First Recipients of New Exchange Scholarship

Depart for U.S.

 Fourteen Moroccan students have been selected to participate in a new exchange program to the United States .  The Near East and South Asia Undergraduate Exchange Program (NESA) is providing approximately 150 young people from more than 15 countries with scholarships to live and study on American university campuses. Most participants will be staying in the United States for one semester (autumn 2007), while about 40 (including 4 Moroccans) have received grants for the full academic year. Though the program does not lead to a diploma, it offers an enriching opportunity for participants to experience student life, improve their English language skills and to explore the diversified culture of the United States . The Moroccans chosen for this cross-cultural adventure were nominated by the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE), and are primarily students who are beginning their third year studies for bachelors degrees in English.

 In August the students will head to a wide range of American institutions of higher education, all across the United States . There they will have the chance to enroll in courses of interest to them, in fields such as tourism management, journalism and sociology, exploring their interests and broadening their future career possibilities.  Additionally, students granted one-year scholarships will participate in internships during their second semesters, and all grantees will attend conferences and other enrichment activities to open doors and build international networks.  Their academic experience and professional exposure via internships and seminars will give the students the skills, confidence and leadership to help them excel in their remaining studies and in their careers.

 This newest exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs aims to offer this unique opportunity to students of non-elite backgrounds, who have demonstrated motivation and leadership not only in their academic lives but also in their communities. The fourteen Moroccan finalists, including 5 women, come from places as far apart as Meknes and Guelmim.  These outstanding future leaders will soon find themselves in the Land of Uncle Sam , building transatlantic ties, and educating Americans about the culture, religion and history of their country.

New US Fulbrighters arrive in Morocco

Ambassador Thomas T. Riley, in his welcoming remarks to a group of 17 newly arrived American grantees at the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE), emphasized the unique and privileged nature of his country’s  partnership with Morocco, citing the Free Trade Agreement and, more recently, the unprecedentedly large assistance grant awarded to Morocco under the Millennium Challenge Compact. He told the assembled students, research scholars and lecturers that their participation in the prestigious Fulbright Exchange Program was a vital vehicle in the promotion of bilateral relations, and that they should take their roles of cultural ambassadors seriously. MACECE Treasurer, and Dean of the Faculty of Sciences in Rabat, Wail Benjelloun, also spoke at the opening of the two-day orientation program on September 4, 2007. He described Morocco as a very old country with a long and rich history, which is currently undergoing a time of intense reform and revitalization, stressing that it was a very special period to be conducting research here.

 The group of young scholars and professors, who will be spending from 9 to 15 months in Morocco, will be focusing on a wide range of topics, including water management, reforms in Islamic Education, immigration, the role of the Shurafa’ in Moroccan Sufism,  medieval Judeo-Spanish music traditions, and programs to educate women and children about their new legal rights under the Moudaouana. Before beginning their research projects, all of the students will be studying Arabic intensively in Fez for up to 6 months under a new program financed by the American Department of State.   

The orientation program, designed to provide a broad overview of Moroccan history, culture, politics and institutions, featured an impressive list of guest speakers. Aside from  political, economic and cultural counselors of the U.S. Embassy, these included Karim Bensoukas (linguist), Driss Ben Ali (economist), Mohamed Kenbib (historian), Abdulhay Moudden (political scientist), Youssouf Amine El Alamy (writer/artist), Mohamed Melouk (professor of education), and Mustapha El Khalfi (journalist and political activist).

 In his opening remarks, MACECE Executive Secretary, Daoud Casewit, observed that during the 25 years since it was created, the Moroccan-American Commission has  hosted more than 500 American Fulbright students and professors. He said that the  insights gleaned and discoveries made by these grantees have played and will continue to play a significant role in shaping the American public’s understanding of Morocco as well as offering Moroccans they interact with a nuanced appreciation of America and its diverse peoples.