Women in STEM
Posted on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023 at 8:50 pm.By: Abigail Graszl of InterExchange
From researching cell cytotoxicity in a molecular biology lab to having technical discussions with electrical engineers, Career Training USA interns and trainees are completing amazing programs in STEM (that’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics)!
InterExchange is a proud partner of the BridgeUSA Early Career STEM Research Initiative, and these programs strengthen international connections and contribute to the flow of ideas across continents. We recently caught up with some of our female participants to see how their time in the U.S. helped further their careers in these traditionally male-dominated fields.
Eva K.
Molecular Biology
Eva K. from Germany spent six months expanding her skills in molecular biology at Neurona Therapeutics in San Francisco, CA.
Eva had the opportunity to bond with colleagues in San Francsico
Image courtesy of Eva K.
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
Friendship for a Lifetime
Posted on Wednesday, September 28th, 2022 at 11:55 am.
There is a Nigerian proverb that says, “The day on which one starts out is not the time to start one’s preparations,” but in the case of BridgeUSA exchange visitors Daniel Enebe and Samuel Eze, the day they met they unknowingly set their international exchange plans in motion. Read More ›
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
Bonfire Bonding
Posted on Monday, September 12th, 2022 at 8:24 pm.Nothing says “summertime” like a good old-fashioned bonfire! In the U.S., this summertime tradition is as old as the nation itself. After all, there is no better time or place to connect with nature and with other people than around the warm flames of a blazing bonfire.
In June, AuPairCare au pairs and host families alike took advantage of the beautiful San Diego summer weather they were having and met at Leisure Lagoon Beach to gather around a bonfire! The fire, the perfect temperature, and the eventual sunset all combined to make for one unforgettable evening.
Like any good bonfire, the host families, host children, and au pairs gathered around the campfire to roast hot dogs and marshmallows, sing songs and warm their hands by the fire. Read More ›
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
Slava Ukraini
Posted on Thursday, August 25th, 2022 at 2:48 pm.
Categories: J-1 Visa, Participants, Program Spotlight, Videos
Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Happy Songkran!
Posted on Wednesday, May 25th, 2022 at 5:10 pm.
Three Summer Work Travel participants from Thailand, pictured from left, Nattaporn Khonghana, Wannida Thongsripleng and Montatip Putawed, are spending their cultural exchange with jobs with the Davidson Hospitality Group at the DoubleTree by Hilton Park Vista in Gatlinburg, Tenn., this spring. In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, they shared information about the Thai new year holiday, Songkran, which took place April 13-15. Read More ›
Categories: Program Spotlight
Cultural Care Goes to the Boston Marathon
Posted on Wednesday, May 11th, 2022 at 1:38 pm.By: Kristen McDonough of Cultural Care Au Pair.
It’s the kind of spring day that makes New Englanders giddy about the possibility of summer: sunny, low 50’s, with a crisp breeze and warm pockets of sun. In other words, a perfect day for running. The crowds are thick, buzzing with the excitement of returning events and Boston unity. Read More ›
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
Deputy Secretary McKeon Travels to Miami, Meets with BridgeUSA Exchange Visitors
Posted on Wednesday, April 6th, 2022 at 8:13 pm.
BridgeUSA exchange visitors at the University of Miami pictured above include interns, trainees, au pairs, and physicians. They are sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, the Council on International Educational Exchange, InterExchange, and Intrax. Photo credit: Elvir Klempic, Dept. of State.
Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Brian P. McKeon traveled to Miami, Florida, from March 29-30. The Deputy Secretary visited State Department operations in South Florida, including the Miami Passport Agency and the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office. Read More ›
Categories: Program Spotlight
Participant Spotlight: BridgeUSA Research Scholar is Re-thinking the Timing of the Earths’ Biggest Mass Extinction, and the Diversification of Early Mammal Relatives
Posted on Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 at 4:41 pm.
Pia Viglietti, a BridgeUSA research scholar at the Field Museum.
While “dinosaur” might be the first word that pops into peoples’ heads when they think of fossils, those big Jurassic beasts are not the only—or the most interesting—game in town for paleontologists. Case in point: Pia Viglietti, a BridgeUSA research scholar at the Field Museum, studies biostratigraphy and evolutionary change in southern Africa during and after the Permo-Triassic mass extinction. Pia joined the Field Museum in March of 2019, after completing her PhD and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Since then she has been collaborating with Curator Ken Angielczyk and international colleagues, and already has 12 papers under her belt, including the description of several new species of the early mammal relatives known as dicynodonts, as well new species of crocodile and dinosaur ancestors. Read More ›
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
Making Memories Every Mile at the TCS New York City Marathon
Posted on Monday, November 29th, 2021 at 1:53 pm.By Katie Knoch, Office of Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
BridgeUSA participants volunteer alongside Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange, Nicole Elkon
This year, on November 7, 2021, the TCS New York City Marathon took place after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The 2021 TCS New York City Marathon commemorated the event’s 50th race with runners from all over the world participating both in person and virtually. Read More ›
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
Vilnius Marathon Brings Together Different Experiences of Lithuanian Students
Posted on Thursday, October 15th, 2020 at 4:07 pm.By Emilija Buividavičiūtė, Summer Work Travel Alumni, Lithuania
Emilija enjoying the event
Volunteering is always an exciting and valuable experience, especially when it comes to sports-related events. As Exchange Visitor Program participants, we never say no to any new opportunities. That is why when the U.S. Embassy in Lithuania invited us to volunteer in the Danske Bank Vilnius Marathon, we were very happy to help out and make our contribution as valuable as possible. It was a great opportunity to be part of one of the biggest sports event in the Baltics, to meet new people, and, of course, to have a fun and fulfilling weekend. Read More ›
Categories: Participants, Program Spotlight
| About Karen Ward Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange | |
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Karen Ward has been with the Department of State and the Exchange Visitor Program for over thirty years. Karen joined Private Sector Exchange as the Director of the Office of Private Sector Exchange Designation in December 2014. She previously had worked on all aspects of the Exchange Visitor Program, including program analyst for the secondary school student, teacher, post-secondary student, research scholar, trainee and intern categories and served as the Division Chief of the Private Sector Programs Division for three years. She spent three years as a Policy Analyst and a Senior Compliance Office within the Office of Exchange Coordination and Compliance. She has extensive knowledge on program management, the regulatory process, form development, and SEVIS administration.
Karen, a native of Maryland, is a career federal civil servant with more than 30 years of service, working mostly in the areas of international exchanges and operation management. She enjoys mentoring and volunteering in her community.
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