- 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.He assumed he would be placed in a big city, like he had seen in movies – New York City or Chicago. He was placed in Lyle, Minnesota.In 2008, the… Read More
- 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. She… Read More
- Nataliya Bugayova has never let unlikely odds get in her way. It was unlikely that she would become the first female CEO of a major Ukrainian publication at 25, but she did. It was unlikely that she would be accepted to a master’s program at Harvard at 21, as an international student, but she was. In 2004, it was unlikely that she would be selected as a Future Leaders Exchange student, but she was. She has her mother to thank for that. They lived in a small town, away from the big… Read More
- Long before she was on the shortlist for the Sony World Photography Award— before she ever considered becoming a professional photographer— Anush Babajanyan was an exchange student with a 23 mm film camera. It was a gift from her host mom, Judy Mothershead. As she recalled the story of her first camera, in an interview with American Councils, Ms. Babajanyan said she had never realized before that her interest in photography started back then, in Citronelle, Alabama. “I remember… Read More
- WASHINGTON, DC — US Ambassador Pamela Spratlen and Deputy Justice Minister Akbar Tashkulov officially welcomed American Councils for International Education to Uzbekistan yesterday. The US Department of State announced that American Councils is the first nongovernmental organization (NGO) to be registered in Uzbekistan in 15 years. This announcement was formalized when Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the White House earlier this summer.The new partnership between… Read More
- Jesse Lynch and Lisa Roman were two of the last fellows who studied in Syria through Arabic Overseas Language Flagship program. Eleven years later, the two have continued using their language skills to build successful, global careers. Looking back, Mr. Lynch says he was always interested in languages but started to focus his attention on Arabic and the Middle East after 9/11, when he was a sophomore at Florida State University. “I knew I wanted to do something that would allow me to see… Read More
- American Councils has signed on to support a master’s degree fellowship for Albanian professionals, the sponsoring organizations announced on Saturday. The Master’s and Internship Program, first established by Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) in 2016, is a merit-based opportunity for Albanians to earn master’s level degrees at accredited US universities. The fellowship is open to Albanian residents who are expected to demonstrate professional aptitude and leadership potential in… Read More
- When exchange program participants arrive in America, host families, new friends, and locals welcome them and guide them through the journey to understanding a new and unfamiliar place.For several exchange alumni each year, the roles are reversed when they lead a group of visitors through their home countries on American Councils Insider Tours.The annual trip provides an in-depth look at several countries in a featured region, including tours and tips from exchange alumni of programs… Read More
- ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN -- Representatives from higher education institutes in the United States and Kazakhstan met this month for a workshop, the latest event in a yearlong initiative to increase collaboration between universities. The workshop was hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan as part of the U.S.-Kazakhstan University Partnership Coaching Program. It was funded by the U.S. Embassy in Astana and administered by American Councils for International Education. The 12-month coaching program, which… 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.
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