Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) For Global Student Leaders

Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) for Student Leaders are five-week academic programs designed for foreign undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 25 to improve their understanding of the United States and to develop their leadership skills. Institutes include a four-week academic residency consisting of interactive classroom activities, discussions, lectures, readings, site visits, and workshops; a one-week academic field experience to a different region of the United States; leadership skills building activities; community service; and opportunities to interact with their American peers on a college campus. Each Institute includes approximately 20 participants from selected countries.

SUSI Alumni Engagement

The SUSI experience does not end when participants return home. Meridian and university partners have developed a series of continuous mentorship, networking, and learning opportunities to transition participants to alumni, in addition to encouraging them to join the Department of State’s International Exchange Alumni network. Participants have many opportunities to stay connected with SUSI and other ECA alumni and Institute hosts as they use the knowledge gained during the program to give back to their communities. Upon return to their home countries, participants are eligible for post-program engagement opportunities to support ongoing leadership development and the implementation of Community Action Projects. In a continuous effort to support the SUSI alumni network, Meridian also offered an Alumni Support Grant in 2023 for selected alumni to further develop their Community Action Projects or begin a new community engaging initiative.    

“The knowledge and insights that I gained through the program have been invaluable, and I feel more informed and empowered to make a positive impact in my community. The program has also allowed me to connect with people from different parts of the world and learn about their experiences and perspectives.” - Natural Resources Alum, Nigeria  

Summer 2025 Academic Institutes

Meridian is excited to welcome students from around the world for five weeks of cross-cultural engagement and immersive learning across four different thematic Institutes: 

Civic Engagement – University of Washington, Seattle  

(Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye) 

The primary goal of the Civic Engagement Institute is to engage young leaders in the practice of critical thinking to develop personal agency and clarity of vision. The academic program provides participants with the tools and understanding necessary to allow them to become engaged citizens and leaders in their own communities. Another goal of this Institute is to give participants opportunities to interact with people with a wide range of worldviews and experiences different from their own.  

Economic Empowerment – University of Massachusetts, Amherst  

(Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia) 

Participants in this Institute are introduced to economic systems and the basics of entrepreneurship. The program highlights individual and group skills along with the necessary policies and practices that enable successful enterprises. The primary goal of the Institute is to ensure that participants not only develop an entrepreneurial spirit but also have the resources to encourage others to do the same. During the Institute, participants learn to discuss economic decisions made by U.S. authorities and citizens in an informed way. 

Natural Resources – University of Nevada, Reno   

(Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria) 

The institute will cover natural resources and energy as well as the role that both have played in national and local economic growth in the United States.

Religious Freedom and Pluralism– Temple University   

(Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon) 

In this Institute, participants will gain a deeper understanding of U.S. history, society, and institutions within the context of religious freedom, pluralism and interfaith dialogue, early religious traditions in the United States, freedom of religion as a fundamental human right and source of stability, the introduction of new religions in the United States, and interfaith dialogue and cooperation.

Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Global Student Leaders is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by Meridian International Center.