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M²GATE Blog

Welcome to the M²GATE blog, where students, mentors, administrators and instructors shared their perspectives on the virtual exchange program. M²GATE matched students from Michigan with peers in Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia to work together on social entrepreneurship challenges. Here you’ll learn about different aspects of the program, including lessons on entrepreneurship, technology and cross-cultural relationships.

 

 

  • M²GATE Was A Turning Point

    M²GATE Was A Turning Point

    Monday, March 11, 2019

    The M²GATE program brought together undergraduate students from Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia with their peers in Michigan to collaborate virtually on real-world learning projects and design social enterprises. In the process, students gained 21st century skills in leadership, teamwork, and cross-cultural communication, among others. Aseel Saad is one such…
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  • Social Enterprise: Empowering Cross-Cultural Teams

    Social Enterprise: Empowering Cross-Cultural Teams

    Tuesday, July 17, 2018

    It has been a pretty phenomenal summer. This past year I have been exposed to people of various backgrounds and experiences, many of whom were involved in entrepreneurship. They all shared different insights, but one common theme emerged: there is not one path to entrepreneurship. We are all different and…
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  • A Pitch for Social Change

    A Pitch for Social Change

    Wednesday, July 11, 2018

    The M2GATE program is a virtual exchange centered on social entrepreneurship. Participants gain knowledge, skills, and abilities by working on a cross-cultural team. The capstone of each team’s work is a virtual pitch video. A pitch video is a presentation to potential investors to garner support for a business idea.…
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  • Borders Divided Us; M²GATE United Us

    Borders Divided Us; M²GATE United Us

    Thursday, June 28, 2018

    M²GATE: the MENA-Michigan Initiative for Global Action Through Entrepreneurship is a a virtual exchange program between the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and the United States. Students are put in small teams to come up with an innovative solution to a problem faced by the region. We, The…
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  • Exchanges Develop Lasting Networks & Change Lives

    Exchanges Develop Lasting Networks & Change Lives

    Monday, June 4, 2018

    For nearly 15 years, I managed in-person educational and professional development exchange programs at the University of Michigan. These programs were funded by the US Department of State or the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The opportunity to experience another country — including its educational environment, business culture and…
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  • The M²GATE Adventure Continues

    The M²GATE Adventure Continues

    Monday, April 30, 2018

    When I was accepted to the M²GATE Program, I was extremely happy. I was sure that it would be a life-changing experience. Six years ago, after I graduated high school, I had no idea what careers appealed to me. I enrolled in a variety of courses across departments. I learned…
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  • M²GATE Students Reflect on Experience

    M²GATE Students Reflect on Experience

    Monday, March 19, 2018

    “I’ve never worked with people from so far away. M²GATE gave me the opportunity to work with people from another culture.  I enjoyed it a lot,” said Ryan Berg, a freshman at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan at the final session of Cohort 1 of…
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  • Guardians of the Gate and M²GATE

    Guardians of the Gate and M²GATE

    Friday, March 16, 2018

    Did you know there’s a country where Internet service sector contributes as much to the GDP as its other key services ― including health, ed­ucation and energy related services? This country’s growth rate is nearly twice that of Europe, largely driven by its progression in private and corporate-backed entrepreneurship. What…
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  • Education as the Social Issue

    Education as the Social Issue

    Wednesday, March 7, 2018

    I was struck that so many M²GATE cross-cultural teams chose education as their social challenge. But, really, why not? Strong education is the foundation of vital societies and their globally competitive economies. I was also impressed by the division of time — quoted earlier in this blog by Amy Gillett —…
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  • A Meaningful Issue Worth Taking On

    A Meaningful Issue Worth Taking On

    Tuesday, February 27, 2018

    I’m in the M²GATE program, on the Alters team. I’m a 23 year old studying human resource management at the University of Cadi Ayyad in Marrakech, Morocco. I’m in my fifth and final year and can’t wait to start working in the field I like the most. As soon as…
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