International Education Week 2019

International Education Week (IEW), November 18-22, is a worldwide celebration of the benefits of international education and exchange. A joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, this week is “part of [DOS’] efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.”

How to Get Involved

• Attend an IEW event. For a full list of activities visit the IEW website.
• Share your international education and exchange experience on Social Media using the hashtag #IEW2019. Make sure to tag #cieealumni on Instagram as well!
• RSVP to the IEW Facebook event, then share the event with your community with a message about your international education experience.
• On November 21, join the Department of Education’s International and Foreign Language Education Office, Peace Corps, Asia Society, and educators from around the country (and the world!) for a Twitter #globaledchat on the topic of "Building the Pipeline: Global and Cultural Competencies." ​Find the chat on Twitter ​by following ​@GoGlobalED ​and hashtag #globaledchat

To celebrate, CIEE is sharing some of our favorite recent alumni stories that show the impact international exchange has on program participants and their communities.

CIEE Alumni Stories: The Impact of International Education

Andrea Villasmil is a 2015 CIEE Work & Travel USA alumna and 2019 CIEE Exchange Ambassador Grant Receipient. She was inspired by a young boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder to write a children’s book with themes of inclusion and friendship between those with ASD and neurotypical children.

Gloria Olivera’s dream is to open a circus school in her native Argentina. She came to the U.S. on the Professional Career Training USA program in 2017-2018. She worked for Trapeze Arts, Inc. in California, learning the finer points of running a business dedicated to training future circus performers and upping her own trapeze skills.

When Devanshu Batra and Farhan Ali met at the CIEE Civic Leadership Summit, they were shocked to find that they had so much in common. Devanshu is from India and Farhan is from Pakistan, and neither had ever become friends with someone from the other’s country. That changed over a week in Washington, D.C., leading both to reflect on the value of international exchange to bring people together.

Saces Ferrer was surprised by how much she connected with her young campers as a Camp Exchange USA participant. She felt like a superhero when her campers trusted her with their fears. A highlight from the summer was when she had the opportunity to present during an evening program about Filipino language and culture.

After studying abroad on seven continents (!), Nam Nguyen came to believe that there is no better way to learn something in a real-world context.  His experiences taught him that  that international education does not  just  benefit students, but also has significant value for international affairs and humanity as a whole.

As a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow studying in South Africa, Chiagoziem “Sylvester” Agu was eager bring  the insight, motivation, and knowledge he found during his international education experience back home to share with his  family, friends, and community

New! CIEE Scholarships in Honor of International Education Week

In recognition of International Education Week 2019, CIEE is awarding five study abroad scholarships toward summer and fall 2020 programs!

Students who have a submitted college study abroad application by November 22 will be automatically eligible for one of the five scholarships: $500 for summer programs or $1,500 for fall programs.

Students can choose from more than 80 summer programs and more than 105 fall programs across all academic areas, including internship opportunities.