Of One Blood

How a small liberal arts college in Berea, Kentucky fulfills big dreams—an international student perspective of overcoming adversity and pursuing the dream of studying and living in the United States

"Of One Blood" showcases the perspectives of a diverse group of individuals who attended Kentucky's extraordinary Berea College. Pivoting on current issues like an alarming rise in xenophobia and ever-increasing tuition, these stories illuminate the challenges of leaving your own country and the valuable contributions diverse groups provide in their new homes. Virtually unknown in many parts of the world, Berea College is a powerful community changing lives for the better. Berea College lives up to its creed: 'God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth' (Acts 17:26). The school is distinctive among post-secondary institutions for providing free education to students and for having been the first college in the Southern United States to be coeducational and racially integrated. "Of One Blood" celebrates this unique American institution and proves that cultural diversity and education are our greatest strengths.

Oana (Sirboiu) Harrison was born and raised in Brasov, a beautiful mountain town in the heart of Transylvania, Romania. She came to the US in 1997 and graduated in 2001 with a B.S. in Business Administration and a Spanish minor from Berea College. She has an MBA degree in Marketing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Certificate in Digital Media and Marketing from Duke University. She served in a variety of marketing roles, including as the founder of her own consulting practice, and she was a contributing senior writer for Cityview Magazine. In her spare time, she shares the ballroom dance floor with her husband and her passion for travel with readers of her blog GreatEscapetations.com. In 2019, she and her husband embarked on a one-year RV tour of the US and Canada, accompanied by their two dogs. She and her husband currently reside in Colorado.