ETS Excellence Award for Overseas Advising Centers

Through the generous support from the Educational Testing Service (ETS), NAFSA is pleased to announce the 2009 ETS Excellence Awards for Overseas Educational Advising Centers.

U.S. government-affiliated advising center (e.g. EducationUSA) are eligible to apply for the grant. A selection committee of overseas educational advisers reviews all applications before selecting the award recipients.

Grant Award

Four awards of $2,000 will be given to overseas educational advising centers that have demonstrated excellence and innovation in the programming of center activities.

The grant award will be used to benefit the advising center through the purchase of new equipment or supplies; support of professional development training for center staff; travel expenses for an adviser to attend a NAFSA national or regional conference; or any other activities deemed beneficial to the operation of the center's advising services.

2009 Recipients

Congratulations to recipients of the 2009 ETS Excellence Award for Overseas Advising Centers.

• U.S. Embassy - Public Affairs Section Educational Advising Center, Malawi
• United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), India
• Education Advising Center, St. Petersburg, Russia
• EducationUSA Advising Center - U.S. Embassy, Canberra, Australia

Education Advising Center, St. Petersburg, Russia

The Education Advising Center in St. Petersburg project involves improving its internet and other electronic capacity to expand virtual advising in Northwest Russia. As part of this grant, the EAC plans to develop a new website that is more interactive and user friendly and at the same time add more useful information for its patrons. The combination of advising mentors in the cities of the region along with the new virtual advising capability will allow more people than ever before to view information on the U.S. system of higher education and standardized tests.

United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), India

United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) would like to make optimum utilization of the prize money by strengthening our marketing and advertising campaign amongst the Indian youth. The Brand USEFI (our erstwhile name) had a name change in July 2008 and it is important that we quickly establish the new acronym in the minds of the students. In order to improve recall, we plan to catch their attention by putting up attractive signages at hot spots like coffee shops & pizza joints, the favorite haunt of youth. This way the co-branding of EducationUSA & USIEF will reach the targeted students directly and reinstate our presence as the most indispensable/authentic source of information for US higher education.