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2007 Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Initiative: Summer Institutes for Youth

Wake Forest University (WFU) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

We are pleased to announce summer institutes for young Americans, Europeans, and Central Asians under the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Initiative.  This initiative is intended to foster relationships among the younger generations of Europeans, Central Asians and Americans in order to advance the global freedom agenda; to build relationships between European and American youth; and to promote awareness of shared values in light of the global challenges of the 21st Century.

The Summer Institutes will enable teenagers ages 15-19 to participate in an intensive exchange program in the U.S. that focuses on the global issues that youth face on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.  Students will participate in a variety of activities such as training sessions, workshops, community-based programs, study tours, and cultural events.  Participants will together prepare a joint project that promotes the stated goals and objectives of the Initiative.

There are two institutes in the summer of 2007, with 40-45 students each.  Each institute will include 30-35 European and Eurasian students plus 10 Americans. 

• Institute A, “The Founders,” June 30 to July 24, 2007 -- the participant age range is 15-17.  
• Institute B, “The Diplomats,” July 7 to July 31, 2007 -- the participant age range is 17-19. 

The goals of the Institutes are:

1. to develop a commitment to transatlantic cooperation; 
2. to foster relationships between American and Central Asian and European youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups;
3. to promote mutual understanding between the United States and Europe/Eurasia, and (4) to develop a cadre of youth leaders who will share their knowledge and skills with their peers through positive action. 

Candidate Qualifications

• Between 15 and 19 years of age at time of Institute;
• Highly proficient in English, as demonstrated in a personal interview or the results of a standardized test, such as SLEP or the TOEFL (please provide scores, if available);
• Committed to enrolling in high school or university in their home countries in fall 2007, following completion of the Institute; nominees on a gap year between secondary and higher education may be considered on a case by case basis;
• Demonstrate strong leadership potential (please list projects/events to support this)
• Indicate a serious interest in transatlantic relations and in learning about the United States; 
• Sustained high level of academic achievement, as indicated by academic grades (grade point average of minimum 4.0), awards, and teacher recommendations;
• Demonstrate a commitment to community and extracurricular activities;
• Demonstrated interest in communications, advocacy, debate, or civic participation (through the involvement with such organizations, NGOs, in school projects etc.)
• Have had little or no prior U.S. study or travel experience in the United States; nominees with significant U.S. experience may be considered on a case by case basis;
• Mature, responsible, independent, confident, open-minded, tolerant, thoughtful and inquisitive;
• Willing and able to fully participate in an intensive summer program, community service, and active educational travel program;
• Comfortable with campus life, shared living accommodations, travel and interaction with a multinational, coed group of participants from Europe, Eurasia and the U.S., and comfortable with engaging various Americans in the broader community.  Able to adjust to cultural and social practices different from those of their home countries.

Information in last year’s summer institute can be found at http://www.bftf.org

Deadline: April 2, 2007

Application forms for 2007 Ben Franklin Summer Institutes can be found at www.usembassy.hr (under Studying in the USA, U.S. Gov’t Scholarships)

For more information please contact:

Ms. Masa Crnjakovic
Public Affairs Office
U.S. Embassy
Thomasa Jeffersona 2
10010 Zagreb
e-mail: crnjakovicm@state.gov