Pakistan Embassy Welcomes Students from UGRAD Educational Program
By Elaine Pasquini
Washington: Chargé d’Affaires Dr Fareha Bugti welcomed Pakistani students selected for the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD) for the fall 2024 semester to the Embassy of Pakistan on August 7, 2024. The program provides full scholarships for outstanding students from underrepresented sectors in Pakistan to pursue undergraduate studies at US universities. In the fall semester, 37 women and 17 men from Pakistan will be attending 48 host institutions across 29 states in the US.
The Global UGRAD program is a testament to the robust partnership between Pakistan and the United States, focusing on building academic skills and leadership capacities and fostering cross-cultural understanding, Bugti told the students. “Educational exchanges are important in fostering mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries.”
The delegation included Karene Steiner, Strategic Programs and Resource Coordinator for South and Central Asia Press and Public Diplomacy Office; Teresa Mastrangelo, Senior Program Officer for South and Central Asian Fulbright Programs; and Michael Dyer, Senior Project Director at the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). Representatives from the US Department of State and IREX also attended the event.
Bugti praised the diversity of the Global UGRAD program, noting the students represented all regions of Pakistan. She also pointed out that the program has supported over 2,500 young leaders since its inception in 2010 and plays a vital role in building people-to-people connections.
The Global UGRAD program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State and implemented by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) and the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) in the United States.
In their remarks, Karene Steiner and Teresa Mastrangelo congratulated the students on their selection and encouraged them to engage actively with their host communities. They underscored that these students represent the best of Pakistan and will act as ambassadors of their country during their time in the US.
Sharing their experiences, students expressed their commitment to acquiring new skills that will benefit Pakistan upon their return.
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
