Call for Submissions: Young Women Leadership Program (Mongolia)

Supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, research in the Madeleine K. Albright Young Women Leaders (SUSI Albright Young Women Leaders) program of the American Institute enhances participants’ knowledge of American history, government, institutions, society, and society. Develop leadership skills while developing culture. The Institute will focus on contemporary American life as well as historical events in the United States, including current political, social, and economic debates in our pluralistic society. The Institute will examine how government policies, corporate and private sector practices, and social and cultural norms engage and influence women.

subject

• The program examines women’s participation through four thematic lenses: civic engagement, economic development, environmental issues, and public policy. Mongolian participants will participate in the Albright Young Women Leaders Program in Public Policy. The program examines topics including, but not limited to, women in public service, and the roles of government, the private sector, civil society, and the media in policy-making processes. , public policy related to education, public health, economic issues, technology and privacy, diversity and inclusion.
• The Institute consists of a four-week academic residency that includes a balanced mix of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations and lectures. Site visits, leadership development, cultural activities and community service complement the curriculum and academic sessions. Conditions permitting, the Institute will include a one-week integrated study trip to the United States.

program components

• The SUSI Albright Young Women Leaders Program is an intensive and rigorous academic institution and participants are expected to fully participate in all aspects of the program. Participants are expected to attend all lectures, participate in all required organized activities, and complete all assignments. Family and/or friends are not permitted to accompany or join participants in any part of the program. Accommodations are provided in shared or single college residence halls on campus or in full-service hotels within walking distance of most classroom activities. In addition to regular group meals and university meal plans, participants have access to the kitchen to cook their own meals. Care will be taken to ensure that special needs related to meals, daily worship, housing and medical care are met. Special accommodations will be provided to the greatest extent possible. Violation of program rules, host institution rules, or local, state, or federal laws may result in immediate dismissal from the program.
• If health, safety and travel conditions continue to pose significant challenges, the Albright Young Women Leaders Program will transition to a virtual format. The virtual program consists of a minimum of 36 hours of required programming that combines synchronous and asynchronous learning. Wherever possible, virtual programming will include lectures, small group discussions, videos, readings, panels, site visits, leadership development, assignments, and individual and group activities. Participants must fully participate in the entire virtual program from their location.
• Interested applicants should note that this is a focused and rigorous academic institution and selected applicants are expected to participate fully in all aspects of the program. Participants are expected to attend all lectures, participate in all required organized activities, and complete all assignments. Due to this nature of the program, participants should not be expected to fulfill any professional or academic obligations while in the United States, including working remotely for jobs, internships, classes, or exams at their home institution. Doing so will be considered an unexcused absence from program activities.

eligible expenses

• Program scholarships include:
  • All transportation costs: international airfare and domestic travel (including domestic visa-related travel if the applicant resides outside Ulaanbaatar)
  • Meals and Accommodation: Participants will be placed in university residence halls and provided with reasonable meals and incidentals.
  • Health Insurance: Participants are provided with accident and sickness benefits for the duration of the program.
  • Visa Fees: Visa fees are waived for all U.S. government-sponsored scholarship participants.
  • Travel Allowance: Participants are provided a small allowance for baggage and other travel-related expenses.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, applicants must:
  • You must be a first-year, second-year or undergraduate student in Mongolia at an accredited university in Mongolia between 18 and 25 years of age.
  • be good at English
  • Be interested in lab topics
  • Have at least one semester of undergraduate study remaining and commit to returning to your home university upon completion of the program.
  • Demonstrates strong leadership qualities and potential in university and community activities.
  • Demonstrates a sincere interest in learning about the United States.
  • Must maintain consistently high levels of academic achievement, as evidenced by grades, awards, and teacher recommendations.
  • Demonstrates commitment to community service and extracurricular college activities.
  • Little or no prior academic or travel experience outside the United States or home country.
  • Mature, responsible, independent, confident, open, generous, thoughtful and curious.
  • Must be willing and able to participate in intensive academic programs, community service, and educational travel.
  • Be willing to interact respectfully with fellow participants who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
  • You must be comfortable living on campus, prepared to share accommodation, and able to adapt to cultural and social practices that differ from those of your home country.
  • Preference will be given to candidates with limited prior experience outside the United States or home country. U.S. citizens, Mongolians with U.S. green cards, and relatives of U.S. embassy employees are not eligible to apply.

Selection criteria

• All US government scholarship programs are merit-based. A candidate’s special circumstances, such as a disability, disadvantaged background or other noteworthy characteristics, will be taken into account, but the final decision will be based on the quality of the application and the candidate’s overall strengths as demonstrated in the interview. We also consider your ability to be a cultural ambassador and your ability and motivation to give back to your community.
• Below are the key steps for selection for the Albright Young Women Leaders Program:
  • Technical Review: This is an initial review to ensure the completeness of your application. During a technical audit, we check two main things:
    • When the application form and required supplementary documents are complete
    • If the applicant meets all eligibility requirements
  • Application Review: After technical screening, all completed applications will be reviewed by the Application Review Committee. During this process, each application will be reviewed by at least three people.
  • Shortlist: A shortlist of candidates for interview will be prepared based on the recommendations of the application review committee. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an in-person interview.
  • Interviews: An interview panel comprised of U.S. Embassy representatives and other academic experts will interview all candidates and select finalists to be nominated to the global competition.
  • Nomination: Final candidates selected through interviews will be nominated by the Embassy to the SUSI Program Office in Washington, DC where they will compete against nominations from embassies around the world.
  • Final Selection: If you are selected in the global contest, your participation in the program will be confirmed.

Application Requirements

• To apply for the Albright Young Women Leadership Program, applicants must meet the following requirements:
  • Complete the online application
  • Please send the following documents:
    • Copy of official transcript (PDF or image file)
    • Two letters of recommendation from high school or college teachers (PDF or image files)
• Recommendation letters must be written in English. If your letter of recommendation is in Mongolian, please provide a certified English translation.
• All testimonials must include full contact information for the referral provider, including name, title, work address, email address, work, and cell phone number.
• Things to remember when completing the application:
  • Please read all notices carefully.
  • Applications must be completed in English and submitted electronically.
  • Applicants must answer all questions on the application. Incomplete applications will be considered technically ineligible. No question can be left blank. If not applicable, write N/A
  • The essay must be your own work that reflects your original thoughts. Any work/ideas of others used in the application must be appropriately cited or credited.
  • Note any word or character limits for the essay portion of your application and keep your answers within the limits.

For more information, please visit: U.S. Embassy in Mongolia.