Support for local students

IAF SUPPORT FOR NMC STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD!

In 2018, the IAF presented $6,000 in scholarships for first generation college students to participate in NMC’s study abroad programs. NMC was ranked 12th in the nation among community colleges for student participation in short term study abroad! Approximately 60 NMC students participated last year in faculty-led programs in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Greece, Russia and South Africa!2018 experiences included Ireland, Italy, India, Indonesia and Costa Rica. 

To meet growing interest and demand in the community, IAF now offers a number of free events each year including films and Global Hot Spot events. To ensure diverse and relevant programming on foreign policy issues, IAF is proud to collaborate with a number of local partners such as Interlochen Center for the Arts, National Writers Series, State Theatre, City Opera House, and the Economic Club of Traverse City, and to support initiatives by other smaller groups in the region.

IAF is particularly proud of its growing work in support of local students, who attend IAF events for free and often have the opportunity to engage with IAF speakers in the classroom. 

• Our flagship academic program for high school students – Academic WorldQuest – enters its seventh year of competition in February 2020. This program has not only benefitted the 100 or so students who compete each year, but has infused IAF with youthful energy and a hopeful reminder of our upcoming generation of leaders.

• IAF also provides about $6,000 annually in scholarships for NMC students, targeted specifically at supporting first-generation college students to participate in study abroad programs. These experiences are often transformative, opening up new possibilities for students, many of whom have never been overseas.

6 years ago, IAF celebrated its 20th anniversary with a major two-day conference on China, bringing together more than 40 experts from China and the U.S. to discuss China’s emergence on the world stage.