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The Flanagan Judicial Scholarship was established in honor and in memory of Patrick Flanagan, a champion of citizen diplomacy and fierce advocate for deeper cultural understanding between people of all nations. Judge Flanagan met with hundreds of visitors during his tenure at the Washoe County District Court.

The Northern Nevada International Center and the National Judicial College are partnering on this exciting scholarship program, which starts at the National Judicial College in Fall 2019. Applicants must be exchange program alumni of the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), who participated in a judicial/rule of law IVLP project.

The maximum amount of a single annual scholarship is up to $5,000. Additional funds available will be used to partially scholarship additional international judicial students.

Scholarship winners will receive the following benefits on a cost-reimbursable basis:

• Tuition for a 4-5 day course at the National Judicial College
• Round-trip airfare from the capital of your country to Reno, Nevada
• Accommodations for the duration of your course
• Dinner at the home of a local judge

The deadline to apply is April 15, 2019. Please provide the following points in your application:

• The date and title of the IVLP Program you participated in
• Your country of origin
• Which course you would like to enroll in (select from courses listed below)
• Why this scholarship will help you in your work
• How you will share and implement your knowledge with colleagues in your country
• Whether you will need an interpreter for the duration of the course

The following National Judicial College qualified courses are eligible for the scholarship. One course per applicant.

Leadership for Judges
Reno, NV August 12-15, 2019

Designing and Presenting: A Faculty Development Workshop
Reno, NV August 19-22, 2019

Judicial Writing
Reno, NV October 7-10, 2019

Ethics, Fairness, and Security in Your Courtroom and Community
Reno, NV October 19-24, 2019

Drugged Driving Essentials
Reno, NV October 28-30, 20

Civil Mediation
Reno, NV November 4-8, 2019

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo knows firsthand “the value that thriving urban environments and robust municipal infrastructure bring to entrepreneurs.” That’s why he’s thrilled to welcome exchange program alumni from around the U.S. to the "Stronger American Cities" Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (Alumni TIES), happening this month in Kansas City, MO. “Exchange alumni are citizen diplomats who are building stronger communities,” says Secretary Pompeo, adding: “We know this group has the talent and ideas to succeed, so we’re happy to invest in you.”

“The W-GDP can be just that vehicle to translate and forward powerful thoughts and dreams into action, and empower millions of women around the world,” says Humphrey alumna at the White House launch event.

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There Humphrey Fellows at the W-GDP event included: Coumba Ndiaye from Senegal, Darlene Pajarito from the Philippines, a fellow from Afghanistan, Lubna Nasser from Jordan, and Nino Elbakidze from Georgia. Regarding the initiative, Ms. Pajarito emphasized its significance: "Each one [person] is in a position to help others. If we put our thoughts and efforts together, just imagine what we can do and achieve. The W-GDP can be just that vehicle to translate and forward powerful thoughts and dreams into action, and empower millions of women around the world. As a Humphrey Fellow, I am fortunate and grateful to have witnessed the momentous launching of the W-GDP at the White House."

Prior to their Fellowships, Ms. Pajarito was the assistant city prosecutor at the Department of Justice and the executive director at the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Secretariat; Ms. Ndiaye was a court clerk at the Senegal Court of Appeals; the Afghan fellow worked at an NGO that combats human trafficking at Hagar International; Ms. Nassar was the country representative at DIGNITY – Danish Institute against Torture; and, Ms. Elbakidze was a senior researcher with Human Rights Advocacy and Democracy Fund. 

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Ambassador Galt hails from Fort Collins, Colorado. She attended Colorado College, graduating with a B.A. in political science, history and languages. She also earned Masters’ degrees from National Defense University and Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Colorado College in 2016.

Galt joined the Foreign Service in 1988. Her first overseas assignment was as the Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer (ACAO) at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. In 1992, she spent two years studying Mandarin Chinese, and was assigned in 1994 to the American Institute in Taipei, Taiwan.

She served as the Assistant Public Affairs Officer (APAO) at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai from 1997-2000, followed by three years as the ACAO at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. She continued her public diplomacy work in China as the PAO at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai 2003-07.

Galt then did a tour in Washington, D.C., serving as deputy director in the Office of Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs. She returned to China in 2012 as the Consul General in Guangzhou, leading a team of more than 400 employees. 

Ambassador Galt is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and French; she also speaks Italian, Spanish and Serbian, and is still working on her Mongolian. She is married to the writer Fritz Galt who helped found a newsletter and later a website for Foreign Service spouses. They have two children.

Note: This competition is only open to alumni of ECA's Professional Fellows Program who participated in the program between 2010-2017.

2019 Professional Fellows Program Alumni Impact Award

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The U.S. Department of State will recognize AIA winners at the 2019 Professional Fellows Congresses in Washington, D.C. AIA winners will engage with approximately 300 current PFP participants in all Congress activities to include:

• Participating in an AIA panel
• Interacting with PFP participants informally during meals and breaks
• Telling PFP success stories for use in ECA social media and other possible media engagements

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates must:

• Be ECA PFP alumni who participated in the program between 2010 and 2017.
• Demonstrate how the PFP experience enhanced your ability to make a positive impact on your community, country, or region.
• Be available to travel to Washington, D.C. for either the Spring PFP Congress (May 26-31, 2019) or the Fall PFP Congress (November 18-23, 2019).
• Commit to full participation in the PFP Congress and abide by the award terms and conditions.
• Not be dual U.S. citizens or LPRs (non-U.S. Fellows only).

HOW TO APPLY

Complete the online 2019 AIA application by 11:59 pm, EST Monday, February 18, 2019. Incomplete applications will be ineligible. Complete applications include:

• Your resume or curriculum vitae
• Letter of recommendation from the organization that arranged your PFP fellowship
• Letter of recommendation from the organization in which you were placed for your fellowship (non-U.S. fellows only)
• A professional reference from your country describing how participation in PFP enhanced the impact of your work (limit of no more than 250 words)

SELECTION PROCESS

A selection committee within the State Department will evaluate applications. Top-ranked applicants will be contacted for a phone or video interview in mid-March.

The award covers the following expenses: Roundtrip economy airfare from your home to Washington, D.C., health benefits under a J-1 visa for foreign awardees, meals, and five nights of hotel accommodation at the PFC.

CONTACT

For questions, contact pfpcongress@acypl.org.

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During the program, Ian stayed with Thai host families, participated in community service projects, and took language classes. In addition to making new Thai friends, Ian also met students from across the state of Montana. He has stayed in touch with both his American and Thai friends. One person Ian met during his time in Thailand was Gump Krittanon, an alumnus of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) program and a mentor of Ian’s program. Gump is an accomplished journalism student, and he photographed the special moment captured in the image. In fact, Ian plans to return to Thailand this summer to reconnect with friends from his program. He will also visit Thai alumni of the YSEALI program, whom he met this past year in Missoula.

Ian found many connections between his home in Montana and Thailand. He was particularly impressed by the value both countries place on their public land, and that people are heavily involved in environmental and conservation efforts.  

Ian’s interest in the environment will lead him to Montana State University this fall, where he will pursue a major in environmental engineering. He is currently the president of the Students against Violating the Environment Club at his high school, and he had previously served as the recycling chair of the club. In addition to his environmental work, Ian plays violin in the school orchestra.

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In Missoula, Ian was honored by the Mayor, the President of the University of Montana, and the Superintendent of Missoula schools at an event at the Mayor’s Office. Mayor John Engan proclaimed the day as International Exchanges Day, and local media widely documented the event. In April, Ian was featured in the opening banquet for Celebrate Islam Week, where he shared the photo and spoke to the audience about his exchange experience.  “Unity” was also viewed by approximately 2,000 people during the annual International Festival at the University of Montana.

For his outstanding photograph, inspiration to others in Montana to go abroad, and dedication to building mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Thailand, the ECA Office of Alumni Affairs warmly congratulates Ian on his selection as the 2017-2018 Citizen Diplomacy Challenge winner.  

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to hear more about the Citizen Diplomacy Challenge and to see updates about Ian’s visit to Washington, D.C.!