This year, AFS Area Teams worked with the staff of the Customer Experience and Program Innovation Department to successfully facilitate the start of 645 AFS experiences! In a world that is in urgent need of greater numbers of globally-minded youth, our work represents an important investment in the future of our country and the world!

2018 Stats:

• 608 participants participated on an AFS program (Year, Semester, Summer, Global Prep)
  • Year: 213
  • Semester: 95
  • Summer: 134
  • Global Prep: 166
  • Of these students, 106 were recipients of a Faces of America scholarship.
• 9 US students participated in the BP Global STEM Academies in Egypt and Brazil.
• 28 people (so far this year) have participated in AFSNext programs for people aged 18-118.
• In total, AFS-USA sent 645 participants on flagship, non-grant programs to promote the AFS mission.
• AFS-USA also hosted 31 students at the BP Global STEM Academy in Chicago.

Volunteer Impact:

• AFS-USA Volunteers conducted approximately 600 interviews in 2018 for flagship programs.
• 65 local pre-departure orientations were delivered by AFS-USA Volunteers.
• Volunteers played a critical role in assisting with Faces of America interviews and the support of these applicants.
• Volunteers in the Greater Chicago Area Team were involved in the BP Global STEM Academy, helping to plan and participate in weekend activities with the students (sightseeing, amusement park visit, swimming activities, etc.).
• 60% of our students who went abroad learned about AFS from someone they knew – a family member, friend, or current/past AFS student. Another 20-30% that went abroad heard about AFS from someone in their community (“field”). See the chart below for these stats over the past 3 years:

A special word of thanks to all AFS-USA Volunteers involved with our special Global Prep “push” last Spring! Your efforts made a significant impact and the number of applicants increased because of your help!

• 100% of Global Prep students surveyed said they would recommend an AFS program to others
• 96% of Global Prep students said they made friends during the experience

“Before I went on this program, I felt unsure of myself in my ability to connect with people from other cultures and backgrounds. I worried about small details and sometimes relied on material things for comfort and happiness. After the trip, I am a more worldly and confident person. I believe I am less focused on material comfort and am much more aware of and grateful for certain things in my life. I plan to travel much more in the future.” – Amelia, Costa Rica 2018

“My AFS experience is one that I will remember for the rest of my life. Having the opportunity to spend 2 weeks abroad in Poland was so incredible and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to study abroad. I made so many incredible friends and memories that will stay with me forever.” – Amelia, Poland 2018

“Before the program, I was a shy guy who wasn’t confident in making new friends. Now, I pretty much try to talk to everyone.” – Gabriel, Spain 2018

“I am ten times the woman I was prior to this program.” – Ciera, Kenya 2018