All posts by Frank Jurkovic

Sane Haidara, SPC Alum in Timbuktu chats with SPC student club

Intensive English Program, International Students, International Students Events, News, SPC Study Abroad Week, Success Stories, Travel

Written by: Vy Pham and Elena Rami

Sane at his city sign in Timbuktu

The Multicultural International Club (MIC) based at the SPC Clearwater campus enables international and American students from different backgrounds to make new friends and share their cultures. It is a great way to make connections and learn about different countries and cultures, including traditions, food, education, values, beliefs, etc. The meetings are held virtually on the third Thursday of every month.

Every meeting has a special guest.  The October meeting’s special guest was Sane Haidara, a former international student at SPC, who was also the president of MIC when he was a student (2014). Sane Haidara comes from Timbuktu, Mali, located in West Africa. He studied in the U.S. where he earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy and Administration at St. Petersburg College and continued to complete a master’s degree in Public Administration at University of South Florida.

Sane having fun at a Clearwater Campus event in 2014

Sane participated in many clubs, including, but not limited to: Multicultural Club, Modeled United Nations, Phi Theta Kappa, International City/County Management Association (ICMA) (at both SPC and USF).  In addition to club participation he received many awards and scholarships:

  • Dr. Theodore J. Mazzu Scholar of the Year Award – St. Petersburg College 2016
  • Most Engaged International Student Award – St. Petersburg College 2016
  • 2016 Graduation Student Speaker – St Petersburg College 2016
  • 2016 Self-Reliance Scholarship Inc. Award – 2015-2016.
  • Outstanding Delegation Award at the National Model United Nations – New York City 2016
  • Jamil Jreisat Scholarship Award, USF School of Public Affairs, MPA Program 2018

Sane was constantly recommending all students to get more involved and get as much experience that they can because the opportunities that SPC gives to students are unique and help students to engage more in their community and home country as well.

During his presentation, Sane expressed his passion for helping communities that suffer socially, educationally, and economically. His bachelor capstone project at SPC was to develop a pilot program that would provide breakfast, lunch, and a take home meal to Timbuktu schoolchildren in order to evaluate the impact of proper nutrition for attendance, academic achievement, and retention in the education system. He was proud to introduce us to this project which now became a reality.

Sane and his colleagues outside the nonprofit (ADCS) they started

Sane has brought knowledge from his years studying abroad in the U.S. to improve the lives of people in his homeland. He and his colleagues established a local non-profit organization in Timbuktu, Mali called Association pour le Développement Communautaire au Sahel (ADCS). With four major projects, the organization is committed to improving quality of life, creating an environment of trust, solidarity, and mutual respect for his community:

  • Education (breakfast program and supplies)
  • Health (supporting community health centers)
  • Solar Powered Water Distribution
  • Elephant Conservation

Knowing the importance of children’s learning and nutrition, Sane and his colleagues created a schooling program in Timbuktu that provides three meals a day (unfunded program). This is a program that not only reduces hunger among primary school students but also promotes and provides educational opportunities for all, including girls. In addition to education, health and wellness are also important areas to be improved. ADCS works with the community health center (CSCOM) and provides resources to meet local needs.

One of the solar panels installed

Their organization improves water problems in the Sahel communities by installing solar powered water distribution systems. This allows the Sahel community to have a clean water source for daily activities, farming and to prevent desertification. ADCS also focuses on the protection and conservation of the Gourma elephant, an endangered African elephant species adapted to the desert climate.

Sane hanging out with the some of the children they help

Learning that many children don’t have breakfast before attending class, Timbuktu non-profit organization (ADCS) made a donation of powdered-milk with sugar to provide a nutritious breakfast to 1st grade students in an elementary school. With this breakfast project, 189 children, girls and boys, will be provided with a breakfast for a period of six months.

Sane Haidara is a praiseworthy role model who never hesitated to learn and uses that knowledge to develop and improve the lives of his hometown community.

  • To support Sane’s organization, visit: Donate ADCSahel
  • Check out this video to get to know more about Sane’s organization.

SPC Connects with Northern Ireland

northern ireland
Ireland, Northern Ireland Virtual Study Abroad, Northern Ireland Virtual Study Abroad Program, SPC Study Abroad Week, Travel

Over the last year, St. Petersburg College’s Center for International Programs has had the opportunity to rekindle a relationship with Northern Ireland and work on a variety of projects together with institutions located there. SPC’s Center for International Programs, Student Life, College of Health Sciences and the Social and Behavioral Sciences department teamed up with North West Regional College (NWRC) to bring you Global Perspectives on Health and Social Care: Collaborative Discussions with Northern Ireland and the U.S.. 

Running November 17 through 18, this series of four Zoom discussions will be moderated by Will Baldwin, SPC College of Health Sciences Professor, and Caroline McKeever, NWRC Health and Social Care Curriculum Hub Manager. The virtual meetings will include speakers from Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, who will discuss changes in health and social care and what those careers look like. This is a great experience for students to connect and learn from health and social care professionals based in different parts of the world, thousands of miles away.

Download the flyer or visit the event page for more information and registration.

Later on in December, SPC and NWRC health sciences students will present their end-of-the-year capstone projects virtually. Students from both colleges will learn how each one of our country’s health care systems differ.

The Center has been working with colleges and universities across the globe to bring international educational opportunities to SPC faculty, staff, students as well as the community. With the various virtual platforms available at SPC, the Center has been able to capitalize on more opportunities for international engagements. We are excited to connect with these institutions across the world to bring enriching opportunities to SPC. 

Keep your eyes open for more international events coming this fall, such as our virtual walking tours, open mic and International Education Week.