The Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Amman is pleased to announce the 2015 Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders in Women’s Leadership. Study of the US Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders are intensive academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. Interested students can apply via email to ammanexchanges@gmail.com orammanexchanges@state.gov by December 6, 2014.
Program Description:
The Institute will be hosted by Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, from June 27 through August 1, 2015. Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders is intensive short term academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. The five-week Institutes will consist of a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by educational travel, site visits, leadership activities, and volunteer opportunities within the local community. The Institutes will include an academic residency component of approximately four weeks and a domestic study tour of approximately one week. During the academic residency, participants will also have the opportunity to engage in educational and cultural activities outside of the classroom.
Pending availability of funds and final grant approval, the Institute on Women’s Leadership will begin with an opening conference in Washington, D.C., tentatively scheduled for July 1, 2015. The one-day conference will bring together 80 SUSI student leaders and approximately 20 U.S. student ambassadors from the four Institutes on Women’s Leadership and will set the tone for the Institutes. The women will have opportunities to network with one another and meet with inspiring U.S. women leaders representing various professional fields.
The four week academic residency will examine the history and participation of women in public life in the United States. The Institutes will focus on two major areas: developing participants’ leadership skills in areas such as critical thinking, communication, decision-making, and managerial abilities; and, placing these abilities in the context of the history and participation of women in U.S. politics, economics, culture, and society. The program will also examine the historical domestic progress towards women’s equality in the United States, the current domestic successes and challenges to women in a variety of fields, and current challenges in global women’s issues. The academic residency will be complemented by an educational study tour where participants will experience a different region of the United States. Throughout the Institute, participants will meet with local, state, private, and not-for-profit organizations working in the field.
Candidate description and Qualifications:
The participants are expected to be highly motivated first through third year undergraduate students from colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education, who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. Their fields of study will be varied, and may include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, education, business, and other professional fields. Emphasis should be made on recruiting participants from non-elite backgrounds, from both rural and urban areas, and with little or no prior experience in the United States or elsewhere outside their home country. In addition, recruitment of participants should include historically underserved groups such as indigenous groups, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities.
Candidates nominated for this program will:
- be female;
- be proficient in English;
- be interested in the topic of Women’s Leadership;
- be between 18 and 25 years of age;
- have at least one semester left of their undergraduate studies, and therefore be committed to return to their home universities following completion of the program;
- demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their university and community activities;
- indicate a serious interest in learning about the United States;
- have a sustained high level of academic achievement, as indicated by grades, awards, and teacher recommendations;
- demonstrate commitment to community and extracurricular university activities;
- have little or no prior study or travel experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of their home country;
- be mature, responsible, independent, confident, open-minded, tolerant, thoughtful, and inquisitive;
- be willing and able to fully participate in an intensive academic program, community service, and educational travel; and,
- be comfortable with campus life, prepared to share living accommodations, and able to make adjustments to cultural and social practices different from those of their home country.
Funding:
The Department of State will cover all participant costs, including: program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; housing in university dorms and subsistence.
Interested students can apply via email to ammanexchanges@gmail.com or ammanexchanges@state.gov by December 6, 2014.
Applications should include:
- Candidate’s updated CV in English, in Word or PDF format, including:
- Complete birth data,
- Complete contact information
Academic information; - Work and volunteer experience;
- Memberships in associations, clubs, etc.;
- Previous experience in the United States (dates)
- Level of English fluency;
- Candidate’s personal statement, in Word or PDF format:
To answer the following questions: Tell us about yourself and your goals including the following: What about your background and /or interests makes your competitive for this particular Institute? What will you contribute to the group? How do you expect this experience will affect your future academic and professional career? How will it affect you personally? Essay should be structured in paragraphs and should not exceed 250 words.
For further information on the program, please contact Ms. Rawan Mloukhieh at the Cultural Section of the US Embassy in Amman, Tel: 590-6287; Fax: 592-0121.
