FLEX Alumni Engage in Re-entry Seminars

Across Eurasia re-entry seminars are being held with recently returned FLEX alumni to help them to find their bearings, and aid in a smooth re-entry process upon returning home. A total of 28 re-entry seminars in ten countries have been held since mid-June, involving nearly 50 percent of the recently returned alumni class of 2010. In addition to the seminars, FLEX alumni had the opportunity to take part in re-entry discussion topics on the 2010 FLEX Alumni Re-entry Forum on Facebook. The 476-member re-entry forum gives those alumni who were not able to attend the sessions a chance to catch up with those FLEX participants with whom they attended pre-departure orientations, and even studied with in the U.S.

Chinese teacher spending year in Hopkinton

Pan Jiling is taking a break from teaching English in a Chinese high school with 3,000 students to help jump-start a new Chinese language program in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, thanks to the district winning one of just 15 Teachers of Critical Lanagues Program (TCLP) grants awarded nationally.

"We're very fortunate that she is assigned to our school," Assistant Superintendent Mary Colombo said.

Grant offers Berkeley High School students opportunity to learn Mandarin Chinese

When Berkeley High School students in Moncks Corner, South Carolina arrive for the first day of classes today, dozens of them will have the opportunity to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese. The school was awarded a grant from the American Councils for International Education's Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) to bring in a teacher from China for a year, said Berkeley High Principal Kim McLaren. Ru Yi, Berkeley's Chinese teacher, is excited not only about teaching students to speak her language, but also about helping them learn about her culture.

Languages key to understanding

"If a student knows three languages, they are trilingual. If a students knows two languages they are bilingual. If a student only knows one language, they are an American." Richard Dunshee, a Spanish teacher at Notre Dame High School, said this was a statement he heard while in China.

But Notre Dame High School is changing all that by becoming the only school in Iowa to teach Arabic, thanks to teachers like Ezzat Gad Elmola, a participant in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP).

Egyptian teacher looks to help reverse misconceptions about Muslim culture

As a young man, Wael Salah Elkhateeb pummeled opponents with his fists as a boxer for the Egyptian national team. Today, as a 37-year-old participant in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP), he has a new opponent: people harboring ugly stereotypes born of ignorance.

And that’s just his fellow Egyptians.

“Some say that Americans are not helpful, that they don’t look at you and they don’t help you,” said Elkhateeb, who arrived in Missoula last weekend and is busy setting up shop at Hellgate High School, where he will teach in the fall. “But this doesn’t happen at all. When I’m walking on the street or in the supermarket or on a train, people are very friendly. They give me a hand. They are helpful.”

Educational Seminar: Thailand Photo Contest Winners!

Welcome back to the 2010 Thailand Educator Exchange Program participants who have returned from their two week exchange!

The winners of the 2010 Thailand Photo contest are:

Educational: Dan Bobeczko
Cultural: Delores Beckham

Davidson Reports AC Research at Capitol Hill Summit

Dr. Dan E. Davidson, president of American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, addressed the Summit on the need for U.S. students of foreign languages to study overseas and immerse themselves in the languages and cultures they are studying in order to achieve higher levels of language proficiency. Davidson made his remarks as he led a panel of experts speaking on the subject of Preparing the Next Generation: National Security and Global Diplomacy, at a July 20 Capitol Hill policy summit on "Language Learning for a Global Age."

American Councils Launches New U.S. – Lithuanian Scholarship and Exchange Program

In a new American Councils initiative, four Lithuanian students have been interviewed and selected to receive scholarships to study in the U.S. for one year under the aegis of the Exchanges for Culture, Education, and Leadership (ExCEL) program. ExCEL is American Councils’ first direct exchange with Lithuania, and is designed to promote strong ties between a new generation of young Lithuanian and American leaders through scholarships to cover one year of study at an American school. Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius and Ambassador Anne E. Derse honored the new program and its inaugural group of exchange scholars at a special reception at the Ambassador’s residence on July 22. American Councils’ regional coordinator for Lithuania and Belarus, Kevin Reiling, oversaw the recruitment and selection for the 2010-2011 ExCEL program and was also present at the reception.

U.S. Universities - Register now for Education USA Fairs

American Councils is pleased to announce the opportunity for U.S. Universities to register to attend Higher Education fairs in the Caucasus and Russia. Details regarding these fairs can be found below.

The Caucasus

EducationUSACenters in the Caucasus invite your university to recruit talented students at US Higher Education Fairs:

Why the Caucasus?

- Very talented students
- Strong English-language skills
- Underrepresented in US universities, at undergraduate and graduate levels
- Diverse cultures

U.S. Higher Education Fairs

- Baku, Azerbaijan – October 10, 2010
- Tbilisi, Georgia – October 11, 2010
- Yerevan, Armenia – October 12, 2010

We welcome you to visit the Caucasus and meet thousands of talented students at 3 EducationUSA fairs - all in one trip!

Register now!

For more information, please contact Eleonora Kolomiets at ekolomiets@educationusa.info

Calling all Educational Seminars Alumni!

September 30th Alumni Grants Competition is Now Open!

All alumni of these U.S. Department of State funded, short-term educational exchanges are eligible to apply for funding to strengthen the connections made while on program and further the goals of Educational Seminars.

Visit www.americancouncils.org/es/alumni to learn more