Shows
The HayesXChangeJonathan Quarles | Global EntrepreneurJonathan Quarles is a global entrepreneur and angel investor from Flint, Michigan. The author of the new book "Making Dollars while Making Change," Jonathan started his journey toward global citizenship as a scholarship student at FAMU. After studying abroad in South Africa, Jonathan was able to secure spots in government-funded international exchange programs that allowed him to see the world and gain critical cultural competency and public diplomacy skills. He is the founder of the BTL Group and a board member of Global Ties U.S.2021-05-2534 min
The HayesXChangeAvonda and Mycal I Eyes on Asia SeriesAvonda Fogan and Mycal Ford met in Washington, D.C., as recent graduates who had shared experiences studying abroad in Asia. Now as members of the executive team for the Black China Caucus, the two Mandarin speakers, who both have a wealth of regional experience, are on a mission to increase representation of Black professionals in Asian affairs and to elevate the voices of the Caucus’ global membership network. In this episode of The HayesXChange podcast, Avonda and Mycal talk about how, despite their humble beginnings, they amassed multiple study abroad opportunities, scholarships, and national fellowships like the Boren, th...2021-04-1550 min
The HayesXChangeEarl Carr I Eyes on Asia SeriesEarl Carr is a man who believes in seizing every opportunity. From learning Mandarin and Japanese as a college student to facilitating opportunities for U.S. students to experience Asia, Earl has a passion for giving back while sharing his own personal and unique background. He received his undergraduate degree from The College of William & Mary and studied abroad in China, Taiwan, and Japan before obtaining his Master’s degree in International Affairs from American University. Outside of work, Mr. Carr is involved in the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR).2021-04-1529 min
The HayesXChangeVannary Kong I Eyes on Asia SeriesVannary Kong grew up in Indiana as the daughter of a Cambodian mother and an African American father. After securing internships in international and multilateral organizations, Vannary became a United States Youth Delegate to the G-20 Summit in Tokyo, Japan. She is a research fellow at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace and the founder of the US-ASEAN Youth Council, an organization that seeks to develop the pipeline for diverse students to gain internships and experience in the Asia-Pacific.2021-04-1526 min
The HayesXChangeMark Akpaninyie I Eyes on Asia SeriesMark Akpaninyie is not going to miss a good thing twice. After opting out of a study abroad trip to Madrid his junior year at Duke, he soon realized that he had missed out on an opportunity of a lifetime. The son of Nigerian immigrants, admiration for his parents work ethic and sacrifices propelled Mark toward campus leadership and community service. After graduation, he spent two years as a Teach for China Fellow in a rural tobacco village in the Yunnan province, where he learned the capacity for human adaptability in the face of a totally foreign environment. Mark...2021-04-1429 min
The HayesXChangeAvonda and Mycal I Eyes on Asia Episode #5Avonda Fogan and Mycal Ford met in Washington, D.C., as recent graduates who had shared experiences studying abroad in Asia. Now as members of the executive team for the Black China Caucus, the two Mandarin speakers, who both have a wealth of regional experience, are on a mission to increase representation of Black professionals in Asian affairs and to elevate the voices of the Caucus’ global membership network. In this episode of The HayesXChange podcast, Avonda and Mycal talk about how, despite their humble beginnings, they amassed multiple study abroad opportunities, scholarships, and national fellowships like the Boren, th...2021-04-1429 min
The HayesXChangeChadwick Eason I Eyes on Asia SeriesChadwick Eason was a Mechanical Engineering student at Harvard University when he started studying Japanese as a foreign language. After participating in multiple study abroad programs and internships in different parts of Asia, he landed a job at Samsung Electronics in South Korea, where he would spend more than four years as a working professional. Chadwick is the co-founder of the National Association for Black Engagement with Asia (NABEA), a collective that supports Black professionals who engage with Asia. He works at one of the top management consulting firms in the United States.2021-04-1429 min
The HayesXChangeJomar Floyd I GermanyJomar Floyd leveraged his campus involvement in environmental advocacy to travel for the first time as a working professional representing the National Wildlife Federation at the Conference of Parties for the Paris Climate Agreement. Jomar’s experience in Paris filled him with a renewed desire to study abroad and within a year he enrolled in graduate school in Germany to study sustainable finance. Though he was unable to study abroad as an undergraduate, Jomar is proof of the adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”2021-03-3022 min
The HayesXChangeTraveling in Love I Founders Pt. 2Before the foreign language skills, before the internships, before the first assignment abroad, there was a love story that began on the campus of Florida A&M University. The founders of the HayesXChange, in their second installment to the podcast, discuss the influence of study abroad opportunities and international affairs programs on their career path. Against the backdrop of their personal love story, the founders demonstrate how they are navigating life abroad as a diplomatic couple.2021-03-2037 min
The HayesXChangeParis Proctor I Brazil & MozambiqueParis Proctor enrolled at Florida A&M University with one goal in mind: to have a complete college experience free of regret. After participating in several organizations on campus, she realized that there was one thing she had not yet attempted: studying abroad. A visit to FAMU's Office of International Education led to Paris receiving a grant to travel to Brazil and to learn Portuguese. She was later able to leverage her language skills to volunteer in a missionary camp with iReachAfrica in Portuguese-speaking Mozambique. After her experiences abroad, Paris founded A Touch of Heart, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to...2021-03-2023 min
The HayesXChangeSamdi Fraser I ColombiaOnly a few years after graduation, collegiate athlete and Orlando native Samdi Fraser traded in his track cleats to start a new life in Colombia. In this episode of the HayesXChange, Samdi shares the risks and rewards of becoming a teacher and education entrepreneur in a small town outside of the capital city of Bogota. Along the way, he discovers his own Latin American roots and learns to master the Spanish language by immersing himself in the culture.2021-03-2021 min
Rose Colored GlassesEP 32: Traveling in Love W/Calvin and Kindall HayesU.S diplomat shares their love story and traveling experiences that allowed them to be where they are today. Calvin and Kindall Hayes are a power couple that strives to impact change within their community and throughout the world. Find out how their love withstands traveling and what always seems to bring them together despite the many miles apart. 2021-02-1543 min
The HayesXChangeNasya Blackwell I South KoreaIf you think that studying abroad means that you cannot be involved on campus, think again. Meet Nasya Blackwell, a graduate of North Carolina A&T who was a member of the band and of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. After fundraising to take her first international trip to Europe as a high school senior, Nasya was inspired to seek out study abroad opportunities all over the world. In this episode of the HayesXChange, Nasya talks about her experience in Meridian’s U.S. Congress – Republic of Korea National Assembly Exchange Program. In South Korea, she discovered her love for Kore...2021-02-1429 min
The HayesXChangeTanesha Bryan I IndonesiaTanesha Bryan arrived to Florida A&M University knowing that she wanted to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. Inspired by a high school teacher who volunteered in Uganda, Tanesha chose to study history and religion in preparation for a career in international affairs. After receiving her assignment to Indonesia, Tanesha received an unexpected crash course on modesty in the Muslim world. After a year of cultural adjustments, Tanesha found her stride, sharpened her language skills, and opened her eyes to a need in her Indonesian community more potent than learning English.2021-02-1438 min
The HayesXChangeRaushanah Morgan | Hong KongIn this episode of the HayesXChange, Memphis native Raushanah Morgan shares her journey from the financial industry in New York to investment banking in Hong Kong. Using the skills she learned at the School of Business and Industry at Florida A&M University and a little Southern charm, Raushanah navigated new professional environments throughout Asia. After completing a program at Harvard Kennedy School, Raushanah chose to leave her career in international finance to work in local government in her hometown. She makes it her personal charge to encourage young people from all backgrounds to make a difference in their...2021-01-1831 min
The HayesXChangeNatasha Lagrone| TurkeyKindall Hayes met Natasha LaGrone as a Congressional intern in the House of Representatives, and their desires to have a global impact allowed their bond to grow. As a student at Michigan State University, Natasha was bitten by the travel bug on a spring break abroad in Mexico. She later decided to spend a semester in the Mediterranean. Natasha, who is an actress, saw her horizons expand as she explored some of the world’s most ancient civilizations.2020-07-2613 min
The HayesXChangeEllyce Ferguson| KenyaWhile she was still a Howard University student, Ellyce Ferguson was inspired to build a schoolhouse in Kenya. After receiving a grant from an anonymous donor, Ellyce traveled with her best friend and family to meet the students her school would benefit. She also met a community in rural Kenya that would give her a “homecoming” that could rival her university’s well-known tradition.2020-07-2610 min
The HayesXChangeNaKena Cromartie I DenmarkNaKena had just received a promotion at her accounting job with a large consulting firm when she decided to take a chance on an overseas fashion program that allowed her to spend three years working in China, Tukey, and Denmark. In this episode of the HayesXChange, NaKena shows you how to change your world by starting with yourself.2020-07-2316 min
The HayesXChangeInita Knox | Semester at SeaInita Knox is a young woman who knows how to get a scholarship. A Gates Millennium Scholar, Inita received the Tom Joyner Foundation Scholarship to study onboard a ship en route to more than twenty countries through a program called Semester at Sea. In this episode of the HayesXChange, Inita speaks about some of her favorites stops along her journey. Currently a PhD student at the University of South Florida, Inita uses her current research to elucidate the experiences of Black Americans who study abroad.2020-06-2117 min
The HayesXChangeTom Diamond | GrenadaCalvin and Kindall were upperclassmen at Florida A&M University when they met a freshman from Jacksonville, Florida, named Tom Diamond. From his arrival on campus, Tom was popular, confident, and obviously a leader among men. In this episode of the HayesXChange podcast, Tom shares with us his journey to becoming a medical student in the Caribbean island of Grenada. Through not one, but two disappointments, Tom continues to persevere in an incredible story that proves- like the poem “Invictus”- Tom is the captain of his fate, and the master of his soul.
2020-06-2128 min
The HayesXChangeNia Jackson | MoroccoFrom the very first conversation Calvin and Kindall Hayes had with Nia Jackson, they knew she was a go getter. A New York Native, this former Girl Scout used money saved from birthday gifts to buy Rosetta Stone software to teach herself Arabic. She later received the U.S.-government sponsored Critical Language Scholarship to continue her language studies in the Middle East. Nia, whose name means “purpose” in Swahili, just completed her first diplomatic assignment as the Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. In this episode of the HayesXChange, Nia recounts her expe...2020-06-2122 min
The HayesXChangeMeet the FoundersMeet the diplomatic couple behind the HayesXChange. Listen as they speak about their love story, their goals for the project, and their hopes for the future.2020-06-2128 min
The HayesXChangeJeff Jenkins | JapanThe enthusiastic work of Jeff Jenkins is one of the reasons Calvin and Kindall fell in love as students at Florida A&M University. The Camp Adventure program he ran on their campus brought them together in their shared love for international travel. In this episode of the HayesXChange, Jeff shares his journey about going from taking his first flight at the age of 20 to now having visited more than 40 countries around the world. Jeff is a travel blogger, influencer, and creator of Chubby Diaries, a travel company dedicated to sharing the experiences of travelers of all sizes. Follow...2020-06-1120 min
The HayesXChangeJavier Wallace | PanamaCalvin Hayes met Javier Wallace when he was a football player on an athletic scholarship at Florida A&M University. The son of a Panamanian father and a Black American mother, Javier acted on a longstanding desire to go overseas when he accepted a teaching position at an American school in Panama. Knowing no Spanish on arrival, Javier used his intellectual curiosity to improve his language skills and to embrace both sides of his cultural heritage. In this episode of the HayesXChange, Javier talks about identity and the privilege of holding an American passport in global spaces. Javier is...2020-06-1128 min
The HayesXChangeDallas Gibson | The NetherlandsIn this episode of the HayesXchange, you will meet fellow Florida A&M University alum, Dallas Gibson. Dallas used his craft as a yoga instructor to help fund his travel throughout Latin American and around the world. Dallas currently lives in Amsterdam where he is completing his master’s degree in Behavioral Economics.2020-06-1120 min
The HayesXChangeJianca Reid | ThailandAs an AmeriCorps volunteer in rural Georgia, Jia never thought she would be moving across the world to live in a village in Thailand. While working as a Peace Corps volunteer, Jia learned how to speak Thai like a local in the marketplaces and how to incorporate their customs into her daily routine. In this episode of the HayesXChange, Jia talks about being a woman of color in a South Asian country and how to put together a competitive Peace Corps application. She has used her experiences abroad to build community among and program activities for international students at...2020-06-1119 min