- Tell us a story about your program experience. By far the most rewarding experience I had in Russia was speaking with my host mother for the first time completely in Russian. The exchange itself was remarkably ordinary, but to me it was groundbreaking. Before heading to Russia, I could barely say the word "hello." My journey to a full-fledged conversation was hard-won and so very gratifying. The interaction inspired a new confidence in my fledgling Russian abilities and carried me through… Read More
- Habib Debaya, Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study student From Tunisia; Hosted in Nebraska As he waited for his meeting with a staffer from Senator Deb Fischer's office, Habib explained that he was proud to be hosted in Nebraska. He has taken five AP courses at his high school, including macroeconomics and government, and he has learned how to play American football. When the staffer asked him to describe his program, he was ready. “Everyone gets a different experience, but it’s all… Read More
- An exchange student has many new experiences during an academic year in America: new foods, new places, new schools, and new families. For a select group of students each year, that list includes meeting elected officials in Washington D.C. through the Civic Education Workshop.This year the workshop celebrates its 25th anniversary. The weeklong event, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State, offers exchange students a closer look at how American civil society functions. Students… Read More
- The students at the Youth Exchange and Study English Camp in Senegal had a chance to practice their language skills with a diplomat last month. The camp offers exchange program semi-finalists two weeks of intensive English training and preparation before their academic year abroad in the United States, and last month the camp included a visit from US Ambassador to Senegal, Dr. Tulinabo Mushingi. The 17 students, alumni assistants, and staff welcomed Ambassador Mushingi with… Read More
- The Southeast Asian Flagship Language Initiative- Indonesian (SEAFLI-Indonesian) offers Boren fellows the opportunity for intensive language study of Bahasa Indonesian. The program is appropriate for applicants with no language proficiency as well as those with intermediate and advanced proficiency in Indonesian.There is both a domestic and an overseas component to the program. Applicants must plan to enroll in the official domestic summer program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in… Read More
- This four-week summer program provides students with an immersive introduction to Mandarin Chinese and hands-on coursework in the history, culture, politics, and contemporary issues of Taiwan. Participants explore the unique ways Taiwan has responded to challenges all modern societies face, while gaining a better understanding of an increasingly important region of the world.
- Learning Swahili brought Rebecca Gailey to Tanzania the first time. A dream has kept her coming back.“Ota,” the Swahili word for dream, inspired the name of the educational program she helped start in 2013, while she was still finishing her undergraduate studies.That year, more than half of the country’s tenth graders failed their required standardized tests. For most of these students, failing the test meant an end to their educational opportunities. The lack of resources and huge class sizes… Read More
- For Abena Amoakuh, persistence has made all the difference. She had been studying Spanish since kindergarten but decided to switch to Chinese in college to support her interest in a business career. The language was a challenge, and when she studied abroad in China during her junior year, she often let local friends take the lead when language skills were required. Looking for a more intensive language experience, she applied for the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program that summer… Read More
- The Turkmenistan Higher Education Prep4Success program is a highly structured, preparatory course that provides promising young Turkmen citizens with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully enter U.S. colleges and universities independently, while increasing their chances of receiving financial aid.Prep4Success increases the students' competitiveness through rigorous instruction and creates a comprehensive approach to U.S. college admission.The curriculum focuses on… Read More
- The United States Timor-Leste Program (USTL) is a program of the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA), US Department of State. USTL provides full scholarships to outstanding students from Timor-Leste for two to four years of study at high-quality undergraduate degree institutions in the United States. Scholarship awards include full tuition for up for either associate degrees or bachelor's degrees, travel, living stipends, medical insurance in the U.S., and visa costs.Applicants may… Read More