CIEE Young Civic Leadership Summit Brings Global Changemakers to Myrtle Beach
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Fifty exceptional international college students participating in the BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Program learned skills for working across national and cultural barriers.
The 11th Annual Ambassador Johnny and Angie Young Civic Leadership Summit kicked off Monday at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach. Named in honor of Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young, whose legacy of public service and diplomacy continues to build bridges across cultures, the summit celebrates the very best of the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Program, a transformative program that invites international college students to live and work in the United States during their summer break — deepening cultural understanding, fueling local economies, and sparking friendships that span the globe.
Since its founding, the Young Civic Leadership Summit has helped more than 450 BridgeUSA participants from around the world develop the skills needed to be changemakers.
The 2025 Young Civic Leadership Fellows are 50 extraordinary young leaders hailing from 29 countries who have spent the summer supporting the staffing needs of 39 different host employers across the United States.
In Myrtle Beach, the Fellows received intensive training on leadership, practiced intercultural collaboration, and developed a deeper understanding of how to affect positive change in their communities and our world. They had the opportunity to meet Rebecca Pasini, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and gave back to the local community by engaging in one of three service projects, supporting either Palmetto Works, The Shepherd’s Table Community Kitchen and Pantry, or Keep Myrtle Beach Beautiful.
Top sponsors of this year’s summit include Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and Skanska.
“We are proud to support this event that allows extraordinary BridgeUSA participants to explore a new part of the United States and to experience firsthand the diversity and values that define the American spirit,” said Amy Therien, Vice President of People Operations for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. “We hope participants leave this summit with a deeper appreciation for their international peers, a lasting connection to a new American community, and a clearer sense of their unique potential as global changemakers.”
“This year’s gathering in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter - that highlights the essential role of BridgeUSA programs in strengthening America from the ground up,” said Carye Duffin, CIEE Senior Vice President of External Affairs. “For the first time since its founding in 2013, we are taking the summit beyond Washington, D.C., and into the heart of local communities. BridgeUSA programs are more than cultural exchanges—they are vital to America’s future. By promoting mutual understanding, building enduring international partnerships, and cultivating the next generation of global leaders, these programs help make the United States safer through diplomacy, stronger through collaboration, and more prosperous through innovation and shared opportunity.”
"When the Young Civic Leadership Fellows return to their home countries, they carry with them not only a deeper understanding of leadership and social impact, but also a network of peers who will support them on their journeys for years to come," said James P. Pellow, Ed.D., President and CEO of CIEE.
About CIEE:
CIEE builds bridges between different people, different countries, and different cultures. For 75 years, we have helped young people participate in high-quality international exchange and study abroad programs that bring the world together. Since 1947, CIEE has supported more than one million student exchanges for participants from more than 140 countries. We change lives, our alumni change the world. Learn more at ciee.org.
Media Contact: Leslie Taylor, ltaylor@ciee.org, (207) 553-4274