Celebrating our Virtual SUSI Alumni

“The most meaningful thing I learnt in this whole experience is the power of my voice.”

-FIUTS SUSI on Civic Engagement 2022 participant

A virtual birthday celebration with the SUSI on Education and the Future of Work group this summer from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, and Tunisia

FIUTS was honored to virtually host two groups of students from the Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) program in summer 2021 and winter 2022. While these programs would normally take place in person, we were thrilled with how much these incredible young leaders were able to learn and accomplish through their five-week virtual programs.

As part of the SUSI, all participants plan a Community Action Project that they then implement in their home communities after the conclusion of the program. Please see below for the posters they all created at the end of the program to share their projects! If you are interested in connecting with a specific participant about their project to learn more about their work, please contact Ellen Frierson.

The last session of the SUSI on Civic Engagement, with participants from Angola, Botswana, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, included virtual host families and UW Ambassadors

And stay tuned - we hope to welcome these participants to Seattle for the in-person component of their SUSI experience by the end of the year! They’re excited to come here and meet members of the FIUTS community, so keep an eye on our blog in the coming months for announcements about opportunities to connect with them in person.

“Before my SUSI experience, I was worried by all the challenges and problems we are facing in my community (social problems, human rights problems, economic problems...). During my SUSI experience I learned through others participants that these problems exist in other countries also but we need to be those who will come with solutions to make change.” -FIUTS SUSI on Civic Engagement 2022 participant

Projects from SUSI Winter 2022: Civic Engagement

“My approach to civic engagement has been enriched, encompassing critical thinking through the various topics we discussed and it definitely shifted my thinking and enriched me to better approach issues around change.” -FIUTS SUSI on Civic Engagement 2022 participant

Projects from SUSI Summer 2021: Education & The Future of Work

The Study of the US Institute (SUSI) for Student Leaders is a program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by Meridian International Center and FIUTS. The Winter 2022 program will run virtually from January 10-February 11.

The Study of the U.S. Institutes promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among students, teachers, and scholars. Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) are short-term academic programs for groups of undergraduate leaders, educators, and scholars from around the world. Learn more about the Study of the U.S. Institutes here.