| Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC February 21, 2001 Ukrainian Entrepreneurs Learn in Wausau, Wisconsin: Community Connections at WorkTen entrepreneurs from Vinnytsya, Ukraine arrived in Wausau, Wisconsin on February 13 to spend four weeks working in the area and living with local American families. The Ukrainians are participants in the U.S. Department of State's 2000/2001 Community Connections program, which provides home-stay-based, three-to-five week practical training opportunities in the U.S. for entrepreneurs, local government officials, legal professionals, non-governmental organization leaders and other professionals from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Kazakhstan. Local community host organizations arrange internships for participants based on interests and experience. The companies providing internships range from small, family-run enterprises to major, multi-national "Fortune 500" corporations. During 2000 and throughout this year Community Connections will host more than 1,700 participants from the former Soviet Union. Since the program began in 1994, more than 7,000 professionals from these countries have participated in this unique program. "In terms of its long-term service to international stability and to the U.S. interest, the Community Connections program is an important asset for America," said Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Dr. Helena K. Finn. "The program exposes participants to the day-to-day functioning of a free market system, it creates lasting links between U.S. and NIS regions and communities, and it encourages public-private partnerships in the NIS by engaging participants from both sectors." The Community Connections program is managed by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which awarded a grant to Northcentral Technical College (NTC) to host the Ukrainians. (Contact: Amy M. Nelson, Northcentral Technical College, phone (715) 675-3331, ext 4401, or fax (715) 675-9776.) The Freedom Support Act provides funding for Community Connections. Grants are awarded to community-based, non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and cover expenses such as participant airfare, modest per diem for participants during their U.S. stay, administrative expenses necessary for program operations, and local transportation during the program. Nearly all of the funds awarded to local community organizations are spent in the local community. Recruitment for Community Connections, carried out in the NIS countries by U.S. not-for-profit organizations with representation in those countries, is an open merit-based competition. Candidates must successfully complete a three-stage selection process including completion of an application, interviews, and selection by the local U.S. host community. For additional information, contact: Catherine Stearns The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State fosters mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through international educational and training programs. The bureau does so by promoting personal, professional, and institutional ties between private citizens and organizations in the United States and abroad, as well as by presenting U.S. history, society, art and culture in all of its diversity to overseas audiences. Further information is available at http://exchanges.state.gov. [end] Released on February 21, 2001 |
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