Renaissance Man
Striving for a better world through understanding

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By Renee Park
This article appeared in Abroad View magazine spring 2006

He’s traversed five continents, is fluent in five languages, and has dabbled in everything from interning at NGOs to spearheading sustainable rural development in Chile. But Daniel Stoenescu’s international aspirations are just beginning.

Daniel Stoenescu developed a social sciences and English curriculum for Sudanese orphans.

Currently working on a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Bucharest, the 25-year-old Romanian developed his penchant for all things international as a youngster. “When you grow up in a former Communist country, people tend to be more interested in politics,” Stoenescu says.  He became even more focused on political science and world systems after he was accepted to the College of Alameda in California.

“[Coming to] the United States was the greatest opportunity of my life. With the American educational system, [a person can] go and see the world,” Stoenescu says. 

After transferring to Austin College in Texas on a full scholarship, Stoenescu volunteered in El Salvador following the earthquakes of 2000. Austin College funded the two-month project through the Lilly Grant awarded to undergraduates with a strong interest in ministry and service work.

Stoenescu later worked in Egypt for African Hope, after being picked as a Rotary International Scholar in 2003. In Cairo, he helped develop a curriculum for the underprivileged children of Sudanese refugees. He worked to raise more than $5,500 over the next two years.

Living among Arabs in a predominantly Muslim society, Stoenescu explains, was a learning experience. “Certain habits [and celebrations] like Mecca and Ramadan were something unknown to me,” he says. “I
understand these habits now, [and it] makes me more inclusive and tolerant of people from different backgrounds.”

Stoenescu’s time in Cairo helped forge his plans to concentrate in Islamic and Muslim studies.  He hopes to work in foreign service, for the United Nations, or even as a diplomat. He says it’s important to be open-minded when living in a new society.

 “Be inclusive, try to understand differences among people, differences of culture, religion, and language, and learn as much as possible about the culture [through immersion],” Stoenescu explains. “Otherwise, you’re isolated, you don’t communicate, and it’s not an enjoyable experience.”