CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour Visits Mackinac Island, Michigan, to Highlight How BridgeUSA Makes America Safer, Stronger, and More Prosperous
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CIEE was in historic Mackinac Island this week for the tenth stop on its nationwide BridgeUSA Celebration Tour that spotlights how international exchange programs powered by the U.S. Department of State are making America safer through diplomacy, stronger through global collaboration, and more prosperous through innovation and shared opportunity.
In picturesque Mackinac Island, CIEE honored supporters of the BridgeUSA Intern-Trainee program, which gives U.S. host organizations access to diverse, globally minded talent, enabling organizations to build robust talent pipelines, enhance cultural competency, and remain competitive in an increasingly interconnected economy. Plus, CIEE honored champions of the BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program, which brings international college students to live and work in America during their university summer break, helping seasonal employers expand and extend the tourism season by an average of 50 days, contributing billions of dollars to the American economy each year.
CIEE also hosted a roundtable, featuring Amy Newman, Deputy Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, who spoke about the importance and impact of BridgeUSA programs.
BridgeUSA Makes America Safer and Stronger
BridgeUSA is one of America's most powerful public diplomacy tools. By connecting future global leaders with American communities, it fosters mutual understanding, strengthens international relationships, and creates lifelong advocates for the United States around the world.
BridgeUSA Makes America More Prosperous
BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel participants enable local economies to prosper by expanding and extending the tourism season, allowing businesses to employ more Americans for a longer seasonal period and allowing thousands of local businesses—from hotels to restaurants, from retail shops to hospitality providers—to extend the duration of their peak-season sales surge, compounding the positive economic impact in each community.
"The core premise of the BridgeUSA program is that international students come to America at their own expense on temporary visas to help American businesses and American communities thrive," said James P. Pellow, Ed.D., President and CEO of CIEE. "BridgeUSA students pay their way to come to America, they help make American businesses more prosperous while they are here, and then they return to their home countries with a deeper knowledge and respect for American culture and American values, including the power of democracy and free speech. If BridgeUSA did not exist, someone would need to invent it, as it truly enriches all Americans."
About the CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour
In June 2025, the CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour began in Ohio and Kentucky with stops at the iconic Cedar Point Amusement Park, the famous Kings Island Amusement Park, and family-favorite Kentucky Kingdom. In July, CIEE senior leaders visited stunning Yellowstone National Park and majestic Big Sky, Montana. Then they celebrated BridgeUSA in beloved Myrtle Beach in August and historic San Antonio in September. The 2026 leg of the tour kicked off with a stop in premier ski destination Park City in March. Future stops include fun-filled Wisconsin Dells in August and vibrant Ocean City, Maryland, in September.
If you are interested in participating in a future CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration event, please reach out to Carye Duffin, CIEE Senior Vice President of External Affairs, at CDuffin@ciee.org.