Scholarship program helps groom future leaders

Joanico Oliveira is a student from Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, in Southeast Asia. He is currently at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, under the United States–Timor-Leste (USTL) Scholarship Program funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State.

"Personally I'm privileged to be part of the program, because through the program I have learned a lot about American culture – Western culture in general," he said.

"I am majoring in Sociology, minoring in Women's Studies. I have learned different methods of research, which are crucial for my country in developing our nation's policies in order to respond to our people's needs. Women's studies are also critical as I am aware that gender inequality is one of the biggest issues faced by women in Timor-Leste," he said.

"I am positive that by the time I graduate, I will be a person with profound skills to contribute to my country's development."

The program is a competitive, merit-based scholarship program open to East Timorese who meet specific selection criteria.

The objective of the program is to identify and support the education of academically talented East Timorese who are expected to assume leadership roles in Timor-Leste. Following a "bridge" year of intensive English language preparation, the scholarship provides the opportunity to pursue a two-year associate of arts degree or a four-year bachelor's degree at a university in the United States, in fields that are relevant to the needs of the country. It will also enable recipients to obtain a broader understanding of the United States. The scholarship program will include a summer internship in Washington, DC, as well as a four- to five-week community service project in Timor-Leste.

Eligible fields of study emphasize areas of critical development needs in Timor-Leste. Students admitted to the undergraduate degree program will pursue fields of study related to agriculture, business, communication, computer science, economics, education, environmental sciences, international relations, political science, psychology, and urban planning.