The
U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria is now accepting applications for the
2017 Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute
for young Americans and Europeans. The program will take place
in June and July 2017. The institute will be hosted by Wake Forest
University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. All costs of the
participants will be covered.
The
Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute is an
intensive short-term exchange program whose purpose is to foster
relationships among young Europeans and
Americans to build strong linkages and an awareness of shared values.
The four-week
program will enable
teenagers, ages 16-18, to explore U.S. foreign policy priorities such
as youth engagement, support for democracy and civil society, and
economic prosperity. The program will consist of a series of lectures,
seminar discussions and presentations, and a broad
assortment of practical, faculty- and mentor-led workshops. The
coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by community
service activities, site visits, social and cultural activities, and
homestays with American families to deepen participants’
experience of U.S. society during their exchange.
During
the academic residency, participants will also have the opportunity to
discuss other topics such as democratic practices, conflict resolution,
problem solving, communication skills, critical thinking, tolerance and
respect for diversity, youth leadership, team building, and the media.
The Institute will also explore how freedom of expression provides
rights to and imposes responsibilities on citizens.
Upon their return home, participants will implement service projects in
their communities and present an alumni project plan to a youth-serving
or youth-centered organization in their home country. These
organizations may include the U.S. Mission Youth Councils,
American Corners or American Spaces, and exchange alumni associations.
Candidates
must exhibit demonstrable interest in pursuing leadership opportunities
in their home countries, and convey a genuine desire to learn
about the United States and its people, society, and institutions.
They are expected to fully participate in the academic program and the
follow-on activities afterward in their home countries. They should
attend all lectures and organized activities, complete
assigned readings, and be ready to share their culture with Americans.
They should be aware that the Institute is very intensive and that
there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the
program. All candidates must be proficient in English.
All
candidates are expected to have a strong interest in learning about
diplomacy, the transatlantic relationship, the role of a free press in a
democratic society, and public
or community service. They should have a strong demonstrated interest
in communications, advocacy, debate, and or civic participation. They
should have the academic aptitude for a program of this nature and the
personal qualities needed to be successful,
including maturity, strong social skills, flexibility, and
open-mindedness.
