ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: What is TSA Global? When was it founded?
TSA GLOBAL: TSA Global is the Turkish Student Association, currently active in the United States and Canada, and soon to be worldwide, serving as a unifying body for Turkish students worldwide. Our association was founded in November 2023.
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: What is the founding purpose of TSA Global?
TSA GLOBAL: The purpose of TSA Global is to meet the needs of Turkish students abroad and to empower them. Our mission includes helping Turkish individuals fully utilize their potential and support their professional development, while our vision aims to advance these individuals within a global network and promote Turkish culture worldwide.
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: How many schools are members of TSA Global?
TSA GLOBAL: TSA Global currently has 42 member schools across North America.
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: What are your goals?
TSA GLOBAL: Our goals include providing scholarships to Turkish students, fundraising for those in need, and offering internship and job opportunities. Our organization aims to create positive change through education, culture, and social experiences, based on the principles and values of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
From left; Aral Tolan-Efe Yılmaz-Ata Tutuncubası-Cihan Kepenek-Mert Erden-Tugay Şen (Ny Deputy Consul General)-Erk Mete-Kadir Oguz Turkan-Mehmet Bora Gundogan-Ataberk Yanut-Ata Demir Yılmaz-Yigit Cimen-Kayra Oguz-Ece Karavelioglu- Ceyla Cankırı-Zeynep Celiktas-Sedef Ozcan-Misal Kelleci-Sibel Sude Baskaya-Doruk Gundem-Efe Poroy-Bahar Sahhuseyinoglu-Sevinc Unvermis
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: Who are the young students in the management organization? Can we get brief information?
TSA GLOBAL: Our board includes 21 people, along with 9 interns. Led by our president Ata Tutuncubası, and our vice presidents Kadir Oguz Turkan and Mert Erden, we have board members and interns from 14 different schools across America and Canada. Let’s look at the stories of two of our board members.
Hello,
I am Ataberk Ates. Born in Denizli in 2004, I lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, due to my family’s business until 2013, when we moved to Bursa due to a job offer for my family. After attending Ted Bursa College from 4th to 10th grade, I returned to my hometown Denizli in 2021 and completed the last two years of high school at Denizli Istek College. In August 2023, I came to Miami to attend Florida International University, where I am currently a freshman and an intern in the TSA Global PR team. I also serve as the president of the FIU TSA at my school. I started working with the TSA Global team in January.
Another board member, Mehmet Bora Gundogan, was born in Kadıkoy in 2002, lived in Canakkale until 2019, then moved to Tempe, Arizona. He is currently studying Business Management at Arizona State University and has just completed his third year. He has been managing the Turkish Student Association at his school for three years and co-founded TSA Global this year, currently serving as the Head of Public Relations. He also shared that he will intern as an area manager at Amazon in Dallas this summer.
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: Can we get brief information about being a student in America?
TSA GLOBAL: As a student in America, besides being a student, I would like to mention being a Turkish student in America. While there are benefits to learning about different cultures and adding something new to oneself every day through meeting different people, most Turkish students here face many challenges. These range from homesickness and feeling isolated from Turkish culture to difficulties in finding internships and jobs due to visa issues. This is where TSA Global steps in.
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: Who is attending the “Career Meeting” at the NY Turkish House?
TSA GLOBAL: At our career fair in New York Turkevi Center, about 300 students, and 100 businesspersons attended. Just before our fair, we hosted three esteemed speakers in our speaker program: Alp Ozaman, the regional marketing manager of Turkish Airlines in New York, Serhan Altıntas, and CMO/Launch Excellence Lead at Pfizer, and Meryem Goksu Kaya, director of Nature’s Wild Organics. Additionally, companies like Mavi, Barsan Global Logistics, Lazzoni, and Egea Foods, among 11 companies, set up booths.
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: Your programs are very successful; can you tell us a little about their achievements?
TSA GLOBAL: Of course! We offer comprehensive programs aimed at students and graduates at TSA Global.
Through our Career Fairs, we connect students with businessmen/businesswomen, professors, and artists from America, Canada, and Turkey, providing networking and internship opportunities.
Our Scholarship Programs will distribute scholarships to valuable Turkish students with the support of companies and donors, contributing to their academic careers.
Our Mentoring Program enables experienced academics and alumni to connect with students who need mentoring, supporting their professional development.
In our Speaker Programs, we engage distinguished Turkish businesspersons, and academics to organize educational seminars, talks, and events in cities with high student populations.
Our Workshops operationalize the knowledge of Turkish officials through events we organize.
These programs allow our students and young professionals to develop both culturally and professionally and to be part of a global network.
ARTTMODERNMIAMI NEWS: Can we get information about your upcoming events?
TSA GLOBAL: Our next event will be our end-of-year party on May 3, creating an environment in Miami where students can relieve their academic stress with other Turks, Turkish music, and food. As the next academic term begins, we will continue full steam ahead with career fairs and speaker programs in places like California, Florida, Toronto, New York, and Massachusetts.
TSA Global (@turkishstudentsassociation) • Instagram photos and videos
