United States Distance
Learning Association (USDLA), and Dr. Hammad Elbedour, an
adjunct professor at VIU.
VIU alumni and current students who have already been certified
by PMI were in attendance and shared their advice; they also talked
at length about how their professors motivated them to become
successful future as project managers. “I am a proud member of
the Project Management Club at VIU,” said Hania Ghermoul, a
student from France. “For months we have worked very hard to
make this event happen. After watching my fellow students give
presentations with great pride and confident in themselves, I am
even more motivated.”
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
17

STUDENT SUCCESS
By Suellen Basilio
Over the years, VIU has been successful
in attracting students from all over
the world, including Latin American
countries such as Brazil. In September
2015, Brazilian natives Ms. Suellen
Basilio – a current VIU student – and Ms.
Camilla de Jesus Nunes – Curriculum
Coordinator at VIU – traveled to their
home country to attend numerous
educational fairs.
During the Salão do Estudante Fair in
Rio de Janeiro the VIU representatives
met thousands of potential students
looking for undergraduate and English
language programs in the US. The South
American Circuit Fair in São Paulo was
different. Participants inquired mostly
about graduate degree programs such
as the Master of Science in Business
Administration with concentration in
International Finance or Accounting.
Their visit to Colégio Etapa, a high
school in São
Paulo, was also a success. Students
expressed interest in VIU’s standardized
test preparation courses as well as
School of Computer Information
Systems concentrations such as software
engineering and cybersecurity. The last
leg of the journey included Brasilia, the
capital city of Brazil, where the VIU
representatives attended another part
of the South American Circuit Fair
which attracts about 2,500 participants,
including attendees from neighboring
cities. Many of these high school
graduates and young professionals were
interested in VIU’s Master of Science
in International Relations. Ms. Liliana
Ayalde, the United States Ambassador to
Brazil, was one of the high profile guests
at the event. VIU representatives were
pleased to meet with Ms. Ayalde who
showed great support of the initiatives
promoted by the EducationUSA
program in Brazil.
It is always great to meet potential
students in person no matter where they
live. Understanding their needs and
interests is essential as VIU works to
fulfill their dreams in the United States.
Both Suellen and Camilla, as native
speakers of Portuguese, were pleased
to be able to answer these students’
questions and chat with them about life
in the US. Despite their busy schedule,
the ladies also had the chance to go
sightseeing in Brasilia where they toured
the Presidential Residence and the House
of Congress.
18 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Stories from VIU’s Recent
Scholarship Recipients
By Camilla de Jesus Nunes
Providing students with the tools necessary to achieve in learning is an allimportant
operation at VIU. To this end, the university’s Scholarship Committee
was pleased to offer the New Horizon and Presidential Academic Scholarships to
a higher-than-ever number of students in the Fall 2015 semester. The committee
received more than 150 applications for scholarships prior to deliberating recipient
selection; this number shows a dramatic increase in student interest in alternative
means of financial support and also speaks to the shifting student needs. The VIU
Scholarship Committee was pleased to be able to award scholarships to students
like Raj Shrestha and Nishat Mortuza.
Raj Shrestha:
Motivated to Persevere
“I am a student from Nepal who came to the United States
with a dream to get a better education. As my parents don’t
have a higher education, they have understood the power
of education throughout their lives. It is my dream to
achieve their dream. However, events have occurred which
are beyond our control. The massive earthquakes that
rocked Nepal in 2015 resulted in over 9,000 deaths and
injuries and left so many homeless. My family was directly affected by this incident, both
economically and emotionally. These effects reached not only me but all of the Nepalese
students studying abroad. I am very grateful to VIU for uniting with us. I was awarded a
New Horizon Scholarship, whose purpose is to help students continue their education even
as their home country is severely affected by natural disaster or civil war. VIU has given me
an opportunity to continue my education, and it gave me motivation. Now I am actively
working on both university- and student-driven scholarship funding programs to help my
fellow students. I would request that all students support such scholarship programs so that
everyone can benefit. Thank you, VIU!”
Nishat Mortuza:
Study Hard, Make Them Proud
“When I left Bangladesh to study at VIU, I promised my
parents that I would study hard and make them proud.
Here I am today, having been awarded a Presidential
Academic Scholarship worth $4,000. It has helped me a
lot; I have been able to pay my tuition and fees and focus
on my studies without burdening my parents to finance
my education. I am sure my family is proud of me now. I have to thank to my professors
who are the greatest mentors I have ever met. I am very pleased to have found VIU as it
continually inspires me in so many ways.”
TYPES OF SCHOLARSHIP
AWARDS AT VIU
• Fresh Start, for those who are
transferring to VIU from another
university.
• Regional, for those who are applying
to VIU from outside the US.
• Student Activity, for current
students who achieve the silver or
gold level of the Leadership and
Mentorship Program.
• Special Achievement, for those
who demonstrate superior talent and
experiences outside the classroom.
• New Horizon, for those who are
living in countries where there have
been recent natural disasters or civil
conflict.
• Dean’s Academic, for current
students who demonstrate
educational excellence inside the
classroom.
• Presidential Academic, for
current students who demonstrate
exceptional academic achievement.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
19

DANIEL
OKABE’S
By Emily Leighty
Imagine you are born in Uganda in the city
of Mbale. The backdrop of your city is the
looming green of Mount Elgon National
Park. Your city and your country bear
the scars civil unrest and the wars that
have shook the nation since your parents’
childhood. Poverty is the heavy weight
your country carries on its shoulders.
Many of your people – most of them, –
get by on less than a dollar a day. Now
imagine your family, your mother and your
father and your five brothers and sisters.
By Ugandan standards, your parents have
managed to provide the family with a
middle-class lifestyle. Your father is a
pastor, and – with the help of your mother
– he operates a child care center and
orphanage. Even as they work tirelessly to
minister to the broken community, your
parents manage to pay for you and your
siblings to attend a good high school, a
luxury that most young people cannot
afford. You know you cannot waste this
opportunity given to you by your parents,
and so you begin seeking scholarship
opportunities overseas. Then you, just a
young Ugandan with little more to your
name than your ambition and your passion
to make a difference, receive notification
that you have been granted a scholarship to
study in the United States.
Your name is Daniel Okabe. And,
believe it or not, this is just the
beginning of your wonderful
adventure.
20 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
“I am from a beautiful country in East Africa called Uganda. It is
also called ‘The Pearl of Africa’ because of its stunning scenery and
amazing people,” Daniel tells us. Despite the devastating effects
of poverty and war, this is how Uganda is always described. A
beautiful landscape. A beautiful people. “I am grateful to God to
have earned a good education,” he continues. It is clear that he
was given educational opportunities not readily available in his
country, and it is just as clear that the knowledge of this fact has
fashioned his outlook. “It shaped and modeled me to value all of
the opportunities I have,” Daniel explains. “I have to work harder
and aim higher in life.”
As a high school student, Daniel worked hard to obtain good marks
and after graduating began working at Faith Radio, his father’s radio
station. “Faith Radio reaches the Ugandan community with issues
that relate to them such as health, ethics and morality, politics, and
business,” he explains. His involvement included running a youth
talk show which, despite its young creators and target audience,
addresses hard-hitting topics like poverty and HIV/AIDS. Daniel’s
work on the radio became threatened, however, when the Uganda
Communications Commission passed a new law requiring that all
radio stations be operated by individuals holding degrees in either
journalism or mass communications. It seems this was the final
motivation the young man needed to begin researching his options
for studying abroad to earn a degree.
Daniel’s desire to study abroad was fulfilled when in 2009 he was
granted a scholarship to study at Golden West College in California.
It was during this time that he fell back into an old hobby from
high school: running. “I was a long distance runner back in high
school,” he remembers, and tells us that he placed in long distance
races like the 10,000-meter, the 5,000-meter, the 3,000-meter, and
cross country. As a college student, however, Daniel took his passion
for running to the next level. He participated at the collegiate level
in both cross country and track and even began training to run a
marathon. “I never had any idea I could run a marathon,” he told
the LA Times in a 2011 article titled “In the long run, Daniel Okabe
finds his true calling.” He goes on, “I didn’t even know how many
miles a marathon was.” (For readers who may be wondering, a
marathon is 26.2 miles. Daniel tells the LA Times reporter that the
longest distance he had run before training for the marathon was
about three miles back in high school.)
As it turns out, Daniel not only found he could run a marathon,
he found he was quite good at it. So good, in fact, that as he was
finishing associate’s degree in communication at Golden West
College and training for races, he caught the attention of independent
filmmaker Michael Zynda. Zynda became so intrigued by Daniel’s
story that he wrote, produced, and directed a documentary about
the 25-year-old titled In a Race Against Time, which premiered in
a couple of film festivals in the US. On the film’s website, Zynda
writes that “the film quickly began to take on a greater degree of
substance and meaning. I soon found his story to be incredibly
inspirational, intensely thought provoking, and uniquely fascinating
on so many levels.” He continues, “…it became clear to me that not
only was [Daniel’s] pursuit of a college degree in the United States
admirable, it was also essential for the continued viability of his
family’s enormously impactful humanitarian efforts.”
“Zynda became so intrigued by
Daniel’s story that he wrote,
produced, and directed a
documentary about the 25-yearold
titled In a Race Against Time,
which premiered in a couple of film
festivals in the U.S.”
Many of us believe that these amazing stories of changed lives are
meant only for the storybooks. But here is a young man who in
a matter of months went from wondering about the path his life
would take to finding recognition as a shining athlete with a slew of
races under his belt – the Napa Valley Marathon, the Los Angeles
Marathon, the Orange County Marathon, the Long Beach Marathon,
the New York City, Marathon, and the Las Vegas Marathon –
which qualified him for the famous Boston Marathon which draws
runners from around the world. Participation in the marathons
were enough to earn Daniel a scholarship and a place on the track
team at Vanguard University of Southern California where, funded
by his scholarships and his performance as an athlete, he would
go on to complete a bachelor’s degree in communications in 2013.
And so, with two degrees and numerous athletic achievements,
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
21

CALL FOR
PAPERS
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
www.viu.edu/sb
SYMPOSIUM STRANDS
1. Marketing, Advertising, and
Mass Media and Communication
Initiatives for Domestic and
International Audiences
2. International Business,
Economics of Innovation,
Corporate Governance,
Industrial Organization,
International Trade,
Entrepreneurship, Small
Business, and Hospitality and
Tourism
2016 International Business Symposium
Initiating, Expanding, and Sustaining
Global Business Success
October 12-15, 2016
22 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
22 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
Washington, DC
Presented by Virginia International University, School of Business
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 1, 2016
SYMPOSIUM PURPOSE:
Virginia International University’s 2016 International Business Symposium will include
over 150 business academicians from around the world. Held in metro-Washington DC,
this event is designed to provide members of the academic and professional business
communities with quality educational and networking opportunities for the purpose of
enhancing their careers, operational procedures, profitability, and other aspects critical to
successfully conducting business a global community. The 2016 International Business
Symposium will be a four-day event with more than 108 concurrent sessions and notable
speakers from the business community. Invitations to submit proposals are being sent
to more than 500 institutions around world. Therefore, we are anticipating a significant
international presence.
Abstracts for papers, poster presentations, and panel sessions should be submitted
by March 1, 2016. Papers and presentations are invited from all areas of international
business from both academicians and practitioners. Proposals for workshops and poster
presentations are also welcomed. Early registration required by April 1, 2016.
For further information, email: viuinternationalsymposium2015@viu.edu or contact:
Dr. Michael Ross at mross@viu.edu, 703.865.8671.
The School of Business at VIU is a comprehensive business school providing higher education
programs at the graduate, undergraduate, and certificate levels. Currently we offer three
undergraduate degrees, 11 MBA concentrations, two master’s programs, and other certificates at
the undergraduate and graduate levels. We also provide non-degree professional development
and continued education programs in numerous areas.
3. Strategic Thinking for
Successful Management of
Global Supply Chain Operations
4. Human Resources, Diversity,
and Representation of
Historically Underrepresented
Populations
5. International Finance,
Financial Crisis, Foreign Direct
Investment, Crowd Funding,
Accounting, and Audit
6. Philanthropy, Corporate
Sponsorship, Corporate Social
Responsibility, and Foreign Aide
7. Income and Wealth Inequalities,
Public Economics, Corporate
Social Responsibility, Human
Rights and Multinational
Enterprises, and Healthcare
8. New Technologies, Big Data,
Privacy, Industrial Espionage,
and Energy Studies
9. Political and Governmental
Relations and Governmental
Contracts
10. Resource Management,
Business, and Food and Water
Security
The School of Business at Virginia
International University (VIU) is located
in Fairfax, VA. Established in 1998, VIU
is an independent academic institution
combining a liberal arts tradition with
an emphasis on career orientation. The
university offers degree programs at the
undergraduate and graduate levels as
well as full- and part-time certificates in a
variety of professional and technical fields.
Today, about 1,200 students from more
than 80 countries choose to pursue an
education at VIU.

STUDENT SUCCESS
VIU.EDU
Daniel returned to Uganda and to his father’s radio station. This
time must have been tough for the family, as they mourned the
passing of their youngest son and brother at the age of only 17. But
after a short time, Daniel began to consider studying again. “As a
young boy, I grew up loving to learn and study,” he says. “But I had
to overcome a lot of struggles, from financial constraints to family
issues and the loss of my brother, which still affects me today.”
Eventually, though, he decided to move forward with his desire to
earn a master’s degree.
“I am very blessed that I discovered Virginia International University
and was accepted in the Spring 2015 semester,” Daniel tells us.
“Coming back to the United States to continue my studies at VIU
has been another great opportunity for me to achieve my career goals
and dreams.” For his exceptional accomplishments, VIU granted
Daniel the Special Achievement Scholarship. “The scholarship has
helped to motivate me to work harder and also helped to reduce my
tuition costs. Besides,” he adds, “it has reduced the burden on my
parents of paying my full tuition as I have other siblings attending
college in the US too. My parents have been a great influence on
me. They have strived through different financial circumstances to
see that my siblings and I all get a good education.”
Among his current influences, Daniel also includes his professors
at VIU where he is working toward his Master of Science in
International Relations. “The professors have been very supportive
and encouraging in a way that drives me to work harder to achieve
my academic and career goals after I graduate,” he says. Those
career goals, you will not be surprised to find out, include using his
knowledge and training to develop his father’s radio station and to
support humanitarian work in Uganda. “I plan on working with
non-profit organizations that focus on international development
and the well-being of society,” Daniel explains. “I have a heart for
the people in need, and I would like to serve and give back to the
community.” If you ask him for a specific goal, he will tell you of
his desire to work for an organization like the United Nations and
be based in Uganda or elsewhere in Africa. “I love my country,” he
says. “I would love to work with the people there towards growth
and development. I know that with a good education I will be of
great help and use to my country and my community.” But in the
meantime, Daniel continues to be a diligent student and share his
joy of running and sports with the VIU community as an officer in
the VIU Sports Club. Daniel explains, “I like to promote sports –
especially running. It creates opportunities for students at VIU to
connect socially and also encourages wellness and physical fitness.”
They say that the best athletes are champions not only of their bodies
but also of their minds. To speak with Daniel Okabe and hear of
his many accomplishments and experience his passion for making
a difference in his home country, even at such a young age, it is
apparent that he is the embodiment of the champion athlete. The
road ahead of him may be long, and the struggle to reach the finish
line may be exhausting and even painful, but the marathon runner
sets a steady pace and moves forward with his eyes on the prize.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
23

LIFE AT VIU
Kick-Start to Fitness
with
MR. VENEZUELA
By Hilary Kozikowski
Venezuela native Raul Hiteshew is a nationally qualified men’s physique
fitness competitor, a black belt in taekwondo, bilingual (English/
Spanish), and a health and longevity advocate. He has a passion for
helping people achieve their best physique and health. Growing up
overweight led him to research nutrition and exercise. His research
and transformation made him fall in love with the health field, and for
the past five years he has been working with one of the top alternative
medicine doctors in the country. Through this experience, he has
learned about genetics, hormonal health, biochemistry, and ways to
use our genetics to our advantage instead of fighting against them in
order to achieve the body we have always wanted. This taught him
the most efficient and safe ways to manage weight and change body
composition while maintaining a vibrant, high-energy life.
Inside the gym Raul is known as Mr. Venezuela. He earned this title
from colleagues and friends after deciding to compete in his first
fitness competition. Raul says, “I grew up overweight. I grew up doing
all types of diets. When I started seeing [weight loss] results, I decided
to switch into helping people with the knowledge that I have, and then
it turned into a business. Now I have my own company.” He has helped
hundreds of clients in the Atlanta, GA area as well as throughout the
NUTRITION TIPS
HEALTHY FATS
•Olive Oil (cold, not heated)
•Coconut Oil
•Almonds
•Cashews
•Avocados
•Organic Cheese
AVOID
•Peanuts (highly inflammatory)
•Soy (unless organic, non-GMO, such as
Tempeh, Natto, and Miso)
•Trans fats (hydrogenated or partially
hydrogenated oils)
•High omega-6 fats
24 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
country (online) for the past seven years and has trained many
fitness competitors who compete at the national level.
VIU’s MBA 514 Marketing Management class, led by Dr. Mark
Robinson, has had the privilege to work with Mr. Venezuela
throughout the Fall 2015 semester; they worked to help him create
a comprehensive marketing plan to take his business to the next
level. This plan includes deliverables and strategies including
branding, market trends, demographic analysis, and advertising
recommendations.
Along with the opportunity to work with Raul closely from a
business perspective, students were also able to take advantage
of his extensive knowledge of health and wellness. Raul visited
VIU for a one-day seminar in which he presented a wealth of
information on how to stay healthy and eat right for your body
type.
“Everyone is different,” Raul said. “What works for you might
not be what works for someone else, which is why I personalize
programs for my clients. Creating individualized meal plans and
fitness routines for my clients based on their goals is my job.
Eating healthy is a choice. Each calorie that we consume has
choices that go along with it. My mission is to help people make
healthier choices that will help them reach whatever goals they are
trying to accomplish, whether that is losing weight or just getting
more muscle tone and definition.” In general, he recommends that
students do as much meal preparation and cooking themselves as
possible. But when that is not possible, he advised, “If you must
go to a restaurant, 90% of the time you will have a healthy option.
You can always order a salad with grilled chicken and balsamic
dressing, and that won’t throw you off from your overall meal plan
and goals.”
He also recommend carrying healthy snacks at all times so that
your body doesn’t get deprived of the nutrients it needs. “When
our hormones are off balance and our nutrients are low, our bodies
tend to crave things like sugars and refined foods,” he explained.
“To help avoid those cravings, it is good to fuel your body with
foods that are high in good fats such as almonds or cashews or
protein powders.”
For more information on healthy recipes and fitness tips,
connect with Raul on Instagram at www.instagram.com/
mr_venezuela/
WORKOUT TIPS
• The best workouts are high intensity to
increase your heart rate, then rest to lower
your heart rate, and increase again
• If you want to tone, lift weights
• If you want better cardio, go all out for at
least 15 minutes
• Try to work out at least 3 times a week for
20-30mins
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
25

VIU SPORTS CLUB: FOCUS ON HEALTH
By Hussein Abdinoor
Being part of the VIU Sports Club is a lot of fun. It’s a studentrun
club that works together to support the best elements
of competition, instruction, and recreation by providing the
opportunity for all students to participate and excel in a team
setting. While academics are always important, sports play a major
role at VIU. Extracurricular activity shapes the characteristics of
students while offering superb benefits; shaping a healthy body
and lifestyle, creating a sense of community, and relieving stress.
The VIU Sports Club invites students to enhance their social
experience even as it provides a vehicle for a well-rounded
education through physical, social, and leadership development.
“I love to play soccer with club members, as it frees me from
everything,” says Jakhongir Sikkikov, a BBA student. “This club
allows us to make new friends from around the world.”
26 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Incorporating Exercise into Leisure Time By Alessandra Balestieri
I’ve always been active, even when I was
a little. From the ages of seven to eleven, I
studied ballet. Later I began to play volleyball;
I played in beach and court leagues for about
six years through high school. Physical
activities have become part of my daily schedule, no matter how
busy or tired I am. It’s my time of leisure and “me-time,” and the
endorphins that are released when I exercise make me feel happy
and give me a sense great accomplishment. My newest passion is
running. When I started running around my neighborhood, three
I Lost Weight with Better Choices
I began gaining weight after coming the US,
so I decided to change my lifestyle. I began
to choose healthy foods and participated in
physical activities. I started to prepare my own
meals to control calories; I was consuming
more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk
products. Plus I now drink about 2.5 liters of water daily. Another
miles seemed impossible to complete, but a few months later I was
able to run 10 kilometers, and a year later I was running my first
half marathon in Washington, DC. Exercising and healthy eating
help me to sleep well, maintain my mood and energy, and control
weight gain. Even more importantly, running helped me to stop
taking medicine I was taking for anxiety; I literally replaced
those pills with running! I am a proud member of the Virginia
International University Sports Club and I am so happy to have
found balance in my life so I can achieve my goals.
By Ariunbileg Purev
crucial part to overcoming weight gain was exercise. Spending
two hours at the gym was hard at first, but, I have learned how to
work out in a smart way. As a result, I have lost almost 30 lbs. and I
feel so good as a result of my choice of to be healthy. I am planning
to become a member of the VIU Sports Club where I can interact
with more students and have fun together as we all participate in
healthy activities.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
27

UNIVERSITY NEWS
Student Union
VIU’s recent Student Union election was
as interesting as usual with many students
putting together their ideas, thoughts, and
visions of how to benefit the student body
of the university. “Campaigning around
campus and through social media gave
us a good start,” said one of the winning
team members. The Student Union debate
addressed many issues such as how to
enhance students’ campus life, how to
improve students’ participation through
social and cultural or educational events,
and how to make students responsible
for their future career goals. The United
Student Association (USA) team won the
competition, and everyone is excited to
see what they will accomplish in 2016.
Diwali Lights Up VIU’s
Campus
Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is one of
the traditional celebrations at VIU. With
a traditional Indian meal, music, and
traditional attire, hundreds of students
had the chance to experience the Indian
culture that is pluralistic, bright, beautiful,
and fun. Diwali is a celebration meant
to evoke peace, prosperity, wealth, and
knowledge and it celebrates the victory of
light over darkness in countries like India,
Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
BOO @ VIU
The Fun Bunch, the official unofficial
social committee of VIU, held its first
social event at the end of October: a
Halloween party for staff and their
children. Staff members dressed in
Halloween costumes for a chance to win
a prize for the scariest, funniest, and most
original costumes, and the children in
costume went trick-or-treating around the
school and participated in a parade and a
costume contest.
Thanksgiving Potluck
At the university’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon, VIU provided turkeys and some sides
which were supplemented by unique dishes brought in by staff to represent different
Thanksgiving traditions. Kevin Martin, Associate Dean of the School of Education, gave
a presentation about the history of Thanksgiving and the traditional celebrations that
surround it. In the spirit of the holiday, students and staff shared their stories of all of the
things for which they are thankful. Leftover food was donated to a local homeless shelter.
28 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Student Affairs Gives
Back
Fall 2015 was one of the busiest semesters
for Student Affairs at VIU. In an effort to
help local and international communities,
our students and staff became involved in
a variety of volunteering and fundraising
events such as the Sock Donation Drive,
Food for Others, Operation Turkey Drive,
and the 2016 VIU Crowdrise Scholarship
Drive.
Library Grand Opening
The Sock Donation Drive helps the
homeless people who visit the Lamb
Center on a daily basis. As VIU faculty,
staff, and students actively participated
in this event, we were able to donate
two boxes of socks to the Lamb Center.
Events like this and volunteering with
an organization such as Food for Others
make our students feel good as they are
giving back to the community. To help
some of the local children in the area
who do not have access to food over the
weekend, VIU students packaged meals.
They filled zip lock bags with breakfast,
lunch, and dinner items, snacks, and
drinks.
Student Affairs also organized the
Operation Turkey Drive donation. The
event pitted the students against staff
members to see who could donate the most
canned goods and other unperishable
items. Donations were put to a good cause
and given to the local homeless shelter.
An eager crowd gathered to see and learn about the new VIU library features, including
eight table top areas to plug-in electronic devices, 16 desktop computers, a study room
for students, four tables for group study, improved lighting, and new shelving for the
collection of 7,000 books. The library also boasts an expanding e-book collection with
130,000 titles and 10 new databases with peer reviewed and full-text articles essential
to students’ academic successes.
Dr. Shah Hasan welcomed the crowd to the grand opening event and encouraged
students to use the library as a place to gather and study comfortably. Before cutting
the ribbon marking the grand opening, VIU representatives thanked everyone
involved in moving the thousands of materials from our old campus to a new location
at Village Drive. “The library and its staff are dedicated to encouraging intellectual
curiosity, promoting cultural diversity, and fostering intellectual and academic
freedom. We have worked very hard to expand access off-campus and improve the
library system,” said Jeff Prater, the university librarian.
Featured Resource: Credo Reference
About to start a project and need to learn more about the topic? Need to use a
dictionary to look up a word or learn some technical jargon? How about finding a
picture from a credible source or a quotation? Credo Reference is the place to begin
your research!
The advantage of this electronic reference collection is that the information updates
daily. With our subscription to Credo Reference, VIU library patrons gain access to
720 reference titles and can find information from all these resources with one search!
In addition, Credo cites each entry in APA format at the bottom of the page.
VIU students, staff, and faculty can access Credo Reference off campus using their
campus email and password. On campus no log-in is necessary. More questions?
Please contact a librarian or visit us at http://library.viu.edu.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
29

UNIVERSITY NEWS
Student Staff Training
In VIU’s tradition of providing professional development training to its staff, faculty, and student staff, a recent training was held for
student staff on a wide range of topics such as employee rights and responsibilities and university resources. The training event became
competitive as the group was split into teams to use what they had learned in training to play a VIU Jeopardy game at the end. The
winning team took home a $15 Starbucks gift card.
Cultural Competence Seminar
In December 2015, VIU held its first ever Cultural Competence
Seminar, presented by Dr. Darryle Craig from Fairfax County
Public Schools. The seminar focused on cultural proficiency in
the workplace and participants learned how to create successful
relationships and interact effectively with others who come from
different backgrounds.
Networking To Hire
Dressed in interview attire and with their résumés in hand, over
one hundred VIU students and graduates had an opportunity
to speak with local businesses about academic internships and
employment opportunities during the campus’s Networking
to Hire Fall 2015 Job Fair, organized by the VIU Career
Center. In attendance were 24 employers, ranging from the
Fairfax County Government to representatives from the IT,
engineering, banking, educational, and social service sectors.
Attendees had a chance to learn first-hand from potential
employers about their current career openings and skills-sets
that students and graduates alike need to demonstrate in the
workplace.
Fundraising Training
In a recent lecture by Dr. Victoria Ashiru, VIU adjunct faculty,
university staff, and student support representatives received a
fundraising training session which covered introductory concepts
on fundraising, nationwide statistics on charitable contributions,
and the reasons why people choose to donate. VIU fundraising
activities were discussed along with VIU’s goals for raising money
and how the funds will be used. The group brainstormed many
ideas and campaigns, including a donation option when students
pay tuition, a 5k fundraiser, and an alumni outreach program.
30 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Student clubs encourage students to participate,
lead, and learn. At VIU, student clubs are open
to all students irrespective of their program of
study, nationality, or beliefs. Getting involved
in extracurricular activities helps students build
friendships and fosters leadership skills that will
assist them long after they graduate. It also allows
the VIU community to come together to discuss
interesting topics, share their opinions, broaden
their horizons, and perhaps make new friends.
Business Development Club
“While looking for ways to enrich my college experience, I was
immediately drawn to the Business Development Club (BDC)’s
mission, which is creating a business experiment from planning
to the final execution process,” said Nadja Kurtovic, a student
from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nadja was recently assigned to
serve as the Public Relations Officer of the BDC. “Club members
were excited about our very first project: the snack shop!” Nadja
continued. The premise of the snack shop project was to effectively
provide food services for students and staff on campus. “It was a
challenging undertaking,” Nadia explained, “as the school is so
diverse with many different tastes in foods…however, that was
what made it so exciting. It was a great way to conduct marketing
research and to see what the VIU community as a whole was
interested in consuming.”
Merhaba Club Book Club IT Club
Want to learn Arabic? Interested in
understanding the diversity and richness of
the Middle Eastern culture? Merhaba Club
members gather weekly with volunteers
who teach Arabic language and culture to
both students and the local community.
A diverse mix of club members make for
discussions of the cultural differences
between Arab nations and other countries
around the world.
VIU’s Book Club aims to help students
who wish to improve their English
language proficiency while sharing
their reading experiences. Book Club
members not only interact with native
speakers and peers, but also are able to
build a strong network. Different genres
of books are presented in every meeting
when book lovers develop arguments
and support ideas with evidence.
The IT Club provides students a chance
to better understand their potential as
professionals and to discuss the future of
computer science and information technology
in different business settings. As
innovation is our passion, the IT Club
boosts students’ knowledge through
workshops. The IT Club also introduces
the latest technology to keep students and
faculty up-to-date.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
31

Marija Smilevska came
to Virginia International
University (VIU) from the
University American College in
Skopje, Macedonia, with whom
VIU has a strong bond due to
the academic collaboration
between the institutions. Marija
is enjoying her time at VIU,
studying with diverse students,
learning a new culture and
languages, and exploring
America through her active
lifestyle with she has made at
VIU. University Magazine asked
Marija to share her personal
experience in the United States.
Her story is inspirational and
informative for those students
who are looking forward to
studying with us at VIU.
MACEDONIAN STUDENT
IN AMERICA
32 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
“America was
completely
different from
its Hollywood
movies”
While I was studying at University
American College in Macedonia for my
undergraduate program, I was advised
by our university’s dean to apply for
this collaboration program with VIU to
finish my studies in the US. My mother
also supported the idea, and so here I am
today. In the exchange program between
my universities, I will be studying in
VIU’s Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration after I am done with my
English program. I was super excited
when I learned that I had been accepted to
VIU. The idea of coming from Macedonia
to Washington, DC and living in a new
environment without knowing anybody,
made me anxious and at the same time
happy because I like challenges.
I was always curious about what America
was really like. I imagined America
might be like those popular Hollywood
movies, TV shows, and video clips. But it
is completely different from the movies,
something you can understand only after
you’ve lived here for a while.
Americans are very hard working.
They also enjoy spending quality time
with friends and family, and they seem
to exercise a lot, running, or doing
sometimes extreme sport activities,
seeking adventures. There are 24/7 gym
and health clubs, marathons and sport
campaigns for various causes, a variety
of multinational foods and vegetables at
affordable prices, you name it. Yes, I am
definitely in love with America for offering
so many options. Of course, there are
those on the other side of the story: people
who eat unhealthy food, don’t exercise,
and don’t love their bodies. Being healthy
is a treasure, I believe.
My daily routine is simple. I wake up early
in the morning and breathe some fresh air,
drink a big glass of water, and get breakfast
with my favorite coffee. Afterwards, I get
on the school shuttle to attend my classes
and take part in other school activities.
I prefer to run in the afternoon after my
school work.
Since I started studying at VIU, I can
definitely tell that my English has improved
a lot. Wherever I go, I must speak in
English, including in the classroom. Lucky
me, I have great professors who prepare us
for the real world by teaching us how to
communicate with others.
VIU gave me a great chance to explore
many different cultures through the
diverse community. I have found great
friends who come from places I never
knew existed. They make my life much
easier by helping me to cope with
loneliness, culture shock, and even school
stuff, and we understand each other well,
so you never feel like you are foreigner or
stranger next to them. A funny example is
that I have always struggled when it comes
to currency, especially comparing dollars
and denars (Macedonia’s currency). Even
for these little things, I am thankful for my
friends and for everything that they do for
me.
One of the unique things about VIU
is the friendly environment and the
opportunities given to students. For
instance, if your English proficiency is
not high enough to study in the graduatelevel
programs, you may study ESL until
you reach an academic English level. In
the near future, I am planning to apply
for a scholarship and on-campus job
opportunities so I may add them in my
résumé. I can’t wait to see that happen.
Studying minutes away from the world’s
capital, Washington, DC, makes me feel
good too.
As Macedonia is a European country,
the Easter holiday is the most special one
to us. We celebrate a little bit differently
than the US. Our celebration lasts three
days. We paint eggs, visit relatives, go to
the church, and attend the prayers which
make you feel very spiritual and pure.
As I am wishing a happy new year to
all University Magazine readers, I am
thankful for what a beautiful life God
has given me and all of us. We have
to appreciate everything in this new
beginning!
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
33

SCHOOL OF TEST PREPARATION
VIU’s School of Test Preparation (STP) is an authorized
test preparation school for major field tests and national
standardized tests required for university admission, such as
the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
We firmly believe that standardized testing is a valid predictor
for future academic and professional success. It is also a
crucial aspect of the process of applying to universities in the
United States.
STP offers a variety of test preparation classes to better
prepare students who need to take tests like the TOEFL, IELTS,
GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT, or LSAT, in addition to major field tests.
STP’s goal is to make each individual’s experience as stressfree
and successful as possible while helping students
achieve the highest possible scores on their tests.
WHAT MAKES STP UNIQUE
Courses are offered both on-campus in
Fairfax, VA and online during the day,
evening, and on Saturdays
Faculty are subject matter experts and
offer individual attention in small classes
Outstanding labs and unlimited practice
Flexible schedule
Affordable tuition
Endless support from faculty and staff
PROGRAMS OFFERED (2015-2016 ACADEMIC YEAR)
Standardized Tests
Graduate Admissions and
English
Language Proficiency
(TOEFL) Test of English as a Foreign
Language
(IELTS) International English
Language Testing System
(GRE) Graduate Record Examination
• General Test
• Subject Test
(GMAT) Graduate Management
Admission Test
(LSAT) Law School Admission Test
College Admissions
(SAT) Scholastic Aptitude Test
(ACT) American College Testing
Program
Major Fields Tests
(CPA) Accounting
(4HMF) Computer Science
(4IMF) Mathematics
(PM) Project Management Test
(4CMF) Business
Licensing Tests
PRAXIS
• Core Test
• Subject Test
Teachers’ Training
• TOEFL
• IELTS
1-800-514-6848 www.viu.edu stp@viu.edu
4401 Village Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030
34 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Academic Collaborations
Around The World
VIU is seeking to expand its collaboration
with outstanding academic institutions
all over the world. The project is overseen
by the VIU’s Department of University
Affairs with the mission of improving
teaching methods, facilities investments,
satellite campuses, and distance learning
opportunities as well as academic
excellence. In 2015 VIU representatives
visited multiple institutions and
educational fairs across the world, and we
appreciate the opportunities given by our
academic counterparts.
Saturday Museum Trips
for Au Pairs
Diversity Luncheon Series
The Fall 2015 semester was a full of new experiences and cultural exposure for the
VIU community. Diversity was celebrated at events such as Hispanic Heritage Month
and Diwali. From distinguished speakers to traditional music, food, and attire, guests
enjoyed the events. VIU is grateful to Michel Zajur, the President and CEO of the
Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Ramesh Ravella as they presented
valuable information at the celebrations. Thanks to VIU Student Affairs and the VIU
Indian Spirit Club for making these events possible.
VIU’s Saturday museum class is a popular
non-intensive ESL program among
au pairs living in the Washington, DC
area who come from all over the world
to experience American culture and
language. Each Saturday, students spend
the day at a different museum in DC
and participate in an interactive class
facilitated by one of VIU’s ESL instructors.
Students expand their vocabulary, cultural
sensitivity, and inspiration for visiting
museums.
The Writing, Research, & Media Center (WRMC) at VIU provides free one-by-one
consultations and helps schools and students engage while solving their writing-related
issues. The center collaborates with faculty members who wish to have workshops during
or after their classes and also provides stand-alone workshops open to the university
community.
Some recent workshops have covered topics such as APA formatting, e-mail etiquette,
and peer review. In the Research Workshop Series, the WRMC teamed up with the library
to provide workshops that teach students about using the library databases to conduct
research in their fields. Another exciting event, the Bi-Annual University Academic
Research Showcase, allows students to display their academic research and projects via
poster presentations for the university community to view.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
35

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
The Power of Connectivity:
An Examination of
THE
INTERNET
OF THINGS
By Koorosh Azhandeh
IoT
Imagine you are peacefully enjoying your extra-large
cappuccino in the coffee shop next door, or you are
taking a nap on your couch in your family room.
Within that quiet environment, devices around you
are communicating even though you may not be aware
of it. The idea here is that all devices, various gadgets,
and appliances are somehow interconnected and in
constant communication. The “Internet of Things”
(IoT) is emerging and increasingly becoming a topic of
conversation both in the workplace and in day-to-day
life. It is an idea with the potential not only to impact
how we live, but also how we work.
36 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Mr. Koorosh Azhandeh is the Associate Dean of the School of Computer Information Systems at VIU. His professional and research interests
include web design, project management, information centric networking, computer networking and security, and cloud computing.
Let’s first start by defining the IoT. According to Wikipedia, the
“Internet of Things is the network of physical objects or ‘things’
embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network
connectivity which enables these objects to collect and exchange
data.” ATMs are among many IoT objects that date back to 1974.
The concept of the IoT then became popular in 1999 through the
Auto-ID Center at MIT and related market-analysis publications.
At the time Kevin Ashton, one of the founders of the original
Auto-ID Center had considered Radio Frequency Indentification
(RFID) as a requirement for the IoT. However, based on its
definition, IoT mainly includes three components: network
connectivity which is typically wireless; sensors and/or user input
that capture or generate data; and computational capabilities at the
device and/or back end or simply objects. The objects are uniquely
identified and connected with each other through the networks.
Additionally, the IoT has concrete meaning that is useful to
understand, as it touches almost every corner of both IT and
consumer technology. In this sense IoT basically means connecting
any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each
other). This includes everything from cell phones, coffee makers,
washing machines, headphones, lamps, and almost anything else
you can think of. This applies to components of various machines
as well. According to the technology research firm Gartner, by 2020
there will be over 26 billion connected devices. Other experts also
estimate that this number could be over 50 billion. The McKinsey
Global Institute has recently predicted that the IoT could generate
$4 trillion to $11 trillion in value globally in 2025.
The question is how this technology impacts daily human life.
The new rule for the future is going to be “anything that can be
connected will be connected.” But why do we want so many
connected devices talking to each other? There are many examples
for what this might look like or what the potential value might be.
Let’s take the example given at the beginning of this article. While
a person is taking a nap, he may get a calendar notification about
an upcoming meeting. The person gets ready and starts driving,
and if his car has access to the calendar, it already knows the best
route to take to reach the meeting location; and given the traffic
situation (if traffic is heavy), the car would send a message to
notify the other party that the person might be late by 30 minutes.
Also, IoT can be used for marketing purposes given that real time
connectivity among manufacturers, distributors, and consumers
can take place efficiently. This marketing idea has been highly
promoted by Microsoft and as a result Azure IoT Suite is one of the
most popular Microsoft tools to use for this purpose. Workplace
productivity is another element to consider. For example, a
wearable device that may resemble a Fitbit can be used to show
the productivity levels of employees and help improve quality and
the bottom line for the company.
The IoT can be applied to things like transportation networks,
railroads, city traffic systems, and so much more, which can help
improve efficiency and how we work and live. For instance, Uber
is a mobile application that connects people with cabs and cars
for hire. Uber may not appear to be an obvious IoT application,
but it is considered a good prototype of what an IoT actually is
and where the concept is headed. Uber has the advantage of being
a current real-world, operational, revenue-generating system
which is operating in over 45 countries without having made a
single acquisition. This mobile ride hailing startup is expected to
hit an annual revenue run rate of $10 billion by the end of 2015,
according to Business Insider.
The certainty is that the IoT allows for limitless opportunities
and connections to happen, many of which we can’t even think
of or fully understand their impact today. It’s not hard to see
how and why the IoT is such a hot topic nowadays. However, it
is worthwhile to consider the many challenges that it can bring,
including those related to security and privacy. Users may become
worried about data access.
“The new rule for
the future is going
to be “anything that
can be connected
will be connected.”
Furthermore, another challenge to account for is the amount of
massive data the IoT would produce. This data has to be safely
protected and stored, which becomes companies’ responsibility.
Companies need to find ways to manage, transport, store, track,
analyze, and process the vast amounts of data that will be generated.
For example, global mobile data traffic would potentially grow 13-
fold by 2017; and over 10 billion mobile devices would be in use
by 2017 as well. These potential challenges would call attention to
the importance of content-centric networking (CCN), which is a
topic to further explore in future articles. In short, CCN stresses
content/ data by making it directly addressable and routable in
contrast to today’s IP-based, host-oriented Internet architecture.
The IoT advances many complicated and potentially revolutionary
possibilities and issues in a technological environment that is
likely to be promising and unpredictable. The Internet of Things
could change how the world functions; therefore businesses need
to consider its application in their current practices.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
37

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Want to live the good life?
Move to Washington, DC,
specifically, to its suburbs.
By Dr. Dereje Tessema
“Want to live the good life? Move to Washington, DC, specifically, to its
suburbs.”
This is not a random thought or idea that publications like Forbes magazine
come up with. It’s the reality of what Washington-area counties have to
offer. According to Forbes, Fairfax (where Virginia International University
is located) is one of the richest counties in the nation with cities like Falls
Church and Arlington. The ranking of the nation’s wealthiest counties
was made based on median household income, which for Fairfax was at
least $95,000-121,250 annually in 2012 as the Census Bureau’s Small Area
Income and Poverty Estimates found. So what is a secret of Washingtonarea
counties? How have they continued to be ranked among America’s
richest counties? Well, here are some hints.
38 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Dr. Dereje Tessema holds a PhD in Applied Management & Decisions Sciences from Walden University,
a master’s degree in information technology from Johns Hopkins University, and master’s certificates in
information technology and project management from George Washington University.
IT POWERHOUSES SHIFT FROM WEST TO EAST
As the 2008 global financial crisis started to flex its muscles, many
information technology companies originally located in the Silicon
Valley, California, left their barebones offices on the west coast
and moved to the new “Silicon Valley of the East” located around
the Washington, DC metropolitan area and where the US federal
government operates many of its mission critical infrastructure.
One of the six richest US counties in the country and located within
a stone’s throw of the Washington, DC beltway, Fairfax County,
Virginia became the new home for most of these tech and business
companies. One of the reasons for this boom, according to the
county’s Economic Development Authority, is that the county
created an ideal environment for starting a technology venture by
offering easy access to a wide range of technology business resources
including venture capital funds, technology oriented legal services,
and business development counseling.
In its 2014 Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW)
report, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics found that Fairfax County
hosts over 8,400 technology-focused enterprises that deliver a variety
of high-end services and solutions to government, private industry,
and consumer markets worldwide.
Of these companies, 58% are involved in information technology
services, 28% are involved in technology management consulting,
8% are involved in engineering/research and development/technical
services, and 3% are involved in telecommunication.
Furthermore, the 2015 Washington Technology List the 100 largest
federal contractors found that 74 operate in Fairfax County. This
list includes Boeing, HP, IBM, Raytheon, Accenture, BAE Systems,
CACI, CGI, CSC, General Dynamics, L3 Communications, Lockheed
Martin, ManTech, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, Unisys,
Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, AT&T, and Century Link.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR THE VIU COMMUNITY?
Fairfax, sitting 14 miles west of the White House, is a bustling county
of more than one million people comprised of around 400 thousand
families with a median value of owner-occupied housing units of
$476,600, according to Census Bureau’s quick facts. This allows
Fairfax to offer plenty of lucrative jobs in technology contracting
and other professional services. As VIU is located in Fairfax, many
of the professors teaching at the university are practitioners working
in these major IT and business consulting organizations as well as
federal government agencies.
Having access to this pool of experienced professors allows VIU
students to get exposure to the current challenges, future trends, and
best practices in information assurance, business intelligence, data
and content analytics, business process improvement, enterprise
architecture, project and program management, infrastructure
“...it is no wonder this region is now
being considered the new Silicon Valley
of the east and why VIU benefits from
access to this beneficial talent pool.”
design, agile system development, and leadership and executive
coaching. A number of distinguished professionals – including
CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs – working for companies located in the
county are invited as guest speakers to share with students their
experiences leading multimillion dollar government programs.
Students from the School of Computer Information Systems and
the School of Business also benefit from opportunities to work
as interns or by taking on employment with these companies
without having to relocate. Students from the School of Public
& International Affairs and the School of Education also have
the opportunity to meet politicians, policy makers, members of
congress, and philanthropists that influence the country’s business
and political direction.
ACCESS TO 700 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF
GOVERNMENT PROJECTS
Another advantage that VIU graduate students have by being close
to these companies is access to business/management counseling
and membership to professional organizations, including the
Washington, DC chapter of the Project Management Institute
(PMI). The PMI DC chapter operating out of the Virginia office,
with over 15,000 members, is the single largest PMI chapter in the
world, and most members are Project Management Professionals
(PMPs).
The chapter meets the second Tuesday of every month and students
from the School of Business interested in pursuing careers in
project management have the opportunity to meet with experienced
and influential managers supporting 700 billion dollars worth
of government information system projects, programs, and
portfolios. It’s also clear that Washington-area counties benefits
from government spending.
With Fairfax County hosting a variety of companies – from Google
to Microsoft and their domination of the search engine field, from
Oracle to IBM pioneering database technologies, from Sprint
to Intelsat delivering reliable communication, from Booz Allen
Hamilton to Deloitte providing excellent management consulting,
from Raytheon to Aerospace providing engineering solutions to
the federal government – it is no wonder this region is now being
considered the new Silicon Valley of the east and why Virginia
International University and its students are enjoying the benefits
from access to this valuable and beneficial talent pool.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
39

CALL FOR
PROPOSALS
SCHOOL OF COMPUTER
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
www.viu.edu/scis
International Conference on Computing and
Information Technology
Engineering Secure Software for Ubiquitous Computing Applications:
Research Results and Industrial Experiences
November 3-5, 2016 on VIU’s campus
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 1, 2016
THEME
The SCIS’s mission is to prepare graduates to serve as leading practitioners in the
field of computing in a global context. We also strive to enable students to realize their
dreams through academic excellence. The IT field is constantly evolving and adapting
as business’s needs change. The SCIS International Conference on Computing and
IT gives our diverse staff, students, and faculty from different disciplines an opportunity
to update one another on current trends in their fields. We feel that this conference
is a great platform to exchange ideas in computer science and information systems.
ORGANIZERS
The International Conference on Computing and Information Technology is organized
by the SCIS at Virginia International University. For more information on the
conference, please contact Gregory Craft gregory@viu.edu or Koorosh Azhandeh
kazhandeh@viu.edu.
Important Dates
Deadline for Submitting Abstracts March 1, 2016
Notification of Acceptance April 4, 2016
Full Paper Submission Deadline May 6, 2016
Early Registration Deadline July 1, 2016
Final Registration Deadline September 1, 2016
Conference November 3-5, 2016
The SCIS welcomes
presentations, skills
sessions and workshops,
and panel discussions in
the following areas:
• Cybersecurity and
Privacy Issues
• Securing Software
Engineering
• Big Data and Business
Intelligence
• Ubiquitous and Cloud
Computing
• Real-World Software
Applications
• Computer Networking
40 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
40 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
From
Employee
to VIU Student
When a Career with Google isn’t Enough
Abhilash Gudipalli was born in India where he dreamed of making a
better life for himself and his family. He worked hard while pursuing
his undergraduate degree and earned himself a position at Google,
one of the world’s search engine giants. Although he had achieved
his career goal, he still had a thirst for education and for doing
even more with his life. We were interested to learn more about his
journey which has taken him from Google to the Master of Science
in Information Systems program at VIU.
India, lllinois, and VIU
I transferred to VIU from another university in Springfield, Illinois.
The university was in a very small town so there was no chance to
develop myself. They didn’t have the opportunities that VIU and
the Washington area have to offer. Here it’s good to see how other
students around me are accomplishing things; it motivates me to
overcome my own challenges. Now I have the opportunity to work
on-campus to build on what I am learning in the classroom.
The diverse environment is eye-opening. VIU’s small class sizes create
strong bonds between professors and students, which is amazing.
I even attended the Mid-Atlantic Business Summit with VIU staff
where we met top-level US government and business leaders. During
the event, I learned that 30% of startups in the US were started by
immigrants. Despite coming to America with $500 in my pocket,
someday I will start my own company like those 30%. Then I will be
a people-leader. I will provide free food for my employees. I always
look up to my mom who is in her late 50s and still working hard. Her
never-give-up attitude and her resilience was inspirational to me,
especially when my dad had a stroke when I was in my undergraduate
program and
unable to help.
I learned from
my parents to work hard. I must give back to my parents and to
my aunt and uncle who have helped me financially When I go back
to India, I also want to work with underprivileged kids and blind
people. I want to give back to them too.
Experiences at Google
Having a graduate degree from an American university is like being
on the top of the world in India. That’s why I left my good job as
an Analyst-Geo Content Reviewer. I was responsible for updating
the database of the Google search engine through a pushpin tool,
extracting data of various businesses and updating client information
by following companies’ policies and testing and implementation
of Pushpin. It didn’t come easy to work full-time at Google. I went
through seven rounds of interviews to get hired; out of 700 people
only two got the job, and I was one of them. They tested our English,
computer engineering skills, and so on. Afterwards, there was one
month of training and another test. Finally I passed it. Working at
Google is a big thing in so many ways. For instance, there are 800
people on each shift and there are three or four shifts a day. I was
kind of a trainer. I worked with the Australian team in the morning
and then the US and Canada shift. Whatever you see in Google
maps, it had to be authenticated by me first. I made sure the data
you saw on the maps was correct.
With a degree from VIU, I am confident I will be hired for an even
better position if I choose to go back to Google.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
41

UNIVERSITY NEWS
SPIA Hosts Panel on Current Affairs
Almost 100 people filled VIU’s Village Drive Conference Room
for a forum on the most relevant current affairs issues. The event,
entitled “Dissecting a Complex Conflict: ISIS, the Syrian Refugee
Crisis, and the Humanitarian Response,” was hosted by the Center
for Democracy & International Affairs (CDIA) and the School of
Public & International Affairs (SPIA) and included experts from
the fields of security, human rights, international refugee policy,
and refugee resettlement.
The panel was moderated by SPIA’s own professor, Dr. Emrullah
Uslu, an expert in Middle East politics. The event featured: Dr.
Birol Baskan, Assistant Professor at Georgetown University;
Dr. Radwan Ziadeh, Fellow at Institute for Social Policy and
Understanding; Tessa Mayerick, External Relations Officer at
United Nations Refugee Agency; Dr. Patricia Maloof, Migration
& Refugee Services Director at Catholic Charities; and Aerlande
Wontamo, Senior Resettlement Manager at Lutheran Social
Services.
Students Run Crowdsourced Fundraising Campaign
In a joint effort, Dr. Klara Bilgin and Dr. Stephen Onu led two
groups of VIU project management students in raising money
for the VIU Scholarship Fund. The project was conducted as a
competition, with two teams of students running crowdsourced
fundraising campaigns online. Each team had two months to
design an internet campaign and strategy to raise the most funds.
When asked about the challenges and most exciting aspects
of running the campaigns, the leaders of the two teams agreed:
helping their fellow students and receiving a generous offer for
a $1,000 match from Dr. Onu was most exciting, while planning
and executing the campaigns presented the biggest challenge.
They also learned a lot from the experience. Rupali Sharma
stated, “Networking with other organizations and with professors,
communicating effectively, and learning to present both myself
and VIU professionally were the biggest lessons.” Abdulrahman
Alahmadi stated that learning “how to fight for something, to deal
with conflict, and lots of patience” were his biggest takeaways.
TIMELINE OF CONFLICT IN SYRIA
2011
2012
2013
Arab Spring:
Pro-democracy protests in
the country; government
responds with violence.
International
Pressure:
France, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain,
Canada, and Australia expel senior
Syrian diplomats in protest at
killing of more than a hundred
civilians in Houla.
Rise of the Islamists:
UN weapons inspectors conclude that chemical
weapons were used in an attack on the Ghouta area
of Damascus in August that killed about 300 people.
The government, along with Hezbollah support,
recaptures three rebel-controlled cities. US and
Britain suspend "non-lethal" support for rebels in
northern Syria after reports Islamist rebels seized
some bases of Western-backed Free Syrian Army.
42 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
VIU’s Holds First Annual Scholarship Fundraising Dinner
VIU’s enrollment has grown substantially over the past few years,
and many of our students come from countries that have suffered
from natural disasters or violent conflict, and as a result their
families aren’t able to support them as planned. The university has
already provided $50,000 in scholarships and tuition discounts,
but we have students still in need.
In response to those needs, VIU’s First Annual Scholarship
Fundraising Dinner drew large crowds. The evening featured
international food from several area restaurants, all of which
generously donated dishes in support of VIU students. California
Pizza Kitchen and P.F. Chang’s from nearby Fairfax Corner, as well
as Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Saravana Palace, and The Similans
Thai Eatery provided mouthwatering Italian, American, Indian,
Asian-fusion, and Thai dishes. After welcoming remarks from
Dr. Isa Sarac (President), Dr. Shah Hasan (Provost), and Dr. Klara
Bilgin (Dean of SPIA), attendees were treated to a performance
by Capital Harmonia, a Washington, DC area women’s choir who
performed a selection of songs on girls’ empowerment. There was
also a mellow jazz performance by Dreamsville and Bollywood
dancing led by VIU student Arun Raj Moha, who showed off his
own award-winning moves as a highly respected choreographer
for groups and TV shows in India. Throughout the evening,
guests browsed the international bazaar where they purchased
jewelry, scarves, themed book collections, and photographs and
artistic pieces from around the world donated by VIU faculty in
support of the scholarship fund. One of the most exciting events
of the evening was a live auction featuring great prizes donated by
area businesses: gift certificates to Ozzie’s Good Eats and Color
Me Mine in Fairfax Corner, a children’s tour and pizza party at
California Pizza Kitchen, and – the most coveted prize of the
evening – a five day, four night stay for four at a beautiful resort in
Cancun, Mexico generously donated by Sunset World.
There are 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 6.5 million Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Syria.
There are 4.1 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. The refugees have also flooded into Europe. On average, 50
Syrian families were displaced every hour from their homes over the last 5 years. (Source: BBC & USAID)
2014
2015
‘Caliphate’
in the East:
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
declare a “caliphate” stretching
from Aleppo to the Iraqi province
of Diyala. Tabqa airbase falls to ISIS,
who control entire Raqqa province.
US & 5 Arab countries launch
airstrikes against ISIS.
Fighting ISIS and
International Involvement:
Kurdish forces push ISIS out of Kobane on Turkish border. New Islamist rebel alliance backed
by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar captures provincial capital of Idlib. Southern Front alliance
of secular and Islamist groups take Jordanian border crossing at Nassib. ISIS fighters seize the
ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria and capture last border crossing to Iraq. Jaish al-Fatah
takes control of Idlib Province, putting pressure on government's coastal stronghold of
Latakia. Islamic State and Kurdish fighters intensify fighting between Raqqa and Turkish
border. Kurds take Ain Issa and border town of Tal Abyad, Islamic State attacks Kobane and
seizes part of Hassakeh, the main city in north-eastern Syria. ISIS downs Russian passenger
plane in Egypt and carries out attacks in Paris, France. Russia carries out air strikes in Syria.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
43

44 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
WHEN DREAMS ARE SCATTERED
A Glimpse into the Life of a Syrian Refugee
Interview by Ariunaa Dashtsogt
Virginia International University is proud to have individuals from every corner of the world studying together. We
interact – living as roommates, struggling through difficult discussions, discovering our commonalities and our
differences – and somehow along the way we learn to embrace each other’s cultures and celebrate the human
experiences we share. In this tradition of learning and sharing, University Magazine recently sat with graduate student
and Syrian national Mohamed Sayed to hear his perspective on the crises faced by Syrian people today.
ref·u·gee (noun): someone
who has been forced to leave
a country because of war or for
religious or political reasons
UM: Tell us about growing up in Syria and what your dreams
and goals were as a young man.
I was born and raised in Aleppo, a beautiful city in Syria. It’s one
of the world’s ancient cities. Although it’s the second biggest
city in Syria and the country’s economic spine, Aleppo is an
authentic, warm city. I come from a middle class family. My
father is an electrical engineer who, at a certain period of time,
had to work two jobs to provide us with a decent lifestyle and to
send us to private schools. My mother stayed at home. I have one
sister who is three years older than me, and we are very close.
She is now on the other side of the world in Saudi Arabia, with
a 13-hour time difference between us; we talk on social media,
but it’s never the same as it was when we were living under
one roof. Back home, I had a lot of friends that I share many
memories with. When springtime would come, we would race
with our bikes, play football in the nearby garden, wander in the
streets from alley to alley, enjoy the fresh breeze and the smell of
Jasmine, Syria’s iconic plant. I often wonder if it’s managed to
survive the war.
I always wanted to become an engineer, just like my dad.
I discovered my passion for computers from my very first
encounter on the device my father bought us. I spent hours not
using it but instead trying to discover how it worked. The vision
became clearer when I was in grade 11 and decided to study
information technology. Achieving this goal was not easy. My
father was issued a work visa by Saudi Arabia in 1998 and we
moved to Jeddah. Back then, foreign students weren’t allowed
to attend Saudi universities, so Syria was to be my destination;
however, the Syrian universities offered degrees in only a few
fields, and IT wasn’t one of them. We didn’t give up. It cost my
family a lot, but I was sent to study in Jordan for four years. After
graduating, I returned to Saudi Arabia and worked there for four
years to save money before going back home to establish my own
IT company.
All of my plans, all of my dreams, were scattered in the air
when this endless war ignited in 2011. The war in Syria has
flipped all of our lives upside-down. I always wanted to spend
my whole life in Syria: to work, to marry, and to raise my kids
there. It’s different now. Syrians have no home, no future. The
last five years have felt more like 50 due to the pain, deprivation,
desperation, and disturbance we have suffered. I wish for
nothing but peace; that is the only cure.
UM: Merriam-Webster defines refugee as “someone who has
been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or
political reasons.” What does being labeled a refugee mean to
you?
Yes, that’s what the dictionary says about refugees, and that’s
how people look at refugees. That was my understanding of the
word five years ago. Today things are different. War has changed
everything. Merriam-Webster should consider changing the
definition of the word refugee to “someone who has lost his
past, his present, and his plans for the future; someone with no
identity; someone desperate, helpless, and lifeless; someone who
wants nothing but peace.” That’s what the word now means to
me.
UM: Despite the heartbreaking experiences, some people believe
that life as a refugee can offer better opportunities because
refugees are living in developed countries. What do you think of
that?
There is no doubt that the quality of life in the US, Europe,
and other developed countries cannot be compared to that of
the third world countries, but as a refugee, lifestyle isn’t your
objective. You seek asylum because you are deprived of your
basic needs – shelter, food, clothing, and safety. Asylum is
offered to protect those who need it. Seeking asylum you don’t
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
45

As per a study done by the New York
Times, more than 200,000 people have
been killed in the four-and-a-half-year
Syrian civil war. At least:
28,277 civilians have died in shootings
and mass killings.
27,006 civilians were killed in mortar,
artillery, and rocket attacks.
18,866 civilians were killed in Syrian
government air attacks.
8,871 civilians were killed after being
kidnapped, detained, and/or tortured.
984 civilians were killed by exposure to
chemical or toxic substances.
654 medical workers were killed in attacks
on hospitals.
565 civilians died from starvation,
dehydration, or lack of basic medical care.
need is like eating the share of your hungry brother while you are
full.
UM: Tell us more about your life today as a refugee.
Like me, many of my family and friends also left the country to
run away from the war. Based on all the stories I heard, leaving
Syria wasn’t easy. Reaching a safe shore was the challenge.
Some left Syria the hard way, by boats from Turkey; some
left illegally, which was easier and less risky but much more
expensive. Some managed to reach their destination safely, and
some, unfortunately, didn’t. Others made it but lost some family
members on the way. Some countries supported the refugees, but
other countries have mistreated them and closed their doors.
We ended up as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Sweden,
Germany, Italy, the US, or other countries around the world.
We all share the pain of isolation and loneliness made worse by
nostalgia. We are all working hard day and night to live. Some
are studying new languages to be able to work and communicate
with the people in the country they now live in. Some sleep in
decent shelters, some sleep in tents, and others are still searching
for a place to sleep. We are all struggling. It’s a new life with new
people, new languages, and new traditions. Everything seems to
be expensive. Each of us is using a new currency we aren’t used
to yet. But we all know that it’s time to learn, work, and stand on
our feet again.
UM: What do you do when you hear other refugees’ stories or see
terrifying images on the news?
Unfortunately, I can’t do anything other than feel my heart
break. It’s painful being helpless. What you and the rest of world
have seen on TV is just a drop in the sea. More people have died
and are still dying back home due to torturing, bombing, and
starvation. The painful scenes I’ve seen are still engraved in my
memory. The stories of death I’ve heard are still echoing in my
ears, and the friends and relatives that I lost are still living in my
heart.
UM: What was your reaction to the recent attacks in Paris,
France?
What happened in Paris is heartbreaking, but what was more
painful was waking up to see Facebook safety check notifications
from friends and family in Paris confirming their safety after
the terrorists attack. The story took over all the news channels.
We heard presidents all around the world expressing solidarity
with France and crying for the victims and promising unity
for revenge. Similar attacks, or even more violent ones, have
become part of the daily scene in Syria. Who has checked on
the safety of Syrians? Who has vowed to take action to stop the
bloodshed? Who has cried for the thousands of Syrians who
have died? There is no place for their bodies to be buried, so
no flowers or candles are needed. But a simple grave and some
sympathy [go a long way] with an attempt at support.
At first I was angry with the world for the inequality of their
sympathy which was reflected clearly after the Paris attack,
but then I realized that it’s not the world’s fault that we aren’t
being treated as human beings who have rights, as free souls,
as valuable citizens. It’s the country’s government that raises
the value of its citizens. The French government respects its
citizens and their rights and therefore invokes that respect from
46 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
the world. Syrians, meanwhile, are being neglected by our own
government. How, then, can we expect the world to remember
our existence?
UM: As a Muslim, do you ever feel you are discriminated
against?
Yes, sometimes I do sense I am being treated unfairly, especially
due to my name. I am named Mohamed after my prophet.
But the Islam that I have learned and practiced is a different
religion than what these radical jihadists are claiming. I use the
term “Allah akbar” – which means “God is the greatest” – in its
correct context. I use it to praise good deeds, to appreciate life,
and to remind myself that the almighty God is there watching
and protecting us. That’s Islam.
UM: What do you believe the future holds for Syria?
I don’t have any positive anticipation about the future. It’s all
vague and dull. I’m not optimistic enough to even think of any
future for Syria in the next 10 years. The situation is complicated.
A lot of parties are involved; weapons are in the hands of
everyone and anyone. Suppressing these outlaws, by itself, will
take years and years. There will be an end to this war; maybe
not anytime soon, but it’ll end one day, and that day is what
every Syrian is looking forward to. It’s the day we will all be back
home.
UM: Until then, what is your plan?
I’m finishing my master’s degree to find new opportunities and
for a better future and for a new home. I learned about VIU and
its programs through online research and I am now studying for
the master’s degree that I had always dreamed of. A US degree is
definitely worth having. Syria is still part of my long-term plan,
after I have my degree and the needed experience.
I am grateful to VIU for the scholarships dedicated to those who
come from countries suffering from war, natural disasters, and
political instability. It certainly will help them to achieve their
academic dreams and to rebuild their nations. A hand to push
them towards achieving their education goals will definitely
make a great impact not only on the students but also on their
countries.
SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA) ON ISIS, SYRIA
“It’s our responsibility to protect our country and its people.
But we don’t do that by turning our backs on refugees who are
fleeing the butchers of ISIS,” said US Senator Elizabeth Warren
of Massachusetts during her speech at the National Press Club in
November 2015.
“To make it as a refugee into the United States from Syria requires a
screening process that lasts from 18 to 24 months. We are screening
them very carefully. But,” Warren continued, “if we are concerned,
we should be concerned about terrorist threats…across Europe.
I recently traveled to Greece. Greece was so overwhelmed by its
refugees. For instance, in October 2015, 100 thousand people came
through Turkey into Greece. All they can do basically is finger
print them, write down their names, and pass them into the rest
of Europe. There is no effective screening process on the front
end; people are passed into Europe and end up with European
passports which permit them to travel throughout Europe and
travel throughout the United States.” Warren suggested that the
Greek government should seek help from the United States and
the rest of Europe to improve
its resources and expertise in
order to improve the screening
process for its refugees. Senator
Warren went on to state that
America faces a “stark moral
choice” in its decisions on how
to handle Syrian refugees and
the country’s consideration of
banning Muslims from entering
the US. She stated, “We are a
nation of immigrants and
refugees. We were founded by people who were seeking to escape
religious prosecution and seeking freedom. We are not a nation
that delivers children back into the hands of ISIS murderers because
some politician doesn’t like their religion…And we are not a nation
that backs down out of fear.” This choice to provide freedom is one
Warren says must be made over and over by every generation of
Americans.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
47

CALL FOR
PAPERS
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC
& INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
www.cpcd.viu.edu
April 15th - 16th
Thematic Areas
International Emergency
Response to Complex Crises
State and Local Policy
Response to Emergencies
and Humanitarian Crises
Political Conflicts and
Regional Implications
Power Shifts: Conflict, Emergencies, and Global Response
Abstract Submission Deadline: February 15, 2016
The annual Conference on Politics, Conflict, & Development (CPCD) seeks to identify the
latest ideas, issues, and initiatives in politics, conflicts, and development around the world.
The conference will focus on power shifts in politics which can be causes or outcomes of
conflict and emergencies and explore the global response to regional and international
conflicts and emergencies. From the Middle East to the Far East, Europe to Africa, conflicts
and emergencies deeply affect politics and policies. While xenophobia is on the rise in
the West, Europe is facing an influx of new refugees, which causes further policy shifts in
Europe.
Submissions
Abstracts for papers, poster presentations, and panel sessions for the conference should
be submitted by February 15, 2016. Papers and presentations are invited from all areas
of international politics, conflict, and development, from both academics and practitioners.
Proposals for workshops and poster presentations are also welcome.
Abstracts should be no more than 400 words in length, excluding references and title,
and should include a description of the research design and/or the data, key findings,
and implications for the theoretical debate or practice of the discipline. In addition to the
abstract, applicants are required to submit a short biography (no CVs, please). Submit
proposals at the following website: http://cpcd.viu.edu.
The CPCD is organized by the School of Public & International Affairs (SPIA) at Virginia International
University (VIU) and the Center for Democracy & International Affairs (CDIA) at VIU. For further
information, contact: Dr. Klara Bilgin at kbilgin@viu.edu, 4401 Village Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.
Sponsors
48 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
48 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
Center For Democracy
& International Affairs
VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Political Transitions,
Democratization, and the
Spread of Authoritarianism
New Trends in International
Relations
Changing Roles of
International Organizations
Development Challenges in
Conflict Areas
Important Dates
Nov. 15, 2015
Feb. 15, 2016
March 11, 2016
April 4, 2016
April 15-16, 2016
Call for Papers
Opens
Abstract
Submission
Deadline
Notification of
Acceptance
Paper
Submission
Deadline
Conference

BERLIN CATHEDRAL. GERMAN BERLINER DOM. A FAMOUS LANDMARK
ON THE MUSEUM ISLAND IN MITTE, BERLIN, GERMANY.
VIU.EDU
ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT
“VIU professors have taught
us how to value, understand,
and manage diverse culture
and its people, which I use
on a daily basis at my work
today!”
A 2014 VIU graduate with an MBA in International Business, Susann Wieczorek
lives in Boizenburg, the northern region of Germany. She is now a national and
international account manager with a company that conducts business in several
European countries, which she admits is quite challenging. “Coming home after
having lived in the US for almost eight years has not been as easy as I thought.
I’d heard it many times and also tried to prepare myself for it...the reverse culture
shock. Things and people changed while I was gone, and everything is quite a bit
smaller compared to things in the US. It starts with the parking spaces and continues
with the roads and packaging of groceries,” Susann stated. However, with her VIU
degree and American work experience, she is thrilled to make a huge contribution
to her company’s succes.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
49

Women can be
CEO’s Too
By Dr. Theresa Poussaint
It takes much more than just a desire for
a female executive to advance to the CEO
position; she must be given the opportunity.
But with invisible barriers such as prejudices,
stereotypes, myths, and biases associated
with gender, it is extremely challenging.
50 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Dr. Theresa Poussaint holds both an MBA and a Doctor of Management from the University of Maryland
University College. Her dissertation focused on women and leadership as she has over 30 years of
corporate business work experience serving in various leadership roles.
Historically, CEO leadership positions have been held
predominantly by men while women have held primarily
clerical positions. In the 1990s, women aspiring to move into a
management position were having a difficult time breaking into
middle management. The most recent data shows that today, over
half (51.4%) of America’s labor force in management, professional,
and related occupations consists of women, but only up to 25
Fortune 500 companies have women CEOs or presidents. There
were no female CEOs in the Fortune 500 20 years ago. Since then
the data shows women have made modest progress in obtaining
CEO roles, but still few women are reaching the top.
Even though today’s women are as equally skilled and educated
as their male counterparts, female managers are not entering
the highest leadership positions nor compensated at the same
rate as their male peers. The route to the top of most large US
corporations remains blocked to women. In today’s social and
political climate and diverse workforce it is an important best
practice for organizations to embrace gender-equality and have a
balanced representation of women in top management positions,
including the CEO position, which reflects the population of the
organization as a whole. A 2014 study shows that a majority of
men and women agree that many businesses aren’t ready to hire
women for top executive positions. However, equitable access for
women to the CEO position continues to be a significant challenge.
The results of various meta-analysis studies indicate that the most
significant barrier for women to access CEO positions is the
perception of women as leaders among men and women alike.
The findings conclude that the perception of women as leaders
in organizations is often viewed negatively based on stereotypes,
myths, and biases associated with gender.
Changing the way society views women as a whole is not an
easy task to undertake. In the corporate world, it is more the
organizational culture that prevents women from reaching the
senior management positions. These cultures tend to be genderbiased;
women simply were not in the workforce when many
organizations came into existence. Generally, men were making the
decisions and women were helping them carrying those decisions
out. This gender role stigma can produce an insurmountable
obstacle for women, making it more difficult for them to achieve
positions of leadership. In order for these biased views to ever
change among industry leaders, organizational change must occur
from the top leadership of the organization.
One study showed that women who wish to climb the corporate
ladder must adhere to the masculine model or standard of
behavior to be considered for upper level jobs. The persistence of
outdated stereotypes and prejudices continues to make the playing
field in business uneven for women. It takes much more than just
a desire for a female executive to advance to the CEO position;
she must be given the opportunity. But with invisible barriers
such as prejudices, stereotypes, myths, and biases associated with
gender, it is extremely challenging. As the population of women
in the workforce continues to increase, so should their ratio in
upper level management, executive boards, and CEO positions.
With a growing pool of highly qualified women and pressure on
corporate boards to diversify management teams, companies are
hiring more high-potential women who could be CEOs. Research
shows that men and women lead in the same way and that women
are equally effective as leaders. However, the ranks of female
executives remain thin compared to men. If the current course of
leaving women out of the process to rise to the position of CEO
continues, it could take generations before there is true visible
equality.
...female executives are more
ethical and honest than
male executives; men, on the
other hand, are better than
women when it comes to
the assuming risks.
A new study by Pew Research Center reports on America’s
perceptions about women’s ability to lead organizations.
Respondents answered Pew’s questions on the leadership styles
of men versus those of women. According to the study, the
respondents believed that female executives are more ethical and
honest than male executives; men, on the other hand, are better
than women when it comes to the assuming risks. Pew also found
that people believe men do a better job in finance, oil, technology,
and gas industries. This assumption seems to hold true, as in
fact Fortune reports that female CEOs are more common in
industries like food production and retail.
Despite significant corporate commitments to the advancement
of women’s careers, progress is still slow. The latest generation
of workplace innovations – such as policies to support women
with young children, networks to help women navigate their
careers, and formal sponsorship programs to ensure professional
development – broke down structural barriers holding women
back.
The next frontier is toppling invisible barriers: mindsets widely
held by managers, men and women alike, that are rarely
acknowledged but block the way for women, as deeply entrenched
beliefs cause old forms of behavior to resurface. Real progress
requires confronting the silent but potent beliefs that probably
are undermining women in organizations and developing systemwide
change driven by a hard-edged approach, to ensure women
are at least considered for advancement because women can be
CEOs too.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
51

VIU IN THE COMMUNITY
HUMANS
Jaleel Fiemster, a student at Prince George’s Community College, can be found skating
on the sidewalks of DC with his friends. He abandoned his dreams of a career in tennis
or track to pursue a degree in criminal law.
“With all the stuff that we see on the news about cops shooting unarmed black kids
for no apparent reason, I’m trying to get rid of the mindset that all cops are bad,” Jaleel
explains. “It’s not even just about the black people. If the cops were shooting anybody
for no reason I would feel upset. We just have a very few that are bad and crooked and
they need to be dealt with. But I feel like if I become a cop – and I become a good cop – I
can get rid of that mindset that all cops are bad.”
Jaleel hopes to someday increase the community’s involvement with the police to help
encourage ethical law enforcement and safe communities.
“I’m trying to get rid of the mindset
that all cops are bad.”
Sisters Courtney and Kerry Cook have
a tradition of traveling into DC during
the holidays to enjoy the decorations and
spend time together.
“I think that spending quality time with
your family should be the most important
thing ,” says Courtney. “Spending time
with my friends is fun, too, but my
generation is very different from [my
sister’s]. My generation is geared more
toward social media, always on your
phone, always doing things like that on
your computer. But I think it’s nice to put
that away and go out and spend time with
somebody like my sister. She’s not into
social media.” “I left my phone at home!”
Kerry laughs.
Courtney, the younger of the two, just
finished nursing school and will soon begin
her career in the medical field like her older
sister, who is a physician’s assistant.
“I think that spending quality time
with your family should be the most
important thing.”
52 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
OF
DC
Mary Lou Anderson worked in DC for 30 years. She reflects on the changes the city has
seen in the last couple of decades.
“What changed Washington most was September 11 th . Before that the city seemed open,
easy,” Mary Lou remembers. “I used to walk up to the back of the Capitol Building and
just look down the mall. We have had many things taken from us.” She goes on to talk
about the current terror attacks by ISIS. “I know the problem with ISIS is not Islam. It is
a warped ideology that many religions have had. It isn’t just Islam. I think a lot of it is a
lack of education.
Mary Lou and her husband Howard return to the city every December to listen to the Gay
Men’s Chorus perform their Christmas concert at the Lincoln Theatre.
“I know the problem with ISIS
is not Islam.”
Tony Covay is the son of Don Covay, a
successful musician and writer of Aretha
Franklin’s hit song “Chain of Fools.” Tony
used to play area bars but has found
he can make better money as a street
performer in DC.
“I let God handle the music and all the
singing ,” Tony says. “All I gotta do is open
my mouth. That’s what a jazz musician
does. They do whatever is on their
mind right then and there. It’s nothing
rehearsed. That’s the best results you get,
if you let God do your singing.” Tony has
been performing since he was 13 years
old, so nervousness doesn’t affect him. “I
guess I was shy the first time I sang in 7 th
grade. I didn’t even want to sing I was so
nervous. But then after that I realized, you
know what, this is okay.”
Tony says he knows his father watches him
as he performs. He takes satisfaction in
knowing his music brings happiness to the
people who stop to listen.
“I let God handle the music
and all the singing.”
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
53

CALL FOR
PROPOSALS
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
www.cllc.viu.edu
Reimagining International Education:
Interdisciplinary Approaches to
Language, Learning, and Culture
March 25-26, 2016
VIU’s campus in Fairfax, VA
Proposal Submission Deadline:
January 11, 2016
Proposals for paper and poster presentations,
practice-oriented sessions and workshops, colloquia,
and panel discussions are invited in the following
broad areas:
Reimagining educational access and
communities;
Reimagining curriculum, pedagogy, and
assessment; and
Reimagining teacher education
For abstract submission guidelines and more details
on each of these strands, please visit the website at
cllc.viu.edu.
Important Dates
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE: January 11, 2016
NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: February 8, 2016
EARLY REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 22, 2016
REGULAR REGISTRATION DEADLINE: March 20, 2016
LATE REGISTRATION: March 21-26, 2016
THEME:
As emerging technologies and globalization conspire to make education
more international, the theme of this year’s CLLC, Reimagining
International Education, seeks to explore how we, as internationally
minded educators, might be able to shape the development of international
education in productive and exciting ways.
CLLC 2016 will encourage conference participants to ask, among
many other questions, how we can encourage multilingualism
and multiliteracies (including digital literacy); improve
pedagogical practices to enhance the learning of language,
culture, and 21st-century career readiness; demonstrate
the value of inquiry-based learning across a variety of
contexts worldwide; promote global citizenship and
international development; foster inclusivity and cultural
responsiveness; increase the vitality of international
student and educator networks; ensure fair and valid
uses of gatekeeping exams that have implications
for global student mobility; support the development
of teachers’ professional identities and feelings
of empowerment; and bridge gaps between
classrooms and communities worldwide.
Through the sharing of best practices and
emerging trends, our goal is to facilitate a thoughtprovoking,
perspective-widening, solutions-oriented
dialogue on the future of international education
that acknowledges and embraces the interactions
between language, learning, and culture.
CLLC is organized by VIU’s School of Education. For further information on
the conference, please contact Kevin Martin at kevin@viu.edu. To volunteer,
please contact Rebecca Sachs at rsachs@viu.edu.
54 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
A CAREER
68 YEARS
IN THE
MAKING!
Soon-to-be graduate Dorothy
Gudgel shares her story.
By Dorothy Gudgel
I was born in November 1947 in suburban Boston where I grew
up the youngest of three children. My father was Russian and my
mother was born in the US. I attended Boston University where I
earned degrees in psychology and English literature. Since 2007,
I have worked as a teacher in the Fairfax County Public Schools
Adult Education ESL program. Now, at the age of 68 and as both a
wife and a mother, I am in my last semester as a graduate student
at Virginia International University (VIU).
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
There have definitely been challenges working as a teacher and
going to graduate school at the same time. There was a time in
2013 when I considered dropping out of VIU and I even took a
leave of absence one semester. It was very hard commuting to VIU
in the evenings after a day of teaching 30 students. Often I felt
tired and overworked. However, my daughter encouraged me to
hang in there and complete my education. I also have a very dear
colleague who has encouraged me to finish my program. I am
so happy that I continued. Practicing good time management is
absolutely essential to success when you are working and studying
full time.
THE DUAL ROLE OF THE ESL INSTRUCTOR
The TESOL field in education is truly unique. As an American
ESL professional teaching in the United States, I see my teaching
role as two-fold; I am both teaching English to adult ESL learners
while also acting as a good will ambassador to the immigrant
population I work with. I am helping them better understand the
United States and providing the sociocultural knowledge they will
need to forge a new life for themselves in America. This involves
helping them to better understand American holidays, customs,
values, and cultural events. It’s not just teaching them English.
My adult education learners are trying to forge a new life in
America and many of them are lacking in formal education and
computer skills. I feel that I am performing an important service to
the immigrant population of Northern Virginia in also attending
to their emotional needs as these individuals organize new lives
for themselves in America.
I am living proof that
age is just a number ...
MY JOURNEY
I began teaching in the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)
Adult Education ESOL program in 2007 after volunteering as a
teacher in a church-based ESL program for 10 years. Because all of
my teaching experience has been with adult learners, the Master
of Arts in TESOL at VIU seemed to be the perfect program for
me in terms of the required core courses and electives offered to
graduate students. I applied in October 2010 and was accepted;
I have that framed acceptance letter on the mantel in my living
room at home.
My journey at VIU has been extremely empowering. My selfconfidence
as an effective educator has grown enormously over
the past five years. I have improved my teaching skills and the
theoretical knowledge I have attained has given me lots of new
teaching ideas to implement in my classes. One of my professors
recently referred to me as an ESL professional. I felt so proud that
she described me in such a way, because I had never thought of
myself as a professional until that point.
ON GRADUATING
I am positively thrilled to be graduating. Next to my marriage
and the birth of my daughter, receiving the MA in TESOL is the
crowning achievement of my life. My family is very proud of me,
and with the attainment of this important credential, I become
much qualified as an ESL professional.
I am living proof that age is just a number when one aspires to
better herself in this world. It is never too late to accomplish and
achieve anything. After a person passes from this life it is too late;
but before that moment – and it will happen to all of us one day! –
I say go for it. Never give up on your dreams.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
55

TEACHING ABROAD
BULGARIA:
To Understand a Place,
First Understand Its People
By Dr. Marietta Bradinova
You may have trekked through Tuscany,
sipped tea in the Alps, and smelled jasmine
in Provence, but if you haven’t savored
grilled kebapcheta kebabs along the back
roads of Bulgaria, there are frontiers of
Europe yet to be explored. This is the sensory
overload I experienced upon my landing in
Bulgaria. I was about to embark on a month
of teaching English with an American
colleague and the cultural transition was
almost overwhelming for her.
Welcome to Bulgaria: a land with beautiful
mountains and warm golden beaches, a land
of legends and mysteries. My American
colleague and I were both invited to teach
in Burgas, a city in Bulgaria’s southern Black
Sea coast. Our days were spent teaching
a TOEFL class to Bulgarian students
seeking admission in major US colleges
and universities; our late afternoons and
nights were spent exploring the city and
Bulgarian culture.
What comes to mind when you hear
the word culture? Some people envision
visiting exotic places and trying interesting
foods. Others think about the challenges
of communicating with someone from a
different cultural background. Exploring
an exotic new destination – littered with
dazzling monuments, filled with foreign
sounds, dripping in culture, lined by
endless pristine beaches, or hemmed in by
mountains and lakes of speechless beauty
– is undoubtedly one of the best and most
sought after experiences you can have in
travel. It’s like taking an open-eyed child
into a toy store and saying, “We’re going to
be here all day. Amuse yourself.” However,
when you know a local you are given a link
to the other side of a place: the people. You
then discover that the toys aren’t just for
56 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
display on the shelves; you can take them
down and play a while.
Like every country, Bulgaria has a set of
social rules to live by. It’s only after living
there for some time that you are able to
begin to navigate them. I wanted to give my
American colleague a heads-up on some of
the social customs we might encounter and
how to handle each situation.
Don’t Leave Early
Leaving before midnight means you don’t
consider your hosts to have done a good job.
Bulgarian people enjoy long visits, talking
and drinking rakiya (grape brandy) into the
night, with children nodding off on the sofa
or staying up late as a treat.
Bring a gift
Make sure you bring something with you
when you’re invited to someone’s home.
Flowers and chocolates will work, but be
sure to ask the florist which arrangements
are best for the occasion. (You don’t want
to find yourself taking flowers more
traditionally seen at funerals!) Pastries are
a popular gift and so are sweets if there will
be children. A gift from your home country
would also be appropriate.
Remove your shoes
Remove your shoes outside or just inside
the front door. Even if your host (knowing
your foreign ways) tells you to keep them
on, it might be more polite to just take them
off. If in doubt, look to see what your host
and other guests are doing in this respect.
Your host might offer you a pair of slippers
to wear inside.
Water for luck
A tamer version of throwing salt over your
shoulder, this Bulgarian custom ensures a
smooth journey. When someone embarks
on a journey, you should pour water behind
them or their vehicle and say “Да ти върви
по вода!”, which means “Go and return,
like water!”
Dinner’s on me
Bulgarian hospitality dictates that the
host picks up the tab. In fact, the idea of
sharing a bill is completely alien in Bulgarian
society. If you offer to pay you will be politely
declined. The best idea is to thank your host,
then issue a reciprocal invitation.
Baby’s first tooth
When a baby’s first tooth appears, Bulgarians
have a party where babies predict their
own future based on the first object they
select from an array placed before them: a
book means a scholar; money means a rich
person; a knife means a surgeon; a hammer
means the building trades.

VIU.EDU
Dr. Marietta Bradinova earned her MA in English Linguistics and TESOL Certificate at
George Mason University and her PhD in English at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She
speaks Bulgarian and English fluently and has studied Russian and German extensively.
The sea is life,
music is love, and
the sun is freedom.
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
ANNOUNCES 2016
“VOICES FROM THE FIELD”
SPEAKERS
Voices From the Field is a monthly
learning experience that brings
local community leaders, teachers,
administrators, and visionaries in
the field of education to share their
experiences, serve as relatable role
models, give practical advice, raise
our students’ awareness of new trends
in the field, and expose students
to opportunities for hands-on
experience, professional development,
volunteering, and more.
July Morning
The sea is life, music is love, and the sun
is freedom. This is what we realized in the
early hours of July 1 while standing on the
rocky cliffs over the seas, gazing at the first
sun rays on the horizon, singing the lyrics
to a song I had known since high school.
There I was on a July morning
Looking for love
With the strength of a new day dawning
And the beautiful sun
Call it an epiphany, call it cheesy
sentimentality, call it whatever you like,
it doesn’t matter. My friends and I went
to the beach to celebrate July Morning,
the famous Bulgarian tradition. It first
took place sometime in the 1980s when,
on July 1, a group of young Bulgarian
enthusiasts decided to organize a symbolic
protest against the Communist regime
that reigned over the country during that
time. They gathered together on a sandy
beach, waiting for the sun to come out and
drawing inspiration from the emblematic
rock ballad “July Morning” by Uriah Heep.
It was a simple but powerful tradition, so
it caught on and people started celebrating
it everywhere. Some thirty years later I
decided to see what it was all about, too.
When travelling and working abroad,
the people are more important than the
places. When you begin to understand the
people, you can also begin to understand
and appreciate the place they inhabit. In
Burgas, our time was so vastly enriched by
the local people we made friends with. They
enabled us to scratch below the surface and
start to connect with the city and understand
why things are the way they are. They also
provided us with access to places and
experiences we could never have hoped
for otherwise.
The School of Education hosted
the first of its 2015-2016 Voices
from the Field sessions in the fall of
2015 with some of the major topics
including: “You Had Me At PBL: The
Jerry Maguire Effect and Student
Achievement” with Dr. Anne Horak,
Assistant Professor at George Mason
University; “Fostering Civility
in Higher Education” with Dr.
Jaime Lester, Associate Professor of
Higher Education at George Mason
University; “Promoting Student
Agency, Beyond Techniques and
Best Practices” with Daniel Ginsberg,
Georgetown University.
REMAINING SESSIONS IN
2016 SEMESTER SOME OF
THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
“Listening to Your Sixth Sense:
How Outside Factors Affect Our
Learners” with Allison Forbes,
Virginia International University;
“Tele-collaboration: Research,
Practice, and the Successes and
Challenges of Coordinating Tele
collaborative Exchanges” with Yuka
Akiyama, Georgetown University.
For more information visit
www.viu.edu/sed.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
57

ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT
“VIU brought tremendous
confidence to me. My studies
changed my perspectives,
improved the quality of my
life, and prepared me skills I
never knew I could harness!”
“I arrived VIU a matured student with a lot of anxiety, nervousness, and fear about
my prospects after completing my studies,” said 2012 BBA in International Business
Management graduate Kolawole “Kola” Bakare of Nigeria. “The fact that I had
resigned my comfortable job of 16 years to pursue a dream was daunting enough, but
not knowing how to cope with my new environment was another challenge. Thanks
to VIU, I returned back home a different person. I have a more satisfying job, a fresh
change, and have even established a student recruitment business which had been
my dream for years,” Kola added.
“I had rewarding career at VIU. I worked at in the library as an assistant which gave me
a lot of ideas about the American workforce. In my second year, financial assistance
was provided to me at a very appropriate time when I was awarded a scholarship for
making the dean’s list. I will always remember and cherish my time at VIU,” Kola
said. Kolwole Bakare now works as a liaison officer in the commercial department at
Shoreline Natural Resources Ltd. in Nigeria.
LAGOS, NIGERIA
58 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
Alumni Panel: VIU Graduates Offer
Career Tips
It’s always good to hear back from our alumni, and it’s even
better when we see them in person and get to listen to stories
about their successful careers and life after graduation. In
the Fall 2015 semester, VIU’s Alumni Association hosted a
traditional panel discussion to foster connections and exchange
information between alumni and current students. As VIU has
several different schools, the graduates are employed in different
industries and therefore were able to share stories about a variety
of work experiences across different fields.
“Networking helped me to get a job at a local company shortly
after my graduation,” said Sanjeev Pappala, a 2014 MIS graduate.
He added that students should volunteer during their studies so
they may be able to connect with a mentor and also gain work
experience. A 2015 MIR alumnus, Paulette Zegarra, recalled her
time at VIU as being full of scheduled events and activities along
with strict homework deadlines. “Doing academic internships
with local non-profits helped me to land my current job,” shared
Paulette. MBA graduate Andrea Villa has a different story. She
works as a manager at a bi-lingual company in Washington, DC.
“International students are valuable assets to employers,” said
Andrea. “We speak at least two languages fluently, have diverse
cultural experiences, and hold graduate degrees with strong career
goals.” She also advised students to persist even if they are rejected
by an employer.
career. They encouraged students to use university resources like
the Career Center and the Writing, Research, & Media Center to
discover their true passions and skills.
VIU Alumni Association Association
Member Benefits
As graduates from VIU join a growing network of over 1,500
alumni around the world, they often use the university network
to identify better resources and further their innovations. And
now, VIU’s Alumni Association will offer exclusive benefits
offered by the university and local businesses for official members
of the association. One major benefit will offer graduates from
bachelor’s, master’s, or certificate programs a discounted
readmission fee and a tuition discount if they choose to return for
another degree. Members will also be eligible for special discounts
on continuing education programs as well as VIU Conferences.
Are you an alumnus of VIU ready to become a member? Please
email us at alumni@viu.edu or visit http://viu.edu/our-university/
about-viu/alumni.html for more information.
All of the alumni on the panel drove home one particular piece of
advice: it’s never too early to start preparing for your future
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
59

TAJ MAHAL IN AGRA, INDIA
ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT
“Because of my inspiring
experience at VIU, I
was ready to face the
challenges outside VIU,
and here I am today!”
A 2010 graduate from the MBA in Healthcare Management, Shilpa Sainath
works at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She conducts
data analysis and evaluation using software to generate reports, communicates
and coordinates with all stakeholders in the organization, plans work for the
fiscal year, and monitors performance. “Federal opportunities are generally
for citizens or green card holders, but there are ‘pathway’ internships as well
as PMF (Presidential Management Fellowship) programs for young talents
wishing to intern with the federal government. Students should look into these
opportunities and attend as many career fairs the Fairfax and DC area has
to offer,” Shilpa said when she was asked to give some advice to our current
VIU students. “Employees who are comfortable working with data and data
management software including Excel are always in demand, so students also
must be prepared for that,” Shilpa added.
60 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

CAREERS
VIU.EDU
WHEN STUDENTS
BECOME SOLDIERS
Originally called Armistice day and commemorating the signing
of the agreement that ended World War I at 11 a.m. on November
11, 1918, this federal holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
In America, this holiday gives people a chance to thank those
who have served in the military of the United States. And at VIU,
we have our own celebration of pride as we honor some former
students who currently serve in the US Armed Forces.
George Ngowi of Tanzania and Taylor Harry of Nigeria became
friends in the United States when they studied together at VIU.
And, surprisingly, both students were recently recruited into the
US Army to serve this nation. We were interested to learn a bit
about what it is like to be in the US military with an international
background.
The US Army is more diverse than ever. Soldiers from everywhere
in the world – Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Korea, China, and Africa
– come to boot camp. Together, they go through basic combat
training and advanced individual training to become soldiers. As
training gets started, one might see a group of men and women
with many personalities; but after going through training, one sees
a unit of individuals who think and act as one at their sergeant’s
command. “That is one of the soldier’s beautiful one-of-a-kind
moments,” said Alex Luketa, George’s friend who brought him to
the United States to study at VIU. Alex continued, “To the army,
everyone is equal, no matter where they came from, no matter
what race, sex, or religion. They respect each other and treat each
other as family.”
VIU’s own George and Harry became part of the US Army and
made the commitment to secure and serve the United States. As
a result, they have felt the powerful pride of wearing the uniform
and the respect one earns when wearing it. Wherever they go,
people are sure to express gratitude to them for their service:
in the shopping mall, at the dentist, at the hair salon, at the car
service center, you name it. The army requires discipline, and that
discipline earns respect.
Thanks to VIU, both George and Harry enlisted at the highest
rank among soldiers because of their degrees. VIU’s diversity also
helped them learn to cope with many different nationalities as
they used to study with international students from every corner
of the world. They know the unique ways of international people
and how they value their own traditions.
Our young soldiers had this advice for their fellow VIU students:
“Set your goals and work hard to achieve them. Don’t give up on
your dream. Don’t ever let someone tell you you can’t chase your
dream.” From Tanzania and Nigeria to America, from VIU to
the US Army, our dream chasers making their lives even more
meaningful with their service to others. The VIU community is
proud of you. Keep dreaming.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
61

ALUMNI
The Dream Chaser’s
Perspective
A VIU alumnus shares his stories of traveling the world
By Ariunaa Dashtsogt & Emily Leighty
Boldbaatar Byambajav is known as
“Bobo” to his friends and fellow graduates.
Bobo received his MBA from Virginia
International University (VIU) in 2011
and is currently working as a decision
support specialist at American Public
University System in Washington, DC.
Bobo is a dream chaser and uses his spare
time to explore new places around the
world. Being close to the nature has been
his desire from childhood, and growing
up he was a fan of TV channels like
National Geographic and Animal Planet.
“Experiencing something that is a ‘oncein-a-lifetime’
is a great catalyst for some
deep thinking,” says Bobo, whose travels
have taken him to destinations such
as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda,
the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria,
Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, the
United Kingdom, Australia, Kyrgyzstan,
China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand,
Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
Machu Pichu and India are next on his
bucket list. According to Bobo, going on
an adventure is “one of the most powerful
ways to build perspective, confidence, and
self-reliance.” He adds, “It’s also a lot of
fun and conducive to getting work done at
the same time.”
Part of the adventure comes from the
uniqueness of the countries you visit. “It’s
a rich and eye-opening cultural experience
when you travel to a developing country
in Africa from a developed nation like the
United States,” he says. He also believes in
the “less is more” mentality when it comes
to travel, especially if you are backpacking.
Early planning can help to save money,
and so can researching the best locations
for accommodations that are close to
public transit. Another piece of advice is
to avoid the mainstream when it comes
to food. “I try to eat food in local homes,”
Bobo explains, “as that would taste more
natural than food from restaurants.”
UNFORGETTABLE AFRICA
One of Bobo’s destinations that gave him
one of those eye-opening, perspectivebuilding
experiences was eastern Africa.
Bobo grew up in Mongolia where Africa
seemed an unreachable place to visit
for him as a kid, but he has now visited
the continent twice. He tells of the huge,
noticeable gap between rich and poor, but
62 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

VIU.EDU
also of the happiness of the people, despite
how poor they may be. Bobo noticed this
especially in young children who always
greeted strangers with smiles on their
faces. “I remember one time kids fought
over pencils and pens being handed out by
one of our group members,” he says. “A
tribe leader told them to write their names
correctly if they wanted to get a pencil, so
the kids were writing their names on the
ground with wood.”
In a major contrast to the Washington,
DC region, east Africans Bobo met were
working largely in agriculture to make a
living. They worked in difficult conditions
from sunrise to the sunset in order to
provide for their families. Bobo remembers
visiting Uganda’s mountainous region
where workers planted vegetables and
fruit in ground at a 45-degree slope. Even
with their children on their backs, the
workers went up and down the mountain
several times a day to cultivate the land.
Due to poverty and a high unemployment
rate, it’s hard to find a job in Uganda.
Young adults wake up early morning to
catch tourists who may need a suitcase
carried for $15 or $20 a day. Bobo views
this as another example of the hard work
young adults in Africa are doing for such
little pay.
Aside from the people and the economics,
Bobo also was struck by the natural
beauties of Africa. “Scuba diving in the
Great Barrier Reef with my fiancée was
unforgettable,” Bobo says. They also
toured Bwindi Impenetrable National
Park. “It’s called impenetrable for a
reason,” Bobo states. “Thick ferns, spiky
bushes, trip vines. The guides often have
to hack with a machete to make a path.”
It was on this excursion Bobo got to see
the rare mountain gorillas. “We walked
up to a group of gorillas and found the
first silverback sitting about three meters
away,” Bobo remembers. “He was massive,
with giant hands and an enormous head.
He wasn’t even the leader of the group.”
There were also baby gorillas in the group.
When it was time for Bobo and his group
to leave, one of the babies opened his arms
like he was waving, and then rolled away
into the ferns in a final goodbye. Bobo
describes it as “a precious moment and a
magical experience.”
Bobo would of course encourage you to
visit the countries you dream of, but he
would give an extra push for you to visit
Africa. “To me, in Africa there is more
richness of undiscovered wild life and
unique culture that cannot be compared
with anywhere else,” Bobo says.
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
63

LIFE AT VIU
SAY YES
TO NEW
ADVENTURES!
BUNGEE JUMPING
One of my scariest – but exciting! – experiences was
bungee jumping 764 feet from Macau Tower. I tried
to be brave, but when I stood at the edge of the tower
I had so many thoughts about the safety of the cable
and so on. The adrenaline rush gives you a memory
that lasts a lifetime. I later found out I was the first
Mongolian to jump from Macau Tower. One of the
biggest lessons I’ve learned from exploring Asian countries such
as Japan, Korea, China, and Malaysia is that it is good to learn how
to say things like “hello” and “thank you” and “goodbye” in the
languages spoken in those regions. My next adventure is to visit
Canada and witness the aurora lights in the winter sky!
Chimed Luvsan, Mongolia, MBA
CHAIRLIFT
I visited the Genting Highlands, which
is a hill resort up in the mountains of
Malaysia. I went to chocolate shops,
strawberry farms, and even rode on a chairlift. The lift allowed
me to take in the beauty of the Malaysian landscape: the greenery
of the forests, fresh air, and freedom. As I rode the chairlift, I felt
butterflies in my stomach due to the extreme highs. This was
surreal experience to me. It was exhilarating but also a little bit
scary! Next I would like to visit Langkawi, Malaysia.
64 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016
Hira Khan, Pakistan, BBA

VIU.EDU
SKYDIVING
I went skydiving in Great Britain with my friends. It was a great
experience that created many memories of exploring new places,
long walks, and exciting views from the top of a mountain.
Skydiving felt like both death and fun. It is risky, yet worth it for
a memory of a lifetime. Discouragement is everywhere; people
around you may make you feel bad or scared for wanting to
experience an adventure like bungee jumping or skydiving. My
advice is to listen to yourself and go for it!
Tumukunde Martina, Uganda, MBA
HANG GLIDING
I had been interested in going hang gliding for a long time, and
I finally did it in Outer Banks, North Carolina. From the sky, the
Outer Banks seemed like a small island covered on all sides by
bodies of water. My favorite moment was when I had flown up
high and the rope was cut. At that point, I had to depend on my
hands to guide my gliding. I flew right up through the clouds. I
know that not all people would dare to take this adventure, but I
was so into it. Though it does appear dangerous, there is no need
to be afraid because there is a parachute available to help you come
down in case of an emergency. Still not sure if you want to try it? A
professional guide can help you out and take care of you up there,
so just relax! I have seen that many VIU students go skydiving, so,
my next adventure will be skydiving in Virginia.
Ram Vikas Vantaku, India, MISM
DIVING
I visited Israel with my parents to learn about the roots of Christianity and to understand the difference
between Judaism and Orthodoxy, as well as to see all the different sights of Israel. During my travels, I saw
the desert, the Dead Sea, and the sacred places in Jerusalem. My favorite experience of the trip was diving
into the Red Sea. I had never gone diving, so I was scared at the beginning. But after I plunged into the water,
it was beyond awesome. I saw beautiful corals, colorful fish, and other beautiful sights! I didn’t want to come back to the land. Israel was
worth visiting, so if it is on your bucket list please go! Visit Eilat for diving, the Dead Sea for mud bathing, and Jerusalem for historical
sites. My next destination will be Cuba or Great Britain.
Oksana Zolotova, Russia, MSIR
Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
65

A New Admissions Process:
Emphasis on English
Are you seeking admission to VIU?
Get some advice from one of our admission advisors!
VIU has expanded in every way possible, adding new programs, new locations, and more new students from
around the world. Students choose VIU because they know it stands for quality and has high rankings in
terms of student and alumni success. As the admission process is the most important step for our prospective
students, we want you to be familiar with our new admission policies. Stephan Shelley, the international
student services manager at VIU, is here to help you!
WHAT IS NEW?
Effective as of September 25, 2015, VIU will require applicants
seeking to enroll in an academic program to submit a test score
from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Alternatively, applicants may show they have completed the
required number of credits at a US post-secondary institution
at which the language of instruction was English or they may
provide a high school diploma from a recognized institution
within the US. Applicants unable to meet the English language
requirements may be placed in either an ESL program or a
bridge program which will allow them to study English along
with their academic courses.
By making these adjustments to our English proficiency standards,
VIU hopes to accomplish an increase in the credibility of the
institution while continuing to acquire high quality students.
These changes will also allow VIU to ensure students’ ability
to be successful academically and then become competitive
business and community leaders throughout the world.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Admission requirements vary by degree and program. In
general, applicants must follow these steps:
1. Choose a program of study
2. Apply online
3. Pay the application fee
4. Submit the required supporting documentation
VIU
NEW YORK (4 HRS)
PHILADELPHIA (3.7 HRS)
BALTIMORE (1 HR)
LOCATION
WASHINGTON D.C. (30 MINS)
RICHMOND (1.6 HRS)
VIU is easily accessible via public transportation, and we even
have a free shuttle to take you to nearby landmarks or between
campuses. Our closest airports are Dulles International Airport
and Ronald Reagan National Airport. With a location such as
this, you are connected to all of the world. Washington, DC
offers unparalleled educational and career opportunities,
easy access to historic landmarks, a vibrant job market, and
internships at some of the top US and global agencies.
TIPS FOR NEW APPLICANTS
Applicants should always make sure to read the application
instructions and requirements for their specific programs of
interest before submitting an application. When a student
submits an application, he or she should make sure to submit
the application in its entirety, including all of the necessary
documents. At VIU, each application is reviewed individually
and thoroughly as our selection process considers both your
academic and personal readiness for success. If you have
any further questions, you may email us at info@viu.edu or
admission@viu.edu. For further information, visit www.viu.edu.
66 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016

Spring 2016 University Magazine, VIU
67

VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
4401 Village Drive,
Fairfax, VA 22030
www.viu.edu
1-800-514-6848 info@viu.edu
DREAM.
DISCOVER.
ACCOMPLISH.
Great Location
Affordable Tuition
Quality Education
Small Class Sizes
Student-Centered Approach
Semester-Based Internships
Flexible Schedule
Diversity
Job Opportunities
Scholarships
Global Alumni Network
68 University Magazine, VIU Spring 2016