U.S. Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (TIES)

U.S. Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (TIES) is sponsored by Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Global Ties U.S. Announces 2025 Seminar Series for U.S. Exchange Program Alumni - Global Ties U.S. : Global Ties U.S. Announcements / January 8, 2025 Global Ties U.S. Announces 2025 Seminar Series for U.S. Exchange Program Alumni The Washington, DC-based nonprofit Global Ties U.S., in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Alumni Affairs in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is pleased to announce the 2025 lineup of Career Connections seminars to take place in three cities across the United States.

Career Connections seminars bring together U.S. citizen alumni of U.S. government-sponsored or funded international exchange programs with leaders from the business, government, civil society, and nonprofit sectors to raise awareness of the value and impact of exchange programs and expand opportunities for local engagement in global affairs.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by Global Ties U.S. in partnership with local Global Ties Network Community-Based Member (CBM) organizations, these professional development events provide rising leaders in international exchange with opportunities to enhance both hard and soft skills and build upon their exchange experiences.

There are three in-person events planned for this year: Spring | Kansas City, MO | Skills for Success in the Heartland Hosted in partnership with Global Ties KC **Application opening in early 2025* * Summer | Washington, DC | Powering American Innovation This event occurs annually and is hosted in partnership with the Office of Alumni Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

**Application opening later in 2025** Fall | Seattle, WA | Theme TBD Hosted in partnership with World Affairs Council – Seattle **Application opening later in 2025** “Career Connections seminars are a fantastic opportunity for U.S. citizen ExchangeAlumni to engage their communities and expand their global experiences to benefit the U.S. economy,” said Global Ties U.S. President & CEO Katherine A. Brown, Ph. D.

“The value of these local events cannot be overstated—they serve as vital opportunities that help alumni leverage their skills and experiences in meaningful ways to build a stronger workforce for the United States. We’re thrilled to be working with the Office of Alumni Affairs and our member organizations in Kansas City and Seattle to connect and deepen alumni engagement across the United States.

” “The partnership between the Office of Alumni Affairs and Global Ties U.S. brings immense value to our Exchange Alumni as they continue to grow and develop professionally,” said Madelina Young-Smith, Director of the Office of Alumni Affairs at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“Career Connections seminars offer alumni a unique opportunity to harness their exchange experiences and contribute to their communities and the world. Our collaboration with Global Ties U.S. and their nationwide Global Ties Network underscores our commitment to creating opportunities for Exchange Alumni to make a lasting impact in our interconnected world.

” With a network of more than 500,000 U.S. citizen ExchangeAlumni, Career Connections seminars provide alumni with unique access to professional development resources and opportunities in citizen diplomacy. In addition to Career Connections, the partnership with the Office of Alumni Affairs includes the Alumni Resource Center (ARC) , the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund (CDAF) , and the U.S. ExchangeAlumni Fellowship .

Global Ties U.S. is the national leader for connecting people and communities in the United States with global leaders through international exchange programs. Since 1961, Global Ties U.S. has powered a community-based network of 80+ nonprofit organizations that serve all 50 U.S. States and implement the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and a wide variety of other international exchange and public diplomacy programs.

The work of Global Ties U.S. advances U.S. strategic priorities abroad and boosts prosperity at home by harnessing the diplomatic potential of our country’s greatest asset: our people.

The Office of Alumni Affairs in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs The Office of Alumni Affairs cultivates and extends the impact of U.S. government-funded and sponsored educational and cultural exchange programs through continued engagement with alumni of these programs.

This dynamic global network of millions of ExchangeAlumni includes current and former heads of state, Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, Olympic athletes, award-winning artists, and untold numbers of community leaders and changemakers around the world. The Office of Alumni Affairs collaborates with U.S. embassies and consulates abroad to leverage the expertise, energy, and enthusiasm of exchange alumni in support of shared goals.

Domestically, The Office of Alumni Affairs works with implementing partners to support U.S. citizen Exchange Alumni in leveraging the impact of their exchange experiences after returning to the United States. Every day, Exchange Alumni make a difference in their communities and around the world in health care, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, volunteerism, the democratic process, technology, and much more.

Editor’s note: Sally Roberts is a U.S. Sports Envoy, Army veteran, and co-founder and CEO of Wrestle Like a Girl, a national nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of women’s leadership and opportunity through sport.

A featured speaker at Emerging Leaders at the National Meeting: Fifteen Years of Cultivating American Excellence By Courtney Wade, Development Coordinator, Global Ties U.S. For the fourth year in a row, I have had the privilege of managing the Global Ties U.S. Emerging Leaders Program, a year-long professional Global Ties Network Marks 15th Anniversary of Citizen Diplomacy Day Today, February 16, 2026, Global Ties U.S. marks the fifteenth anniversary of Citizen Diplomacy Day – an annual celebration of the Global Ties Network’s powerful role in connecting U.S. citizens with global leaders through international exchange and public diplomacy programs.

First recognized by the U.S. Congress in 2011,