A globally minded student from Türkiye shares how leadership, connections, and a love of baking helped her build meaningful friendships across cultures.
Hudson Global Scholar: Burçin Tekin
Hudson Global Scholars Program: Providence Country Day School Global Campus U.S. Dual Diploma Program
Home: Türkiye
At 17 years old, Burçin Tekin is already building a life that stretches far beyond her home in Ankara, Türkiye. As an 11th-grade student in her final term of the Hudson Global Scholars U.S. Dual Diploma Program, Burçin brings curiosity, warmth, and energy to every space she joins.
Burçin describes herself as “a very social and outgoing person. My friends and my family always say that.” That natural openness has shaped her experience as a global scholar, turning this virtual program into a personal, global journey filled with club participation and social connections.
Burçin’s warmth and social nature have led her to create connection opportunities for others, both in her high school in Türkiye and as a global scholar. Burçin enjoys organizing conferences with guest speakers and leading group discussions. As a Hudson Global Scholars Student Ambassador, she leads clubs, events, and academic initiatives. She’s the kind of student who builds community.
“I actively participate in clubs and take roles in the leadership groups in Hudson and in my normal school.”
At the heart of Burçin’s global scholar story is something simple and powerful: baking. She understands that baking and eating bring people together. As the founder of Hudson's Cooking and Baking club, she uses food to bring people together across cultures and time zones.
What began as sharing recipes quickly became something deeper as she and others exchanged stories, traditions, and memories tied to the foods they love. Through these moments, Burçin has helped to transform a virtual space into one that feels personal, welcoming, and delicious. Hear her account on the Hudson Global Scholars Community Blog where she writes about making tiramisu around the world and making Brigadeiro on Zoom.
The Cooking and Baking Club is not only about cooking. It’s also about creating an environment where students feel comfortable showing up as themselves around something they share. Whether through live events, casual conversations, or shared activities, Burçin has focused on building relationships. She says,
“We always host events for talking and connecting, and we make people feel comfortable.”
In a global community spread across time zones, those moments of connection have been meaningful.
“I really love baking for my loved ones and sharing the food with my friends.” For Burçin, baking is both a fun activity and an expression of care. In a global setting, baking has been a bridge between cultures. Burçin’s experience as a global scholar has expanded her world in meaningful ways. Through daily conversations and shared experiences, she’s built friendships that cross borders and backgrounds. These connections have shaped not only her social life, but also her understanding of the world—and her place in it. She says,
“It's nice. You get to know the different people from different cultures. I love it.”
Burçin decided to enroll in the Hudson Global Scholars program because of a clear vision for her future. From the beginning, she was drawn to the opportunity to grow both academically and socially. “When I heard the details, I said, 'this is for me.'” That instinct has proven right. The balance she found between connection and coursework has fueled both her motivation and her success. When reflecting on her experience, Burçin doesn’t point first to academics or achievements, but to relationships:
“The friendships are staying with you forever in your life.”
For Burçin, the most lasting outcome of this journey is the people she’s met and the connections she’s built: relationships that will continue long after the program ends.
Burçin’s experience shows that connection doesn’t always start with grand gestures. Instead, it can begin with something as simple as sharing a recipe. And from those small ingredients, she’s helped create something lasting, warm, and wonderful: global friendship.
To read more of Burçin’s writing, visit Burçin Tekin – Medium