GCIV recently hosted six professors and university administrators from around the world through the International Visitor Leadership Program. The delegates representing Bulgaria, Kenya, Oman, Russia, the Slovak Republic, and Uganda came to Atlanta to explore all aspects of higher education in the U.S. They were invited by the U.S. Department of State to participate in this program. During their three week stay in the U.S., they also visited Washington, DC, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Pittsburgh.

On their first day of professional appointments, the group met with staff of 100 Black Men of Atlanta to discuss state supported SAT preparatory courses and the role of non-academic organizations in encouraging minority children to attend and succeed in college. Then the group traveled to Georgia Tech, where they met with a number of different departments. They visited with the Financial Aid Office to discuss financial assistance from the institutional side, learning about the various loans, grants, and work study programs the school offers students. They also met with the Admissions Department to learn about overall admission requirements, the role of college entrance exams and the importance of extracurricular activities in driving admissions.

On Friday, the delegation started their day with the Morehouse Leadership Center to discuss cross-cultural leadership. Afterwards, the group went back to Georgia Tech to meet with the Office of Minority Education Development. Finally, the group ended their professional day at the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, where they learned about the range of educational opportunities in Georgia as well as the programs aimed at increasing diversity within the public university system. That evening, the delegation was invited to a reception honoring all the speakers participating in GCIV’s first annual Atlanta Summit on Citizen Diplomacy. Here, they were able to meet Dr. Sherry Mueller, President of the National Council for International Visitors, as well as distinguished members of Atlanta’s Consular Corps.

Over the weekend, the group had the opportunity to have lunch and hear the keynote speaker at the Atlanta Summit on Citizen Diplomacy. Some of the visitors noted that hearing about the importance of citizen diplomacy was the highlight of their trip. That evening, they also got the chance to attend a football game between Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University. On Sunday, the visitors experienced southern hospitality at its finest when GCIV members hosted the group in their homes.

Finally, on Monday, the delegation headed to Athens to visit the University of Georgia. They had a full day which included meetings with the Institute for Higher Education, the Career Center, the Housing Department, the Associate Director of Student Affairs, and the UGA Police Department.

GCIV was honored to have these distinguished visitors come to Georgia and meet with a few of our many valuable professional resources. Their experiences here in gave them a first-hand view of the diversity of the United States and gave them new ideas on higher education administration in their own countries. After the visit, Mr. Mohammed Omar of Kenya had this to say about his experience in Georgia: “My concept of U.S.A. changed. The trip was rewarding. I felt like extending my stay . . . Georgia has a lot to offer for my professional growth.”