Deadline: 10 December 2019
The U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria is seeking applications for the 2020 Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement.
The Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders from Europe on Civic Engagement will provide participants with an overview of how citizens have shaped U.S. history, government, and society both as individuals and groups. The academic program will define civic engagement, examine its development in the United States, and explore topics such as citizenship, community building, economic development, grassroots activism, political leadership, and volunteerism.
Other topics such as civil rights, entrepreneurship, ethics, leadership, and media will be discussed. Students will also have the opportunity to leave the classroom to meet with community leaders, entrepreneurs, and representatives of non-profit organizations.
The academic residency will be complemented by an educational tour that will take participants to another area of the U.S. where they will meet with local, state, private, and not-for-profit organizations working in the field. The Institute will then conclude with a visit to Washington, D.C. The Institute on Civic Engagement will be hosted by the University of South Carolina, Columbia.
The participants are expected to be highly motivated first through third year undergraduate students from colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education, who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. Their fields of study will be varied and may include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, education, business, and other professional fields.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates applying for this program should:
- Be Bulgarian nationals;
- 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;
- Demonstrate strong leadership;
- 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 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.
Eligible Country: Bulgaria
For more information, visit https://bg.usembassy.gov/call-for-applications-for-the-2020-susi-for-student-leaders-on-civic-engagement/