It’s no surprise that life at FIUTS has completely changed since March. Programs have been cancelled, our lively and snack-filled physical office is closed, and the future is filled with uncertainty.

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is that we believe in the power of community and connections, no matter what. And our team has no shortage of experience when it comes to tackling big challenges with creativity, flexibility, and persistence. We’ve been working hard to support students, build community, and bring people together to learn from each other - even if it can’t be in person.

So during this year’s Annual Campaign, staff from each program area are sharing how FIUTS’ ongoing work is keeping us motivated and inspired. We hope you enjoy this glimpse behind the scenes, and invite you to support us in building a more connected, understanding, and peaceful world.

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Meet the FIUTS Education Programs Team!

Ellen, Kailyn, and Mariama

The house may be a little drafty but at least there’s lots of natural light!

While we all miss excitement of new Visiting Programs groups regularly arriving in Seattle, a bright spot for me in these challenging months has been the opportunity to reconnect with our SUSI alumni. Over 120 alumni from 16 countries have participated in SUSI programs with FIUTS, and it's been a joy to reconnect with many of them as we've asked for their insight on grant proposals, convened inspiring virtual sessions on topics they care about, and featured their incredible stories in our Alumni Impact blog series. It's been a privilege to help amplify their impact on their communities and the world!

-Ellen Frierson, Manager of Education Programs

Over the last few months, as almost everything in our lives has changed, the Pen Pal program has offered our community some much needed consistency. Carrying forward this decades-long tradition, 37 UW students from 18 countries are engaging in a unique cultural exchange this quarter by swapping letters with 72 elementary school students from Martha Lake Elementary in Lynwood, WA.

Though we won’t be able to hold our traditional on-campus lunch celebration this year, I am working with the amazing teacher team to create a virtual event that will capture some of that celebratory, cross-cultural learning energy! - Kailyn Swarthout, Education Programs Coordinator

One of the program adjustments we've made has been hosting dialogue groups over Zoom. One that I am particularly passionate about is the Discussion Series on Race & Racism in the U.S., which I facilitate with a few other FIUTS student assistants and staff members. Each week, we have conversations about race and its relationship to topics like class, gender, and incarceration. There are both domestic and international students who attend. My favorite part of this series is hearing everyone's perspectives on race relations in the U.S. and seeing how they relate to the race relations in other countries.

-Mariama Sidibe, Program Assistant & current UW student

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Check out all the posts in this series:

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