Impact Stories
Paramaz Yepremian (Lebanon, Fall 2025): Creativity, Community, and the Power of Play
When I was selected for the Professional Fellows Program (PFP) for the Middle East and North Africa, I knew I was stepping into a life-changing opportunity — but I could never have imagined just how deeply it would shape my work, my perspective, and my purpose. As the founder of Circus Hub Lebanon, I have Read More »
Read MoreJennifer Namoura (Lebanon, Fall 2025): Connecting Purpose and Structure in Operations
Over the past six years, my work in project management within the NGO sector has been centered around community impact and collaboration, through entrepreneurship, youth empowerment and economic development initiatives. The Professional Fellows Program has taken that foundation and expanded it by giving me the opportunity to see how purpose and structure come together in Read More »
Read MoreEgypt Outbound Program 2025: New Ideas and New Experiences
“It wasn’t just about what I taught but what I learned—from their resilience, ambition, and creative solutions to challenges we all face globally.” – Dalin Nhean The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) is a U.S. State Department-funded initiative that brings professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 to U.S. cities for hands-on professional experiences at Read More »
Read MoreMorocco Outbound Program 2025: Bridging Cultures, Building Futures
“Morocco truly bridges worlds.” – Nishant Dixit The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) is a U.S. State Department-funded initiative that brings professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 to U.S. cities for hands-on professional experiences at a variety of host organizations. After the program ends, Americans that hosted the Fellows at their places of work Read More »
Read MoreTunisia Outbound Program 2025: History and Hospitality
“Tunisia truly exceeded all my expectations.” — Anita Roberts The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) is a U.S. State Department-funded initiative that brings professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 to U.S. cities for hands-on professional experiences at a variety of host organizations. After the program ends, Americans that hosted the Fellows at their places Read More »
Read MoreAlgeria Outbound Program 2025: Honoring the Past, Engaging the Present, and Shaping the Future
“My journey through Algeria was transformative, marked by profound personal and professional insights.” – Dr. Jay McCullar The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) is a U.S. State Department-funded initiative that brings professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 to U.S. cities for hands-on professional experiences at a variety of host organizations. After the program ends, Read More »
Read MoreGhazi Saddem: Exploring the Austin Tech Ecosystem
Ghazi Saddem’s participation in the Professional Fellows Program (PFP) in Austin, Texas, was initially intended to be an enriching experience focused around his fellowship at Tech Ranch, but it quickly evolved into something far greater. It became a deep dive into one of Austin’s most vital pillars—the city’s rapidly growing startup ecosystem. What started as a Read More »
Read MoreChaimae Bahi Slaoui: Empowering Moroccan Youth Entrepreneurs through Community-Centered Initiatives
Chaimae Bahi Slaoui is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciences, Ain Chock at Hassan II University, Casablanca. Chaimae’s journey through the Professional Fellows Program (PFP) led her to the University of Texas Austin, where she collaborated closely with her mentor Ruben Cantú on two programs: the Women’s Initiative for Read More »
Read MoreEmpowering Communities: A Fellowship Journey
by Sonia Rahmani “In the pursuit of fostering positive change and community empowerment, my journey through the transformative sphere of the Professional Fellows Program (PFP) unfurled a tapestry woven with learning, collaboration, and tangible impact.” Back in Tunisia, Sonia Rahmani reflects on her PFP Fellowship with GirlStart in Austin, Texas with the PFP Spring 2023 Read More »
Read MoreAhmad Abdelgalil – Empowering Women in Egypt
PFP Fellow Spring 2023 Between April and July 2023, Ahmad Abdelgalil, an alumnus of the Professional Fellow Program from Fall 2022, spearheaded a transformative initiative in the Manial Shiha community, near Giza, Egypt. His project focused on delivering workforce development skills to 20 recent female university graduates. The knowledge the women gained was a force Read More »
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