FIUTS Alumni

No matter where you go in the world, FIUTS wants to to stay in touch! After all, a big part of the FIUTS mission is to create global connections and foster international friendship - our alumni are a vital part of taking that message overseas, and the FIUTS alumni community stretches across the globe connecting students long after they have left the UW. If you're here because you want to stay connected (or even reconnect) with FIUTS, then you're in the right place!

How you can support FIUTS:

• Make a gift to FIUTS: Show your support to a new generation of students!

• Become a Host or Community Volunteer: If you live in the Seattle area, you can offer welcome and a homestay experience from someone who knows what it is like in the city, or provide other opportunities for students to get engaged, such as giving workplace tours or serving on the FIUTS Board of Trustees.

• Attend FIUTS events: If you live in the Seattle area or are just visiting for a short while, you are always welcome to join us at our on-campus events such as Wednesday Lunch or CulturalFest.

• Be a part of the FIUTS 75th Anniversary: Join us in Seattle, November 1st - 6th, 2023 to celebrate 75 years of connection, community and friendship. Save the date!

Ways you can stay connected with FIUTS:

• Like us on Facebook: Become a fan of the FIUTS page and join your regional FIUTS Alumni Group.

• Send us a note! We love getting updates from FIUTS Alumni, and yours may be featured in a future newsletter or on the FIUTS website.

• Update your contact information: Please let us know if you’ve moved or have a new email address or phone number.

• Join the UWAA: The University of Washington Alumni Association (UWAA) is a great way to stay connected to both the UW and FIUTS. The University of Washington and FIUTS partner to support a global alumni network. You can find information on what’s available in your area by checking out their alumni pages.

FIUTS SUSI Alumni

FIUTS SUSI VIRTUAL ALUMNI PROGRAM

From August 2020 through January 2021, FIUTS hosted 6 monthly virtual alumni events. This was a space for SUSI alumni from 16 countries to share experiences and engage in discussion across cohorts. We hope this program will support ongoing work by SUSI alumni and facilitate opportunities for future collaboration.

Friday, January 29: Promoting Media Literacy and Countering Disinformation

Guest speakers:

Jevin West, Director of the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington

Kelsey Kupferer, Program Producer, KUOW RadioActive Youth Media

Jadenne Radoc Cabahug, Producer, KUOW RadioActive Youth Media

About the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington: This new, nonpartisan Center has assembled world-class researchers, labs, thought leaders, and practitioners to translate research about misinformation and disinformation into policy, technology design, curriculum development, and public engagement. They do this through their strong network of urban and rural libraries, national network of educators, and institutional partners. They bring together diverse voices from across industry, government, nonprofits, other institutions, as well as those from communities and populations typically underrepresented in research and practice in this field.

About KUOW RadioActive Youth Media: RadioActive Youth Media is where young people discover public radio journalism and gain access to the skills, community and institutional resources that spur their growth as media makers. Through their stories, listeners of all ages gain a deeper understanding of young people whose voices are rarely heard by the greater public. Recently, RadioActive has been developing media literacy workshops in order to help young people become responsible, critical consumers of media.

Friday, December 18: Working Effectively With Diverse Stakeholders

About the Speakers

Chamanie leads programmatic activities on strengthening media advocacy and creating an enabling media policy environment in Sri Lanka. Through her experience working closely with a wide array of stakeholders on media policy reform relating to Media Self-Regulation, she has gained knowledge and skills on strategizing media policy and advocacy effort to better suit to the Sri Lankan context.

In this session, Chamanie will share her experience as an International Development professional: “The success of my professional work in Media Advocacy and Media Policy Reform heavily depend upon successful stakeholder relations. I have been engaging with a wide range of diverse stakeholders; and have been learning about strategic Stakeholder Management in my journey. Having some of these skills in your back pocket can come in handy no matter what your industry and profession is!”

Past events

Creating Virtual Projects
Friday, November 20

About the Speaker

Medha Kohli

SUSI on Journalism & New Media 2014

Medha is from Hyderabad, India. She completed her Bachelors in Journalism, and went on to pursue the prestigious Young India Fellowship Program that awarded her a Post Graduate Diploma in Liberal Arts from Ashoka University.

She has worked with an ed-tech start-up, a chain of progressive schools and an NGO – all based out of Bangalore, in her quest to explore the education sector. She currently works as an Independent Consultant and is engaged with two projects. ‘Writing Through Crisis’ is a 5-week writing workshop that she has designed. In addition to this, she has also recently taken on a project in the capacity of a Project Producer with Girl Effect – where she is working on a Digital Campaign to sensitize young mothers in India about the importance of vaccines.

Adapting Community Projects In Response To Changing Circumstances
Friday, October 30

Featured Speakers:

Rafael Sizane

SUSI on Civic Engagement 2019 (Mozambique)

Rafael Sizane is an English teacher and a university student who is part of an organization which assists people with their basic needs. What’s more, he does many volunteer activities, one of which is in the American Corner where he teaches English to young and adult people. He loves teaching, singing and serving those in need and hopes that his work changes someone’s life.

 Rafael will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on entertainment, especially in the music  sector. He will show the changes that had to be made to projects due to the pandemic as well as some of the positive aspects that came out of this time. He will share how musicians impact their communities in these days.

Ilka Saíde

SUSI on Civic Engagement 2017 (Mozambique)

Ilka Saíde is a social and community Psychologist who believes that our talents are put into better use when it’s for the good of others. She strives to promote self-development and women empowerment in communities.

Ilka will speak about the strategies her organization used to keep in contact with the girls in rural communities and how they kept giving self-development training to university girls even though the schools where closed due to COVID-19. She will also speak on how shifting priorities is frequent while working in community projects because circumstances are frequently changing, including examples from her own work throughout Mozambique.

How to Make a Difference in the Face of Systemic Barriers
Friday, September 25

Session recording

For privacy reasons we have removed the full recording but if you would like to view it, please email Ellen!

September 25 Featured Speakers:

SUSI Virtual Alumni programming is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. FIUTS SUSI programs are produced in partnership with Meridian International Center.

SUSI programs promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among international students, teachers, and scholars. Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) are short-term academic programs for groups of undergraduate leaders, educators, and scholars from around the world. Hosted by academic institutions throughout the United States, these 5- to 6-week Institutes include an intensive academic residency and an integrated educational study tour. Extracurricular cultural and community activities help to broaden the participants’ understanding of U.S. society. Learn more about SUSI programs here.