Scholarships and Diversity Team:
The Scholarships and Diversity Initiatives Team is excited to announce the recent filling of three staff vacancies. Featured below are the names of all team members and their responsibilities.
Jon Meyer, Scholarships Advisor
- Administering national scholarships
- Reviewing Global Leaders applications –FAST
- Addressing general scholarships questions with applicants, parents, staff and volunteers
- Contact Jon at scholarships@afsusa.org or 646-751-2093
Kaitlin Green, Study Abroad Specialist – Diversity Initiatives
- Advising all Faces of America (FoA) and BP Global Citizens of Tomorrow (BPGCT) scholarship applicants and their families, guiding them through the application process
- BP Stipend processing (hosted pax)
- Facilitates FoA and BPGCT webinars
- Contact Kaitlin at Facesofamerica@afsusa.org Bpscholarships@afsusa.org or 646-751-2088
Amy-Kiana Rendon, Senior Scholarships Specialist
- Newest member of the team, starting in mid-October
- Implementation of all national scholarships, announcements, trainings etc.
- Supports Team Development Staff and Volunteers in ensuring that local area team scholarships are available
- Contact Amy at scholarships@afsusa.org 646-751-2056
Shameeka Leacock, Scholarships and Diversity Initiatives Manager
- Oversees the implementation of national and diversity scholarships
- Collaborates w/TDS and Volunteers to bring awareness and support to applicants interested in scholarships.
- Works with local area teams interested in launching local scholarships and/or FoA programs
- Recruits, identifies, and onboards community-based organizations for FoA partnerships
- Involved with LGBTQ and Students of Color workgroups
- Contact Shameeka at sleacock@afsusa.org or 646-751- 2218
SH Scholarship Updates:
We recently completed the judging process and a number of finalists have been chosen for the SH18 cycle. If you’re interested in becoming a scholarship judge in the future, please email us at scholarships@afsusa.org.
- Japan Year Scholarships
- Yoshi Hattori Memorial Full Scholarship – four semi-Finalists have been identified. One winner will be announced by October 17.
- Sakura (50% Scholarship) – Two finalists have been identified
- Speedwell PA Scholarships – Two finalists have been identified
NH18 Scholarships:
We look forward to launching a number of national NH18 scholarships in the coming weeks. For specific information on scholarship requirements and destinations, please check out the scholarships page. We’ll continue to keep you updated.
| Scholarship Name | Scholarship Amount | Available Cycle | Scholarship Status |
| Global Leaders Need-based Award | $500- $2,000 varying based upon program length | NH, SH | Available |
| BP Global Citizens of Tomorrow | Full | NH | TBD |
| Viaggio Italiano | Partial Scholarships | NH | TBD |
| Vaya a America Latina | Partial Scholarships | NH | TBD |
| Cultural Explorer Merit | Partial $3,000 | NH | Available |
Top Schools Global Prep Scholarships will NOT be available in 2018.
Local Area Team Awards:
Amy will be reaching out to Area Teams to ensure that your NH18 local awards are posted on the AFS scholarships page. If you have any questions or would like to update the scholarships page, please contact us scholarships@afsusa.org
If your team is pursuing the creation of a new scholarship, please reach out to us for assistance. We’ll connect you with the appropriate staff to get started!
Fundraising Resources:
How can applicants begin fundraising now in preparation for an upcoming NH18 program?
Encourage your students to utilize Sponsor an AFSer, our FREE online fundraising tool similar to Go Fund Me, allowing students to fundraise using their personal network (friends, family, school). The donations are applied directly to the AFS program fee. To learn more, check out the page here or contact Jon Meyer, scholarships@afsusa.org, for more info!