New York, NY – Whether they are trading stars in a cold night sky for the warmth of Times Square, taking a plane for the first time, or falling in love with the city that never sleeps, NYIT's international students have compelling stories.

Nearly thirty international students wrote about their experiences in a new country for the NYIT Office of International Education's "No Ordinary Journey" essay contest. The competition, which concluding during International Education Week, is part of an annual effort to encourage the students to find their voices at NYIT—while juggling the changes necessary for life in New York.

"Your courage never ceases to amaze me," said Director of International Education Barbara Multari at the celebratory luncheon in honor of the participants and contest judges. "I'm blown away by it because it's not just a small step you're taking, it's a giant leap when you leave everything you know to come here."

After the announcement of the contest's three winners, Greece's Iro Pantazi (1^st), Nepal's Pravas Onta (2^nd) and India's Mansi Bawaria (3^rd), the students shared excerpts from their essays in front of their peers.

"No matter what your origins are, you are welcome here," read Pantazi, a graduate student in the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. "There are no religions, no colors, no weaknesses—once in New York, you are a citizen of the world."

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About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, 89,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

Nikita Japra
Global Communications Manager
516.686.3761