Events News
Moore School hosts Romanian delegation
The Moore School hosted a group of Romanian teachers, students, and city officials from the city of
Cluj-Napoca the week of August 28. The visit was part of an ongoing exchange between the business
school and Cluj since the undergraduate division held its first Business English Immersion Camp for
high school students there in the summer of 2004.
Alina Botezan, Cluj-Napoca's International Relations Officer, said the Romanians were excited to make the trip, and were "impressed with southern hospitality." The group worked hard to raise funds for the trip, and Botezan said that Cluj Mayor Emil Boc had "offered great support." Because of the effort involved, Botezan wanted the students to learn from the experience. "I told them to ask themselves, 'What do I want to accomplish?'"
Lucia Lungu, chair of the English Teachers Association for the Transylvania region (all of the visiting Romanian teachers teach English) said it was very important to the Cluj teachers and students to continue the relationship established with the business school and the City of Columbia. "We are happy and honored to have this experience outside of our country... this collaboration with South Carolina and Columbia."
In addition to activities at the Moore School, the students and teachers met with College of Liberal Arts and Honors College representatives and toured the university. They visited sites around Columbia, including A.C. Flora High School and Richland Northeast High School, whose students are also participating in an exchange with Cluj-area high schools. They also attended a city council meeting, toured the Statehouse, and visited the USC Columbia Technology Incubator. (Incubator Director Joel Stevenson has participated in the Romanian camps and has advised Cluj officials on the start-up of two business incubators there.)
The group spent one day in Charleston, South Carolina, where they visited the South Carolina World Trade Center, and toured Middleton Place and downtown Charleston.
The Romanian students are well versed in American culture. Much of their popular music and most movies they watch are American. So, the trip wasn't all work -- enjoying social life in the evenings was also important to the teenagers. "I am delighted and amazed... experiencing the culture is mind-blowing," said Alexandra Columban, a student at Emil Racovita National College (an advanced high school in Cluj).
Eight students and seven teachers representing Cluj-area high schools traveled to South Carolina along with Botezan, who spent three months in Columbia last spring, and her husband, Olimpiu (Oli) Botezan.
The visit was co-sponsored by the Moore School, U.S. State Department, and the Columbia World Affairs Council. Leigh Stevenson of the undergraduate division and Haneez Zattam of the World Affairs Council were instrumental in organizing the visit. Click here to see a list of sponsors, donors and host families.
Alina Botezan, Cluj-Napoca's International Relations Officer, said the Romanians were excited to make the trip, and were "impressed with southern hospitality." The group worked hard to raise funds for the trip, and Botezan said that Cluj Mayor Emil Boc had "offered great support." Because of the effort involved, Botezan wanted the students to learn from the experience. "I told them to ask themselves, 'What do I want to accomplish?'"
Lucia Lungu, chair of the English Teachers Association for the Transylvania region (all of the visiting Romanian teachers teach English) said it was very important to the Cluj teachers and students to continue the relationship established with the business school and the City of Columbia. "We are happy and honored to have this experience outside of our country... this collaboration with South Carolina and Columbia."
In addition to activities at the Moore School, the students and teachers met with College of Liberal Arts and Honors College representatives and toured the university. They visited sites around Columbia, including A.C. Flora High School and Richland Northeast High School, whose students are also participating in an exchange with Cluj-area high schools. They also attended a city council meeting, toured the Statehouse, and visited the USC Columbia Technology Incubator. (Incubator Director Joel Stevenson has participated in the Romanian camps and has advised Cluj officials on the start-up of two business incubators there.)
The group spent one day in Charleston, South Carolina, where they visited the South Carolina World Trade Center, and toured Middleton Place and downtown Charleston.
The Romanian students are well versed in American culture. Much of their popular music and most movies they watch are American. So, the trip wasn't all work -- enjoying social life in the evenings was also important to the teenagers. "I am delighted and amazed... experiencing the culture is mind-blowing," said Alexandra Columban, a student at Emil Racovita National College (an advanced high school in Cluj).
Eight students and seven teachers representing Cluj-area high schools traveled to South Carolina along with Botezan, who spent three months in Columbia last spring, and her husband, Olimpiu (Oli) Botezan.
The visit was co-sponsored by the Moore School, U.S. State Department, and the Columbia World Affairs Council. Leigh Stevenson of the undergraduate division and Haneez Zattam of the World Affairs Council were instrumental in organizing the visit. Click here to see a list of sponsors, donors and host families.
--Gail Crouch
August 2006
August 2006