15 Nov Transylvania College – Romania Comes to You
School Founder Simona Baciu and Executive Director Ruxandra Mercea spent the October school break visiting Washington, D.C. Mrs. Baciu has continued on to San Franciso, Silicon Valley and Los Angeles. The purpose of the trip is to begin building bridges with policy and business leaders in America in order to raise the profile of Transylvania College and to determine possible sources of funding for forward-looking initiatives being planned by the school. They also took the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with teachers and administrators of American schools at the forefront of STEM education, Leader in Me programming and Mindfulness.
We were honored that the Romanian Embassy hosted a reception for Transylvania College. Romanian Ambassador to the United States George Maior made remarks congratulating the school and its founder for the innovative approach she has brought to education in Romania. He then introduced Mrs. Baciu, who told the guests about the founding of the school and how it has grown from 12 pre-schoolers in her apartment to the thriving place we know 23 years later. Mrs. Mercea was then introduced to explain how the school’s approach to teaching is different from others in Romania and how it plans to continue leading educational reform over the next 23 years. Over 50 guests, including leading members of the Romanian-American community and Washington policy makers, gathered to learn about the school and plans for the summer leadership and mindfulness camp, newly-named the Transylvania Leadership Camp. The guests were treated to delicious hors d’oeuvres and wine from Romania.
Mrs. Baciu and Mrs. Mercea were honored guests at a school-side assembly at The Indian Creek School, just outside Annapolis, MD. They were invited by the Walworth family, whose daughters attend the school, and all of whom came to Cluj last summer in order to run the American Leadership and Mindfulness Camp at Baisoara. The possibilities for exchange between the schools, and for future cultural exchange between students and campers was met with great enthusiasm by the leaders of Indian Creek.
One of the best outcomes from the trip was to learn how open people in America were to learning about the school and how interested they are in working with the school to exchange new ideas, provide support and technology and in sending their children to Romania for a valuable cultural exchange between American and Romanian teens.
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