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In This Issue:Advisors’ Angle: Winter Blues. . . . . . . . . . 3

Introducing: The Admin Te a m . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Welcome Janel Cook! . . . 2

SPP Update and Service Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Tidbits: Black History Month . . . . . 4

nod vOICES2015 PROGRAM UPDATESNacel Open Door long-term programs are welcoming new students arriving for the second semester of the academic year. NOD staff hope students and Host Families are adjusting well and that 10-month students enjoyed the holiday season in the United States!

Reminder- all flight itineraries for January arrivals should be sent to travel@nacelopendoor.org as soon as possible.

PSP is experiencing some changes going into 2015. The “Regional Program Director” title will now be changed to “Regional Manager.” The role of the Regional Manager (RM) will be equal to that of an RPD.

The August orientation dates for Chicago have been set. The first is August 7-9, and the second is August 28-30.

Planning for the summer 2015 Short Term Program is underway with groups coming to more than 25 locations around the U.S., including St. Paul Prep in St. Paul, Minnesota. We have received almost 40 applications from our French partners and anticipate that we’ll start to receive applications from our partner in Spain in the coming month.

In addition to students from France and Spain, we will also have students from Italy, Turkey, and China, along with potential groups from Brazil and Japan.

Academic Year Program (AYP)

Private School Program (PSP)

Short Term Program (STP)

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Board of DirectorsDr. Frank Tarsitano, PhD – ChairmanMr. Steve Murphy – SecretaryMs. Alice Murphy – TreasurerMr. Gerard AvundoMr. Arnold Franco Mr. Francois Jean HucMs. Hilda Jaffe

Senior Management TeamDr. Frank Tarsitano, PhD – CEO & PresidentMr. Richard Banasikowski, MA – Vice President Mr. Jean Burdin – President, Nacel InternationalMr. Roy S. Nilsson – CFO

Advisory BoardMr. Jean Burdin – President, Nacel InternationalMr. Pierre Coudry – Interclass BrazilMs. Toni Cowles – Retired, Lauder Institute at the Wharton School, UPENNMr. Jaeho Eohm – International Language Forum, KoreaDr. Abraham Ho, DA – Nacel AsiaMs. Marie Jose Huc – CLC

NACEL OPEN DOOR EXECUTIVES

This newsletter is a publication of Nacel Open Door, Inc. For more information on NOD programs and opportunities, please call 800-622-3553, or visit our website at www.nacelopendoor.org.

Newsletter Production Staff: Director of Operations: Rae LenwayDirector of Marketing & Communications: Shannon RauschMarketing Communications Assistant: Meg Beerling

Nacel Open Door, Inc. (NOD) offers multiple programs

in the United States and abroad to meet a variety of cultural and academic goals for all students.

These programs range in duration from one week to multiple years. The focus of some programs is a complete cultural immersion and exchange, while others are focused more on college preparation.

WELCOME JANEL COOK!It is our pleasure to introduce the newest member of the NOD team!

Janel Cook is the new Student Advisor and joins us from a specialized back-ground. Janel has her master’s degree in Intercultural Conflict Management from the University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

Janel has spent time traveling internationally and so far has spent time in Germany, South Korea, and Spain. During her travels to Germany and South Korea, Janel taught ESL classes. She also worked for three years at an adolescent emergency center in St. Paul. We are thrilled to have Janel with us now!

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ST. PAUL PREPARATORY SCHOOL (SPP)

Where has the time gone? The Christmas and winter holidays have passed, and we have welcomed in a new year. Our students have either just finished or are about to finish their first semester of classes at their American high schools, and our January students will soon be arriving.

It is not uncommon at this time of year for students to again experience a bit of homesickness after the holidays. For many of our students, this may have been their first time away from their parents. Some may be starting to feel a bit cooped up due to the long, dark,

cold winter season. But, be of good cheer; your NOD Local Representative and/or Coordinator is here to help support you through these sometimes difficult and challenging times. When things seem darkest, remember the days are now getting longer and brighter with spring just around the corner.

With the arrival of January, we long for and look forward to warmer spring weather with new life springing forth. We have a saying here at NOD that students are “to bloom where they have been planted.” While the student

is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of their program, we are here to water and nourish them with our support and encouragement.

Student exchange is a team effort, and with everyone’s contributions, it is an enjoyable and unforgettable experience. Please know how much we appreciate everyone’s time, effort, and energy that are expended into student exchange. Without each and every one of you, the task would be daunting. Thanks for making student exchange such a success.

ADvISORS’ ANGLE: WINTER BLUES

SPP is currently finishing up the first semester. Students have been shown the true meaning of a “Minnesota Winter” and have taken part in some traditional outdoor winter activities, some for the first time!

Students will begin taking their final exams on Wednesday, January 14, until Friday, January 16. Orientation will begin for the new students arriving for second semester on Tuesday, January 20 and Wednesday, January 21.

All returning students will be going to either the Science Museum of Minnesota or the Minnesota History Center on that Wednesday. Most seniors will be volunteering at Second Harvest Heartland in Golden Valley.

SPP will start their Hunger Initiative with their students during second semester. Every Monday until the end of March, students will meet with their assigned group and staff group leader to come up with their own solution to hunger, whether it be on a global, national, or local level; the choice is up to the students. On Wednesday mornings, students will meet with only their group members to work on their project.

On Friday, March 27, students will present their solution to the rest of the school. Students will vote on which team had the best solution, and they will follow through.

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Our Admin Team has recently been reshapped!

Karina Rajtar has taken on the responsibility of the Team Lead as Operations Assistant. Victoria Mercer and Amanda Malzacher are both Administrative Specialists handling the day-to-day procedures.

Victoria joined NOD in October. She loves to travel and has studied in Thailand. She also did a college fellowship abraod in South India. She will be focusing on the PSP program needs.

Karina is no stranger to NOD. She started with NOD back in 2008 as an intern, eventually joining the organization full-time in 2010. She has shifted jobs several times while at NOD and after leaving NOD early in 2014, returned in October to her new role in operations.

Karina is 100 percent Polish and has been to Poland several times. She has also spent time in Australia, Hungary, Canada, and

Germany. She will be assisting both Victoria and Amanda when needed while working on various special projects.

Amanda started with NOD in August and is primarily working with AYP. Before starting with NOD, Amanda taught primary school in Ghana, studied abroad in Senegal, and spent two years in Guinea while serving in the Peace Corps.

The admin team can collectivly be reached by email at

paperwork@nacelopendoor.org or individually at

krajtar@nacelopendoor.org (ext. 624), vmercer@nacelopendoor.org (ext. 627), and amalzacher@nacelopendoor.org, (ext. 623).

Nacel Open Door National Office 380 Jackson Street, Suite 200

St. Paul, MN 55101 USA

T: 651-686-0080800-622-3553

F: 651-686-9601www.nacelopendoor.orginfo@nacelopendoor.org

www.facebook.com/NacelOpenDoorInc

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U.S. TIDBITS INTRODUCING...AMERICAN FUN FACTS

• The third Monday in January is nationally celebrated as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• February in the U.S. is dedicated as Black History Month.

• The hair brush, lawn mower, cell phone, refrigerator, and air conditioning were all invented by African Americans.

• Maya Angelou stopped celebrating her birthday for many years following the assassination of her friend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the same day.

• February was chosen as the month to observe Black History because it is the birth month of abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass (Feb. 14) and President Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12).

• Countries around the world including Canada and the U.K. also devote a month to celebrating black history.

victoria MercerKarina Rajtar

Amanda Malzacher

THE ADMIN TEAM: