In an increasingly interconnected world, the power of international exchange programs
continues to reveal itself in deeply personal and profoundly impactful ways. For Ria
Mandal, a graduate of La Cañada High School and a 2023 La Cañada Flintridge Sister
Cities exchange student, a formative summer in Spain has come full circle—blossoming
into a global health initiative that now carries her back across the Atlantic with purpose
and vision.
Ria first traveled to Spain in the summer of 2023 as part of La Cañada Flintridge Sister
Cities’ student exchange program, spending time in Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain.
Like many exchange students, she returned home with cherished memories, cross-
cultural friendships, and a broadened worldview. But for Ria, the experience planted
something deeper: a commitment to global connection and a growing awareness of
health disparities that transcend borders.
Now a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ria is pursuing an
academic path that weaves together public health, nutrition, and entrepreneurship. Her
interdisciplinary focus reflects a drive to create meaningful change. That drive has
culminated in a remarkable achievement—Ria has been awarded a fully funded
fellowship through UNC to return to Spain and implement a custom-designed health and
nutrition curriculum.
This summer, Ria’s journey will begin once again in Villanueva de la Cañada, where
people she met through Sister Cities, particularly Randa Sayegh Hamati and her host
family in Villanueva de la Cañada, will connect her with Spanish college students and
elementary school students in the city’s Complemento de Verano Program. There, Ria
will pilot her curriculum, drawing on her academic training and earlier experience as an
exchange student.
From there, Ria will travel to Madrid, where her work will expand to underserved
communities. Her curriculum is designed not only to educate children about nutrition but
also to empower them with practical knowledge that can improve long-term health
outcomes. It is a hands-on, culturally responsive approach—one that reflects Ria’s deep
care for children and her belief that education is one of the most powerful tools for
equity.
Ria’s long-term aspirations are equally inspiring. She plans to pursue a career in
medicine, specializing in pediatrics, while continuing to develop nonprofit initiatives
focused on health education.
What makes Ria’s story especially compelling is how clearly it illustrates the lasting
value of Sister Cities programs. What began as a cultural exchange has evolved into a
sustained partnership, one that supports not only friendship between communities but
also collaborative solutions to global challenges. Through her experience, Ria
developed a commitment to reducing health inequities through research and
education—a mission that now defines her academic and professional trajectory.
In many ways, Ria Mandel embodies the very best of what international partnerships
can achieve. Her journey reminds us that when young people are given the opportunity
to connect across cultures, they don’t just grow—they give back, often in ways that
ripple far beyond what anyone could have imagined.
For more information about La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities and our many cross-
cultural programs, see LCFsistercities.org