Living a Dream
Posted on Friday, September 30th, 2016 at 2:56 pm.By Binish Desai, Secondary School Student from India
Blog originally published on Rotary Voices
Binish Desai and the brick his company makes from industrial waste.
India is my Nation
Valsad is my Station
Helping is my Aim
Binish is my Name
I’ll never forget the introduction I used as an exchange student.
Categories: Program Spotlight
J-1 Program Fosters Innovation and Global Perspective
Posted on Thursday, August 18th, 2016 at 8:29 pm.By Jessica Rey Dubra, Marriot International Host Employer
J-1 participants from Spain enjoying lunch.
Get inspired! Read this question and answer style interview with host employer Marriott International.
Why did your organization decide to participate in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program?
At Marriott International, we believe that international education is a pathway that leads us to three absolutes: peace, innovation and mutual understanding. While sharing an evening meal at the family table and experiencing an average day walking in a J-1 participant’s shoes is a good start, learning alongside him from the same white board in the same classroom is a life changing experience. Moreover, it is a pathway to diplomacy over war and a pathway to lasting friendships that transcend age, race, or borders.
Categories: Program Spotlight
Let’s Google it! J-1 Participants Explore Google NYC Office
Posted on Tuesday, August 16th, 2016 at 7:10 pm.By Tanya Burovtseva, InterExchange sponsor organization
J-1 participants meet with Google employees.
Arriving in a new country and embarking on a cultural exchange experience is not an easy task. Surrounding oneself with a network of like-minded individuals from the very beginning makes the J-1 Visa exchange program experience more interesting and fun.
InterExchange, one of the J-1 Visa sponsors, facilitated a series of weekly cultural meet-ups in its headquarters in New York City in June. These meet-ups helped participants learn about features of American culture and included discussions about cultural ambassadorship and the role of people-to-people diplomacy. The meet-ups also engaged exchange participants in cultural events such as a briefing session at the United Nations, sporting activities, and visiting major New York City attractions and landmarks.
Categories: Program Spotlight
J-1 Long Beach Clean-Up Protects Our Oceans from Pollution and Debris
Posted on Wednesday, August 10th, 2016 at 5:57 pm.By Rachel Atterbury, Program Manager, International Culture & Career Exchange
Four teams, three picnic tables, two hot dogs=one great afternoon!
On Saturday, June 11, the hardworking interns packed their reusable bags to the brims with debris left out on the lovely Junipero Beach, which is located 20 miles south of Los Angeles, California. We partnered with an awesome, non-profit organization Surfrider Foundation who guided us in the shore clean up and many local volunteers also helped rid the litter from the soft sand. The bags holding the rubbish were weighed at the conclusion of the clean-up which was then used in the city’s statistical data for future studies. The waste collection certainly made us more conscious about how we need to pay closer attention to restoring our surroundings to their natural beauty.
Karolina, Lead Activity Coordinator (Front) & J-1 interns from Korea work together in gathering the litter scattered on the beach.
Categories: Program Spotlight
Celebrate J-1 Day with Us!
Posted on Monday, August 1st, 2016 at 1:09 pm.By Lynette Evans-Tiernan, Director of Communications and Outreach, J-1 Exchange Visitor Program
Eat. Play. Give.
What do those three words have in common? J Day.
J-Day is a nationwide celebration that brings J-1 exchange visitors together with their American hosts and local communities to celebrate and share cultural diversity, give back to their local communities, and have some fun too.
We invite you to celebrate the power of International Exchanges with us!
Get involved. It’s easy. Here are some suggestions:
- Participate in a J Day event in your area. Most events are open to everyone. See a full list of events at http://www.alliance-exchange.org.
- Read about J-1 experiences and adventures on the Route blog. Don’t forget to check back later this week to see how J-1s across the country celebrated J Day.
- And most importantly, share your photos and J Day experiences online using #CelebrateJDay.
Categories: Program Spotlight
Emmanuel Dabuo’s Unquenchable Thirst for Knowledge
Posted on Thursday, July 28th, 2016 at 8:53 pm.By Shellie Weaver of Missouri, host mom of a J-1 Secondary School Student
Emmanuel eating a S’more, one of his new favorite foods
Emmanuel Dabuo of Ghana befriended everyone from the moment he arrived. Whether at school, home, church, volunteer activities, or sporting events—he became the center of attention and achieved “movie star status” in our small community. His million-watt smile, genuine love of all people, hilarious giggle, and positive personality made him instantly popular. His willingness to step outside his comfort zone and try new things inspired others to be fearless. He reached out to those kids at school who were friendless, sitting alone in the cafeteria, and became their new best friend. His name means “God with us,” and it fits him well.
Categories: Program Spotlight
Relationship Building: The Heart of International Exchanges
Posted on Thursday, February 18th, 2016 at 9:21 pm.
Darra Klein (right), and her lifelong friend, David Čeljuska (center) attending Baltimore’s annual Slovak festival in 2001 with another friend.
“International exchanges – especially those for young people taking the first steps of their professional lives – are strong and life changing experiences. It’s important to keep the international connections you make during an exchange alive because they have a powerful impact on your life, as well as others. Let’s face it, at the heart of it, international exchanges are about the relationships you make and maintain.”
Categories: J-1 Visa, Participants, Program Spotlight
J-1 Participants Champion Disability Rights
Posted on Tuesday, August 25th, 2015 at 8:16 pm.The United States has been a longtime leader in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. In fact, championing disability rights is a core part of our foreign policy goals. The State Department recently commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and we used this opportunity to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in international exchanges. This summer, my colleagues Carolina Pena and Stephen Hill from the Office of Compliance had the privilege of visiting a camp for children with disabilities in Southampton, New York, which hosts several J-1 Camp Counselors and SWT (Summer Work Travel) participants each year. You can read all about their visit below!
Compliance staff members Carolina Pena and Stephen Hill with Camp Directors David Billingham and Thomas Naro and camper
Southampton Fresh Air Home, a camp for physically challenged children, has been an oasis for kids with special needs since 1901. With a range of activities uniquely adapted for them, children with physical disabilities grow their self-confidence, learn new skills, and develop positive attitudes. The camp hosts J-1 Camp Counselors and Summer Work Travel (SWT) participants, who bring cultural diversity and make meaningful connections with the staff and campers.
Categories: J-1 Visa, Participants, Program Spotlight
J-1 Exchanges: a Pillar in the U.S.-Mexico Relationship
Posted on Wednesday, January 7th, 2015 at 3:56 pm.
Assistant Secretary of State Evan Ryan and Undersecretary for North American Affairs for the Government of Mexico Sergio M. Alcocer Martinez de Castro signing the letter of intent.
On January 5, Assistant Secretary of State Evan Ryan and Undersecretary for North American Affairs for the Government of Mexico Sergio M. Alcocer Martinez de Castro signed a letter of intent to formally create a U.S.-Mexico Internship Exchange. Read More ›
Categories: J-1 Visa
| About Rebecca Pasini Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange | |
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Rebecca A. Pasini joined the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchanges in July 2023. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister - Counselor, Ms. Pasini has been an American diplomat since 1997.
Ms. Pasini previously served as the Director of Public and Congressional Affairs in the Bureau of Consular Affairs from 2021-2023. Other Washington assignments have included positions in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Office of Foreign Missions, and as a liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. She has also completed multiple overseas tours, including as Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs in Islamabad, Pakistan, and as the Consular Chief in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Other tours included Mexico City and Kuwait.
A Maryland native, Ms. Pasini has a Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University, a master’s degree in National Security and Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School, National Defense University, and an undergraduate degree from Mary Washington College.
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