April 6th was a day full of excitement, energy and enthusiasm. 75 Jordanian YES alumni got together for the first time in several years for a Ramadan iftar. This was a great opportunity for recent alumni to meet with older alumni in a night full of games, laughter, and a sense of family and community. Three representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Jordan also attended the event: Calvin Hayes, Public Diplomacy Officer, Rawan Mloukhieh, Public Engagement Specialist, and Diala Jarrar, Alumni Coordinator.  

The alumni played games, shared their YES experience, and reflected on how the YES program has shaped their lives. There were a wide range of cohorts represented, ranging from the 2005-2006 cohort all the way up to the most recent 2021-2022 cohort. Galvin Turner, a current YES Abroad participant, facilitated a question-and-answer game about the history of YES in Jordan. It included questions about the gender distribution of YES alumni in Jordan, which was the largest Jordanian YES cohort, what state has hosted the most Jordanians and so forth. The winners went home with a YES branded coffee tumbler. The Embassy officials also participated in the game, as well as socializing with the alumni.  

The alumni also viewed a slideshow filled with pictures of alumni events and projects from the past several years. It was a great highlight of all of the amazing work that alumni do and the impact they have on their community! Projects highlighted included community service projects, medical missions, projects with camps and orphanages, professional development projects, and so much more. They also discussed the campaign to update the alumni database for the YES 20th anniversary.  

Overall, the reunion was an engaging way for the YES alumni in Jordan to reconnect and get to know each other. For many more recent alumni, this was their first in-person alumni activity. Meeting with older alumni encouraged them to get involved and learn from the older alumni’s experiences. Each of the alumni went home with a bag of YES swag, as well. They were all excited to wear the swag to work and school to show off their YES pride! 

Hiba Al-Sheyab ’15 said, “Being a YES alum means being a part of a family that allows you to grow together and make an impact. With life moving forward and getting busy, it’s always great to reconnect and network with fellow alumni. This year’s iftar was a great opportunity for us to network, catch up, and meet many alumni from different cohorts and gave us a chance to reflect on where life took us after we got back from the program. Also, the iftar was a great opportunity for us to exchange opportunities and ideas as well as have fun with interesting trivia games.” 

Hiba Al-Sheyab (YES 2014-2015, Jordan, placed by ASSE in Mead, CO)