BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Participant Spotlight: Elijah O. of Nigeria
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Get to know the participants who are transforming their lives through the CIEE BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program, and discover the experiences that have changed their perspectives and futures.
Q: Please introduce yourself.
A: My name is Elijah from Nigeria. I worked at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio, in 2024. I am a first-class mechatronics engineering graduate, and I am currently pursuing postgraduate study in artificial intelligence-related fields abroad.
Q: What does being a CIEE BridgeUSA alum mean to you?
A: Being a CIEE BridgeUSA alum is a life-changing responsibility and a gift. It is a launchpad that turned a curious student into a changemaker. It taught me that one experience can reframe your purpose, and it made me believe I can spark opportunity for myself and others.
Q: What advice would you give to current or incoming participants?
A: Say yes, lean in, and treat every moment as a classroom. BridgeUSA is more than travel, it is cultural immersion – from tasting new dishes to learning stories and dances, and visiting places that shaped history. So go all in – you will be glad you did.
Q: What’s one thing you learned here that you still carry with you today?
A: Always think change: Impact begins in the mind, not with status or connections. When you train your mind to see solutions, small ideas grow into projects that transform communities. That mindset still guides everything I do.
Q: How did participation in the program help with your future professional endeavors?
A: CIEE BridgeUSA sharpened my critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership. It inspired me to co-lead Triple B (Beauty, Brain and Balance), a female empowerment program that helps build an ultramodern CBT center with my parents for inclusive education. It will be launched soon in my community.
Also, I was recently selected to serve as a Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld, an international organization whose aim is to end the global educational crisis.
Indeed, the BridgeUSA program lit a fire in me that keeps driving my work.
Q: What was your favorite American tradition or culture that you experienced?
A: The culture of generosity stood out: Strangers tipping me for dancing while doing my work, smiles that felt like validation, and the shared joy of fireworks on the Fourth of July showed me how appreciation can lift you, how it can make you feel seen, valued, and proud.
Are you an international student who wants to work and travel in the USA? Learn more about how you can participate in the CIEE BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program.