Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Evan Ryan shares her perspective on the life-changing impact of exchange programs.
“Over the past few weeks – as the school year has wrapped up – I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the 2,000 international high school exchange students who came to the United States on programs sponsored by the State Department this year. Their confidence, appreciation for culture, and their dedication to community service make me excited for the future – these students are the future leaders in their countries, and they’ve left an important lasting mark on communities here in the United States. So now, I want to really encourage more Americans to consider expanding your worlds by bringing one of these amazing students into your homes. Hosting an exchange student is a way to understand another culture and bring new ideas into your community without ever leaving your home.”
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program was established to build bridges of understanding between the US and countries with significant Muslim populations. Meet some of our incoming YES scholarship recipients and welcome one of these future leaders into your home this fall!