Denver, CO - US-Brazil Connect and its partner, the Brazilian Confederation of Industry (CNI), have launched a new international leadership fellowship for students studying science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) at US colleges and universities. 

“‘Competence as a global professional is increasingly essential to career success in the STEM fields,” explained Mary Gershwin, President and Founder of US-Brazil Connect. “Even so, few US students in those fields are participating in international learning experiences. Through our partnership with the CNI, we are creating an innovative model for STEM students from the US to gain invaluable experience working on the ground with technical students from Brazil.”

STEM students with an interest in international work are encouraged to review the application and apply. All applications must be submitted online by March 29, 2015.

The first cohort of STEM Fellows will serve as mentors for Brazilian students who attend high school in the SESI or SENAI school systems--networks of technical schools tasked with preparing Brazil’s next industrial workforce.

The US-Brazil Connect STEM Fellows will spend four weeks coaching English-language skills in Brazil for the benefit of these top high school students while gaining first-experience as leaders working in a foreign context. Before and after the travel, Fellows will work with students online to develop personal connections, help the students practice English, and learn about work and life in Brazil.  

Throughout the program, US-Brazil Connect STEM Fellows gain skills in leadership of global teams and awareness of industry in Brazil. Selected Fellows complete an extensive training curriculum to prepare for work as mentors. Participants in the pilot program will also advise US-Brazil Connect on the program design for replication and potential expansion in 2016.

In exchange for hard work throughout the summer program, US-Brazil Connect STEM Fellows receive a scholarship valued at over $12,000 to cover the full cost of the program including travel and all living expenses over the four-week trip to Brazil.

The STEM program is modeled on US-Brazil Connect’s highly successful Conexão Mundo Partnership with the Brazilian Confederation of Industry.  Since 2012, more than 300 US participants have traveled to Brazil through the program and over 3,000 Brazilian students have participated.  

Those interested in applying can learn more about the fellowship at the US-Brazil Connect website. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be enrolled in a science, technology, engineering or math program at an accredited four-year university. 

On the heels of a successful 2014 Conexão Mundo Program, US-Brazil Connect has hired 68 Team Leaders to guide the program through the 2015 program year.

Team Leaders fill two key positions in the Conexão Mundo Program: Team Coordinators and Education/Facilitation Specialists. Team Coordinators handle the day-to-day logistics of the program as US Fellows and Senior Fellows coach Brazilian students online and on-the-ground in Brazil. The Education/Facilitation Specialists implement US-Brazil Connect’s education curriculum to help Fellows improve their global leadership skills and Brazilian students build confidence and ability in the English language.

The newest leadership cohort includes professionals working in education, nonprofit administration, international relations, politics and other fields. Most either live in Colorado or work for one of US-Brazil Connect’s community college partners.

The Team Leaders met for the first time for a two-day workshop on February 7^th and 8^th at Regis University.  Susan Gershwin, US-Brazil Connect’s Conexão Mundo Co-Director, is confident the Team Leaders will be up to the task.

“Team Leaders are the key to creating the healthy, flexible teams that have made Conexão Mundo a success for three consecutive years,” she commented. “We are excited to see how these incredible 2015 Team Leaders will build on each of their personal strengths to inspire their Fellows and their Brazilian students.”

Bios for all 2015 Team Leaders are available here.

There are a few simple reasons most Fellows and students sign up for US-Brazil Connect’s Conexão Mundo Program. Brazilian students see the program as an opportunity to improve their ability and confidence in the English language. For US Fellows, Conexão Mundo offers a unique chance to build global leadership skills. World leaders have been drawn to Conexão Mundo and similar international exchange programs for a slightly more complicated reason: citizen diplomacy. Broadly defined as the engagement of individual citizens in diplomatic efforts, citizen diplomacy has recently gained attention as a key tool for improving US-Brazil relations.

The Obama Administration has committed to strengthening ties between the US and Latin America with its “100,000 Strong in the Americas” initiative. As the name suggests, the goal of the effort is to increase the number of US university students studying in Latin America to 100,000 and the number of Latin America students studying in the US to 100,000 by 2020.

"The Obama Administration understands that education and basic human connections are key in re-creating a productive, vibrant relationship between US and Brazil, especially as that relationship overcomes challenges to embrace a future of shared opportunity” commented Reggie Hubbard, US-Brazil Connect’s Global Leaders Program Manager. Hubbard also recently supported Vice-President Joe Biden on a trip to congratulate Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff on her recent inauguration.

Brazil has brought a new focus to educational exchange through its Science without Borders Program. President Rouseff has committed $1.36 billion to the initiative as of 2013, offering scholarships for Brazilian students to study at foreign universities and intern at foreign companies focused on the STEM disciplines.

On a smaller scale, US-Brazil Connect has long relied on the support of diplomats as it worked to connect communities in the US and Brazil. US-Brazil Connect won an initial grant from the US Embassy in Brazil to start Conexão Mundo in 2012. Since then, diplomats have spoken at several opening and closing ceremonies for Conexão Mundo. 

US-Brazil Connect President Mary Gershwin hopes to continue to leverage Conexão Mundo toward the goals of citizen diplomacy. “We should never underestimate the power of people-to-people connections to form a bedrock of goodwill for international relationships and peace.”