(Posted May 17, 2001)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College's Center for International Education will provide training on a variety of higher education issues June 20-26 to two overseas educational advisers who work for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. Juniata is one of eight schools to offer this training to overseas advisers this summer.

The two advisers, Olga-Lucia Sanchez, who works for the Fulbright Commission in Bogota, Colombia, and Swetha Muthanna, an educational adviser in Bangalore, India, are part of a program that encompasses 400 educational information centers affiliated with the U.S. Department of State.

"These advisers provide information and advising services to prospective students within a particular country who would like to come to the United States to study," says Kati Csoman, information coordinator for Juniata's Center for International Education. "The aim of the training program at Juniata is to provide them firsthand experience at an American higher education institution so they can better be able to advise students about study opportunities in the U.S."

The program, sponsored by the state department 's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and NAFSA: Association of International Educators, offers a three-week training course for all overseas advisors from its information centers. Each adviser spends a week at NAFSA headquarters in Washington, D.C., followed by a week of training at a U.S. college or university. In the third week the advisers attend the NAFSA conference, held May 26 through June 2 in Philadelphia.

During their week of training at Juniata, Sanchez and Muthanna will observe and take part in Juniata's application and advising processes. They also will visit a wide range of college offices, including the registrar's office, the dean of students, academic support, enrollment, financial aid and the international office.

In addition, the advisers will visit the college's Intensive English program and make a day trip to Penn State's University Park campus, where more than 3,000 international students are enrolled. Special sessions at the Raystown Field Station and the college Teaching Learning Technology center also are scheduled.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.