The Stevens Initiative is proud to announce its 2020 Design with a Partner Grantees, which will connect youth in Morocco and the United States through virtual exchange. The Initiative is funding four partnerships for the design and implementation of virtual exchange programs that connect youth in Morocco and the United States. Partners were identified through the Initiative’s Design with a Partner pathway.

Together, the programs will reach 1,400 young people from Morocco and 19 U.S. states.

• Enactus Morocco and Enactus U.S.’ Enactus Entrepreneurial Exchange engages university students through a four-week virtual and online entrepreneurship fundamentals course that culminates in a project pitch competition and the award of global entrepreneurship certificates. Using the largest experiential learning platform devoted to entrepreneurial action, students participate in diverse virtual exchange teams and create entrepreneurial projects addressing one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The exchange culminates with project pitches to be judged by a panel of business and other leaders and the awarding of global entrepreneurship certificates.
• Hassan II University of Casablanca and Kennesaw State University’s Women’s Leadership Virtual Exchange engages students from both universities in a unique cross-cultural virtual exchange experience focused on better understanding women’s leadership through research, analysis, and digital storytelling. This project provides participating students with a better understanding of the challenges and obstacles that exist for increasing women’s rights and leadership roles in society. Students not only gain a learning experience around the topic of women’s leadership, but they also advance their abilities to work in international and intercultural contexts as they develop the intercultural competency needed in today’s global society.
• Lydex and ASU Prep Digital’s Global Leadership Virtual Exchange provides students in Morocco and the United States a chance to work together via an online exchange course to gain collaboration, cross-cultural, and leadership skills. Using curriculum and with the support of trained teacher facilitators, students work together to complete a course of project-based activities. In addition to strengthening cross-cultural skills, the program prepares students to work together on real issues in a tech-supported, globally connected environment.
• School of Agriculture, Fertilization and Environmental Sciences (ESAFE), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and Texas A&M AgriLife and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University’s ENGAGE: Leadership in a Virtual World is a collaborative seven-week virtual exchange program that introduces students to international intercultural competencies through a variety of group assignments with agricultural and non-agricultural leadership themes. ENGAGE immerses both graduate and undergraduate students in a virtual environment of diverse teamwork, active listening, conflict management, leadership/followership, critical thinking, problem solving, and effective communication through positive dialogue. Through these facilitated dialogues and intentional activities, students develop critical skills that are relevant in today’s global workforce.

As part of its efforts to increase virtual exchange adoption in Morocco, the Initiative also recently announced its new program, Stevens Initiative Connected Classrooms.