Fulbright Educational Advsing Center

Innovative Outreach by FEAC in Response to New High School Curriculum:
“School The Other Way” Week, April 2-6

Over April 2-6, U.S. study was prominent during the “School The Other Way” week included in the high school curriculum starting this year. As regular classes were suspended, students and teachers were able to engage in a multitude of extracurricular activities, some centered on study abroad.

In addition to “International Study Day” on April 4, see below, FEAC organized and hosted two sessions of “reverse outreach”: students from two Bucharest high schools, “Lovinescu” and “Cuza”, visited the Advising Center for in-depth dedicated sessions. After connecting at Libraries’ Night at the U.S. Embassy in Oct. 2011, FEAC visited both schools to interest them in U.S. study. The presentations we offered them at the Advising Center as part of “School The Other Way” “ targeted the participants’ specific questions and problem areas: U.S. application strategies & TOEFL insights, case studies of successful Romanian admissions, essay and recommendation letters, etc. “School The Other Way” participants will learn more about successful U.S. admissions during the Undergraduate Admissions Training program FEAC is organizing over May 22-June 19 free of charge, on a weekly basis.

“International Study Day”: A New Outreach Concept Launched April 4

FEAC together with Campus France, DAAD, and British Council have partnered up to set up a comprehensive joint outreach program meant to introduce high school and college students to the benefits and opportunities of the educational systems in the USA, France, and Germany, to standardized tests like the TOEFL, SAT, IELTS, DELF/DALF, and to help them make the most of studying abroad.

The pilot program was successfully launched on April 4 at “Lazar” National College, one of the most prominent high schools in Bucharest, and started traveling to underserved academic communities in the country on April 25. First stop: Galati, followed by Sibiu (May 10), Oradea (May 16), and Petrosani (May 23). Details at http://bit.ly/feac_events.

U.S. Study Prominent in Galati: “International Study Day”, Further Reinforced by
High School and University Outreach

April 25 saw the successful debut of “International Study Day” outside Bucharest, in Galati, 160 miles north-east of the capital. The event was hosted by the foremost university in town, “Dunarea de Jos”. The event opened with a press conference with reps of the local print and TV media and continued throughout the day with educational advising at the booths each institution set up.

The next day, FEAC visited three first-tier local high schools to highlight study opportunities in the USA. The FEAC rep also offered a workshop on the statement of purpose and recommendations to university students. On top of reaching well over 550 students, our visit also facilitated FEAC’s contact with local high school and university reps. As a result of the FEAC outreach campaign the EducationUSA Romania network has been steadily growing.

EducationUSA Family News: New Member in the FEAC Team

The EducationUSA team in Bucharest has added a new member: Laura Silvas – a graduate of the American Studies BA and MA at the University in Bucharest – has joined the Fulbright Educational Advising Center thanks to a grant awarded by the U.S. Embassy to the advising operation in Bucharest. Laura has all the makings of a savvy adviser thanks to her previous internship with the advising center and her passion for the U.S. culture and higher education.

During her time with EducationUSA Romania she will be focusing on impactful projects such as developing a video library for Romanian students interested in U.S. study, helping with the revamp of the comprehensive FEAC advising website, and more. Despite her difficult daily commute from her home town 100 km away from Bucharest, Laura is full of energy and EducationUSA enthusiasm.

FEAC in Cluj: Promotion of the Fulbright Program with Peace Corps Volunteers and More

As a result of its steady cooperation with Peace Corps Romania, FEAC was invited to participate in the Career Options seminar organized on April 26 in Cluj for Peace Corps Volunteers finishing their program in Romania. The training, in which FEAC first participated last year, included a panel discussion highlighting the options available to PC volunteers upon their return to the USA, as well as a career options fair that facilitated in-depth conversation. Alongside the FEAC rep, the panelists included former PCVs who offered advice in their current capacities as members of the Foreign Service, Peace Corps, and the PC Return program. The FEAC rep emphasized the graduate school options and the Fulbright Student program, with the support of the U.S. Fulbright grantee in Timisoara.

While in Cluj, FEAC represented U.S. study and financial aid during JobShop, a career and education event organized by BEST (Board of European Students of Technology), a prominent international student organization.

Reaching Far: Synergetic Promotion of U.S. Study through FEAC’s Undergraduate Newsletter

The latest issue of the Advising Center’s quarterly Newsletter dedicated to high school students interested in U.S. education as well as to their teachers and parents came out on April 25. The 14-page publication is available online at http://bit.ly/ug_nl.

The Core section continues the tradition of carrying comprehensive articles written by U.S. university reps and Romanian students in the U.S.. This issue includes an article on the benefits of a U.S. liberal arts education, a profile of Webster University with a highlight of its campus in Vienna, Austria, and a most inspiring student profile of the first Romanian to get into New York University Abu Dhabi (on a full ride, too!). The other sections in the Undergraduate Newsletter, FEAC News, EducationUSA News and Wisdom of the Season, update readers on past and upcoming FEAC and EducationUSA events, face-to-face and online, and inspire them to start their journey to U.S. universities with FEAC support.