1. From Professional Fellow to Lifelong Friend

   Leslie Jensen, Vice President and Commercial Banker at First Interstate Bank, has always been interested in learning more about people and places outside of the United States. After hearing about the Professional Fellows Economic Empowerment Program, she felt a strong connection to the goals of the program and decided to host a participant from Burma.

2. Minh on a Montana Farm

   Minh Dang of Vietnam set specific goals for himself while participating in the Professional Fellow’s Economic Empowerment Program.

3. Networking Opens Opportunities for Barbara Rwodzi of Zimbabwe

   "Home visits were special. It is an opportunity to know other people and exchange cultures. There is lots of laughing."

4. A Literary Connection

   Filmmaker Ram Devineni travels the Middle East with four writers to connect with Afghan writers, poets and journalists.

5. Building Strong Ties Through Friendship

   A “teacher at heart,” John Balsam has long been interested in hosting international visitors. Sharing his experiences with them and learning from them, he says, has given him a new perspective on the United States and the challenges it faces.

6. America Through the Eyes of a Nepali

   Prabhakar Bagchand came to admire the U.S. Bill of Rights and the things that truly make America the “land of the proud and free."

7. Unpublished

   10th Anniversary of Access Awards Alumni with U.S. Visit

   The English Access Microscholarship program (Access) is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a U.S. exchange opportunity.

8. A Step Towards World Peace

   

   "I got to know more about [the people I met here], their culture, their history, the things they believed, and because of this, I understand [now] why they behave the way they do. I think it is a very important step towards world peace." - Francisca, from India on the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program.

9. Unpublished

   The Spirit of Volunteerism in Zambia

   

   During his time in the United States as a participant in the International Visitor Leadership Program, Mark Chilongu of Lusaka, Zambia was struck by the way in which Americans shared their time and resources to care for the poor.

10. Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange

    The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program provides year-long academic, homestay, and community service opportunities for American and German high school students, vocational school graduates, and young professionals.

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