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Embarking on Leg Two of Route J-1

Posted on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014 at 7:06 pm.

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I just returned home from the beach leg of Route J-1 and have my bag packed for the mid-west and western leg. I have swapped my sundresses for jeans and my sandals for hiking shoes as I am looking forward to farms, lakes and mountains. As a proud west coaster now living on the east coast, I don’t get to the central states nearly enough. I look forward to this exploration and to seeing new places through the eyes of J-1 exchange visitors. On this leg, I will visit interns, trainees, camp counselors and more summer work students.

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Categories: Everyday People, J-1 Visa, Participants

Volunteers Make J-1 Students Feel Welcome in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Posted on Monday, July 21st, 2014 at 1:28 pm.

Much like how the Ocean City, Maryland community embraces their J-1 student visitors, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware also goes to great lengths to make students feel welcome, safe, and appreciated. Recently, I attended a lively dinner with some 250 international students and 20-30 community volunteers at the Epworth church in Rehoboth Beach.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robin Lerner, and Peter C. Schwartzkopf, the Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives share dinner with J-1 Visa Summer Work Travel Students

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robin Lerner, and Peter C. Schwartzkopf, the Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives share dinner with J-1 Visa Summer Work Travel Students.

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Categories: Everyday People, Participants

About Mark Howard

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange

Mark Howard

Mark Howard leads the Private Sector Exchange’s Office of Program Administration which is responsible for the monitoring of Exchange Visitor Program sponsors to ensure full compliance with established Department policy and statutory and regulatory requirements to ensure exchange visitor health, safety, and welfare.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Howard oversaw exchanges through the Fulbright Program, the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, and concurrently directed two Department-designated exchange visitor programs including an international training program for environmental leaders and an academic exchange program for university research scholars and professors.

He has traveled, lived, and/or worked in more than 30 countries including two years as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. Mr. Howard speaks Filipino (Tagalog).