2016 TechGirls Program (Deadline to apply: February 20, 2016)

Jordanian Secondary School female students are invited to apply for this year’s TechGirls program. In summer 2016, approximately 27 young women from select countries in the Middle East and North Africa will travel to the United States for a four-week, intensive exchange focused on promoting the high-level study of technology.  The centerpiece of the exchange will be a weeklong technology camp with American peers at American University in Washington, D.C.  The camp will be complemented by site visits, leadership workshops, community service opportunities, job shadowing, and intercultural collaboration.  Participants will create action plans for community-based projects to implement upon their return to their home communities.

The substantive U.S.-based exchange for TechGirls participants will take place July 12 – August 3, 2016.  The academic component of the exchange will be a weeklong technology camp that will provide participants with an overview and examination of technology related topics and engage them in in-depth, hands-on instruction in areas of specific interest.  Through interactive activities, participants will work towards the development of a tangible product(s) that they may design together in small teams or individually, depending on participant interests and preferences.  The camp will be complemented by additional activities such as mentoring experiences; job shadowing; site visits to technology companies; community service activities; and social, recreational, and cultural activities.  Participants will also design a plan for follow-on activities to reinforce and support the skills and linkages acquired during the U.S. program.  The TechGirls participants will have ample opportunity during the exchange to interact with American peers who share similar technology interests.  The program will conclude with a short, substantive visit to the State Department to allow participants to debrief State representatives on their exchange experiences and individual or team projects.

Eligibility Requirements:

To apply for this program you must:

  1. Be a Jordanian citizen;
  2. Be Female, between the ages of 15 and 17;
  3. Have advanced skills and a serious interest in technology, engineering, and/or math in your academic studies;
  4. Intend to pursue higher education and/or careers in technology;
  5. Have strong English language skills;
  6. maturity, flexibility, and open-mindedness;
  7. Have at least one additional semester of secondary school upon your return to Jordan; and
  8. Be willing to complete a follow-on project upon their return home.

Please fill out the application form as completely as possible. The information you provide on this application will provide the basis for selecting semi-finalists for this program. Answer the questions carefully and completely. Applications can be e-mailed to AmmanExchanges@gmail.com no later than February 20, 2016

For further information about the program; please email us at Ammanexchanges@gmail.com