We are excited to announce the newest member of the Participant Support Department, Alyssa Berusch! Alyssa attended the University of Albany and graduated in 2013 with a B.A. in Psychology and European history. She studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain during her undergraduate studies where she furthered her love of travel, culture, and language. After graduation, […]
Thanks to the AFS-USA Volunteers who helped get the following articles published! Learn how you can do the same by viewing the media outreach tips and resources in Help & Learning. YES Student’s Experience Exploring the U.S. Isheka Argawal, a YES Student hosted in Virginia, wrote about her lifelong dream to visit the U.S. and discussed her experience […]
Each NH cycle, some of our Semester (SM) students decide that they would like to extend their program. This year’s decision deadline for program extension is November 7, 2017 with a paperwork deadline of December 8, 2017. If you become aware that a student would like to extend their program, please email the following information […]
As our community comes together to find host families for the international students arriving this fall, it’s important for all AFS Staff and Volunteers to keep certain guidelines in mind. Don’t forget that CSIET and Department of State host family recruitment standards must be met in order to ensure the privacy and safety of all participants. […]
Now that the first wave of hosted students has arrived, it’s a good time for a reminder about our contact requirements for students and host families. Maintaining regular contact throughout the year with our participants and their host families, whether in person, by phone, or at group meetings, is key to building trusting relationships, assisting them […]
The international students arriving this fall have a wide variety of interests, hobbies, and passions. To show off some of their unique personalities, we’ve put together fun “emoji bios” for social media. Share the Facebook album to help amazing students like these find host families to welcome them in September! Share on Facebook: Highlight and […]
AFS-USA has released its new Media Policy! Click here to access the policy in Help & Learning, and read on for an overview of this important document. WHY: The media can be a powerful tool for publicizing our impact, but there is also a risk of AFS-USA being depicted inaccurately or unfavorably. It’s important to make […]
Hundreds of AFS students from countries with significant Muslim populations are arriving soon to share their culture with American host families and experience life in the U.S. We’re excited to present our new video featuring some of these students enjoying everyday adventures with their new friends and family. Share this video on social media to […]
While we hope that each student has a successful year with their host family, we’ve put together some steps to take if a student needs to change families. The new and improved Volunteer Checklist for Student Moves has been posted on MyAFS Help & Learning. The new checklist has fixed some inaccuracies from the old […]
Exchange Students Reunite After 51 Years Fifty one years ago, Regina Tommasi, an AFS Student from Brazil, and Satu Valkama, a Youth for Understanding (YFU) Student from Finland, formed a friendship as the only exchange students at New Castle High School in Indiana. Last month, Tommasi and Valkama reunited in Helsinki thanks to a New […]