We've had feedback over the last week that some people are unhappy with our plan to offer up to 14 scholarships to refugees living in the local area. To these people, we would like to say: Tough. Jog on. https://t.co/ioDLPp5crw
All funds raised by this GoFundMe initiative will be split between the team from Colombia and the team from Guatemala!
Wonderful initiative that my son's soccer club @kicsunitedfc is doing to bring youth futbol teams from Colombia & Guatemala to play in the KICS Cup tournament this summer in Chicago. Any donations will be split between both teams! More information at https://t.co/vrz9q9O4D8pic.twitter.com/4TVf7K5yJJ
"In 2002, former Senator Ted Kennedy, of
Massachusetts, and I felt it was very important, in the aftermath of the 9/11
tragedy in the United States, to get to know students in Muslim countries and
for them to know us, so we worked with the State Department and others to
institute this program. This is the tenth anniversary of that; the graduating
class has grown from roughly 400 to well over 900 this year. We have had some
very exciting students and experiences which we all celebrate. High school
students are quick learners, they are well able to adapt to new conditions, and
they are our future leaders. We are most hopeful that this experience will be a
part of this leadership background. I have no doubt having this visit with six
students who attended Indiana high schools that these students are destined to
take on many more leadership opportunities, and eventually in their homelands
will offer significant service to people. This will be a celebration of the YES
program."
…is how I have started almost every e-mail message I reply to from a prospective Fulbright U.S. Student Program applicant over the past eleven years.I LOVE working with students on their Fulbright applications and fleshing out their ideas for the program.In talking with students about their plans I get excited for the day my three young children are college-age and I’ll be highlighting this program to them as they will have studied abroad (hopefully a few times and starting as early as high school) and will hopefully want to spend more time abroad on this great program.With this in mind I thought I would jot down this quick note of Fulbright advice to my children as my facilities and memory may not be fully functioning in 21 years or so when my youngest will be graduating from College:
Dear kids [names withheld for privacy],
When applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition (or any Fulbright competition for that matter) remember that the Fulbright Program came as a result of World War II and its purpose is geared towards mutual understanding among peoples from the United States and other countries.To be sure, the Fulbright program is an academic/scholarly venture but when you are thinking about your time abroad and preparing your proposal remember the underlying mission of the program.This will help you prepare a meaningful and enjoyable experience.
Your mother and I raised you to be thoughtful, caring and respectful citizens of this planet and we know that you will take these values with you everywhere you go.Now, go out and see the world.
Heard of the Open World Program before? I’ve been aware of their existence for only a few months and I’ve been following them on Twitter and really like what they are about.
After watching the video I recommend checking out their website to learn more about them and if you are on Twitter follow them at http://twitter.com/OWProgram.
I just learned about an interesting new partnership between CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange and The Korea Foundation. Specifically, these two organizations have partnered to create the South Korea Scholarship Program which is a full, all expenses paid, scholarship program for U.S. high school and university students. According to the website, the South Korea Scholarship Program is “aimed at promoting awareness and understanding of Korea throughout the international community, and to enhance goodwill and friendship through the implementation of various international exchange programs.”
You can learn more about the scholarship program for both high school students and university students here.
I was reading the transcript of President Obama’s remarks at a town hall meeting held yesterday with Chinese students at the Museum of Science and Technology in Shanghai and was happy to see that he talked about educational exchange between the United States and China. This is not the first time that President Obama has met with students and talked about the importance of international exchanges and I hope it will not be the last time he talks about this issue. What caught my attention was the following statement by President Obama:
“..I'm pleased to announce that the United States will dramatically expand the number of our students who study in China to 100,000. And these exchanges mark a clear commitment to build ties among our people, as surely as you will help determine the destiny of the 21st century. And I'm absolutely confident that America has no better ambassadors to offer than our young people. For they, just like you, are filled with talent and energy and optimism about the history that is yet to be written.
So let this be the next step in the steady pursuit of cooperation that will serve our nations, and the world. And if there's one thing that we can take from today's dialogue, I hope that it is a commitment to continue this dialogue going forward.”
This is certainly a bold and interesting plan for the United States. I’m very interested in President Obama’s plans and I look forward to watching and posting to IHEC Blog about future developments in U.S.-China academic exchanges! You can read the entire transcript of President Obama's town hall meeting with Chinese students here.
Update: Video added November 18th ~ President Obama begins talking about sending 100.000 U.S. students to China at the 3:37 minute mark.
Given that it’s International Education Week and that President Obama continues to tout the importance of international exchanges between the United States and other countries with plans to send 100,000 U.S. students to study abroad in China it seems fitting for me to revisit my August 6th IHEC Blog post where I wrote “Dear President Obama – What’s Your International Policy?” which you can view here.
"In the very last days of President Judson's administration, Mr. and Mrs. M. Haddon MacLearn and the sons of Mr. Harris, Albert W. Harris, Norman D. Harris, Hayden B. Harris, and Stanley G. Harris, gave the University $150,000 for the endowment of the Norman Wait Harris Memorial Foundation, in memory of Norman Wait Harris, for many years one of the leading business men of Chicago and head of the Harris Trust and Savings Bank. The fund was given in the name of Mrs. N.W. Harris. The income of this endowment was to be expended for the "promotion of a better understanding on the part of American citizens of the other peoples of the world, thus establishing a basis for improved international relations a a more enlightened world order." The first conferences under the Harris Foundation were held at the University during the Summer Quarter of 1924. Lectures were delivered by eminent Men of other countries and heard with great interest." (p. 186-187)
The fact that this endowment was established in 1923 to promote better understanding between Americans and other peoples of the world is impressive and interesting to me. What is equally impressive is that the Norman Wait Harris Memorial Foundation Fund is still in existence and is one of the oldest endowments at the University of Chicago. You can learn more about how the Norman Wait Harris Memorial Foundation Fund is being used here.
