Reintroduce yourself to André and Alexander Gouyet, alumni of Silicon Valley International School (INTL) from the years 2005 and 2009, respectively. Since graduating from INTL over a decade ago, both André and Alexander have passed through the educational gates of high school and college, and have now established vibrant and successful professional careers of their own.
A common theme that links together each of their ambitions revolves around connecting with other individuals, understanding their needs, and doing what they can to better their lives. It is their ability to think from multiple perspectives and have a sensitivity for others who come from different backgrounds and cultures that has made them successful.
André entered kindergarten at INTL in 1999, only a few years after the opening of our Cohn Campus. Throughout his tenure at the school, André was part of INTL’s French immersion program where he learned the framework of how to become a global citizen from a young age.
After graduating from INTL, André would eventually go on to attend Palo Alto High School (PALY) where he was named a National Merit Commended Student during his senior year in 2012.
“INTL definitely prepared me well for my transition to a public middle/high school,” André said. “More importantly, it prepared me well for life because it gave me the gift of a second language which has unlocked communication with the French community which includes many of my relatives.”
Following his graduation from high school, André embarked on a new educational journey in Southern California at the University of California, Santa Barbara. With his international education from INTL, André opted to earn his degree in Global Studies. In addition, he would go on to study abroad, spending two terms overseas at both the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom and also at University College Utrecht in the Netherlands.
His experience helped further deepen his multicultural understanding as he focused on subjects such as The Middle East in Global Politics, Economics of European Integration, International Human Rights Law, and European Union Law.
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know," André continued. “It made me more curious to learn about the world and other cultures, and made me even more vulnerable by understanding there's so much more out there to experience.”
Shortly after college, André began his professional career as a Senior Account Executive for Yelp in the D.C. Metro Area. During his time at Yelp, André continued to utilize the language skills he had acquired while enrolled in INTL’s French immersion program.
“My sales colleagues asked me to call and pitch their French businesses where the owner could only speak French,” André said. Thanks to his early French education at INTL, “I was able to close multiple deals.”
André has spent the last three years at Mapbox, an American provider of custom online maps for websites and applications such as BMW, Strava, The Weather Channel, and many others. As an Account Executive, André strives to help his customers make informed business decisions around mapping and location. He’s secured several strategic partnerships and has had his work featured in Washington D.C. publications for a map he built to showcase and highlight BIPOC-owned restaurants to drive more business to minority-owned businesses.
When not working, André has put his energy and drive into running, biking, and swimming as he is currently training for his second Ironman triathlon. André ranked 36th in the men’s 25-29 age group and 570 overall at the 2021 Ironman Cozumel.
As for Alexander, he began his INTL journey as a kindergartner in 2002. Like André, Alexander also enrolled in INTL’s French immersion program and graduated after his 5th-grade year.
Just like his older brother, Alexander went on to PALY where he would graduate in 2016 before continuing his education at McGill University in Montreal. While in college, Alexander served as a Special Projects Lead at AERO McGill, a shared platform for all aerospace engineering design teams at McGill. His participation at AERO McGill also extended to becoming a flight crew member for 2018 & 2019 at the Student UAS Competitions in Southport, Manitoba, and Alma, Québec.
In addition to his involvement in AERO McGill, Alexander served as both a Co-President and VP External for the McGill Institute for Aerospace Engineering (MIAE), an institution designed to foster interest in Aerospace Engineering among undergraduate and graduate students.
“The MIAE is essentially the bridge that connects McGill students with Montreal Aerospace companies,” Alexander said. “Whether this is through industry tours, speaker panels, or internships, MIAE promises many avenues of involvement for students at McGill who are interested in Aerospace.”
While involved with the MIAE, a few of Alexander’s key objectives included event planning, corporate relations, and ensuring that the students who participated in the institution came out more prepared and better equipped to tackle the professional world of aerospace engineering.
Shortly after graduating from university, Alexander moved to Austin, Texas to embark on his professional career where he decided to move away from the engineering field and instead to holistically help people, joining the somatic breathing community called Insid3out ATX: Mind Body Soul. After a few years there, he has now spread his wings, crafting a new path by starting his own somatic breathing community called EnVision Breathwork.
For those unfamiliar, somatic breathing is an exercise that allows an individual to get in touch with the tension in both the body and mind. There are numerous benefits that come with practicing somatic breathing such as relief from anxiety, trauma, or other stressful issues that the individual wants to move on from.
Alexander believes that somatic breathwork has the ability to release your greatest fears and clear out any unnecessary clutter that is stuck inside your mind. Leaving only the important and positive aspects that you hold close while at the same time reminding you of what matters most life. In addition, Alexander stated that through consistent one-on-one sessions, somatic breathwork can help patients stay on track with their goals and maintain a deep connection between themselves and their bodies.
Since starting his somatic breathwork community, Alexander has positively impacted multiple lives by assisting his clients in pushing through their mental and physical blockages. Getting through these blockages allows them to expel built-up emotions that were once difficult to let go of. As a certified somatic breathwork practitioner, he’s able to closely monitor how his clients’ bodies are reacting and guide them through the entire session.
Alexander started his journey early when he became connected with the social-emotional learning that is a pillar of the educational program at INTL. Additionally, Alexander also stated that the bilingual French education he was immersed in at INTL has played a significant role in paving the way for success as a somatic breathwork practitioner. “I found out I am the only Francophone practitioner at the moment,” Alexander said. “Because of this, I receive at least one new inbound client every day with no need for outbound sales or marketing.”
You can learn more about Alexander Gouyet and his somatic breathwork community at www.alexandergouyet.com.
Additionally, discover all the people and the places that becoming a student at INTL opens for students by clicking here.
