On October 20^th, forty students from Northeastern University went to Elaiorema Park to weed and plant flowers and other florae under the supervision and instruction of agriculturists and gardeners.  Student Kyle Curtis described the experience as “an opportunity to volunteer your time in order to give back and show appreciation to our host city Thessaloniki".  When asked to describe the service-learning experience in one word or sentence, students said “rewarding”, “working for others”, and in a more humorous sense “mosquitos”! 

Despite the mosquitos, students dressed in thick pants, windbreakers, and boots hunched over small but steep hills to dig holes for what they learned to be Aphrodite, Lavender plants, to discourage pests, and other florae to aid with erosion.  Student Sarah Lam said that it was rewarding to see the results of her work so immediately.  She said that as she moved on to another plant, she could see the rows of her progress that looked so ascetically pleasing.  Student Porter Warrick-Hess would not stop working until every bit of work was complete stating that this service reminded her of some previous volunteering she did on a farm.                

On October 17^th, over thirty-five students from Northeastern University participated in the A21 Walk for Freedom, a global event bringing awareness to human trafficking with a site right here in Thessaloniki.  Students and locals walked slowly in a straight line for a mile, wearing black shirts with the A21 logo with tape over their mouths to symbolize the many voices of slaves that are not heard.  Some students held signs stating phrases like “#WalkForFreedom”.  Other students walked alongside or across the street from the line of and handed out flyers that stated alarming statistics about human trafficking.

Students said that the experience was “really rewarding”, “well organized”, “fun”, and “cool to be a part of something that’s a lot bigger”.  One student, Johnny Manousaridis even stated the walk “was probably the most powerful thing [he had] ever done.  Just to see so many people at the White Tower and see so many people caring for this one cause was truly inspirational and moving”.

Student Ie Jin Choi said “I feel like I am a part of this Greek society and I’d like to do this campaign again”.  Not only was the walk moving for students but awakening.  Student Pat Apiwonopas commented that “it felt really cool when I got the chance to spread awareness because the Human Trafficking Market is the third largest market in the world and not a lot of people know about it”, while student Skyler Nasrallah remarked “I didn’t realize there were that many people that were a victim of human trafficking.  People don’t realize that there is modern day slavery.” 

Even though this event was so important, students observed different reactions from the locals. One student said she was surprised by the honking cars growing impatient with police who barricaded the streets while A21walkers marched on.  Yet another student, Alex Clarke, encountered many people who wanted flyers and asked questions, showing that they were genuinely interested in the movement.  Overall, students gained a positive experience accommodated by a large group of people willing to support this cause.  Students were able to walk away learning that slavery is not an old tragedy but a current issue toxic to the whole world.  They felt rewarded to be part of something so “big” and “powerful”.

Two cooperative agreements have been signed, between the American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) and St. Thomas University (STU), in Miami, Florida. The agreements provide the framework for student curricular opportunities at both institutions, student and faculty exchanges, and tuition discounts.

More specifically based on these agreements, students from both institutions may spend two years at ACT and another two years at STU, in order to fulfill the curricular requirements for: a BA degree in Political Science with a Minor in International Relations, a BBA degree in Tourism and Hospitality, or a BBA degree in Sports Administration. Additionally, ACT graduates will be subject to preferential admissions criteria and tuition rates at STU’s LL.M. program in Intercultural Human Rights, a Master of Laws degree offered by STU’s Law School.

St. Thomas University is a private institution in the Miami Gardens, Florida, renowned for leadership development in justice, science, business and ministry. For more information on the BA and the LL.M.  programs, please contact Dr. Maria Kyriakidou (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). For the BBA programs you may contact Dr. Nikolas Hourvouliades (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Δωρεάν εντατικό τριήμερο επιχειρηματικότητας διοργανώνει στην Καβάλα το VentureGarden, το πρόγραμμα  εκπαίδευσης και υποστήριξης νέων επιχειρηματιών που υλοποιείται από το Anatolia School of Business του ACT (American College of Thessaloniki) στη Θεσσαλονίκη και το ALBA Graduate Business School at the American College of Greece στην Αθήνα, με την υποστήριξη της Ελληνικής Πρωτοβουλίας (The Hellenic Initiative-THI). Η εκδήλωση του  GreenHouse φιλοξενείται από το Επιμελητήριο Καβάλας.

Ο σκοπός του GreenHouse, ως «θερμοκηπίου ιδεών», είναι να εξοικειώσει τους συμμετέχοντες με την επιχειρηματική σκέψη και δράση, να τους ενθαρρύνει να αναπτύξουν τις ιδέες τους, και να προσφέρει χρήσιμα εργαλεία στα πρώτα τους επιχειρηματικά βήματα. Κατά τη διάρκεια του τριημέρου η κάθε ιδέα θα εξεταστεί σε βάθος και θα ετοιμαστεί μία τελική παρουσίαση (pitch). Οι συμμετέχοντες με τις καλύτερες ιδέες θα μπορούν να παρακολουθήσουν εξ αποστάσεως (distance learning) το ολοκληρωμένο εκπαιδευτικό πρόγραμμα του VentureGarden.

Η ομάδα του VentureGarden θα μεταφέρει πολύτιμες γνώσεις και εμπειρίες από το έργο που έχει κάνει σε περισσότερες από 140 επιχειρηματικές ιδέες σε Αθήνα και Θεσσαλονίκη. Παράλληλα, επιχειρηματίες θα μοιραστούν με τους συμμετέχοντες τη δική τους οπτική.

Το τριήμερο απευθύνεται σε όσους επιθυμούν να καλλιεργήσουν την επιχειρηματική τους ιδέα και σε εκείνους που ενδιαφέρονται για την επιχειρηματικότητα. Η συμμετοχή μπορεί να είναι είτε ατομική είτε ομαδική. Στο GreenHouse και το VentureGarden συμμετέχουν επιχειρηματίες κάθε ηλικίας με ιδέες από ολόκληρο το φάσμα της οικονομικής δραστηριότητας.

Ο αριθμός των συμμετεχόντων είναι περιορισμένος και για αυτό θα ισχύσει σειρά προτεραιότητας. Η συμμετοχή ομάδας προϋποθέτει ότι κάθε μέλος της θα υποβάλλει ξεχωριστά δήλωση συμμετοχής.

Οι δηλώσεις συμμετοχής υποβάλλονται online στο link www.venturegarden.gr/el/greenhouse και θα γίνονται δεκτές μέχρι 11/11/2015.

Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες μπορείτε να απευθυνθείτε στο τηλ. 2310 398 347 (10π.μ. – 4μ.μ.)

Mediation is a powerful and innovative tool that can be applied across a huge range of dispute and conflict situations.  ACT, in collaboration with ADRg Greece and the Thessaloniki Mediation Institute, co-organized the 2nd International Mediation Conference. The event, hosted at the ACT campus, posed an invaluable networking and learning opportunity for newly trained mediators and featured speeches from renowned professionals such as the President of the Thessaloniki Bar Association Nikos Valergakis, the Director of the School of International Arbitration Prof. Loukas Mistelis,  the Chairman of the National Mediators’ Accreditation Committee Dr. Lampros Kotsiris, and the President of Anatolia College, Dr. Panos Vlachos. During the event the First PanHellenic Mediation Competition was held. A truly historical moment for Greece and ACT.

On September the 4th, the American College of Thessaloniki hosted its Open Day for all those students interested in pursuing a high quality university education. Participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the facilities of the College and to witness the presentation of ACT’s undergraduate and postgraduate programs delivered by members of its faculty. On the occasion of ACT’s Open Day to the public, all attendees were treated to an American barbecue and live music for their own pleasure.

The Open Day marked a unique opportunity offered to the Greek public by Anatolia College, that of acquiring a degree in an educational environment that links the United States with Europe and Greece and provides plenty of opportunities for collaboration between them. If there is one thing perspective students should take away from their visit to ACT, that is the importance of holding a degree recognized both home and abroad by the best institutions in the US and Europe.