- It started with a text message in 2012: “Love it. Definitely!”That was Sheila Green’s response after her husband Brian asked if she was open to hosting a fellow from Ukraine.Five fellows later, the Green family has no plans of stopping. They’ve hosted two fellows from Ukraine, two from Georgia, and one from Armenia—all through the Professional Fellows Program (PFP). The State Department sponsored program, which is administered by American Councils, is a two-way exchange for young professionals… Read More
- When Kyle Spawn decided to study abroad in Moscow in 2018, he already knew a thing or two about living in Russia. He played with Russian alphabet blocks as a child. The family dog could sit and stay if asked in English or Russian. His mom even made a few Russian meals for him and his brother. Her family is Dutch, but Carla Spawn made an effort to share Russia with her children as well. Nearly 40 years before her son studied in Russia, she had studied abroad there too -- and on the same… Read More
- WASHINGTON — More than 200 exchange students celebrated on Capitol Hill last week, marking their graduation from the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program. The ceremony for the 26th graduating class included students from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine, and featured special speeches by students from Ukraine and Moldova. State Department officials, congressional staff, and embassy representatives joined host families, local coordinators… 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
- American Councils’ supporters enjoyed a reception and tour last week at the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center in Washington, DC at the 2019 donor appreciation event. This annual gathering celebrates the generous contributions of American Councils' donors, whose support funds scholarships for outbound participants and helps to make study abroad programs more accessible to students across the United States. To date, donors have supported more than 100 scholarships for American students studying… Read More
- Editor's note: Yulia Bychkovska spent the 2015-16 school year attending high school in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, as part of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program. She is currently studying international business and business administration at Columbia College in Missouri. She's not sure yet what she'll do after graduation, but she knows she'll have her mom's support. When my mom met me at the airport after my exchange year in Ohio, instead of balloons or a cheesy poster, she met me… Read More
- WASHINGTON – American Councils for International Education has selected the five US universities that will spend this year working with higher education institutions in Kazakhstan to build partnerships and support internationalization efforts in both countries.American Councils awarded grants to the five US schools this spring, the culmination of the US-Kazakhstan University Coaching program, which is a two-year initiative supported and funded by the US Embassy in Astana to prepare… Read More
- When the outgoing Kyrgyz ambassador to the US invited me to join him at his farewell reception in January, I gladly accepted. Attending a gathering at Blair House–the US president’s guest house–was a first for me. I was doubly honored when Ambassador Kadyr Toktogulov thanked me by name during his remarks. And I was completely surprised by what I heard next. “Did you study in Moscow in the 1980s?” a man standing near me asked. We recognized each other immediately.… Read More
- Editor's note: We polled our staff all over the world about what to bring on exchange. The submissions ranged from snacks to mindsets. (Almost everyone mentioned having an open mind, an absolute exchange essential!) Here is our top ten list: 1. A good pair of shoes for exploring. 2. Small doses of familiar flavors (spices, food mixes, etc.) to share with your host community--or to help combat homesickness. 3. Measuring cups! It makes baking for your host family and friends so much… 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
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