UNO Welcomes Fifth YSEALI Cohort to Campus
22 academic fellows from Southeast Asia participate in a five-week Institute on Civic Engagement as part of a U.S. State Department international initiative.
- published: 2018/03/28
- contact: Franecia Moore - International Programs
- phone: 402-554-2293
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- international programs
- global engagement
- yseali
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Omaha – The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is pleased to host its fifth Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Institute on Civic Engagement. YSEALI, a U.S. Department of State funded program, brings 22 students to UNO’s campus to study civic engagement, leadership, and American culture. The YSEALI participants arrived in Omaha on Saturday, March 24 and began their academic studies Monday, March 26.
In addition to their academic studies, the fellows will visit local non-governmental organizations, meet with state government officials, participate in hands-on volunteer activities in the community, give cultural presentations, and develop action plans that they can implement back in their home countries.
The group represents nine of ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
“We have an exciting program planned for our visiting academic fellows,” said Dr. Jodi Benenson, Academic Director of the YSEALI Institute. “The academic curriculum complements the program’s applied civic learning experiences and will equip our YSEALI scholars with the tools needed to address the pressing civic challenges facing our communities today.”
The purpose of this intensive five-week program is to provide fellows with civic engagement, leadership development and collective problem-solving skills; awareness of the influence of principles and values such as democracy, individual rights, freedom of expression, and diversity; strengthen networking in Southeast Asia; and foster relations between the United States and Southeast Asian nations.
“We are happy to have another group of the best and brightest from the ASEAN region at UNO. This is our last cohort with our current grant, but we are hopeful that we will be able to continue collaborating with the YSEALI program and young leaders from Southeast Asia for many years to come,” said Katie Kresha, Administrative Director.
The fellows spend four weeks in academic residency here at UNO, travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota for an extended weekend, and conclude their program with a weeklong educational tour visiting Portland, Oregon and Washington D.C.
Learn more about YSEALI by following YSEALI at UNO Facebook page.