Programs and Events

U.S. Consulate Celebrates International Education Week

Consul General Ms. Jennifer McIntyre interacting with students of Madras Christian College on Tuesday, November 22.

U.S. Consulate Chennai is highlighting International Education Week (IEW) with “20 for 2020: Celebrating the Shared Educational Goals of the U.S. and India.” Twenty officers from the Consulate are speaking at 20 educational institutions across South India sharing the message that “when it comes to education, the dreams and desires of the U.S. and India are one and the same.”

International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the mutual benefits of education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from India and other countries to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

Check out pictures and stories and on our Flickr page as our officers visit different schools. To learn more about IEW, please visit http://iew.state.gov

Highlights

Consul General Ms. Jennifer McIntyre

Consul General Jennifer McIntyre spoke to students at Madras Christian College on November 22. CG McIntyre noted: “Each time I speak at South India’s universities, I am repeatedly impressed with the young people studying in these institutions – by their energy, their commitment to learning, and their interest not only in their fields of study but the broader world. I am very encouraged that these students are going to be India’s leaders in the first half of the 21st century and will help us continue to build the strong U.S.-India partnership and people-to-people links between our two democracies.”
Information Officer Anand Krishna

Information Officer Anand Krishna addressed students at St. Joseph's College in Bangalore on November 29, 2011. He remarked: "I felt inspired walking out of St. Joseph's College, due to the enthusiasm of the students and their cogent questions. I am not surprised to learn their list of graduates includes such accomplished individuals like Ravi Shankar, Ram Guha and Rahul Dravid. Thank you to the students and Professor Cherian for the wonderful opportunity."
Acting Public Affairs Officer Corinna Ybarra Arnold

Acting Public Affairs Officer Corinna Ybarra Arnold spoke at the Garden of Peace school on November 28, 2011. She said: “I found the visit with the children, parents, and community of the Garden of Peace school inspiring. The students and parents alike were inquisitive, attentive, and a delight to be around. It was the first time I had experienced visiting a school in a rural environment and was thoroughly impressed by the investment the community has made to insure the success of their children. I know that my visit to the Gandhi-King-Mandela Farm will be one of those special memories I will always treasure about South India.”
Non-Immigrant Visa Chief Michael Cathey

Michael Cathey talked to students at KCG College of Technology in Karapakkam on November 23, 2011. He said: “Speaking at a well-known engineering university, I was incredibly impressed to see such a large percentage of women successfully pursuing engineering degrees.”
Vice Consul Alexis Haftvani

Vice Consul Alexis Haftvani spoke to students at Loyola College on November 22, 2011. Haftvani remarked, "The students, scholars and faculty of Loyola College were exceptionally welcoming during my visit to their campus. It was a great privilege to be able to talk to them about International Education Week. I was very impressed by all of the work Loyola College has already done to cultivate cross-cultural connections with individuals and educational institutions in the United States – and I hope they were inspired to continue those efforts.”
Vice Consul Daniel K. Lee

Vice Consul Daniel K. Lee addressed students at Women’s Christian College on November 21, 2011. Lee said, “I was surprised by the number of questions the students asked – they just didn’t stop. It was inspiring to see how interested they are in gaining international experience in the United States. I met four students who have been accepted for an exchange program in the United States, and learned that two Americans will be studying at Women’s Christian University as well. This is exactly the kind of educational and person-to-person ties that International Education Week is designed to promote.”
Consul Abby Aronson

Consul Abigail Aronson addressed students at Justice Basheer Ahmed Syeed College for Women on November 21. Aronson said: “It was an honor to be welcomed by the students and faculty of Justice Basheer Ahmed Syeed College for Women. I am always inspired by students’ enthusiasm for learning and I hope our time together helps in turn to inspire them to continue forward in achieving their dreams. JBAS College is home to a Fulbright alumna and it was a joy to talk about her experiences in the United States. One student I had the pleasure to talk to after the program told me of her own dream to study creative writing in the United States. I look forward to one day reading her works!”
Vice Consul Thomas Montgomery

Vice Consul Thomas Montgomery spoke to students at Alpha Arts & Science College on November 18, 2011. He remarked: “It was an honor and pleasure to meet the faculty and students at Alpha Arts and Sciences College. I was supremely impressed with Dr. S. Alfred Devaprasad, CEO of the Alpha Group of Institutions, and his team of dedicated professionals. Their commitment to excellence and innovation was evident in the inauguration of a new tradition at the school – Principal for a Day – whereby local leaders and professionals visit Alpha institutions and share suggestions on how Alpha might improve. “Speaking to students is quite simply the best part about being a diplomat in India. It’s great to see the genuine energy – the sparkle in their eyes – when talking with them. I won’t forget my visit to Alpha.”
Consular Officer Brykyta Shelton

Consular Officer Brykyta Shelton talked to students at Ethiraj College for Women on November 18, 2011. Shelton noted, “It was great being able to deliver such an inspiring speech to a room full of women contemplating their next steps in life. It felt great to be on the giving end, I remember being inspired as a college student by the numerous speakers that came to my university with our speaker series program. I hope I was able to give some of the same encouragement and push that was given to me.”
Consul Leon Gendin

Consul Leon Gendin spoke to students at Velammal Engineering College on Friday, November 18th. Gendin remarked, “I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and interacting with the members of the administration, faculty and students of Velammal Engineering College. What a wonderful group of professionals, dedicated to creating a supportive environment to promote learning and free exchange of ideas, and students eager to learn!”
Vice Consul Sarah Talalay

Vice Consul Sarah Talalay addressed students at Stella Maris College for women on Friday, November 18th. Talalay noted, “It seemed especially fitting to be delivering a speech that encourages students to ‘be inspired’ and ‘bold’ at Stella Maris College, where the Students’ Union motto is ‘Make Your Mark.’ My hope is some of the students will remember something from the speech, if they are fortunate enough to study in or travel to the United States. I know I made a connection with Students’ Union President Bhavya Balantrapu, who told me she wants to study corporate communications at NYU. Her eyes lit up when I told her that’s where I got my undergraduate degree in journalism. She promised to keep me informed, if she reaches her dream.”
Consul Tonya Gendin

Consul Tonya Gendin spoke to students at Queen Mary’s College for Women on Friday, November 18th. Gendin stated, “It was a true pleasure to have the opportunity to speak with the principal, faculty, staff, and students at Queen Mary’s College. I was impressed by the warmth of their welcome and inspired by the bright, motivated young women I met through this cross-cultural connection. I am confident that these future leaders will make a difference, continue on to do great things, and play their part in shaping our world.”
Vice Consul Halima (Bibi) Voyles

Vice Consul Halima (Bibi) Voyles spoke to students at VIT Chennai Campus on November 17. Voyles stated: “It was a great honor to celebrate International Education Week at VIT Chennai. The campus facilities were outstanding. The caliber of the students and staff was equally impressive. A peek into the temporary library in the main building afforded me with an idea of the dedication of the many students who sat there oblivious to the sounds of construction around them. I was also particularly moved by the initiative the campus has made in ensuring educational opportunities and scholarships for impoverished rural youth.“
Political/Economic Officer Matthew Beh

Matthew Beh spoke to students at B.S. Abdul Rahman University on November 16, 2011. He noted: “I had a very enjoyable time talking with the students, administrators, and faculty at Abdur Rahman University. The school serves a dynamic, diverse range of students who go on to amazing careers in finance, engineering, and other fields.”
Vice Consul Katherine Reedy

Katherine Reedy addressed students at M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women on November 16, 2011. She remarked: “I was happy to be part of the continuing relationship between the U.S. Consulate and M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women. I hope our time together helps encourage the students to keep striving to reach their full potential so they will, in turn, inspire others.”
Vice Consul Alyssa Caralla

Vice Consul Alyssa Caralla addressed students at the Indian Institute of Space Science Technology in Trivandrum on November 16, 2011. Caralla said, “It was a pleasure to have had the opportunity to speak to the director, administration members, and senior faculty of the Indian Institute of Space Science Technology as part of International Education Week. This was the first interaction the U.S. Consulate Chennai has had with the institute, and we look forward to a future friendship with the faculty and students. I was impressed with the creative ideas and questions from the administration about educational exchanges with institutions in the U.S.”
General Service Officer Prashant Hemady

General Service Officer Prashant Hemady spoke at Mohamed Sathak A.J. College of Engineering and Mohamed Sathak A.J. Academy of Architecture on Tuesday, November 15th. Hemady remarked, “It was a genuine pleasure to engage with the bright, articulate students from the Mohamed Sathak A.J. College of Engineering and Mohamed Sathak A.J. Academy of Architecture. In addition to discussing travel to the U.S. for leisure, study or work as a means of developing a global perspective, we also focused on local innovation through online collaboration and communication with U.S. institutions. We also all shared a collective moment of awe at the philanthropy of Dr. Hamid Quadir, the Chairman of the Mohamed Sathak Trust, when at the end of our discussion, he generously offered scholarships that would pay for half of the expenses of studying in the U.S. to the students who ranked first and second in their final exams!”
Vice Consul Shankar Rao

Vice Consul Shankar Rao spoke to students of National Institute of Engineering, Mysore via Digital Video Conferencing, on Tuesday, November 15th. Rao noted, “I’m honored to have had the opportunity to address the staff and students at the National Institute of Engineering in Mysore as part of our International Education Week outreach. The students’ interest in pursuing higher studies in the U.S., as evidenced by their questions, and the partnership that NIE has already established with the University of Minnesota in Crookston seem to suggest that the strong educational ties between India and the U.S. will continue to drive research and innovation in areas that will provide mutual benefit to our two countries.”
General Service Officer Mark Jasonides

General Service Officer Mark Jasonides spoke at Pondicherry University on Tuesday, November 15th. Jasonides noted, “I really enjoyed speaking yesterday at Pondicherry University. Although the students came from all walks of life and from all over India, they all shared a common interest in learning about how to best prepare for work and education in the U.S. I can tell that these students are ready and eager to be successful in their fields and that they perceive travel to the U.S. as a viable and key path to that success.”