YFU Mourns Loss of Student in Plane Crash

he entire YFU community mourns the tragic death of YFU exchange student Alexander Voigt, and our thoughts and prayers are with Alexander’s family and loved ones in Germany, and his host family and friends here in the United States. We also extend our sympathies to the family of Scott Olson, the pilot in the plane, who was a dear friend of Alexander’s host father.

At this point, the investigation continues as to the details of what may have caused this tragedy, and we refer all of those questions to the Sauk Rapids Police Department.

YFU has arranged for counseling services for Alexander’s friends and loved ones in his adopted US community, and we continue to work with our colleagues at YFU Germany to ensure that those most impacted by this tragedy in Alexander’s home country receive the support and care that they need.

Counseling services for students in Alexander's host community of St Cloud have been arranged and anyone in need of assistance should call Four County Crisis 24-hour hotline at (320) 253-5555 or (800) 635-8008. 

What’s most important now is the care for all those impacted by Alexander’s passing, and the YFU network will continue to do all it can to support all those affected by this tragedy. 

Hosting an Exchange Student Expands Your World

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."

Read the full article. 

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!