American Institute for Foreign Study

Floor Speech

Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, I want to bring to the attention of my colleagues an important accomplishment achieved by the American Institute For Foreign Study, AIFS, based in Stamford, CT. In 2014, AIFS will be celebrating its 50th year of providing unique cultural and educational opportunities to young people around the globe through its mission--``we bring the world together''. Through its study and travel abroad, high school exchange, camp counselor, au pair, and gifted education programs, young people from diverse backgrounds have interacted with others from different cultures, gaining a better understanding of their values and ideas.

Since its inception, AIFS has provided this educational opportunity to over 1.5 million people. In fact, over 800,000 American high school or college aged students have broadened their horizons by traveling abroad in structured educational programs. Whether it is through faculty-led educational travel programs or college semester/summer study abroad programs, young Americans have gained unique insights into a world that is rapidly shrinking.

Mr. President, I congratulate the leadership of AIFS for its tireless pursuit of its goal of achieving a greater global understanding. Working closely with the U.S. Department of State, AIFS' programs have positively changed the way their participants view the world as well as their place within it.

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