Travel is an opportunity to meet new people and acquire new ideas.  I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the world with fellowship opportunities from the Japan Society, German Academic Exchange, Pacific Rim Young Leaders Forum, the European Union, and The Institute for Interfaith Dialogue.

To show my gratitude for what I’ve learned and to promote global exchange and awareness, I annually sponsor and host a delegation of future leaders from Europe who visit America with the Marshall Fellows program.

Overview

The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) was founded in 1972 through a gift from Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance as a non-partisan public policy and grant making institution dedicated to promoting greater cooperation and understanding between the United States and Europe. GMF does this by supporting individuals and institutions working on transatlantic issues, by convening leaders to discuss the most pressing transatlantic themes, and by examining ways in which transatlantic cooperation can address a variety of global policy challenges.

The Marshall Memorial Fellowship

The Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF) program provides a unique opportunity for young policy and opinion leaders from 14 European countries and the United States to gain an in-depth understanding of societies, institutions and peoples across the Atlantic. During the 4 week traveling program, Fellows develop a broad knowledge of political, economic, cultural and social issues in their host countries through meetings with city officials, school teachers, police officers, government officials, business leaders, labor organizers, farmers, activists, religious leaders, academics and members of the community who open their homes to Fellows.

The MMF for Europeans offers a 4 week travel in multinational groups of 20 to Washington, DC for briefings on American politics and policy before dividing into smaller groups to continue their travels to four geographically and demographically different cities and towns across the U.S., completing their Fellowship in New York.

The MMF for Americans sends diverse groups of 20 to Brussels, Belgium for briefings on European and transatlantic institutions before dividing into small groups to visit cities and small towns in Northern, Southern and Central Europe. American Fellows complete their Fellowship as a group in Berlin or Paris.

Since the program’s inception in 1982, over 1000 young leaders have participated, creating a diverse MMF network in a broad range of professional fields. Marshall Memorial Fellows are selected in each country through a rigorous process of nomination, application and interviews. For more information about selection criteria and the application process, visit their website.