PLUS PROGRAM

Congratulations PLUS Graduates of 2008!

PLUS III students (left to right) Basma Alshaikhali, Hala Al Shareef, Rehab Abdallah, Iman Arbat, and Ruba Kallab are all smiles after graduating from Montana State University.

The PLUS Program was created by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in order to bring a diverse group of accomplished youth from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia to the United States to complete their undergraduate degrees from a U.S. institution. The goal of the initiative is to promote educational exchange and cultural understanding between young people from Muslim majority regions and Americans. It is hoped that the program will reinforce common values and provide a platform for positive dialogue. The 2004-2005 academic year was the inaugural start of the Undergraduate Studies program. The final cohort of PLUS students graduated in the spring of 2008.

The PLUS scholars were chosen based on their academic achievement and leadership potential, as well as their diversity of experience. Students will spend two years completing their undergraduate degrees in the social sciences and humanities at select U.S. institutions. The scholarship is fully funded by the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and includes a pre-academic English language training component administered by AMIDEAST. AED manages the academic program, including placement in a U.S. undergraduate program, monitoring, and enrichment activities.

The PLUS program is designed to reach a broader sector of college-age youth from diverse backgrounds in the Middle East and North Africa and provide them with a greater understanding of U.S. institutions, society and culture. Students are encouraged to complement their academic work with extracurricular activities on campus and in the local community.

For more information, or if you have any questions, you may contact us at plus@aed.org.