The Foreign Service Journal, April 2021

36 APRIL 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL They offer a unique window into the United States through rural Montana while supporting an underserved population with opportunities to develop their skills so that they can better engage in a globalized world. Exchange participants can be just about any age, depending on the program. YSEALI has two age groups: 18-24 and 25-35. The State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ programs range from high school through adult professionals. Educational and cultural exchanges generally seek to develop cultural understanding and a grasp of thematic content between U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries. Going Virtual Assuaging the YSEALI students’ disappointment, we (again, naively) told them that we hoped to see them in August. Then we embarked on reframing the first stage of their experience as a virtual exchange to make connections in both real-time and asynchronously. There are some advantages in this: virtual engagement is cost-effective, and it has the capacity to reach far greater num- bers of participants. As noted by a Tohoku University virtual exchange student, this method also empowers less assertive par- ticipants to gain confidence in language and engagement behind the barrier of a screen. Virtual exchanges allowed us to set the stage for the students’ U.S. experience by developing relationships while at the same time introducing foundational concepts. We facilitated camara- derie through icebreakers, movie nights and birthday celebra- tions. Our faculty led academic discussions on U.S. society, government and civic engagement. Experts joined us to talk about the pandemic and U.S. elections. To keep the fellows engaged online, it was important that they take the lead in discussions and become an integral part of their learning. They introduced best practices of youth leadership, comparing techniques across borders. The fellows supported one another’s work, including campaigns for flood and pan- demic relief. Virtual Engagement Lessons Learned • Identify a facilitator who can set the desired tone and be a constant throughout multiple sessions, set an agenda, create checklists for such items as breakout ses- sion participants, and have tech support available. • Provide all accessible presentations and handouts in advance. • Acknowledge the challenges of unstable internet connections. Sharing recorded session transcripts allows participants to review and reinforce session material. • For participants with disabilities, the presenter should describe all images and text, utilizing the chat box to provide any description that might be missed. • Start the meeting by establishing rapport and sharing meeting objectives and ground rules regarding respect, active listening, patience and questions. • Use icebreakers to help reduce anxiety. Facilitate something simple, as superficial prompts can build to something deeper. Ask participants to describe one thing they’re passionate about, the view from their window or a favorite local dish. • When people are vulnerable, others open up. Create a safe space for sharing while managing oversharing. Consider setting a timer, and have a plan to reconnect with emotional participants one-on-one. • To support nascent English speakers, screen-share or type instructions into the chat box. • Make time for reflection at the end of each session, either verbally or in the chat box, with a simple prompt asking for one takeaway. — DM Virtual exchanges allowed us to set the stage for the students’ U.S. experience by developing relationships while at the same time introducing foundational concepts. Connecting Counterparts Beyond academic content, we tried to preserve the most criti- cal aspect of exchanges: the connection with U.S. counterparts. We developed the Global Peers Across Lands Sharing (PALS) Program to pair University of Montana students with YSEALI fellows. UM students responded with applications to PALS to build cross-cultural communication skills, virtual engagement competencies and leadership. For UM student McKenna Jones, the experience replaced her study abroad: “I had been on an