Connie Askin
Connie Askin Chief Executive Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Mass and MetroWest Returnee – U.S. to Portugal 1985; Chief Financial Officer, AFS International 2002-2004; Host Mom Argentina 2012,…
Article Archive
Dr. Ken Wallace
Dr. Ken Wallace High School District Superintendent, Park Ridge, Illinois Ken Wallace is the longest serving Superintendent in the District’s 121 years of history at Maine Township High School District…
Karen Treber
Karen Treber General Counsel of Salisbury University, Maryland. AFS Host Family and Volunteer Karen Treber is the General Counsel of Salisbury University, Maryland. She previously served as General Counsel at…
Dr. Gregory Sabin
Dr. Gregory Sabin Preceptor at Harvard Extension School, Harvard University Greg Sabin is a Preceptor (Instructor) at the Harvard Extension School, Harvard University, where he has taught finance and accounting…
Tara Hayward
Tara Hayward Consultant, Public Health Research and Development Tara Hayward brings a diverse and robust background in business strategy, finance, and fundraising to the Board of Directors of AFS-USA having…
Kelly McFarland Stratman, CAE
Kelly McFarland Stratman, CAE Chief of Staff of the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) AFS Alumna: U.S. to Denmark, 1985 Kelly McFarland Stratman is an ASAE-certified…
Dr. Marcus Campbell
Dr. Marcus Campbell Superintendent, Evanston Township High School Dr. Marcus Campbell has served as superintendent of Evanston Township High School (ETHS) in Illinois, District 202 since July 2022. Campbell was…
Murray Johnson
Murray Johnson Owner and Manager of a large manufacturing company in Wisconsin and a cattle and crop family farm in Ohio. AFS Volunteer, Host Family, Sending Parent – U.S. to…
Madelyn White
Madelyn White Counsel: Carter Ledyard & Milburn AFS Returnee – U.S. to Belgium; U.S. to France AFS Host Sibling Madelyn White is deeply connected to AFS as a two-time returnee.…
Andrea Sehl
Andrea Sehl U.S. to Switzerland, 1971-72 Andrea Sehl, known as Andie, is retired from management consulting, currently working to build the venture capital firm she helped found, and is serving…
Michael S. Schiff
Michael S. Schiff U.S. to Netherlands, 1966 Michael S. Schiff is the owner and President of Incomar Investments in Houston, Texas. He earned his BA in Communications from American University…
Ambassador (ret.) Thomas B. Robertson
Ambassador (ret.) Thomas B. Robertson U.S. to Germany 1967-68 Ambassador (ret.) Thomas B. Robertson is a returnee from the AFS year program to Germany, 1967-68, where he lived with a…
Jenny K. Messner
Jenny K. Messner U.S. to Brazil, 1970-71 With her husband Michael Messner, Jenny established the Speedwell Foundation Study Abroad Scholarship Program with AFS-USA in 2007, which ran for 12 years.…
Martyn Redgrave
Martyn Redgrave Martyn R. Redgrave currently serves as Managing Partner and CEO of Agate Creek Partners, LLC, a professional governance and consulting services company co-founded by Mr. Redgrave in July…
Coming Home: An Interview with AFS Alum, Stephen Zhang (China to U.S., ’07-’08)
In high school, Stephen Zhang knew he was ready for something new. He wondered what it would be like to start a new life beyond the comforts of his routine…
Life in Serbia
The Essentials AFS Serbia Welcome Booklet Get to Know Serbia AFS Participant Guide AFS Medical Guide Safety Tips Host School FAQ Serbian Music School Arrival Information Visa FAQ Digging Deeper…
LGBTQ+ Pride Across Cultures: A Story by AFS Returnee and President’s Council Member Craig Wilson
The summer of 1966 was a long time ago, but I remember it like yesterday. Why? Because it changed my life. My name is Craig Wilson and I was an…
Quiz: Put Your Global Knowledge to the Test
What does it mean to be “globally competent”? This difficult-sounding term is becoming more and more common in both offices and universities around the world—and students who take the initiative…
How to Become Multilingual
Many of us dream of being able to effortlessly converse in many languages. Let’s face it—multilingualism is a widely desired trait. It’s a key that unlocks new cultures and ways…
Blog, LGBTQ+ Pride Articles, Study Abroad Articles, Host Family Articles, Educators Articles, Alumni Articles
LGBTQ+ Pride Across Cultures: An Interview with AFS Returnee and Senior Staff, Melvin Harmon
Melvin Harmon has been involved with and dedicated to student exchange since the late 1970’s, starting with his own year abroad in Malaysia in 1980. Inspired by the life-changing nature…
What Makes a Global Citizen?
At first glance, global citizenship seems like an abstract concept. What does it mean to be a global citizen anyway? Global citizenship doesn’t do away with passports or borders, and…
How to Choose a Study Abroad Program that’s Right for You
It can be hard to decide when, where, and how long to study abroad in high school. With 120 programs in more than 45 different countries, it can seem daunting to…
What it’s Like to Live with a Host Family Abroad
You might wonder why homestays are such an important part of many of our study abroad programs. The reason is simple but powerful – living with a culture is one of the…
New Sponsored Programs Coordinator
The California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs announces that Santa Clarita, Calif., resident Tracy O’Garro has accepted the volunteer position of Sponsored Programs Cluster Coordinator. In this…
Meet Our Newest Volunteer
The California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to announce that Justine Tuncan, a Valencia High School junior, has become the team’s newest registered volunteer. As…
Volunteer Recognized for Leadership, Long-Term Service
The local California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to announce that Thousand Oaks, Calif., volunteer Jennifer Lasley has been selected by the national AFS-USA Volunteer…
Exchange Student Participates in Washington, D.C. Workshop
The California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to share that Valencia High School junior and AFS exchange student from South Africa Michelle Hadebe participated in…
3 Commonly-Asked Questions About Hosting Exchange Students… Answered
This post was written by Michelle Kulas, a former and current AFS Host Parent. Here it is, the day that my family has been looking forward to for months! Our…
Full Scholarships to Make Your Study Abroad Dreams a Reality
Apply for a scholarship with AFS and connect with a family across the globe. If you’ve ever pictured yourself on the other side of the world, fully immersed in a…
Meet Utsho from Bangladesh
Ehtesam Utsho from Bangladesh, YES Student. Hosted in Portland, Oregon. Attending Benson Poly Tech High School. Utsho is an amazing student. We are so glad to have him in our…
Alumni Celebration in Minneapolis Celebrates the “Second Century” of AFS-USA
AFS Ecuador Director, Juan Rodriguez, with Karen Lindquist, his host sister during his AFS exchange year to the US. October 2, 2014 | New York, NY – This past Saturday, AFS-USA…
Exchange Students in Woodbury
By Cyd Haynes Woodbury MagazineAmerica is a melting pot, so we enjoy the cultural richness of immigrants from many countries, but every year Woodbury hosts a number of students who…
Students discover schools teach more than the 3 R’s
by Kristine Goodrich White Bear PressA variety of elective choices, lunch at school and sports and clubs after school are among the best perks of studying in the U.S., four…
AFS Students from Switzerland Thrive in Florida
May 10, 2012 — Two AFS Students from Switzerland explain their experiences as exchange students in Central Florida.By Julie Smith The Seminole VoiceSaying goodbye to your family and boarding a…
Jim Walker Joins AFS-USA’s Board of Directors
Pictured: Jim Walker (center) with two participants of the AFS Comparative Religion Program to Turkey, Summer, 2013. February 8, 2019 | New York, NY — In December of 2018, the AFS-USA…
Whanganui High School
Whanganui High School is a modern, co-educational school of approximately 1,500 students and over 160 staff. Their International Department has about 65 international students, which make up five percent of…
Western Heights High School
Western Heights is a state, coeducational school with a student body of 1,550. It is Rotorua’s most popular and largest high school, offering excellent pastoral care and student safety. Academically,…
Whakatane High School
Unfortunately, enrollment for this school is FULL for the 2020 school year. Check out other New Zealand Global Choice schools that are still accepting new students for 2020. Whakatane High…
Hillmorton High School
Hillmorton High School is a coeducational school with approximately 750 students, including 20 to 25 international students. With a diverse student body, students come from over 40 ethnic backgrounds contributing…
Papanui High School
Papanui High School is a coeducational, uniform school located in suburban Christchurch, which is ten minutes from both the city center and the airport. It has the benefit of being…
Te Puke High School
Te Puke High School is a semi-rural, uniform, coeducational secondary school located in the township of Te Puke, approximately 10 minutes from the coast. Te Puke High School has a…
Aotea College
Aotea College is a multicultural, co-educational school of 930 students, located in the beautiful Porirua Basin. The college has a long-standing tradition of welcoming international students and offering them an…
Rangitoto College
Rangitoto College is renowned nationally and internationally for offering students a kind environment in which they can develop academically and personally. With 40 different kinds of sports to choose from…
10 Thank You Letter Examples from Hosted Students to their Teachers
When adjusting to a new culture, community, and school, a teacher can make all the difference in a hosted student’s first few months. We gave our hosted students the opportunity…
New Zealand Travel Tips
New Zealand is a wonderland of incredibly beautiful, diverse ecosystems and geography. It’s an otherworldly, exciting destination that’s home to turquoise waters and sandy beaches, lush forests and gorges, glaciers…
Western Springs College
Western Springs College is a co-educational, uniform school located in central Auckland. Western Springs is known for the friendliness of its students, high quality of its education, as well as…
Why Summer is an Ideal Time to Study Abroad
Picture yourself strolling the cobblestone streets of Italy this summer, gelato in hand. Or, maybe you’re exploring the multifaceted beauty of Japan’s landscapes as you attend language classes and learn shodo (calligraphy). If you’re a…
AFS Host Mom Nudrat Shares Her Host Family Experience
Nudrat I. is a host mom from Minnesota who is currently hosting AFS international student Saniya from India. Nudrat explains her reasons for hosting and the impact her host family…
The 9 Best Places to Study Abroad this Summer
Summer is an exciting time to step outside of your routine and try something completely new. One way to take advantage of this period of transformation is to go abroad…
Want to make an impact this summer? These 5 volunteer abroad programs will help you do it.
5 incredible volunteer abroad programs If you’re like many high schoolers, you’ve dreamed of going abroad and seeing the world. But, you’d also like to make a difference to the…
Stories: The Lopez-Jones Family
“This is our second time hosting and it is such a pleasure to share with others how diverse families can be in the US.” …
Stories: The Pisanelli Family
“I discovered what a great parent I can be and this has motivated me to adopt a child.” –Damian Pisanelli Damian Pisanelli and Alex from Germany Fifteen years after my…
5 Things To Know About Hosting Foreign Exchange Students
Hosting foreign exchange students is an amazing opportunity to form lasting personal bonds, share your culture and values, and expand your family’s horizons. Each year, more than 2,000 families in…
Letters to Future Exchange Students
May, 2018 — This past mid-May, dozens of exchange students across the Carolinas spent a few hours together to consider the year they are wrapping up and what it will…
Why Your Family Should Host an Italian Exchange Student
In today’s era of misleading headlines and political divisions, separating fact from fiction can be tricky, especially when it comes to learning about another culture and its values. That’s a…
Stories: Real Host Families
“This is our second time hosting and it is such a pleasure to share with others how diverse families can be in the US.” The Lopez-Jones family Read their story…
Tara Boyce-Hofmann Appointed President of AFS-USA
An important announcement from the Chair of the AFS-USA Board of Directors, Joan B. Siegel November 28, 2018 After almost 40 years of dedicated service to AFS, and upon deep…
Celebrate Cultural Diversity this 4th of July
The 4th of July conjures classically American images: baseball, fireworks, hotdogs, Bruce Springsteen. It’s the day we celebrate the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation and…
Jenny & Beth’s Multicultural Family: “Two is better than one”
Jenny O. and Beth R. were very familiar with foreign exchange and travel– Jenny’s family hosted students three separate times while she was in high school, they’ve lived abroad together,…
6 Ways Studying Abroad in Italy Builds College and Career Choices
Italy is one of the most popular destinations for travelers and it’s clear why – stunning landscapes, striking art and architecture, and incredible cuisine. What’s not to love? Italy is…
What to Pack When You Go Abroad
Maybe you’re rushing to pack before your flight tomorrow and need some quick tips on how to fit your life into a 50lb checked bag. Or maybe you’re still months…
Walk Apart, Walk Together
This activity is appropriate for a wide variety of ages, ranging from elementary school to adult. Since it requires no special materials, it can be conducted in almost any setting.…
Non-Verbal Communication
Overview: This lesson plan is designed for students to consider the many ways in which people communicate non-verbally, identify their own preferences, and begin to think about the importance of…
Active Listening
Active Listening Lesson Plan Overview: Effective communication requires an understanding that not everyone prefers to communicate in the same way. It also requires a person to be an active observer/listener.…
Learning Styles
Overview: Use this lesson plan to gauge student learning preferences in the classroom, and help students become more aware of the strengths and challenges of each style. Activity (Methodology): Self-Inventory…
Identity Flower
Overview: In this lesson students will be prompted to think deeply about the various elements of their individual identity. Using the identity flower model as a guide, students will explore…
The Hidden Ways in Which Culture Differs
Overview: This lesson introduces students to the concept of culture. Using the iceberg model as a guide, students will be challenged to look inward and reflect on how their own…
The Effects of Nuclear Weapons
Overview: The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the course of history and have had a significant long term effects on the victims. Students will get the opportunity to…
Taking Action for the Environment
Overview: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) declared June 5 as World Environmental Day in order to create awareness on issues surrounding the planet, encouraging citizens to take global action. The purpose…
The Potato Activity
Goal: To help youth eliminate stereotypes and to recognize the uniqueness of each individual Time: 20-30 minutes Materials: A brown paper bag, one potato for each student in the class,…
Where do you Stand
Overview: People’s values, norms and assumptions can often influence and explain their behaviors. This activity offers the opportunity to self-reflect on one’s own values and how these are reflected in…
Conflict Styles
Overview: Use this lesson plan to gauge students’ preferred conflict styles (based on the Thomas-Kilman Model) and open a discussion around how this knowledge might be used to help navigate…
I Am…
Overview: Use this lesson plan to gauge students’ individual tendencies and prompt rich discussion on how cultural tendencies in societies are reflected in the ways that people describe themselves. Activity…
Microfinance: A Poverty-Fighting Tool
Overview: In September 2000 society’s attention was drawn to certain social and economic issues impacting us on a global scale through the development of the United Nations’ Millennium Goals (MDG).…
I have a dream
Overview: Dr. Martin Luther King is known to many as one of the most influential leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. His passion and enthusiasm for social justice and equality…
Stereotypes and Generalizations
Overview: Use this lesson plan to help students distinguish the difference between stereotypes and generalizations, explore stereotypes that they may hold about others, and practice how converting stereotypes into generalizations…
Fostering Cultural Diplomacy in the Classroom
Overview: The purpose of this activity is to expose students to the important benefits of cultural diplomacy during International Education Week, as a way to foster mutual understanding, empathy and respect…
Exploring Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Overview: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees defines a refugee as person who “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,…
Exploring Islamic Traditions: Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr
Overview of Islamic Culture & Muslim Traditions Lesson Plan Each year, Muslims from across the globe take part in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr marking the official end of Ramadan.…
Examining Humanitarianism
Overview: The United Nations declared August 19 as World Humanitarian Day, as a way to commemorate the 2003 bombing of the U.N in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as a way to…
Examining Current Social Movements
Overview: Beth Simone Noveck, former United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer, once stated, “In the 21st Century, you have to use technology as one of the tools in the toolkit…
Education for All #BringBackOurGirls
Overview: Several countries have banded together in order to promote gender equality in education with the goal of eradicating gender disparity in the classroom. Even still, there are several social,…
Exploring Cultural Values
Goal: Exploring what students consider to be typical U.S. cultural values while comparing them to their perceptions. Objectives: Students will be able to: Become aware of what are considered typical…
Cultural Influence on Judgments
Overview: Use this lesson to help students become more aware of their own culture and recognize its influence on their thoughts, behaviors, and how they view the world. Activity (Methodology):…
Connect the Dots
Overview: In this lesson students will explore the notion of how people often subconsciously limit their perspective. By engaging in a short puzzle task students will be challenged to think…
Keith Stock
Chair Keith Stock U.S. to Panama, 1969 Mr. Stock is an international strategist, private markets investment manager and financial services executive in his roles as Chairman and CEO of First…
Co-Chair John T. Colas
Co-Chair John T. Colas U.S. to Belgium, 1979-80 John T. Colas serves as Partner and Vice Chairman of Oliver Wyman Financial Services Americas. He has worked in each of the…
Richard Engel
Richard Engel U.S. to Italy, 1990-91 Richard Engel serves as NBC News’s chief foreign correspondent. He previously served as the network’s Middle East correspondent and Beirut Bureau chief. Engel was…
Carson Gleberman
Carson Gleberman U.S. to Switzerland, 1976 Carson Gleberman has worked for McKinsey & Company, Citibank and The Viral Hepatitis & Liver Disease Foundation, and most recently served as the Executive…
Christine Plews
Christine Plews AFS Returnee, U.S. to Ecuador, SP 1969 Host Sibling, 1974-75 One World Area Team Volunteer, 2008-2010 AFS Host Family Teachers Exchange Program, 1984 Siri Saisang Thailand Hosting of…
Sarah Yancey
Chair | Volunteer, Host Family
Wim Wiewel
President, Lewis & Clark College Returnee – Netherlands to the U.S., 1968-69; Volunteer Wim Wiewel, who came from the Netherlands to the U.S. as an AFS student in 1968, is…
Jim Walker
AFS Host Parent, Volunteer, and Returnee – U.S. to Indonesia, 1987-88 Jim Walker is an AFS Returnee from the year program to Indonesia, 1987-88, and from a short summer program…
John Bacon
Vice Chair
Matthew van Steenwyck
Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Longbow Technology Ventures Sending Parent Matthew van Steenwyck, known as Matt, is the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for Longbow Technology Ventures, a…
Krishen Mehta
Senior Adviser, Tax Justice Network and Former Partner, PwC AFS Sending Parent and Returnee Krishen Mehta is a writer, teacher, and speaker on issues of global tax justice. Prior to…
Debra Maly
Speech Pathologist Chair of the National Council; Host Parent Debra Maly, known as Deb, is the Chair of AFS-USA’s volunteer representative body, the National Council. Deb became involved with AFS…
Emre Evren
Senior Consultant, The Hartford Financial Services Returnee – Türkiye to the U.S., 1984-85 Emre Evren joined the AFS-USA National Council in 2013. He is an AFS Returnee from Türkiye to…
Diana Deem
Secretary | Host Parent; Sending Parent
Joanne Berger-Sweeney
President of Trinity College | Host Parent; Sending Parent