Zubair Qureshi
The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) hosted 54 students who have received scholarships from the US Government to study in the United States for one semester under the Global Undergraduate Semester Exchange (UGRAD) Programme for a two-day pre-departure orientation.
The pre-orientation was held in Islamabad and the recipients were briefed about campus life, American culture, visa and travel requirements. According to an official of the USEFP the Global UGRAD Programme provides grantees the opportunity to enrich their education and pursue non-degree academic study at U.S. college campuses. The students will attend undergraduate classes at 51 US colleges and universities, participate in workshops to strengthen leadership skills, and engage in community service projects. “Undergraduate exchanges between the United States and Pakistan create important opportunities for the students who travel and the people they interact with and are an important part of strengthening the relationship between our two countries,” said Acting Deputy Chief of Mission William Ostick. “The U.S. Government is proud to fund these life-changing opportunities, and we look forward to all they will accomplish as future leaders in Pakistan.”
Hailing from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Islamabad Capital Territory, the cohort represents a wide range of fields of study, including business administration, social sciences, and STEM. Since the Global UGRAD Programme launched in 2010, approximately 2,440 Pakistani students, more than half of whom are women, have received this prestigious one-semester scholarship to study in the United States. USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar while addressing and congratulating the scholarships’ recipients encouraged them to take full advantage of the academic, extracurricular, and community service activities available in the United States. “This year, again, we received a record number of applications from all over Pakistan. Participants are selected on merit, but in determining merit, we try to take into account obstacles students have had to overcome on their road to success. We look for students with the potential not just to excel in higher education but to bring change and development to their communities. We are confident that their American classmates will learn a lot from this group of talented students.
