Washington, DC – Global Ties U.S. is thrilled to partner with the Office of Alumni Affairs, in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, to implement the U.S. Exchange Alumni Network and Capacity Building Program from 2021-2024. By providing career development programs and grant opportunities for U.S. citizen exchange alumni, this program will build on the global skills of U.S. citizens who have participated in exchange programs, elevate the role of U.S. exchange alumni as leaders in their communities, and advance U.S. foreign policy goals through citizen diplomacy.
“Global Ties U.S. is excited to partner with the Office of Alumni Affairs and our Network of international exchange professionals to engage the rich talent and diversity of U.S. citizen exchange alumni,” said Katherine Brown, Ph.D., President & CEO of Global Ties U.S. “This program is an exceptional opportunity to support enterprising U.S. alumni as they build on their exchange experiences through professional development and citizen diplomacy opportunities.”
For more than 60 years, Global Ties U.S. and our Network of international exchange professionals have elevated the role of citizen diplomacy in U.S. foreign policy, ensuring that U.S. citizens have an impact in strengthening our alliances abroad, while also building and enrichening their communities at home. The Global Ties Network is comprised of 84 Community-Based Members, in addition to more than 30 national organizations and international exchange alumni associations. As local hubs for global engagement, Global Ties Network members are the domestic infrastructure for U.S. public diplomacy efforts and will help us to identify and connect diverse and geographically dispersed exchange alumni.
The Office of Alumni Affairs opens the door to alumni networking, professional development, and grant opportunities. Global Ties U.S. is excited to work with Alumni Affairs colleagues to engage thousands of U.S. citizen exchange alumni over the next three years and emphasize the important role of U.S. exchange alumni in national and international diplomacy efforts.
“We look forward to partnering with Global Ties U.S. in the coming years as we grow and develop our programs supporting U.S. citizen exchange alumni,” said ECA Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Nini Forino. “These citizen diplomats will be able to tap into the network of Global Ties U.S. members as they seek opportunities to apply the lessons learned from their exchange experiences at home in the United States.”
The professional development programs and grant opportunities for U.S. citizen exchange alumni comprise a series of Career Connections activities and events, and community service projects through the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund.
Career Connection Events: Global Ties U.S. will host and organize virtual, in-person, and hybrid events providing U.S. Exchange Alumni the opportunity to improve their professional development and leadership abilities, connect with citizen diplomacy opportunities, and explore careers in public service with the U.S. government, nonprofit community, and internationally-oriented companies.
Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund: The Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund will distribute $1 million to fund roughly 120-150 projects proposed by U.S. Exchange Alumni to address key U.S. foreign policy goals, such as climate change activism, promoting diversity and inclusion, and strengthening democracy.
Both activities will provide an opportunity for participants to leverage their skills and networks, and create pathways for them to be leaders in local and global communities.
The U.S. Exchange Alumni Network and Capacity Building Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government under a cooperative agreement with Global Ties U.S.
More Information
Global Ties U.S. powers individuals, communities, and nations to build trust and advance peace and prosperity through international exchange. It is a nonprofit partner of the U.S. Department of State and supports a Network of 120+ nonprofit organizations representing all 50 U.S. states and more than 20 countries. Global Ties U.S. members are exchange professionals who provide the domestic infrastructure for U.S. public diplomacy efforts, implementing the International Visitor Leadership Program and a wide variety of educational, cultural, and professional exchange programs.
The Office of Alumni Affairs at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) leads and coordinates efforts to engage alumni of U.S. government-sponsored people-to-people exchanges in order to maintain relationships with these current and emerging leaders. Through programs targeting U.S. exchange alumni, the Office of Alumni Affairs is committed to providing resources which allow them to expand upon their global experiences to address shared global challenges, to use the skills they developed abroad to make an impact in their communities, to leverage their expertise to prosper in a globalized world and professional marketplace, and to promote mutual understanding between the United States and countries around the world. For more information, visit alumni.state.gov.