Korean Intensive Summer Language Program (KISLP)
KISLP provides motivated students of Korean with the linguistic, cultural, and historical knowledge necessary to make language proficiency gains through a combination of intensive study and immersion in local Korean society and culture. Students will have the opportunity to live on the Chungbuk National University (CBNU) campus, engage in varied cultural activities, and connect with local South Korean families and peers.
Each U.S. participant of KISLP is matched with a CBNU peer, who serves as a conversation partner and provides KISLP participants with an unmatched opportunity to make new friends and interact with the university community. Students are also paired with a local host family, with whom they spend time for special occasions and family meals while gaining unique insights into daily Korean life.
All applicants of KISLP may apply to receive financial aid through the Judith Ehm Foundation Fellowship. The Judith Ehm Foundation Fellowship was established in honor of Judith Ehm, a trailblazing Korean American entrepreneur and businesswoman who was dedicated to community, equity, and diversity. The fellowship supports highly motivated students who demonstrate a strong commitment to studying Korean and promoting Korean culture in the U.S. Students from underrepresented groups and first-generation university students will receive priority in fellowship awards to grow the diversity of the KISLP programming. All KISLP applicants selected for fellowships will receive a minimum of $5,000 with the potential for full funding for exceptional applicants demonstrating additional financial need.
American Councils is grateful for the support from the Judith Ehm Foundation to create accessible language learning opportunities for underrepresented students. The Korean Intensive Summer Language Program application is open now until February 15, 2023. Learn more about KISLP at the American Councils Study and Research Abroad website.
Education Influencers Exchange Program
A program of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul and the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, the Education Influencers Exchange Program aims to create more productive relationships between Korean students and U.S. universities by utilizing the social capital of Korean influencers. With social media becoming an increasingly influential force in educational and cultural exchanges, the Education Influencers Exchange Program will harness the power of online influencers from South Korea to communicate the many advantages of studying abroad at U.S. higher education institutions.
Administered by American Councils, the Education Influencers Exchange Program will bring online influencers selected by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to the United States for a 10-day exchange program. Influencers will attend meetings with successful Korean students and alumni of U.S. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), workshops, and consultations to identify the concerns of South Korean audiences. During these meetings, influencers will work to brainstorm social media content aimed toward Korean parents that render decisions about their children’s educational paths.
The goals of the Education Influencers Exchange Program include strengthening understanding of American higher education and culture among Korean influencers and emphasizing the contributions Korean communities have made in the U.S.
Likewise, the Education Influencers Exchange Program intends to prepare Korean influencers to accurately promote the U.S. higher education systems to their online audiences, fostering mutual understanding between the South Korean and U.S. HEIs. The program will also connect the influencers with Asian American and Pacific Islander students and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community organizations to learn more about how these groups work to empower Korean communities.
For more information about Education Influencers Exchange Program, contact Marc Zielinski at Zielinski@americancouncils.org.
American Councils is proud to administer the Korean Intensive Summer Language Program and the Education Influencers Exchange Program and is excited to establish mutually beneficial ties between U.S. and South Korean universities, students, and alumni.