[MGSA-L] Call for Applications: AHIF’s College Student Foreign Policy Study Trip Abroad

athanasios grammenos athanasiosgrammenos at gmail.com
Fri Mar 15 10:46:30 PDT 2013


**
    Call for Applications *AHIF's Fifth Annual College Student Foreign
Policy Study Trip to Greece and Cyprus* *June 19 - July 5, 2013*

*WASHINGTON, DC--*The American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF) is
accepting applications for its travel abroad program aimed to help Greek
American college students better understand the core foreign policy issues
important to the Greek American community. The program is open to Greek
American and Cypriot American college students who are in good academic
standing and who are studying political science, international relations,
history, government, law and foreign affairs. The 2013 trip is scheduled
for June 19 - July 5.

During the two-week trip to Washington, DC, Greece and Cyprus the students
will have the opportunity to see and experience first-hand foreign policy
issues affecting Greece and Cyprus, their relations with the U.S., and the
interests of the U.S. in the region. Although the schedule will be packed
with briefings and meetings with officials, the students will also have
free time to visit historic and other cultural sites in both Greece and
Cyprus.

Prior to departure students will meet in Washington, DC to attend a
mandatory briefing about their trip. They will also attend meetings and
briefings with Greek, Cypriot and U.S. officials in Washington, Greece and
Cyprus. Emphasis will be placed on understanding Greek-Cyprus-Turkish
relations, issues affecting the southeastern Mediterranean involving
Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.

*Eligibility*

The program is open to undergraduate or graduate students (rising
sophomores to second-year graduate students) with a full-time enrollment
status (12 credit hours per semester), and have a minimum 3.00 cumulative
GPA. Program size is limited, and participation is contingent upon
acceptance by the program review committee.

   - The deadline to apply is April 15, 2013.

AHI President Nick Larigakis will lead the group to Greece and Cyprus.
"Since its inception AHIF, has promoted a better understanding of Hellenic
issues and strived to strengthen relations between the United States and
Greece and the United States and Cyprus," he said. "Over the years we have
held conferences on the future of Hellenism in America, and conferences
pertaining to our issues to educate and inform U.S. policy makers. Through
the *College Student Foreign Policy Study Trip to Greece and Cyprus* we are
now able to offer a hands-on experience aimed at our college students to
help them have a better understanding and connection of the issues that
affect our community and better prepare them to be responsible leaders of
the Greek American community."

*Cost and Accommodations:*

Hotel accommodations, local transportation and most meals in Washington,
DC, Greece and Cyprus will be covered by AHIF. The students will be
responsible for the airline tickets from Washington to Larnaca, Cyprus and
Athens, Greece and return to the United States (approximately $2,400). The
AHIF has secured the services of a travel agency to ease with your travel
needs and all arrangements will have to be made through this travel agency.
Students will have to make their own arrangements to get to Washington.
However, the travel agent will be available to help those that need
assistance. Those who wish to extend their stay in Greece should contact
the travel agent directly to make those arrangements and make a notation of
the dates in the application form. *Please note that the cost for an
extended trip will be higher**and additional form will be required to be
completed and signed by you and your parents**.*

*$250 Refundable Deposit*

A $250 refundable deposit is required along with your application. You have
the option to pay the deposit with a credit card or check payable to
"AHIF." *Students selected for participation will have 5-business days to
reply to the offer, before the offer may be made to other qualified
applicants. Once you have accepted the offer the $250 check will be
deposited. *If you are not selected for the trip or if you cancel prior to
the May 1st deadline, the $250 deposit will be refunded directly to your
credit card or your check will be returned back to you. *You will only lose
your deposit if you were confirmed on the trip and accepted and later
cancel. **The $250 deposit will be returned to you after the evaluation
forms and essays have been received by AHIF at the conclusion of the
program.*

*Who is eligible?*

The program is open to Greek/Cypriot American undergraduate or graduate
students (rising sophomores to second-year graduate students) with a
full-time enrollment status (12 credit hours per semester), and have a
minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA. Fields of study include: political science,
international relations, history, government, law and foreign affairs.

*How to Apply?*

Submit all the items listed below. *All items must be receivedby April 15,
2013toconsideran application complete. *Late applications will not be *
considered**. *Students with an expired passport or who do not have a
passport should not wait until they have been accepted to the program to
renew or apply for a passport.

After we have received your completed application form with all the items
listed below (including the $250 deposit), you will receive an email from
AHIF confirming that your application is under consideration and asking you
to provide us with a date/time to schedule a phone interview. The review
committee will review your application and interview report and inform you
of your status (acceptance, denial) shortly after May 1st. * *

*Check List of items to be submitted by April 15, 2013:*

   1. completed application clicking
here<http://www.ahiworld.com/images/pdf/2013student_policy_trip_form_v2.pdf>(862
KB PDF);
   2. $250 deposit payable to AHIF;
   3. Student and parents initials and signatures on the waiver of
   liability/indemnification form;
   4. provide photocopy of health insurance (front & back);
   5. a resume;
   6. official transcript;
   7. a recent headshot; and
   8. two letters of recommendation.

*Application forms and all material should be emailed to
yolap at ahiworld.organd hardcopy of application form mailed to:
*

*AHIF** Foreign Policy Study Trip to Greece and Cyprus*
*American Hellenic Institute Foundation*
1220 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036

*How to make your travel arrangements?*

Upon acceptance to the program a form will be emailed to you asking you to
state the dates of travel and the cities that you will be traveling from.
This form will be forwarded to the travel agency. The approximate cost for
the round trip ticket from Washington, DC-Larnaca-Athens-back to the US is
$2,400. There is an additional cost for those who pay by credit card. *Those
who wish to extend their stay in Greece should note that the cost for an
extended trip will be higher.*

For more information about previous trips and the students' experiences,
please click the links below:

   - 2009<http://ahiworld.com/media-center/press-releases/2009/1127-college-students-complete-inaugural-ahif-foreign-policy-study-trip-to-greece-and-cyprus-.html>
   - 2010<http://ahiworld.com/media-center/press-releases/2010/1318-college-students-complete-second-annual-ahif-foreign-policy-study-trip-to-greece-and-cyprus.html>
   - 2011<http://ahiworld.com/media-center/press-releases/2011/1499-college-students-complete-third-annual-ahif-foreign-policy-trip-to-greece-and-cyprus.html>
   - 2012<http://ahiworld.com/media-center/press-releases/2012/1668-fourth-annual-ahif-foreign-policy-trip-to-greece-cyprus-a-success.html>

For more information contact Yola Pakhchanian at yolap at ahiworld.org.

*The American Hellenic Institute Foundation, Inc. (AHIF), established in
1975, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt educational and research
organization devoted exclusively to the study of the issues confronting the
Greek American community. From our Hellenic House headquarters, just steps
from the White House, AHIF's professional staff works to advance the best
interests of the U.S. on issues of importance to Greek Americans.*

# # #
------------------------------

*Student Testimonials and Reflections from the 2012 program*

*This was the trip of a lifetime, and I learned more in two and a half
weeks than a whole year in school. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing
experience. --Aletha Vassilakis, University of California, San Diego*

*This AHI policy trip was such a fantastic opportunity. To be able to meet
and speak with so many government officials in the Cypriot and Greek
governments was an extremely unique experience for me at such a young age.
I was able to see firsthand the effects of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus
and the struggle, passion, and distress felt by the citizens of Cyprus. By
speaking with various representatives in Greece, I was able to begin to
wrap my head around the magnitude of the recent economic crisis and the
real effects it has had on the Greek population. The experiences and
knowledge I gained in both countries far surmounts anything I could have
read in a book or news headlines because it struck a very human cord that
is often lacking in second or third person accounts one might read or hear
back home in the states.*

*However, this trip did not only give me the great opportunity to tackle
these issues head on but also gave me the opportunity to meet other Greek
American college students who are passionate about international relations.
It was an honor to become friends with these students and to now count them
among my peers. I have always had great passion for my Greek heritage but
this trip has given me the opportunity to understand and value Greece on a
different level. I now feel like an educated American on the issues of
Greece which I can apply on an international level. --Alexis Konstantine
Angelo, Trinity University*

* *

*The AHI foreign policy trip is an invaluable opportunity to understand the
issues that face the Greek American community and provides a forum of
discussion with the world's leading officials. It's a resource that no
book, news source, or class could ever provide. AHI provided an
irreplaceable real world experience. - Andrew M. Pernokas, Boston University
*

* *

*The AHIF Foreign Policy trip was a truly amazing and transformative
experience. Traveling, learning, and discussing the different issues with
my peers exposed me to different perspectives from other Greek American
students and provided lasting friendships. The trip to Cyprus allowed me to
witness firsthand the multitude of challenges that Cyprus has overcome
since 1974, but also allowed me to see the great challenges that the
Republic of Cyprus still faces. While burdened with the weight of the
illegal occupation of the northern portion of the island, the Republic of
Cyprus has grown to become a significant player in the international
community as evidenced by their assumption of the EU Presidency in July.
The EU Presidency was a reoccurring theme in many of our meetings in
Cyprus, however, this great success, a testament to the strength and
perseverance of the Cypriot people, could not mask the occupation. The
journey to the occupied area showed the true realities of the Cyprus
problem. Seeing the desecrated churches, Turkish soldiers, and abandoned
buildings on the backdrop of pristine beaches and vacationing Turks
impacted the issue in a way that a book or an article never could.
Traveling to Cyprus took the way I saw the issue out of a history book and
into the present day, giving me a renewed passion for the issue.*

*The AHIF Foreign Policy trip allowed me to see Greece in a new light.
Having been to Greece before, experiencing high-level briefings at the
Ministry of Defense, discussing the Euro Crisis with world-renowned
economists, and discussing foreign policy with Ambassadors showed me a side
of Greece that I had never known. The experience in Greece gave me a
renewed faith in Greece; not only the country's ability to weather any
storm, whether fiscal or military, but also in the Greek people and their
commitment to Hellenism. Overall, the AHIF foreign policy trip changed the
way that I look at the Mediterranean Basin. I will be forever grateful to
the American Hellenic Institute for the opportunity. - Anna Tsiotsias,
University of Pennsylvania*

* *

*This trip was absolutely amazing. The opportunity I received through this
program to meet so many important and integral people to international
relations is a once in a lifetime chance. I recommend this trip to
everyone. - Evangelia Psarakis, Rutgers University *

* *

*This was one of the best trips I have taken and definitely some of the
best two weeks of my life. The immersion into the politics and way of life
of both countries was eye-opening and most, if not all, of the officials we
met were very helpful and were very interested in helping us understand and
learn about the countries. I would recommend this program to every Greek
American! --Christos Galanis, Rutgers University *

* *

*This trip was a highly informative one with access to individuals and
opportunities that would seldom be available apart from AHIF. Most
importantly, the foreign policy trip offers its participants the
opportunity to have instilled in themselves the reality that they, as
members of the global Hellenic community, have a stake - and thus, an
obligation - in the resolution of crucial matters of policy surrounding
Greece and Cyprus. It ought to be a game-changer in influencing the
participants' individual professional aspirations. -- Stephanos Karavas,
Tufts University*

* *

*To stand in a place where, for generations, Christians stood in awe and
reverence of the Creator of all, where incense and psalmody once rose from
earth to Heaven in praise of the God who became man; but now stands
abandoned and desecrated, with no respect or honor given to things of the
earth or of Heaven, is truly a powerful and moving experience. -- Manoli
Anagnostiadis, University of Maryland, upon viewing a desecrated Church in
occupied Cyprus*

* *

*As corny as it sounds, this trip truly redirected my life's ambitions. In
Cyprus, experiencing the occupied area and the horrible sights of
desecration -- especially of the churches -- was indescribable. In Greece,
hearing senior-level officials give me the support I needed to supplement
my already-established viewpoints about Greek issues enhanced my knowledge
and understanding of Greece and reinvigorated my love for the country. I've
always been interested in my cultural heritage, and the issues Greeks and
Cypriots struggle with daily have been on my mind since I was able to read.*

*Now, with the help of AHI, I remember exactly why I've always been so
passionate about these problems. I have now seen firsthand the tragedies
that plague our wonderful homeland. Perhaps most importantly, though, I've
looked at it through the eyes of an American citizen. My fellow students
and I can visualize the possible solutions to the Cyprus problem, the FYROM
name issue and the newfound energy issues, just to name a few. These
solutions are all attainable with the help of the American government.*

*The answers are simple. Now it's a matter of whether senior-level
officials will deem it necessary to take the steps to fix long drawn-out
issues. As an American, I plan to do all I can to make these officials see
the importance of helping these countries that are imperative to the
world's progression. I've been reminded of my passion through the AHIF trip
and don't intend to let it go to waste. - Maria Romas, University of
Maryland*


------------------------------

The *American Hellenic Institute* is a nonprofit public policy organization
that works to strengthen relations between the
United States and Greece and Cyprus, and also within the American Hellenic
community.

1220 16th Street, NW | Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone 202-785-8430 | Fax 202-785-5178 |  www.ahiworld.org



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-- 
*-- --*
*And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.*
*Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,*
*you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean. *
*
*
*Constantine Cavafy*
*
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*<<Εσμέν Έλληνες το γένος, ως η τε φωνή και η πάτριος παιδεία μαρτυρεί>>*
*Πλήθων Γεμιστός*
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