International Alumni Ring in Rutgers 250th Anniversary in New TV Show
‘Rutgers Around the World’ explores university’s global footprint on all seven continents
Three decades ago, Prashanta Bordoloi wanted to do something about the erosion and flooding issues displacing residents in his home state in India. After reading a UNESCO publication on study abroad, he decided to pursue his master’s in water resources engineering at a U.S. state university.
Rutgers eventually gained an edge on the competition – for an often overlooked reason: “It was the only state university named after a person,” he said.
Bordoloi, who graduated from Cook College (now the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences) in 1987, is one of about 20 international alumni around the world participating in the premiere of Rutgers Around the World, a TV series produced by the Centers for Global Advancement and International Affairs (GAIA Centers) at iTV Studio for Rutgers’ 250th anniversary.
The three-hour show – which will cycle through continuously for 24 hours beginning at 4 p.m. (EST) on Sept. 15 on livestream.com and RU-tv – features six episodes, each focusing on a world region or topic. lt will include interviews and discussions with Rutgers changemakers and showcase international opportunities on all seven continents. Alumni from countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America will share their stories via Skype.
“Rutgers Around the World celebrates the university’s global roots and connections,” said Rick Garfunkel, vice president for international and global affairs at Rutgers. “Viewers can watch alumni and student anchors and reporters explore Rutgers’ roots and global engagement in many ways, from our beginning as a Dutch seminary school, to tracking orangutans in the jungles of Indonesia, to excavating Roman-era villas in Italy and to helping design engineering and agricultural curricula in Liberia.”
Live shots of international alumni parties, like those hosted by Bordoloi, will air between the 30-minute episodes.
“I am very happy to be a part of Rutgers 250th anniversary. I get to be a part of the moment,” said Bordoloi, who is the outreach director and head of civil engineering at the Assam Kazaringa University in Jorhat, Assam, India. Bordoloi credits the academic, philanthropic and cultural experiences at Rutgers, and the dedication of Rutgers faculty, as his inspiration to pursue a career in higher education.
“I came to Rutgers to learn mathematical modeling to address the river flooding and erosion issues of my home state Assam – people were becoming displaced because of it,” he said. “Now, I address regional problems related to water resource engineering in India.”
Rutgers Diego Barreto also will be participating in the show via Skype from Brazil. Baretto came to study biotechnology on a sponsored fellowship at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in 2014.
“I had never been out of Brazil before Rutgers,” he said. “When I came to campus, it was ‘love at first sight.’”
One of his fondest memories is a visit from his father. “I took him to a football game – I saw the shine in his eyes, and, at that moment, I knew how proud of me he was and how happy he was for being there with me.”
All three university locations will celebrate the premiere at three simultaneous viewing parties. Interested attendees can RSVP at global.rutgers.edu/events/Rutgers-250.
Contact Carissa Sestito at csestito@gaiacenters.rutgers.edu for more information.