The Foreign Service Journal, November 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2014 79 AFSA NEWS AFSA COMMEMORAT I VE CO I N SYMBOL I ZES DED I CAT I ON AND SERV I CE AFSA commissioned the Foreign Service Commemorative Coin to serve as a keepsake that recognizes the dedication and service of its members to the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA hopes members will enjoy displaying and sharing the com- memorative coin with their foreign affairs contacts, family and friends. The coin’s design is symbolic of the Foreign Service, rather than a specific foreign affairs agency. The 1.75” silver-finish coin has an image of the Great Seal on one side and the AFSA logo on the other, in honor of the 90th anniversary of the U.S. Foreign Service and AFSA. The coin is available for purchase on the AFSA website (www.afsa.org/coin ) for $17 and comes in a velour pouch. A handsome display case is also available for an additional $5. Shipping and handling are included. AFSAWelcomes New Governing Board Members At its August meeting, the AFSA Gov- erning Board approved USAID Foreign Service Officer Jeri Dible to complete the term of departing member Jason Singer. Dible, currently a donor coordination adviser in USAID’s Global Health Bureau, joined the Foreign Service in 2007. Her previous USAID postings include Ghana, West Bank/Gaza, Mozambique and Georgia, as well as a stint as acting director of the Office of Central Ameri- can and Mexican Affairs in USAID’s Latin American and Caribbean Bureau. She is a health officer. In September, William Kutson suc- ceeded Barbara Farrar as the Foreign Commercial Service representative on the Governing Board. Kutson joined the Commercial Service in 2001 and has served both overseas and domestically in a U.S. Export Assistance Center and at FCS headquarters. He has most recently overseen training of the newest class of Foreign Commercial officers and Locally Engaged Staff overseas. Kutson is also a member of AFSA’s Scholarship Committee. AFSA welcomes Jeri and Bill to the Governing Board. n Jeri Dible William Kutson AFSA College Scholarship Applications Now Available The American Foreign Ser- vice Association Scholarship Fund is offering college aid to children of AFSA mem- bers who are or were Foreign Service employees. AFSA is accepting applications for the following: For Incoming or Current Undergraduates • Need-based financial aid scholarships. Financial aid scholarships range from $3,000 to $5,000, depending on the family’s financial situ- ation. AFSA will make awards to approximately 50 children. Not all who submit applica- tions will receive aid. For Graduating High School Seniors • Academic Merit Awards for accomplishments in academics and extracurricu- lar activities. AFSA bestows 12 Academic Merit Awards at $2,500, several Academic Merit Honorable Mentions at $1,000 and a Best Essay Award at $500. • Art Merit Awards for achievements in one of the following categories: visual arts, musical arts, performing arts or creative writing. AFSA bestows one Art Merit Award at $2,500 and up to three Art Merit Honorable Mentions at $1,000 each. • New this year: Commu- nity Service Award for distin- guished contributions to the community through service and volunteerism. AFSA will make one award at $2,000. Students can apply for all four awards. Applicants must be tax-dependent children of AFSA members whose par- ents are active-duty, retired, deceased or separated Foreign Service employees with the State Department, USAID, FCS, FAS, BBG or APHIS. The deadline for the Art Merit, Academic Merit and Community Service Award applications is Feb. 6, 2015. The deadline for AFSA Financial Aid Scholarships is March 6, 2015. For more information regarding eligibility or to apply, please visit our web- site at www.afsa.org/ scholar. n –Lori Dec, Scholarship Director NEWS BRIEF