The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will host 10 Argentine students as part of the Friends of Fulbright program from February 2 to March 16. The program is sponsored by the Fulbright Commission Argentina and the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, and marks the third year in a row UNL has hosted students. The Argentine students come from a variety of academic backgrounds, including agricultural engineering, chemical engineering, food science and technology, chemistry, geology, and law.
During their six weeks on campus, the Argentine students will observe UNL courses and labs in their academic disciplines, experience the U.S. higher education system and strengthen their English skills. In collaboration with various faculty and academic departments, students will have the chance to attend interactive site visits tailored to their discipline and other experiential activities. Lecturer Tim Janda will also be teaching a special topics intensive English course for the students to foster a deeper understanding of American culture, provide opportunities for Argentine and U.S. students to learn from one another, and share information with those students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S. The mini course will cover topics such as government and politics, arts and culture, food and holidays, and the American higher education system.
Argentine students will also participate in cultural activities during their stay, including community engagement, field trips and seminars. Last year, the cohort attended a UNL men’s basketball game and an outing to view the one-of-a-kind Sandhill cranes migration. The program also includes group dinners, site visits, tours, and optional evening and weekend activities to help students connect to Nebraska and make new friends. Selected Nebraska students will serve as Global Ambassadors to the Argentine students and meet regularly throughout the six weeks, serving as campus resource guides and encouraging international exchange.
UNL’s Office of Global Strategies and Programs in English as a Second Language are working in partnership with Fulbright Commission of Argentina to organize the program.
The Friends of Fulbright program was created in 2015 by the United States Embassy in Argentina with private sector contributions. The program is administered by the Fulbright Commission in Argentina, and seeks to join efforts to cover the costs involved with undergraduate education and, in the long term, increase the total number of Argentine students who can access training at U.S. universities. In 2016, Argentina’s Ministry of Education joined the initiative making a threefold increase possible in the number of participants. The scholarships cover the costs of tuition, travel, lodging and meals, and were open to third and fourth-year students of a range of academic majors.
To learn more about the program, please contact the Office of Global Strategies at globalstrategies@unl.edu.