Three FIUTS Alumni Chosen for Chevening in 2021!

The prestigious Chevening Scholarship is an award offered to emerging global leaders allowing them to study for a fully-funded master’s degree in the UK. FIUTS is thrilled to announce that three alumni of our Visiting Programs have been chosen for Chevening this year! They follow in the footsteps of the three alumni chosen in 2020. We are so proud of the incredible work that Ilka, Jéssica, and Saif have done so far to make a difference in their communities and the world, and we can’t wait to see what they do next as they embark on this adventure.

Ilka chevening.png
 

Ilka Saíde, Mozambique

Having been through SUSI in 2017 with FIUTS was definitely a game changer in my life! It gave me the courage to open my own organization focused on women empowerment, and the adventure hasn’t stopped since then!

My main tool for working with women is my passion and training in Psychology. I believe mental health and wellbeing have an impact in all aspects of our lives, for that reason I will be studying Applied Positive Psychology and coaching Psychology in the University of East London as a Chevening scholar.

Being chosen for Chevening was a great honor and it reminded me of something I learned in SUSI: Leaders are the ones who equip themselves with the best tools in order to create spaces of empowerment for others.

Ilka Saíde was a participant in the 2017 Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) on Civic Engagement. Read more about her here and here.

Jessica Alface Chevening picture.jpeg

Jéssica Alface, Mozambique

My name is Jéssica Alface, an alumna of the SUSI on Civic Engagement cohort of 2019. This program transformed completely, as I became a strong leader, and discovered my passion for sustainability, women in STEM and community development. All this was possible, because of the amazing FIUTS team (Era, Joseph, Ellen and Kailyn) who encouraged me throughout my stay in the U.S. One year ago, I saw a similar post like this one, which motivated me, even more, to apply for the Chevening scholarship and also provided me an opportunity to interact with Aisha Nazim (an amazing human being and friend). Now I proudly announce that I recently won the Chevening scholarship and will be pursuing an MSc in Sustainable Chemical engineering at Newcastle University. So if you are reading this post, do not underestimate the power of opportunity and your ability to reach high. As I always say in my official language (Portuguese): Tenho em mim todos os sonhos do Mundo.

Jéssica Alface was a participant in the 2019 Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) on Civic Engagement. Read more about some of her past work here.

 
saif.jpeg

muhammad Saif, nepal

My name is Muhammad Saif and one of my first international experiences was the State Department's SUSI program which was hosted by FIUTS at University of Washington. The program exposed me to a completely new ways of learning and participating in the community. The experiences I gained here paved the way for me to start up an organization back in my own country which conducts a variety of programs for school students in public and private schools.

This year, I've been awarded the Chevening Scholarship and I'm going to be studying MA Digital Teaching and Learning at University of Nottingham. I hope to finish the program and continue to work in inclusive and participatory education back home in Nepal.

Muhammad Saif was a participant in the 2014 SUSI on Journalism and New Media.

To this year’s Chevening scholars, congratulations to all of you! Your FIUTS family is proud of you and wishes you all the best.

The Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) are programs of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. SUSI programs promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among international students, teachers, and scholars. 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.

Guest posts on the FIUTS blog represent the experiences and views of individual writers. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FIUTS or any organizations or institutions affiliated with our programs.