BECAUSE THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION IS UNDERSTANDING

Sister Cities sends delegation to Swaziland as goodwill ambassadors

Exchange programs are what it’s all about for Fort Worth Sister Cities. This summer several delegations will be visiting Fort Worth’s sister cities including a Service Adventure group of 21 students and adults departing on June 14th for Mbabane, Swaziland. The delegation will be led by Nancy Marchant and Jay Kurima along with Cydney Marshall and Dr. Staussa Ervin. While in Mbabane the delegation will visit the U.S. Embassy, participate in school and university discussions, as well as make book and shoe donations. The group will also visit a health center under construction that is being built with a grant received by Fort Worth Sister Cities from Sister Cities International and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The center is being built to provide a place for community health education, HIV/AIDS counseling and testing, and food distribution. “Fort Worth is blessed to have this amazing relationship with Swaziland. They are a gracious people with a rich, cultural history that we can all appreciate,” said City Council representative and Mbabane, Swaziland liaison Kathleen Hicks. Local artist Jo Dufo will also accompany the group to work with the people of Mbabane to paint a peace mural. Dufo has plans to paint murals on public buildings in all eight of Fort Worth’s sister cities. Murals have already been painted in Fort Worth and Nagaoka, Japan. Youth Ambassadors to Swaziland include Gabrielle Carpenito, Marley Grissom, Calandra Jones, Morgan Killian, Chandan Prasai, Adam Tapper, Bailey Upp, and Hunter Werth. Adult Ambassadors — Tamara Albury, Jo Dufault, JoAnn King, Cortney Palmer, Michael Rodriguez, Yolanda Thomas, Cathey Upp, Priscella Williams, and Mac Zimmerman. TCU Business School professor and his wife, Dr. Bob & Jeannie Boatler, will also join the delegation to discuss future business school exchanges with the University of Swaziland.

Sister Cities sends students to Japan as goodwill ambassadors

Exchange programs are key elements in the overall programs of Fort Worth Sister Cities. This summer several delegations will be visiting Fort Worth’s sister cities including a group of 12 students and delegation leaders Glen Mears and Gabby Jimenez who leave June 9th for Nagaoka, Japan. While there the group will participate in volunteer service projects with victims of the earthquake and present officials there with a video documenting the city-wide fundraising efforts on their behalf. Nearly $20,000 will be sent to Nagaoka’s earthquake relief fund. “This is such a unique experience for these students. To live with a Japanese family and experience this rich culture will change their lives,” said Mae Ferguson, President/CEO. “Many of our students return after international exchanges with a passion for expanding their education better preparing them for our global society. They’ll be better citizens for Fort Worth and the world,” said Ferguson. All student applicants participate in a vigorous selection process including teacher recommendations, essays and personal interviews. Youth Ambassadors are required to attend monthly cultural orientations to further enrich their international experience and prepare them for the exchange. Youth Ambassadors to Japan include Spencer Bartlett, Mathew Dang, Elizabeth Estes, Natalie Fetter, Taline Fritzenwallner,, Teresa Macias, Jacqueline Romero, Sarika Sabnis, Julia Smith, Jennifer Sotelo and Ana Tafoya.

Engineering firms hosting students as part of international exchange

As part of the ongoing programs of Fort Sister Cities, 17 engineering students and 2 professors from Toluca, Mexico’s TEC de Monterrey University are visiting engineering firms in Fort Worth to further their education this week. In its third year, this engineering mentorship program gives students an opportunity to learn about possible careers they could have in the field of engineering.  While in Fort Worth the students will visit Freese & Nichols, UTA’s Robotics Institute, TCU, XTO, BNSF Railway, Bell Helicopter and Lockheed Martin. “I think that hosting students from another country is a great way to give back to our profession and to communities outside our country. It certainly shows how global our profession has become, “said Bob Pence, President and CEO of Freese and Nichols.   While in Fort Worth the students will be home hosted by Sister Cities members and also visit the cultural district, Stockyards and Sundance Square. The goal of the program is to provide the students information on engineering careers ranging from architecture, automotive and aerospace and provide them a practical application to what they have been studying in school.  It is also an opportunity for them to make contacts for networking as they develop their eventual careers in the field of engineering. “This exchange has become very popular with our university partners in Toluca and we are appreciative of the participation of our local engineering companies and universities who welcome these students and host them,” said Brad Mahon, Chairman of the Sister Cities Board.  “Sister Cities does this to create meaningful people-to-people exchanges and to create better understanding between our countries.” Sister Cities since 1998, Fort Worth and Toluca have experienced numerous  other exchanges including middle and high school partnerships; municipal and economic forums; tourism exchanges; language immersion;  health care exchanges; and municipal police training programs.