The Youth Programs Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), is pleased to announce the 2022 TechGirls program for high school-aged girls from 36 countries who have a demonstrated interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
TechGirls is an intensive, four-week exchange program designed to empower young women (ages 15-17) from the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Western Hemisphere, and Central Asia to pursue higher education and careers in science and technology through hands-on skill development.
The program directly supports the U.S. foreign policy goal of advancing the status of women and girls around the world; promotes STEM education; and fosters connections and deepens understanding among the youth of the United States and Argentina.
The exchange’s centerpiece will be a two-week program at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, VA that will include four core course options, among the following: Java Coding, Web Development, Environmental Engineering, Graphic Design, Data Science, Cybersecurity, or Machine Learning. Additional activities will include site visits to Washington D.C.-based technology companies, leadership clinics, action planning workshops, community service opportunities, job shadowing, intercultural collaboration, and weekend homestays with American families in Southwest Virginia.
During the U.S.-based exchange, participants will create action plans for community-based projects that they will be required to implement upon their return to their home communities. Projects will be designed to reinforce and support the skills and linkages acquired during the U.S. program.
All program expenses will be covered by the U.S. Department of State.
Participant Numbers: Three (3) principal candidates.
Students eligible to apply are those who:
- Are from Argentina;
- Are between the ages of 15 and 17 at the start of the exchange (July 8 2022);
- Have demonstrated advanced skills and a serious interest in technology, engineering, and/or math in their academic studies;
- Intend to pursue higher education and/or careers in technology;
- Have strong English language skills;
- Exhibit maturity, flexibility, and open-mindedness;
- Will attend at least one additional semester of secondary school upon their return to their home country; and
- Are committed to completing a community-based project upon their return home.
- Preference will be given to those who have limited or no prior experience in the United States
- TechGirls encourages people with diverse backgrounds and skills to apply, including individuals with disabilities.
Please note candidates who have traveled to the United States in the last three years as part of any other ECA exchange program are not eligible.
Timeline:
- November 15, 2021 –January 15, 2022: Recruitment period.
- Early/Middle March 2022: Online interviews with semi-finalists will be conducted by the US Embassy in Argentina;
- July 8 – August 3, 2022: Program dates.
- The online application will be available through the link https://techgirlsglobal.org/ from November 15, 2021.
Deadline for application: January 15, 2022.
Mail for inquiries: techgirlsapplication@legacyintl.org