The United States-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission and EducationUSA Sri Lanka conducted an eight-day outreach trip in the Eastern and Northern provinces at the beginning of November. US-SLFC Executive Director Patrick McNamara, Ph.D. and EducationUSA Adviser Isa Spoerry visited five university campuses across four cities: South Eastern University (Ampara), Eastern University (Batticaloa), University of Jaffna (Jaffna and Kilinochi campuses), and SLIIT Northern Uni (Jaffna, organized by the American Corner Jaffna). The pair delivered joint presentations on pathways to U.S. higher education through Fulbright scholarships and EducationUSA advising services. Patrick and Isa delivered a similar presentation at the American Corner Batticaloa and offered one-on-one advising appointments for students with specific questions. In total, the visits reached nearly 300 students in two provinces that typically produce fewer applications to Fulbright programs and U.S. HEIs.

US-SLFC and EducationUSA Sri Lanka also met with leadership at each institution and hosted networking receptions in Batticaloa and Jaffna for university faculty, American Corner staff and Youth Forum members, IVLP alumni, and Sri Lankan Fulbright alumni. The trip was hugely successful and has already prompted follow-up inquiries from students and university faculty members. US-SLFC and EducationUSA Sri Lanka look forward to visiting both areas again in the near future and will continue building relationships with stakeholders in the north and east of Sri Lanka.