Mayor Baker hosts Eurasian scholars studying English at UD
Wilmington Mayor James Baker, center, meets with Edmund S. Muskie scholars who are studying at UD's English Language Institute.
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7:53 a.m., Aug. 4, 2009----In a July 30 gathering, Wilmington Mayor James Baker met for nearly two hours with 13 scholars from eight Eurasian countries who spent four weeks sharpening their English skills at the University of Delaware's English Language Institute in preparation for graduate studies at several U.S. universities.

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The scholars are recipients of the prestigious Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program, a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, which was established by the U.S. Congress in 1992 to encourage economic and democratic growth in Eurasia.

The mayor offered the scholars a candid assessment of the challenges facing the City of Wilmington and a detailed description of how his administration is tackling the issues. The scholars shared experiences from their respective countries.

The scholars, from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, will be taking non-degree graduate studies in public administration, with focus on specific areas, such as public policy, public administration, international affairs, business, economics, public health and education.

The scholars will be studying at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, Appalachian State University, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, University of Wyoming, Alabama A&M University, Kansas State University, Williams College, Kentucky State University, Portland State University, University of Hartford, and Pittsburg State University.

This is the second time that UD has hosted scholars through the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). Other Muskie scholars have studied at UD through the Institute for International Education (IIE), said Baerbel Schumacher, coordinator at the English Language Institute.

The Muskie program provides opportunities for graduate students and professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan for one-year non-degree, one-year degree or two-year degree study in the U.S.

Eligible fields of study are: business administration, economics, education, environmental management, international affairs, journalism and mass communication, law, library and information science, public administration, public health, and public policy.

Article by Martin A Mbugua
Photo by Evan Krape

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