• Thomas Burns, seated on a staircase, hands folded, looking at the camera
    Alumni Updates
    By Thomas Burns, RLASP alumnus

    Perspective: Thomas in Russia

     In 1996, Thomas Burns decided to take his study of the Russian language to the next level by spending a semester in St. Petersburg and what is now the Russian Language and Area Studies Program. Since then, he's lived and worked in several other countries while building his career as a visual storyteller. Today, he is based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
  • A close up shot of a still life painting of fruit and a vase, in color, with Nikola's signature in the corner
    Alumni Updates
    By Nikola Jeremic, FLEX alumnus

    Perspective: Nikola in Texas

    Editor's note: Nikola Jeremic traveled from Serbia to America in 2018 to spend an exchange year in Longview, Texas.

  • Open World Alumni
    Alumni Updates
    By American Councils Editorial Staff

    Open World Alumni Elected to Ukrainian Parliament

    Nearly two dozen Open World alumni were elected or reelected to serve as members of parliament in Ukraine's snap parliamentary elections last month, accordin

  • Irina, smiling in the center, stands next to a model building with her company's sign, 3D Create, in the background
    Alumni Updates
    By American Councils Editorial Staff

    Creating Her Own Career

    In the suburbs of Almaty, Irina Abasova found her niche. Or rather, she molded it. 

  • Maria in America
    Alumni Updates
    Maria Karapetyan, FLEX alumna

    Perspective: Maria in America

    Editor's note: Maria Karapetyan arrived in Wisconsin in 2003, an exchange student on the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) progr

  • From Wild Dream to Wilder Reality
    Alumni Updates
    By Tatyana Movshevich

    From Wild Dream to Wilder Reality

    Mikheil Benidze is from Tbilisi, Georgia, and an alumnus of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX). Through FLEX, he spent an academic year living with an American host family and attending high school in Adrian, Michigan in 2005-06). Since then, Mr. Benidze has earned a BA in business administration from Tbilisi State University and an MBA in business administration from the Porto Business School at the University of Porto. Today, he monitors the influence of social media on national elections as an executive director at the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) in Georgia. Mr. Benidze shared his story during a recent interview with Tatyana Movshevich.
  • Raina, wearing a cap and gown, smiles at the camera in this portrait shot
    Alumni Updates
    By Rania Goncalves, Alumna of the US-Timor-Leste Scholarship

    A Letter of Thanks For My Exchange

    An American friend recently sent me a message about how proud she is of me. She said that I have come a long way, overcoming my obstacles and challenges.

  • Color portrait of Hana, looking into the camera, wearing glasses and black top
    Alumni Updates
    By Hana Sahatqija, KAEF alumna

    Perspective: Hana in Washington, DC

    Editor's note: Hana Sahatqija has been the program manager of UNICEF’s Innovations Lab in Kosovo for the past three years.

  • Egzon, dressed in a graduation cap and gown, poses on the lawn of his university.
    Alumni Updates
    By Egzon Halili, KAEF alumnus

    Perspective: Egzon in New York

    Editor's note: Egzon Halili is one of the newest fellows to complete a degree through the Kosovo American Education Fund (KAEF), but when he

  • Amb. Andriy Shevchenko
    Alumni Updates
    By Yarema Bachynsky, American Councils Ukraine country director, and Matthew Floyd, FLEX participant recruiter

    Inspired by a Senator

    Exchange experience is a formative time for many high school students, and Andriy Shevchenko was no exception. Today, Ambassador Shevchenko credits Future Leaders Exchange program founder Senator Bill Bradley for inspiring his own political career. 
  • Emir Hasanovic
    Alumni Updates
    By American Councils Editorial Staff

    From Public School to Public Diplomacy

    Growing up in the capital city of Macedonia, Emir Hasanovic learned about America through pop culture and Hollywood. When he applied for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program in 2008, social media did not have the same level of prominence that it does today. After he was accepted, he imagined how his American story would unfold.
  • Vanessa E. Beary
    Alumni Updates
    By American Councils Editorial Staff

    Going Further With Farsi

    Before she studied abroad in Tajikistan with American Councils, Vanessa E. Beary, Ed.D already had extensive international experience. She first studied Farsi while pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Cambridge in the UK in 2005. She later worked as a public diplomacy officer for the US State Department in Iraq, a role that earned her the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the Department of Defense. It is the third-highest public honor a civilian can receive.