Call for Applications is now CLOSED.
Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Students are 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. SUSI programs are five-week Institutes in June-July that 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. Each Institute will have up to 20 participants and will include a four week academic residency component and a one week integrated study tour. 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.
The Study of the U.S. Institute on Journalism and Media hosted by Washington State University, will provide participants with a deeper understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a free press in U.S. society. The Institute will examine the role of journalists in preventing disinformation and explore strategies for media literacy such as critical thinking to counter disinformation. Academic sessions will examine First Amendment rights, technology’s impact on journalism, editorial independence, journalistic ethics, legal constraints, civic journalism, and digital and social media. Finally, the Institute will include opportunities for participants to gain practical experience in the tradecraft of journalism, including researching, reporting, writing, and editing. In addition to classroom activities, participants will meet with local news outlets and travel to Atlanta, Georgia, for a study tour. The Institute will end in Washington, D.C. where participants from all four Institutes will come together for a closing forum. During the closing forum, participants will have opportunities to network, discuss their action plans, and engage in conversations on relevant topics with local subject matter experts.
OTHER ESSENTIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION:
Program Funding: Through an award given to FHI360, ECA will cover all participant costs, including: program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; visa travel; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence. FHI360 will arrange and pay for participants’ international and visa travel costs and travel allowances within set limits and in coordination with posts and Fulbright Commissions.
Housing and Meal Arrangements: Housing will be in shared university dorms on campus with common bathrooms. Male participants will be housed on one-floor and female participants on a separate floor. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own. It is important that nominees are aware of these arrangements and that they are comfortable with such accommodations.
Care will be taken to ensure that any special requirements regarding diet, daily worship, housing, and medical care are satisfied.
Health Benefits: All participants will receive the Department of State’s coverage of $100,000 with a $25 co-pay per medical visit and a $75 co-pay per emergency room visit, for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions may be covered up to $100,000, subject to policy exclusions and limitations. Information on the health benefit program may be found online at https://www.sevencorners.com/gov/usdos.
Program Requirements and Restrictions: Participants are expected to fully participate in the academic program. They should attend all lectures and organized activities, and complete assigned readings. Candidates should be made aware that the Institute is very intensive and that there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program.
English Language Ability: All candidates must be proficient in English so that they can actively participate in the academic program. Host institutions will take into account that the level of comprehension and speaking ability of students may vary and will prepare lectures and discussions that meet the highest academic standards while using language appropriate for students where English is their second or third language. Posts must indicate the level of English language fluency in Section Q of the nomination form.
Candidates nominated for this program will:
- be proficient in English;
- be interested in the Institute topic;
- be between 18 and 25 years of age;
- have at least one semester left of their undergraduate studies, and therefore be committed to returning 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.
Interested candidates should send a personal statement and a C.V. to PodgoricaExchanges@state.gov and cobajb@state.gov no later than midnight on Friday, December 27.
Personal statement is a way to tell us about yourself and your goals including the following: What about your background and/or interests makes you competitive for the SUSI exchange program? What will you contribute to the program? How will the program affect you personally or professionally? Please structure your essay in paragraphs and limit your response to 500 words, or approximately a page, single spaced.
