CIEE Launches Scholarship to Strengthen U.S. Ties with Muslim Communities

Event summary

  • CIEE announced the first 10 recipients of the Rick A. Ruth BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Scholarship on May 11, 2026.
  • The scholarship targets university students from global Muslim communities, starting with Türkiye and Thailand.
  • Selected students will participate in the BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program, working at various U.S. employers.
  • The program aims to build mutual understanding between the U.S. and Muslim communities worldwide.

The big picture

CIEE's new scholarship program aligns with broader efforts to strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Muslim-majority countries. The initiative builds on the BridgeUSA program, which annually brings over 100,000 international students to the U.S. This move underscores the growing emphasis on people-to-people diplomacy in an increasingly interconnected world. The strategic focus on Türkiye and Thailand in the inaugural year highlights CIEE's targeted approach to fostering goodwill in key regions.

What we're watching

Program Expansion
Whether CIEE can sustain the annual rotation of eligible countries and maintain the program's impact.
Cultural Impact
How the program will affect long-term mutual understanding between the U.S. and Muslim communities.
Funding Stability
The pace at which CIEE secures funding to support the scholarship's annual expansion.