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Ayse Narci

November 29th, 2023
in International Resident Profile

Your Name: Ayse Narci

Home Country: Turkey (Turkiye)

Year you arrived in Tuscaloosa: 2005

What languages do you speak: English and Turkish

What is your profession: I am currently working at MBUSI (Mercedes-Benz) as a data analyst and am also an entrepreneur.

What brought you to Tuscaloosa? Pursuit of a Master’s degree. I earned a Master’s degree in Transportation Engineering, under the area of Civil Engineering, in 2009, and another in Operations Management in 2019, both from The University of Alabama.

What was your first impression of Tuscaloosa? It is a small, cute, safe, and green place that doesn’t have big city chaos.

What were the hardest parts of adjusting to living here? Transportation was the hardest part to adjust. There is no public transportation that I used to use it my whole life. I had to buy and learn to drive a car.

What were some things you liked best when you arrived? People are amicable. They like to talk, and help. Especially, UA had many activities for students to gather, and I had several friends immediately.

What are some things you have come to like about Tuscaloosa over time? After growing a family, I love that it is a safe place and easy to drive around to access the kids’ activities.

What can Tuscaloosa do to make this community better for international residents? Housing is a big problem for the new residents. It is hard to find places available for shorter terms. Providing more options for rental housing would be great. Also, giving a city tour would be great.

What statement would you like to share with other people who have recently come to Tuscaloosa or with people in the Tuscaloosa community at large? Tuscaloosa is a safe and cheap city where they will have opportunity to do their postponed dreams. The friendships they have here will last forever. I would suggest trying to talk and know as many people as they can without hesitation. Don’t be shy.

Makafu Akpene Gonyoe

November 13th, 2023
in International Resident Profile

Your Name: Makafu Akpene Gonyoe

Home Country: Ghana

Year you arrived in Tuscaloosa: 2022

What languages do you speak: Fluent English, French, Ewe, Asante Twi, and Ga

What brought you to Tuscaloosa? I came to Tuscaloosa to pursue a PhD in Communication and Information Sciences.

What was your first impression of Tuscaloosa? My very first impression of Tuscaloosa was the serene environment and how less populated it is compared to where I lived in Ghana.

What were the hardest parts of adjusting to living here? The hardest part of adjusting to living here has been about food. Having to always improvise my local delicacies because I cannot get the exact ingredients here in Tuscaloosa to buy.

What were some things you liked best when you arrived? I loved the apartment complexes, the building infrastructure. The warm reception of some community members who could tell from the look on your face that you are new was very soothing.

What are some things you have come to like about Tuscaloosa over time? Over time, I have come to love the weather in Tuscaloosa, although it gets too hot sometimes. Also, I feel safe living in Tuscaloosa.

What can Tuscaloosa do to make this community better for international residents? We need an African market here in Tuscaloosa. Driving all the way to Birmingham just to find what you need can be disheartening sometimes. The African population keeps increasing by day and running such a business will be very lucrative.

What statement would you like to share with other people who have recently come to Tuscaloosa, or with people in the Tuscaloosa community at large? It is safe living in Tuscaloosa. The community is not densely populated, no need to worry about what other people will think of you. Just be disciplined and obey the rules, and you will enjoy your stay.

Kefentse Princess Kubanga

November 6th, 2023
in International Resident Profile

Your Name: Kefentse Princess Kubanga

Home Country: Botswana

Year You Arrived in Tuscaloosa: August 2019

What brought you to Tuscaloosa? I came here to do my PhD in Social Work.

What was your first impression of Tuscaloosa? Since it was my first time in the U.S., and Tuscaloosa being my first town, I thought it was not the same as the cities I usually saw in American movies. It was smaller!

What were the hardest parts of adjusting to living here? The cultural experience was so different — the individualistic culture was quite an adjustment. I could not speak to my neighbors. The hot and humid weather, which eventually changed to very cold, was difficult in the beginning. Life without a car or public transport was the hardest. I had to depend on friends to take me grocery shopping, or any place where I needed to access services because I could not afford to pay for Uber every time.

What were some things you liked best when you arrived? People were nice and friendly. The churches and families come together to help international students to settle by giving them furniture, bedding, cutlery and other things to ease their transition into the U.S. life away from home. The campus was breathtakingly green, well-kept, and beautiful. The restaurants were a walking distance from campus — a few are actually on campus. I liked the river walk where I could go and take in the beauty of nature while I exercised.

What are some things you have come to like about Tuscaloosa over time? It’s a very quiet town, has very affordable accommodations as compared to other cities. It is safe and secure, and friendly to international residents. I can sleep at night without worrying about people breaking into my house. It is a cultural hub of different countries and rich in diversity, which is a great place to learn about other world cultures. The football culture is a marvel to watch as the home games events transform the city and contribute to the economy of the city.

What can Tuscaloosa do to make this community better for international residents? Have restaurants that sell African food because we have to travel to Birmingham and Atlanta to access our cuisines.

What statement would you like to share with other people who have recently come to Tuscaloosa, or with people in the Tuscaloosa community at large? Be involved and find community. Taking part in community activities helps to enrich your learning as well as your overall experience whilst here. Find opportunities to share your rich culture with the world.

HomeFirst Hosts Greene County Coaches’ Retreat

September 9th, 2022
in News

Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

At The University of Alabama, one need look no further than the Paul W. Bryant Museum to see how coaching builds success, so it was only appropriate that the HomeFirst Greene County Coaches’ Retreat end with a tour of the museum on Friday, July 22.

Held at the Capstone Hotel in Tuscaloosa July 21–22, the HomeFirst Greene County Coaches’ Retreat provided an overview of HomeFirst and opportunities for volunteers to practice their coaching skills and learn how to build rapport with participants. The sessions included mock interviews, coaching activities, presentations and panel discussions designed to help coaches build rapport with future homeowners. At the end of the retreat, volunteers learned how they can extend UA’s coaching legacy as financial coaches who support and assist individuals’ and families’ goals of homeownership.

Housed in UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP), HomeFirst is a financial wellness initiative that serves individuals and families on their path toward first-time homeownership or foreclosure prevention.

“I believe that homeownership is the capstone of the American dream, and as such it’s only appropriate that [HomeFirst] be located here at the Capstone of education in the state of Alabama,” said Dr. Jim McLean, associate vice president for Community Affairs and executive director of CCBP, before Friday’s luncheon. “But we really appreciate your participation and the leadership that you’re showing in this program. I was telling someone earlier I wish I would have had a coach to help me through the first time [that I bought a house].”

Melissa Knox, a former participant in HomeFirst, described the importance of coach-participant relationships in helping first-time homebuyers.

“I can’t say enough about the program,” Knox said. “We didn’t have a clue, and the process that they took us through made it so much easier and so much smoother for us. I can’t thank the HomeFirst program enough, and the coaching is the key.”

Josie Cox, student retention coordinator at Shelton State Community College, shared the importance of HomeFirst coaches in overcoming challenges facing rural communities, such as Greene County, during Friday’s luncheon.

“There are limited resources and barriers that rural communities face,” Cox said. “I think that what you’re doing here by giving people an avenue to homeownership and giving them that opportunity to advance and get equity and also building that capital and also being able to pass that down for generations to come is definitely a step in the right direction as far as building family wealth.”

Marie Butler, program coordinator for HomeFirst in Greene County, works with the coaches in Greene County and highlighted the goal of the partnership.

“Ms. [Anita] Lewis is from Greene County, and she brought her concerns that there wasn’t a housing program in the area that would provide housing finance awareness, so people in Greene County could afford safe and decent housing,” Butler said. “This program will allow the residents of Greene County to be able to have a home in Greene County. I know she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“Living in Eutaw all my life, I realized that the housing situation was something that needed to be worked on. … Since 2005, that’s what I’ve been working on, trying to get more housing into Greene County,” said Anita Lewis, executive director at the Housing Authority of Greene County. “I think what’s going to happen from this retreat [is] it makes us thirsty for more, and I think it’s going to make the volunteer coaches more engaged.”

UA HomeFirst Coaches’ Retreat Supports Students, Volunteers

August 30th, 2022
in HomeFirst, News

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

Volunteers participating in The University of Alabama’s HomeFirst Coaches’ Retreat from Aug. 25–26 at Capital Hall learned interpersonal skills are just as important as financial literacy when guiding future homeowners.

Housed in UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships, HomeFirst is a financial wellness initiative that serves individuals and families on their path toward first-time homeownership or foreclosure prevention. The retreat trained volunteer coaches to work with HomeFirst participants with presentations on financial literacy and establishing interpersonal skills with potential homeowners. The coaching participants put their skills to the test with activities on role-playing and active listening.

“I’m a social worker, social work student in the grad program, so [HomeFirst] kind of falls in line with what I plan to do,” said Ayana Hendricks-Boyland, a graduate research assistant for Dr. Nicole Prewitt, director of Programs and Partnerships for Community Engagement. “I love that we are able to educate the community about finances.”

“I did the peer financial coaching here [at UA], so I’ve done a similar thing before, and it’s nice to get that opportunity again,” said Kassia Jezak, a senior dual major in financial planning and marketing at UA. “You’re not above them at all or bossing them around. It’s a very equal relationship.”

The retreat also highlighted a new partnership between HomeFirst and the UA College of Human Environmental Sciences (CHES). Dr. Kyoung Tae Kim, associate professor and graduate program coordinator for the Department of Consumer Sciences, said the partnership began in the summer of 2022. A goal of the collaboration is to send UA students in CHES and consumer sciences to HomeFirst coaching opportunities for more practical experience in financial planning.

“I bought my house this summer, but if I knew about this program before I purchased it, I would be participating as a participant,” Kim said. “Even though I’m a financial planning professor who teaches insurance, taxes and so many financial planning things, purchasing a home in reality is a little bit different … so I’m so glad to see that this program is ready to help faculty, staff and students, and I’m so proud of being here as a small partner.”

The partnership between CHES and HomeFirst has already gaged student interest. After hearing James Renshaw, program coordinator for Programs and Partnerships for Community Engagement, speak to their class in personal asset management, Faith Frost and Sophie Stallings, both seniors majoring in finance, decided to volunteer as HomeFirst coaches.

“I like that you don’t feel like you’re a professional, kind of like you’re learning along with them,” Frost said.

“I like how supportive and welcoming all the staff has been,” Stallings added. “They’ve made it a really easy introduction.”

While most participants were UA students, faculty and staff, members from outside the UA community also attended the retreat in efforts to become HomeFirst coaches in other areas

“I like that the retreat focuses on how to be a coach more so than just learning information,” said Toya Carter, media specialist at Shelton State Community College.

Tuscaloosa’s Habitat for Humanity Dedicates New Home for HomeFirst Family

August 18th, 2022
in HomeFirst

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

For many adults, homeownership may seem more like a dream than a reality, but HomeFirst helps participants take steps to achieve homeownership through financial planning. For HomeFirst participant Kanika Cotton, that dream became a reality when she and her family moved into their new Habitat for Humanity home on Thursday, Aug. 11.

Cotton’s home was funded by Nick’s Kids Foundation, the official charity of Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban and his wife, Terry Saban.

“Mrs. Saban wanted to keep it a surprise,” said Cotton. “I think it was in March when Susan Kasteler [Homeowner Services Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity Tuscaloosa] told me who was sponsoring me, and I was just excited because I work for UA and I’m a big Alabama fan, so it was like a two-in-one win.”

Cotton’s journey to homeownership began in February 2022 with her participation in HomeFirst. Housed in The University of Alabama’s (UA) Center for Community-Based Partnerships, HomeFirst is a financial wellness initiative that serves individuals and families on their path toward first-time homeownership or foreclosure prevention.

“What I like about HomeFirst is that it actually helped me budget better, and it helped me save, too,” said Cotton. “[HomeFirst] got me prepared for being a homeowner and knowing what to expect.”

Justin Washington, a volunteer coach with HomeFirst and instructor in the Department of Management at UA, has been helping Cotton meet her financial goals with UA HomeFirst and was at the dedication ceremony for Cotton’s new home.

“As much as I’m coaching Kanika, it also challenges me to stay sharp on my financial well-being, so when we’re working through the modules, it allows me to reflect on how I’m doing in certain areas as well,” said Washington. “We’re taking this journey together.”

Cotton finished the program in the summer, just in time to move into her new home.

Retreat Prepares Volunteers in UAB-AmeriCorps VISTA to be HomeFirst Coaches

August 10th, 2022
in HomeFirst

by Dr. Elisabetta Zengaro
Communications Specialist, Division of Community Affairs

Held at The Westin Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama, Aug. 4–5, the HomeFirst University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Coaches’ Retreat offered volunteer coaches in the UAB-AmeriCorps VISTA Statewide Program insight into the barriers to homeownership and tips for supporting participants on their path to homeownership.

Housed in The University of Alabama’s (UA) Center for Community-Based Partnerships, HomeFirst is a financial wellness initiative that serves individuals and families on their path toward first-time homeownership or foreclosure prevention. The retreat marks the expansion of HomeFirst into the Birmingham area as UAB looks to replicate the program.

Beginning in 2021, HomeFirst sought to partner with UAB to serve high-needs rural communities. By partnering with UA HomeFirst, UAB will offer the program across the Alabama Black Belt. UAB plans to serve 25 participants in these counties, with the majority to be served coming from rural areas.

“I got involved with HomeFirst after meeting with a community partner and Dr. [Nicole] Prewitt. I also spoke with Dean [Eric] Jack about the HomeFirst program,” said Dr. Stephanie Yates, professor of finance and director of the Regions Institute for Financial Education at UAB.

After brief introductions, the retreat began with an overview of the HomeFirst program on Thursday, Aug. 4.

“I look forward to pairing HomeFirst and financial wellness with health and wellness [because] their work focuses on reducing poverty throughout Alabama,” added Dr. Amy Hutson Chatham, assistant dean of undergraduate education at UAB and director of the UAB-AmeriCorps VISTA Statewide Program.

The first day concluded with an active listening activity and scavenger hunt trivia activity based on the coaching modules and resources. During Friday’s luncheon, participants learned tips to facilitate disclosure and trust during the coaching relationship panel.

“What I am learning most from this retreat is how to market yourself in the financial world,” said Kristi Dunning, an AmeriCorp Vista from Wilcox County.

Volunteers put their new skills into action during a mock coaching session, a role-playing exercise allowing coaches to place themselves in their participants’ shoes.

“I really enjoyed meeting the participants,” said Cheryl Sanders, program manager for UAB Regions Institute for Financial Education. “[The] participants really wanted to create a better situation for their children.”

The coaches’ retreat concluded with a tour of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Museum, one of the largest sports halls of fame in the nation.

University of Alabama’s HomeFirst Program Receives USDA Grant

October 22nd, 2021
in HomeFirst, News

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By Diane Kennedy-Jackson
Publications Coordinator, Division of Community Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuscaloosa, Ala. — Nivory Gordon Jr., Alabama State Director for USDA Rural Development, announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest $193,394 in grants to assist The University of Alabama (UA) in providing financial wellness training to prospective first-time homebuyers in rural west Alabama through the University’s HomeFirst program.

HomeFirst is a financial wellness initiative that serves low- to moderate-income individuals and families throughout Greene, Hale and Tuscaloosa Counties on their path toward first-time homeownership or foreclosure prevention. The program, which is powered by the UA Division of Community Affairs’ Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP), is offered at no cost to qualifying participants.

The USDA grant, announced at a luncheon in Eutaw, is made through the Rural Community Development Initiative Grant program. This funding will allow HomeFirst the opportunity to expand on its existing work in Greene County through an ongoing partnership with the Housing Authority of Greene County, directed by Anita Lewis.

“I am honored to be here, and I am happy to see all of the stakeholders and partners here in this facility today,” said Gordon, who went on to note the critical role UA students will play in this initiative. “I am excited about you having students from The University of Alabama coming in and working with our community,” he said. “Homeownership in Alabama’s rural communities is crucial to the continued growth and development of rural Alabama,” said Gordon. “Through investments like the one made here today, we can help rural individuals and families purchase a home, maintain a home, and thrive in rural Alabama.”

Since 2019, Dr. Nicole Prewitt, CCBP’s director of Programs and Partnerships for Community Engagement, has directed UA’s HomeFirst program. A key element of the program is that participants receive one-on-one financial coaching from UA students trained to provide assistance in core areas of housing and financial capability, including savings, money management, credit building, debt reduction and homebuyer education. While some participants go on to become homebuyers shortly after completion of the program, others utilize what they have learned to take additional time to plan for that process and still others decide that the responsibilities of homeownership are not for them at this time. Regardless of their respective choices, participants overwhelmingly state improved financial capabilities, which are crucial to long-term stability and expanding the pool of eligible homeowners.

This partnership among the University, its students, the Housing Authority of Greene County and the rural residents of Greene County is representative of the campus/community partnerships common to CCBP. The 9,045 rural residents of Greene County stand to benefit, as do the UA students who participate as financial coaches through this initiative that advances the institutional mission of excellence in teaching, research and service.

About CCBP: CCBP is an initiative of UA’s Division of Community Affairs. Its initiatives support the University’s teaching, research and service mission and it serves as one of the campus’ main engines in the support of the University’s efforts to be an engaged institution. As defined by the Kellogg Commission: An engaged institution is responsive to the needs of today’s students and tomorrow’s. It enriches the student experience by bringing research into the curriculum and offering practical experience in the world they will enter. It forms partnerships of faculty, students and communities to put knowledge and skills to work on today’s most critical problems. — From Returning to Our Roots: The Engaged Institution, Kellogg Commission Report, 1999). Learn more at http://ccbp.ua.edu

About RCDI: The Rural Community Development Initiative Grant program provides funding to help non-profit housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities and federally recognized tribes support housing, community facilities and community and economic development projects in rural areas. This program serves eligible rural areas with populations of 50,000 or less.

HomeFirst Team to Present at 2021 ITGA Conference

May 17th, 2021
in HomeFirst

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By Diane Kennedy-Jackson
Publications Coordinator, Division of Community Affairs

Tuscaloosa, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s HomeFirst team has been invited to present at the International Town & Gown Association’s (ITGA) 2021 virtual conference, which will be hosted May 24–26 by Marquette University. The three-day conference will consist of 60 sessions on three tracks, which are focused on the theme “Innovating for Tomorrow, Together.”

HomeFirst is a financial wellness initiative that serves Greene, Hale and Tuscaloosa County individuals and families on their path toward first-time homeownership or foreclosure prevention. The initiative is powered by UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP), whose mission is to connect faculty, staff, students and community partners in research-based projects designed to solve critical problems identified collaboratively by community members and the University.

Presenting will be Dr. Nicole Prewitt, director of Programs and Partnerships for Community Engagement at CCBP and an ITGA Board member; CCBP Program Coordinator Susan Kasteler; Kevin Giff, community development manager for Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, N.C.; and Lydia Stanley, CCBP graduate research assistant.

Their presentation is titled, “Can Service-Learning Programs at Anchor Institutions Contribute to Increasing Homebuyer Readiness through Financial Capability?” The team will introduce conference attendees to the HomeFirst program and the importance of homeownership as the primary wealth-building tool for American families. Additionally, they will discuss the anchor institution concept and the role of higher education as anchor institutions in their communities, program results, learning outcomes, sustainable replication and more. Their presentation is scheduled to begin at noon on Tuesday, May 25.

“In a relatively short time, the HomeFirst initiative has had a tremendous impact on program participants, as well as on the student coaches who work with them,” said Dr. Samory T. Pruitt, vice president for Community Affairs. “This initiative speaks directly to the Division’s values, which include improving the quality of life in communities. HomeFirst is accomplishing this one cohort at a time.”

ITGA members from across the United States, England and Canada will participate in the conference. For a complete listing of sessions, abstracts and speakers, visit https://www.itga.org/Conference/2021.

About ITGA: The International Town & Gown Association (ITGA), based at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, is the premier resource for addressing challenges, emerging issues and opportunities between and among institutions of higher education and the communities in which they reside. Founded in 2008, ITGA has a membership that includes colleges and universities, municipalities, businesses and strategic partners. Learn more at itga.org.

UA Students Win Fulbright Awards

May 12th, 2021
in Fulbright

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Author: admin

Author: admin