The U.S. Embassy Announces Scholarships for 46 Teachers and Students

Mexico City | July 21, 2009

Today Chargé D’Affaires John D. Feeley awarded scholarships to study in the United States to 46 students and teachers from rural and indigenous communities from the states of Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Jalisco, Oaxaca and Querétaro.

The scholarships are funded by the USAID’s TIES (Training, Internships, Exchanges, and Scholarships) initiative in collaboration with Georgetown University and its SEED Program. They will allow 26 young Mexicans to study in community colleges in the U.S. for two years. Study programs are designed to provide them with technical skills that will contribute to the development of their communities and regions. Fields of study include Quality Control, Agribusiness for Export and Small and Medium Enterprise Management.

In addition, the program will provide one-year scholarships to 20 Mexican teachers for the purpose of improving the quality of rural primary education for indigenous children. The Office of Indigenous Education of the Mexican Secretariat of Public Education is a key partner in this effort, providing continuing support to the teachers during their year in the United States.

Since its creation in 2003, the TIES program has awarded 302 scholarships to Mexican teachers and students.