Mr. Haris Kamariotis, School Psychologist at Anatolia Elementary School was a guest speaker at ACT’s Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology, Personality Theories lectures.

The guest lecture took place on Tuesday, November 26^th at ACT and about 35 students attended the lecture. Dr. Aimiliza Stefanidou, Coordinator of the BSc in Psychology, considers guest lectures an important aspect of the educational experience as it promotes student engagement and would like to highlight the value of synergies that can develop within Anatolia College through these guest lectures. 

International Day of People with Disability (December 3^rd) is a United Nations-sanctioned day that aims to promote understanding of the issues experienced by people with disabilities. In that context, on Friday, December 6^th, Dr. Aimiliza Stefanidou, Coordinator of BSc Psychology program, and Ms. Nelly Florentin, ACT Counselor, accompanied 9 psychology students on a field visit to ELEPAP at its premises in Thermi. ELEPAP, a Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled with six branches throughout Greece, offers a series of integrated intervention programs for infants, pre-school and school-aged children, cooperates with Public Special Schools and at the same time provides supports to their families.

Ms, Gianna Pantazi, Social Worker, welcomed ACT students and briefly talked about the major therapeutic services at ELEPAP along with the important role of Psychologists and Social Workers in the disability field. Students also had the opportunity to interact with children from the Early Educational and Therapeutical program (Unit of Special Preschool Education addressed to children from 18 months to 6 years old with motor, sensory, and developmental disorders) and participate in teacher-led educational activities by Special Education teachers, Mr. Giorgos Karavokyris and Ms. Christina Karanikou. An interactive Q&A period followed where the issues of children’s developmental difficulties and special needs, the objectives of pedagogical interventions and the challenges and rewards of working in this field were discussed. It was an interesting learning experience that provided students with valuable insights into disability and motivated them to explore volunteering and internship opportunities at ELEPAP.

Alexandroupolis was a new addition in the line of cities which hosted a GreenHouse startup workshop. The workshop, organized by the Entrepreneurship Hub of ACT - The American College of Thessaloniki and The Hellenic Initiative (THI) was successfully conducted in the premises of the Chamber of Evros (November, 22 - 25), and in the Municipality of the city of Didymoteiho (November, 26).

The well-attended event was organized with the collaboration of The Chamber of Evros, The Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics of the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), and the Municipality of Didymoteiho.

The GreenHouse workshop focused on the training of startupers on how to turn a smart idea into a successful business. The 35 selected participants came individually or in teams, covering almost all areas of economic activities. The experts – business executives, entrepreneurs, startupers, professors and partners of the Democritus University of Thrace and ACT – gave participants the opportunity to obtain a good perspective on successful business practices regarding business & strategy planning, human resources management, financial tools, financial management, marketing strategy, and networking. Emphasis was given on Research and Development (R&D) that leads to innovative startups in the field of Biosciences since many participants were students of the Molecular Biology & Genetics department of the Democritus University of Thrace.

Alexandroupolis GreenHouse was welcomed by the President of the Chamber of Evros Mr. Christodoulos Topsidis and the Vice-rector of DUTH Dr. Raphael Sandaltzopoulos. During the last two days, in collaboration with the Secondary Education Department of Evros, the Greenhouse was focused on the Lykeion students of Evros. The students attended lectures given by inspiring lecturers, businessmen, and ACT professors, about how entrepreneurship, despite the risks, can offer a prosperous and creative way of living.

GreenHouse visited also the city of Didymoteiho, where George Kokkas, the Director of Entrepreneurship Hub, and the GreenHouse team were welcomed by the Mayor of the city, Mr. Romylos Chatzigiannoglou. Lykeion Students from the region (Didymoteiho and Soufli) were also informed about the potential, the possibilities, the risks and the thrills of entrepreneurship.

In an effort to give emphasis on students’ holistic wellbeing, the Counseling Office along with the Student Government Association organized at ACT’s the new initiative "Wellness Week". ACT students had the chance to participate in a series of experiential and interactive workshops, that took place between the 18^th and the 21^st of November on campus, facilitated by acclaimed and experienced professionals. The aim of the workshops was to raise students’ awareness about the significance of physical and emotional wellness, to help them increase their knowledge about various types of wellbeing and gain some tips on how to develop and maintain healthy daily routines.

Penelope Tourtoura and Menelaos Palaiodimopoulos, fitness instructors, helped the students practice breathing and stretching exercises and discussed ways they can use mindful exercise during their daily life. Nelly Florentin, ACT counselor, through experiential exercises, encouraged students to be more aware of their mental health needs and practice emotional self-care. Niki Athanasiadou, clinical dietitian and food consultant, placed emphasis on wholesome nutrition and gave tips on how students can make healthier food choices. Lastly, Chryssa Koliou, business, and personal coach facilitated a workshop that focused on how students can change their unwanted habits, design a new, healthier routine and bring the change they want in their lives.

ACT students embraced this new initiative, showed great interest in different types of wellness and participated actively in the workshops. ACT aims at continuing organizing similar events in the future that can help students take better care of their physical, mental and emotional needs.

Το σεμινάριο Business Strategy αποτέλεσε μια αφορμή για σκέψη & ανάλυση της διαδικασίας αξιολόγησης των ανταγωνιστικών πλεονεκτημάτων τόσο για την εταιρία μας όσο και για άλλες εταιρίες. Βασισμένο στο εξαιρετικό βιβλίο του Bruce Greenwald όπου αναλύονται δυνατά case studies ,τοποθετεί τον σπόρο σκέψης, αμφισβήτησης & νέας προσέγγισης του ανταγωνισμού. Καθοριστικός παράγοντας ο εισηγητής αλλά & η ομάδα που συγκροτείται & καλείται να «παράγει» συμπεράσματα. Η φύση του σεμιναρίου είναι δυναμική & προάγει τη σκέψη και την αντίληψη μας για τον ανταγωνισμό ένα βήμα παραπάνω.

Ms. Maria Akritidou, Head of Department of Counseling and Psychological Services of Anatolia High School and Ms. Christina Lagogianni, IB Psychology Instructor at Anatolia High School were guest speakers at ACT’s Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology, Biopsychology (“Brain and Behavior”) lectures. The topics of the lectures were how the brain, neurotransmitters, and other aspects of our biology influence our behaviors, thoughts, and feelings and why neuroplasticity is so important. The guest lectures took place on two different dates, Wednesday, October 9th and Thursday, October 10th, 2019 at ACT. About 50 students attended the two sessions and guest speakers received exceptionally positive feedback from students.