Photo of Kakha from the Republic of Georgia, hosted by American farmers through Alfred State University

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows from around the world are interacting with American families in rural communities in the state of New York through the Associate Campus Partnership established between Cornell University and Alfred State College. Cornell’s collaboration increases the cultural diversity of Alfred State, where the student population of 3,300 full-time students, many of them first generation college students with limited or no experience overseas, includes only 50 international students.

The Associate Campus Partnership is an initiative that allows Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship host universities to extend the international reach of the program by initiating a partnership with another college or university. The Humphrey Program staff at Cornell initiated the relationship with Alfred State College as a way to give Humphrey Fellows exposure a community they might not otherwise visit that differs significantly from the one in which they are living during the Fellowship year. By bringing the Humphrey Fellows to the community surrounding Alfred State College, more Americans in this rural part of New York are introduced to a diverse group of international professionals.

The 2008-2009 Humphrey Fellows hosted by this collaboration represent eight countries: Angola, Azerbaijan, Burma, China, India, Iraq, Tajikistan, and Thailand. Just a few days after the Humphrey Fellows arrived at Cornell, they traveled with the Humphrey staff at Cornell University to Alfred State for an enthusiastic reception by community and campus leaders. Humphrey Fellows have many opportunities for informal interaction with Alfred State students, faculty, staff, and local citizens, and have accepted invitations to deliver guest lectures in classes.

At Alfred State College's Hinkly Library, an International Education Week activity allowed American students and Fellows to “tour” the Fellows’ countries. Students “traveled” to stations around the library with “passports” which allowed them to speak with each of the Fellows’ countries, learn about their countries, and have their “passports” stamped. Many students are keen to visit the Fellows’ countries in the future as a result of this interaction.

The Humphrey Fellows based at Cornell University are professionals with experience and expertise in the fields of agricultural and rural development or natural resources, environmental policy, and climate change, and have shown they have much to offer Alfred State as it strengthens its own programs in agriculture and environmental and economic sustainability. Alfred State College has begun a major effort to strengthen its longstanding academic programs in agriculture, emphasizing environmental and economic sustainability and emerging market opportunities for sustainably-produced food. From Cornell’s perspective, this institution-strengthening program offers the Humphrey Fellows an additional opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways to applied agricultural research, extension, and community development programs by sharing their experience and perspectives with U.S. professionals and communities.

To learn more about your university or college can become a host institution, visit: http://www.humphreyfellowship.org

Photo of members of the VLP Grassroots Democracy delegation from Francophone Africa visiting D.C.’s CentroNía’s model early childhood program

On April 2, 2009, International Visitors on an African Regional Project on Grassroots Democracy visited CentroNía in Washington, D.C.’s Columbia Heights neighborhood. CentroNía is a nationally recognized award winning education organization that provides affordable, quality education, professional development, and family support services to more than 1,500 low income children, youth, and families.

The Visitors from Francophone countries in Africa observed classes and learned about the schools efforts to bring creative learning to the classroom. The group was invited to participate in a discussion with five young people aged 14-17 who spoke about the schools extracurricular activities such as book clubs, job training, musical groups, and workshops conducted with the help of such organizations as Amnesty International. The young people were eager to learn about Africa and immediately looked for a map of Africa on the computer. They enlarged and printed the map and had each visitor sign it with their names and respective countries. The Africans were so touched, they told the group that should they ever come to Africa, they would not need to worry about lodging or food; they would have a home with them. The students were enchanted and started asking about what they could do to interact with young Africans through exchange programs.

This State Department- education initiative provides International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants opportunities to visit K-12 schools in the United States. The International Visitors make presentations about their own countries and interact with American students. Visitors are encouraged to bring something from home such as clothing, toys, or photos to help explain their culture to the students. This two-way exchange allows our visitors to better understand U.S. society and culture, and raises American students’ awareness of the world outside their classrooms in support of creating mutual understanding. The International Visitors who have already visited schools are enormously enthusiastic about meeting young Americans, and the students have been fascinated at this glimpse into another way of life. Both sides have come away from these sessions motivated and energized.

Learn more about setting up International Visitor Delegation visits to your school at http://www.nciv.org/gi_volunteer.asp.

Shawnee Mission School District Hosts Egyptian Exchange Teacher participant, Mr. Rawy, teaching students on Arabic Camp Day

As a host for Emad Rawy, a participant in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Teachers of Critical Languages Program from Egypt, the Shawnee Mission School District in Kansas has provided opportunities for the exchange teacher to gain a better understanding of the United States.

Thanks to the work of the Shawnee Mission School District's Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Betsy Degen; the Shawnee Mission School District's Social Studies Resource Specialist, Deborah Brown; and his host school's Parent Teacher Association President, Lisa Lawrence-Logan, Mr. Rawy has taught Arabic as a foreign language to more than 185 students in three of the district's schools.

To provide Mr. Rawy with opportunities to understand American family life, the school district worked with the host school's PTA Parent Liaison so that a series of host families could welcome Mr. Rawy into their homes. In addition, the school district facilitated Mr. Rawy’s transportation to schools throughout the district to n conduct Arabic language outreach activities.

The district has worked with Mr. Rawy to ensure that he was able to use technology effectively in his classroom. Mr. Rawy organized Cross-Cultural Connections video conferences between U.S. Arabic language students within Shawnee Mission School District and Egyptian students studying English. The project brought together a total of 30 students and five teachers from five schools in Shawnee Mission School District and Egypt.

In addition, the school district supported an Arabic Day Camp that was Mr. Rawy’s initiative, bringing together 140 students from the district's elementary and secondary schools for a one-day event to learn more about the Arabic language and Middle Eastern culture. Mr. Rawy also created an Arabic library at one district school.

Beyond the classroom, the district has also arranged for Mr. Rawy to experience life in the wider community. He attended a NASCAR event, volunteered at a nursing home, observed a voter center, chaperoned a youth group's spring break trip to rebuild homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and volunteered in a project to help clean up the Missouri River.

For information on how your school can host a teacher, visit http://exchanges.state.gov/globalexchanges/programs.html.

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Students Learn Culture Through Day Camp (sunpublications.com)