S’wakian students, adult mentor selected for US exchange programme
KUCHING: Six students and an adult mentor from Sarawak have been selected to participate in the Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Programme (SEAYLP) at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Illinois from May 3 to 27.
The students are Angeleeca Domnu (SMK St Teresa, Kuching), Benedict Lim Hao Yan and Isabelle Sim Mei Ing (SMK Lutong, Miri), Eliza Tang Kah Li (SMK Kidurong, Bintulu), Hannah Lenak Douglas (SMK Tabuan Jaya, Kuching) and Yeo Ming Hui (SMK Batu Lintang, Kuching).
The adult mentor is Sheela Faizura Nik Fauzi from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Samarahan Campus.
US Ambassador Brian McFeeters met the students and their mentor at the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday to congratulate them and encouraged them to become ‘youth ambassadors’ who will continue to strengthen and elevate the US-Malaysia relationship.
“I am a strong advocate for exchange programmes. They are an extremely powerful platform to build people-to-people relationships between our two countries.
“And those connections can lead to really incredible collaborations in science, technology, business, arts, and a host of other areas,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.
McFeeters encouraged all the
SEAYLP participants to make the most of their exchange experience.
“Very few students get these types of opportunities and I hope that you will all make the most of each day you have in the United States to try new things and make as many connections with Americans as you can.”
The SEAYLP convenes high school students and adult mentors from the 10 Asean member countries for a threeweek exchange programme focusing on leadership and youth development, and to explore shared challenges faced by the United States and Asean member countries.
The participants will develop projects to address the needs of their communities upon their return home.