Podcast Episode Notes

From Refugee to College President: Dr. Amanuel Gebru on Mentorship, Access & Global Education

8/13/2026

What does it take to go from a young refugee learning English in a new country to leading one of the most diverse community colleges in America?

In this episode of International Student Stories, host Soleil Perrin sits down with Dr. Amanuel Gebru, President of Los Angeles City College (LACC), to explore a remarkable journey shaped by resilience, mentorship, and the transformative power of education.

Dr. Gebru reflects on immigrating to the United States at the age of eight, navigating life as a first-generation college student, and the teachers, counselors, coaches, and mentors who helped him discover opportunities he never imagined. Along the way, he shares why community colleges are one of higher education's greatest engines of access, opening doors for students from every background and every stage of life.

Together, they discuss global education, the importance of belonging, LACC's vibrant international community, and why creating a welcoming campus can change the trajectory of a student's life. Dr. Gebru also shares how mentorship has shaped his own career and why he believes every student deserves someone who believes in their potential.

Whether you're an international student, an educator, or simply someone who believes in the power of opportunity, this conversation is a reminder that where you begin doesn't define where you can go.

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The Psychology of Test-Taking: How to Crush Anxiety and Succeed in Life

8/17/2023

Dr. Dimitrios Vonofakos joins us to pick up where we left off on our previous episode, “Life’s Pop Quiz: The Unexpected Lessons of a Grad School Exam,” alongside Anish Merchant.

Dimitrios summons up his encyclopedia of knowledge on the psychological aspects of test-taking to bring us a fresh perspective on test anxiety, facing your fears, and applying problem-solving frameworks to real-world challenges (not just test-taking).

Join us for an in-depth guide to overcoming mental hurdles and acing the test of life.

Listen on:
    • Apple
    • Spotify

Life’s Pop Quiz: The Unexpected Lessons of Grad School Exams

7/21/2023

Anish Merchant often recounts “The Hero’s Journey” — the story of a hero who goes on a grand adventure to find where he or she belongs. Stories like this inspired Anish to leave the U.S. in pursuit of his own grand adventure — one that helped him find where he belonged: in Buenas Aires, Argentina.

Rather than this signaling the end of his journey, it was the birth of a new one. Anish’s new calling took shape in the form of his company, Merchant GMAT & Admissions, which helps students navigate the GMAT and, as an extension, life itself.

Listen on:
• Apple
• Spotify

Unlocking the Universe: From Forbes 30 Under 30 to New Frontiers in Science

6/2/2023

Maryam Esmat, a Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 honoree, returns for the second part of her interview. In this episode, Maryam shares the work she’s done for NASA by AURA on the James Webb Space Telescope, her current research on the topic of dark matter, and the rarity of Arabs in the physics realm.

Join us to hear how Maryam is mentoring the next generation and paving the way for students looking to follow in her footsteps.

Listen on:
• Apple
• Spotify

Prologue to Greatness: Author, Astrophysicist, and Mentor

5/12/2023

Maryam Esmat’s 24 years of life have played out like a greatest hits album. She’s graced the pages of Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 for her work in astrophysics and donned the title of the youngest published author in the Middle East — yet, if you ask her where we are in her life’s story, she’d tell you we’ve only read the prologue.

Maryam is currently pursuing her PhD at Johns Hopkins University, and if that’s any indication, her story is shaping up to be one for the history books.

Listen on:
   •   Apple
   •   Spotify

Elevating the Student Voices of Tomorrow

3/7/2023

Danny Nguyen returns for Part 2 of his two-part interview. In this episode, Danny shares his optimistic outlook for the future of international students and the importance of elevating student voices.

Despite his optimism, he sees areas for improvement, particularly in accounting for the experiences of international students.

Join Simon and Danny as they discuss the state of job prospecting, the weight of comparison, and the importance of community.

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Escaping 1977 Vietnam: Finding a Place to Belong

2/7/2023

1977 — In a year remembered for the Fall of Saigon and Black April, Danny Nguyen and his family were caught in the middle of a war-torn Vietnam.

Call it courage or call it desperation — Danny’s parents wanted a better life for their four children, and if that meant sailing out into the dark, cold ocean to find it, then so be it.

The VP of Administrative Services at Mission College you see today is in stark contrast to the four-year-old who’d just landed in America in 1977. As the saying goes, “sometimes you have to lose yourself to find who you are.”

Listen on:

Apple
Spotify

Rewriting the Code: Black Women in STEM

1/19/2023

Jessie Gentles is the 3%. The world of IT has thrived as a highly-lucrative, high-growth industry — but the caveat? You’re not going to find many Black women crowding in to become the next IT specialist.

As a Jamaican-born woman and software engineering student at Miami University, Jessie represents a demographic that’s shied away from IT — one that’s representing only 3% of the IT space, but she’s not alone.

Jessie is a Black Wings Hackathon Committee Member. Black Wings is a small, but growing community of 950+ women within Rewriting the Code, a non-profit organization that represents minority populations in the tech space.

Listen on:

Apple
Spotify

The Future of EdTech: Hope, Empathy, and Connection

11/22/2022

Paige Steffy returns for Part 2 of a two-part interview. In this episode, Paige reflects on themes that follow every international student on their journey; hope, empathy, and connection. She’s walked the walk of an international student, and now she’s walking beside them on their student journey as part of Unibuddy. Join us to hear how Paige envisions the future of international students.

Listen on:

• Apple
• Spotify

Chasing the Hogwarts Fantasy: Transporting to the U.K.

11/1/2022

The magic of Harry Potter captivated a generation of dreamers and stood as a gateway to another world; for one Paige Steffy, it was also a glimpse into her future. Paige graduated from UC Davis with a double major in psychology and Spanish, then worked in the admissions office at Willamette University.

Her next adventure wasn’t quite Hogwarts, but, for her master's program, Paige moved to the U.K. and attended Royal Holloway, University of London. Today, Paige is taking the lessons she’s learned and using them to guide international students through the Unibuddy, student ambassador program, platform. Join us for part one of our two-part interview!

Listen on:
• Apple
• Spotify

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