2022 Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement
Zimbabwean student leaders have been participating in the SUSI together with student leaders from Angola, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa since 2014 and have consistently set the bar high – congratulations to you all! This is a testament of the high calibre of students at your institutions.
Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) for Student Leaders are intensive short-term academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Institutes have converted to a hybrid format with virtual and in-person components. Each Institute will include a virtual academic residency and an integrated in-person experience of approximately two weeks at the host institution in the United States. The U.S. component will be organized taking into consideration all necessary safety guidelines issued by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state, local, and campus authorities.
The Study of the U.S. Institute on Civic Engagement will provide participants with an overview of how citizens have shaped U.S. history, government, and society both as individuals and groups. The academic program will define civic engagement, examine its development in the United States, and explore topics such as citizenship, community building, economic development, grassroots activism, political leadership, and volunteerism. Academic sessions will be complemented with interactive sessions or workshops designed to build skills in the topics mentioned above. The Institute will encourage participants to develop innovative and practical plans to become engaged citizens in their own communities.
Programme Funding: Through the award given to Meridian, ECA will cover all participant costs, including program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing, and incidental allowances; technology stipends; and housing and subsistence. Meridian will arrange and pay for participants’ international and visa travel costs and travel allowances for the in-person component within set limits and in coordination with posts. Meridian will also provide participants with a technology stipend to offset costs associated with participation in the virtual program component.
Programme Requirements and Restrictions: Participants must complete the virtual program to be eligible for the in-person U.S. component. Candidates should be made aware that they are applying for an intensive, rigorous, academic program and are expected to fully participate in all aspects of the program. Participants must attend all lectures, participate in all required organized activities, and complete all assignments. Family members and/or friends may not accompany or join participants for any part of the program. Please make these requirements clear to all nominees.
Housing and Meal Arrangements for the In-Person Component: During the in-person component, housing will be in shared university dorms on campus with common bathrooms or a full-service hotel on or near campus. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own. It is important that nominees are aware of these arrangements and that they are comfortable with such accommodations. Care will be taken to ensure that any special requirements regarding diet, daily worship, housing, and medical care are satisfied.
Travel Arrangements: The implementing partner will arrange and pay for international and visa travel for the in-person component. The implementing partner will also provide each participant with a $100 travel allowance. The host institutions will cover any travel within the United States during the in-person program component.
Health Benefits: All participants will receive the Department of State’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefit during the U.S.-based in-person component, which provides coverage of up to $100,000 with a $25 co-pay per medical visit and a $75 co-pay per emergency room visit, for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions may be covered up to $100,000, subject to policy exclusions and limitations. ASPE also covers up to $500 for routine COVID-19 testing requirements in the United States. COVID-19 is treated like any other illness under the ASPE health benefits plan. Information on the health benefit program may be found online at https://www.sevencorners.com/gov/usdos<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sevencorners.com%2Fgov%2Fusdos&data=04%7C01%7CsvcSMARTBTSPOP2AA%40state.gov%7C8e57f38f1afc4a92272d08d96cbfa893%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C637660392845592640%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=j1Q3FFW1CI%2B3y6g6LHnCV3mGM%2FMV8GyqwDGhjg8h%2BMg%3D&reserved=0>.
Participant Description & Qualifications:
The participants are expected to be highly motivated first through third year undergraduate students from colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education, who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. Their fields of study will be varied and may include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, education, business, and other professional fields. Emphasis should be made on recruiting participants from non-elite backgrounds, from both rural and urban areas, and with little or no prior experience in the United States or elsewhere outside their home country. In addition, recruitment of participants should include the underserved, indigenous groups, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities.
Candidates for this program are expected to:
- be proficient in English;
- be interested in the topic of civic engagement;
- be between 18 and 25 years of age;
- have at least one semester left of their undergraduate studies, and therefore be committed to return to their home universities following completion of the program;
- demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their university and community activities;
- have a sustained high level of academic achievement, as indicated by grades, awards, and teacher recommendations;
- demonstrate commitment to community and extracurricular university activities;
- have little or no prior study or travel experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of their home country
- be mature, responsible, independent, confident, open-minded, tolerant, thoughtful, and inquisitive;
- be willing and able to fully participate in an intensive academic program, community service, and educational travel; and,
- be comfortable with campus life, prepared to share living accommodations, and able to make adjustments to cultural and social practices different from those of their home country.
Program Dates and Application Deadline:
Application deadline is by close of day October 5, 2021.
The 2022 SUSI will take place from January 10 to February 11, 2022.
Applications should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with subject line Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement