- Nearly 90 percent of today's 20 million college undergraduates miss out on the opportunity to study abroad. That means, far too often, students do not receive the chance to develop global competencies and cross-cultural understanding. When 94 percent of US companies with international operations state a desire for a workforce with global competencies, there is a real missed opportunity at stake.As college and university faculty, you are on the front line of today's study abroad challenge; and… 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
- The Future Leaders Exchange program celebrated its 25th cohort of students yesterday, at a ceremony in the Kennedy Caucus Room on Capitol Hill. The reception honored the latest 200 students to complete the program.Several guest speakers, including Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, congratulated the students on their accomplishment, while challenging them to make their voices heard. Mr. Murphy, who studied abroad in college, shared that he started questioning the leaders in his community as a… Read More
- On March 14th, American Councils President Dan E. Davidson, PhD, and professor at Bryn Mawr College, testified before the House State-Foreign Operations (SFOPS) and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee. In his testimony, Dr. Davidson addressed the vital need for continued funding for international exchange and training programs that focus on helping US and overseas participants develop a deep knowledge of our respective languages, cultures, and legal and economic systems. Dr.… Read More
- Editor's note: From our most junior level staffers to our president, our global staff has a lot of knowledge about exchange to share. This month, we asked them to share some of their best advice, based on their studies, work experience, and their time working at American Councils. For this piece, we asked: What is your best advice for someone going on an exchange program? 1. Be prepared to present [your] country's culture, do not hesitate to make new friends, have a good… Read More
- Meder’s journey from Kyrgyzstan to America actually started in Ghana.Last fall, Meder Mukai Uulu was thrilled to learn he earned a scholarship for the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program. The competitive, merit-based program, which is sponsored by the United States Department of State, has an acceptance rate of less than three percent. FLEX students live with a host family and attend an American high school, and Meder couldn’t wait. Meanwhile in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Spalding… Read More
- As an American living in Belgrade, Serbia for the past two years, my daily life is a paradox of passing anti-American graffiti and placards mourning those killed in the 1999 NATO bombings as I walk to the homes of Serbian friends who welcome me warmly. To friends in Serbia, I am an American, but not America. To those who don't know me, I am merely a representative of the United States an American conflated with America for better or worse.In Belgrade, taxi drivers speak openly about their fear… Read More
- Stray dogs are a common sight in Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The large number of dogs without homes makes it particularly difficult for the local government to provide shelter for all, with estimates putting the stray dog population close to 11,000.American high school students living in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the YES Abroad high school exchange year joined forces with young Bosnians from the YES alumni network to raise money for a local dog shelter in… Read More
- Editor's note: This letter to the editor was originally published in the Washington Post on May 10. I was disappointed to see in the April 29 front-page obituary for former senator Richard G. Lugar, “Senator was key in U.S. foreign policy,” no mention of his role as co-founder of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, which brings nearly 1,000 high school students to the United States every year. The Indiana Republican spoke annually to these students about how… Read More
- I love being an exchange student because of the way confusion turns into amazement. Earlier this year, while doing homework in my room, my host mom walked in and asked if I wanted to come to a jazz concert. Of course I said yes. The number one rule of being an exchange student is to always say yes when someone invites you somewhere. My host mom then added, "You should change, it's at the President's residence!" President, I assumed at the moment, meant the president of the jazz association, who… Read More
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