Five Canadians in the education sector will visit Washington, D.C. and other U.S. cities from January 20 to February 7 as participants in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on Higher Education in the U.S. The program is organized by the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
This program will facilitate discussions on topics of mutual concern between educators in the U.S. and Canada. These topics will include distance learning/virtual education; continuing education; partnerships with the private sector; programs to meet the needs of students with disabilities; the role of the university in the community; campus life/alumni relations; and the role of research.
Participants in this program are:
- Kandice Baptiste, Aboriginal Students Recruitment and Retention Officer, Wilfrid Laurier University
- Matt Hebb, Assistant Vice President Government Relations, Dalhousie University
- Laura Lynes, Alberta Rockies Institute Steering Committee
- Madwa-Nika Phanord-Cadet, Youth Wing, Quebec Parti Liberal
- Baharak Yousefi, Head, Fraser Library, Simon Fraser University
The IVLP enables Canadians who are emerging leaders in their professional field to observe U.S. institutions and culture first-hand, and to meet with professional counterparts to explore issues of common interest. Approximately 40 Canadians a year benefit from three-week study tours, as guests of the United States, through this program. Founded in 1940, the IVLP has given hundreds of thousands of emerging leaders — including hundreds of Canadians — the opportunity to observe and interact with American culture and society on a personal level. For more information, visit eca.state.gov/ivlp.
Participants are available for interviews before and after the program upon request.
Press Contact:
Jennifer Young
Media Assistant
U.S. Embassy Ottawa
Tel: 613-688-5315
Email: youngjm1@state.gov
