“Only through dialogue and communication can differences be understood and appreciated.” – AFS and CBYX Alum, Tony Valencia ’18- ’19. In this blog post for Pride Month, Tony delves into…
AFS was founded in response to a global crisis in 1947 by American Field Service Volunteer Ambulance Drivers. In times like these, AFS Alumni around the world have demonstrated that it’s…
LeeAnn Pinchock is an AFS Returnee who spent her senior year in a tiny town near Cologne, Germany. Ann now lives in a small rural town twenty miles from Flint,…
When Amanda first decided to study abroad, her main goal was to learn Spanish. What she didn’t realize was how much more she would discover about the world and herself.…
It’s no secret that AFSers go on to do extraordinary things. Marcio A. da Fonseca is no different. Marcio, an AFS Returnee (Brazil to U.S.,1982-83) is the Director of Oral…
Did you know that Richard Engel, NBC News’ chief foreign correspondent, is an AFSer? As a teenager in the early 1990s, Richard studied abroad in Palermo, Sicily, where he lived…
For more than 70 years, AFSers like you have helped advance international awareness and cultural understanding while at the same time made the world a more just and peaceful place…
NEW YORK, N.Y., November 7, 2019—Key findings of a AFS Global Alumni Survey were shared at an event Tuesday evening co-organized by AFS with the Institute of International Education, the…
NEW YORK, N.Y., November 6, 2019—AFS released a large-scale research report on Tuesday, focused on the impact that AFS exchanges have on the lives and careers of participants. The full-scale,…
When we think of international diplomacy, we might imagine heads of state at official meetings, but in fact everyone can (and should) engage in diplomacy.
My AFS journey began in the summer of 1996, when I went on an AFS year program in France.
Hosting sounded like an enjoyable experience with many benefits, so Jacque and her family said “yes!” This began an international friendship that would span 55 years.
October 16, 2019 | New York, NY — AFS-USA, Inc. has announced its plan to revise the name of its LinkedIn School Page from “AFS” to “AFS Intercultural Programs USA.”…
In September 2019, staff from the AFS-USA Development and Alumni Affairs team visited Penelope B., a US Returnee originally from Milwaukee, in her charming apartment on the 5th floor of…
Ryan Rodriguez is an AFS-USA Pride Scholar who traveled to Spain on our Global Prep program. In his personal essay, Ryan reflects on his experience abroad with his host family,…
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…
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…
Melvin Harmon has been involved with and dedicated to student exchange since 1980, starting with his own year abroad in Malaysia. Inspired by the life-changing nature of his experience, he…
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…
AFS Returnee Samantha Cristoforetti adjusts her Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit. Photo Credit: NASA For many AFS participants, studying abroad is the beginning of a lifelong international journey. For Italian…
Many AFS Exchange Students lead impactful lives after their time abroad opened their minds and taught them to collaborate across typical divides. They think globally, then act locally. One AFSer,…
Molly Kisner is AFS-USA’s Alumni Relations intern, an AFS Returnee (U.S. to France, 2010), and she is completing our fall internship program this week. She studied French literature and Japanese…
Thanks to the generosity of George Gabb, the AFS Archives recently acquired an oversized scrapbook filled with black and white photographs, letters, newspaper clippings, small brochures, cards, tickets, luggage tags,…
It’s 2018 and I’m sitting in my grandmother’s sunny Ohio kitchen. We just went to two estate sales and are on our way to a quilting expo. She’s a consummate…
Read study abroad program reviews from real AFS Returnees about their formative experiences studying abroad on our programs! 1. Naomi, U.S. to Brazil ‘11 Ready to experience the warm, close-knit…
About AFS Returnee Professional Development Webinars We are please to share that Pamela Berland Ex, AFS Returnee, U.S. to Brazil 1975-76 has agreed to reprise our popular professional development webinars…
We have many wonderful volunteers who dedicate their time and talents to AFS. In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month, AFS GPS would like to spotlight and publicly thank one of…
MONDAY: Hi, I’m Jaime Cantwell! I went to Deyang, China on a NSLI-Y scholarship the summer of 2016—I studied Mandarin Chinese at Deyang Foreign Language School for six weeks while…
It all started in 1962, with a phone call to the Rayner family. Someone from their local high school in Maryland called Jacque Leedom (nee Rayner) and her family asking…
December 9, 2016 – Helene B. spent her AFS year in Indonesia as a recipient of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad (YES Abroad) scholarship funded by the U.S. Department of…
November 7, 2016 – Nico B. spent the 2012 -2013 academic year in Egypt with AFS and participated in the 2015 Returnee Leadership Summit. Since his exchange year, he has also…
November 7, 2016 – Maddy K. spent her AFS year in Germany as a recipient of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and…
September 21, 2016 – Dana Buzzelli is an alumna of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarship program, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and…
