Grant Report Alumni NETWORK ASOUSA Grant SCO20016GR133
20 alumni met for the purpose of establishing bases for the formation of a national board of alumni and to support their projects. The participants were in charge of revising the association's statutes and established an advisory committee who were elected and conformed by: 1. Carolina Cabezas (Youth Ambassadors Program) - Cali 2. Yuranis Escorcia (SUSI / MLK Program) - Barranquilla 3. Jefferson Tenorio (MLK) - Cali 4. Cristina Gonzalez (YLAI) - Bogotá 5. Cesar Guerrero (Fulbright) - Bucaramanga 6. Lorena Lopez (Legislative Fellows) - Bogotá 7. Cindy Gomez (Youth Ambassadors Program) - Barranquilla Fulbright Cifuentes Greifs will attend (no vote) meetings of the advisory committee, as she coordinates the network of Fulbright alumni and it is important to work hand in hand to articulate the various initiatives. This advisory committee will have the functions of reviewing the documents and indicating guidelines for the steps to be taken to establish a national board of directors that is elected through a democratic vote and meets the needs and challenges of the association. As a first step a Mission and Vision is established: ❖
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is an organization that fosters relations among its members for the benefit of Colombian society, promotes the access of other Colombians to these programs and contributes to the strengthening of relations between Colombia and the United States. VISION· ASOUSA will be recognized by the leadership of its members in the academic, economic and cultural fields, for having consolidated relations between alumni and being an important link between the United States and Colombia.
As initial ideas of the alumni who return to the country of their program experience, it is important to connect with them through: o Periodic virtual session o Virtual information package o Being able to know how and with whom I connect o Hold a face-to-face event o Use testimonials from newcomers o Fulbright has a model with Operation Return For these initial responses the advisory committee will meet to develop ideas where they will be framed in the connection of these participants and establish the following tasks for the advisory committee: o Review bylaws o Newsletter - create draft o Social networks - Facebook posts o Develop questions for testimonies of alumni o Develop digital (non-physical) information to deliver to new and old alumni o Update page of the Embassy with information and make an Alumni Spotlight section The alumni GRANT opportunities are presented through the AEIF (Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund) and some winners of these grants are mentioned as examples of the last years. ➔ 2014 - Youth Colombian Leaders - PLAYLEE Playing and Learning English ➔ 2015 - LADAMA Project - Building Better Futures through Music ➔ 2016 - EGOCITY LGBT Community Network - Journalism for Diversity: The Untold Stories
It is highlighted that the open application is now open (until March 30) for teams of 3+ people to propose projects in five specific areas. For this annual call, the Alumni office in Washington offers resources and tools to assist in the development of proposals (Help Desk, video tutorial). In virtual meetings the advisory committee takes over the assigned tasks and establishes Website: ● MISSION: To serve its members and other alumni by developing relationships and establishing lasting connections among former participants in exchange programs sponsored by the US government. ● VISION: To be recognized as the way to foster lasting connections between alumni and serve as a bridge between the United States mission in Colombia and Colombian society Promotional folder: ● MISSION: ASOUSA is an organization that fosters relations among its members for the benefit of Colombian society, promotes the access of other Colombians to these programs and contributes to the strengthening of relations between Colombia and the United States ● VISION: ASOUSA will be recognized by the leadership of its members in the academic, economic and cultural fields, for having consolidated relations between alumni and being an important link between the United States and Colombia In development of its ASOUSA object you will be able to: 1. Organize events of an academic, cultural, social, economic and technological nature; at local, national or international levels, aimed at illustration, orientation, updating or exchanges of knowledge and experiences. 2. Facilitate the development of leadership in current and future generations of leaders in all fields of knowledge. 3. Enter into agreements and contracts, and when applicable, within the limits and terms of these statutes. 4. Grant agreements to finance projects according to their purpose, previously approved by the competent administrative body according to these statutes. 5. Encourage the exchange of students and visitors between Colombia and the United States.
ARTICLE 5. PURPOSE: To foster the interaction among its members, former members and different social actors in order to promote the social, cultural, economic and technological development of Colombia and the integration between the people of Colombia and the United States of America. In development of its ASOUSA object you will be able to: 1. Organize events of an academic, cultural, social, economic and technological nature; at local, national or international levels, aimed at illustration, orientation, updating or exchanges of knowledge and experiences. 2. Facilitate the development of leadership in current and future generations of leaders in all fields of knowledge. 3. Enter into agreements and contracts, and when applicable, within the limits and terms of these statutes. 4. Grant agreements to finance projects according to their purpose, previously approved by the competent administrative body according to these statutes. 5. Encourage the exchange of students and visitors between Colombia and the United States.
With these guidelines, the association is expected to advance and consolidate alumni who have returned to the country and contribute through their participation in the development of ideas and projects oriented to the Colombian community. The Youth Ambassadors, Martin Luther King, YLAI (Youth Leaders of the Americas Initiative), IVLP, Fulbright, Susi, legislative fellow met at the embassy on ----- with the purpose of establishing participation agreements and strengthening of the ASOUSA Network throughout the country. and as initial goals of this meeting were proposed: 1. Define advisory committee 2. Review statutes 3. Generate ideas for specific projects 4. Launch a new image
Youth Colombian Leaders present the new image of the logo of the network in order to identify ourselves and recognize the new values that we want to transmit from this new image change.