Young Women's Intercultural Leadership Summit
July 12-16, 2021
Virtual Exchange
The Young Women's Intercultural Leadership Summit provides a cross-cultural immersion for leadership development, as well as builds global awareness. Participants will engage with each other and with ImprintEd Abroad program leaders via virtual workshops, discussions, and activities. The program is open to a small cohort of U.S.- and Morocco-based female identifying and non-binary students who will enter grades 9, 10, 11, and, 12 or who will begin university in the fall.
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Each day, participants will engage in workshops and activities to practice leadership, critical thinking, and cross-cultural communication skills. Participants will actively build skills and work with one another - this is not a lecture style program! The Summit will build community and connections through group rituals, such as a student-led morning welcome and sharing. Other daily interactive elements will vary and will focus on storytelling, creating culture, strategic thinking, overcoming stereotypes, and learning from others.
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The program is designed to help participants build confidence and skills as they explore leadership in an intercultural setting. At a time when politics and a global pandemic have created divisions and increased barriers to global exchange, the Summit brings together youth on two continents, fosters the skills to bridge differences, and explores the importance of interconnectedness domestically and internationally.
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The Young Women's Intercultural Leadership Summit aims to:
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Empower emerging leaders
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Practice intercultural communication
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Inspire connections and collaborations across perceived difference
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Build a network of globally-minded leaders
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Participants will not be required to do any work outside of class, but will
be given optional journaling prompts, if they would like to deepen their
reflection.
About ImprintEd Abroad
ImprintEd Abroad has been fostering relationships between U.S. and Moroccan students through study abroad programming for U.S. schools in Morocco since 2014. Our programs emphasize immersive experiences that encourage transformational learning. During the spring of 2021, ImprintEd Abroad offered successful virtual exchanges between U.S. schools and Moroccan female university students who live together at a boarding house in Marrakech. Students participated in discussions and activities in small groups in breakout rooms on Zoom.
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"The small groups were really enjoyable and I appreciate the opportunity to talk closely with and get to know the [Moroccan] students. I was genuinely surprised at how much fun we had and how easily conversation about both light and heavy topics flowed between our group... I hope to stay in touch with Zainab and Asma and thank you again for this experience!" -Kristen
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"This experience was such a valuable one that I will treasure forever. I got to practice my French in a real life setting which I have never gotten to do and I made two new friends! I think that the whole exchange was a great surprise. I did not expect to be so invested in the interactions that I had with the other students and I did not expect for every aspect of the exchange to be so engaging! Thank you so much for facilitating all of this it was so wonderful!" -Avery
What our virtual exchange participants are saying:
Our Faciliation Team
The Summit is facilitated by U.S. and Moroccan experts in cultural exchange. They are ImprintEd Abroad's director, Melissa Topacio Long, alongside some of ImprintEd Abroad's past and current program leaders. Our team is passionate about harnessing intercultural connections to create a transformational learning experience, as well empowering youth to share stories
Below: Khadija (on Zoom) sharing information about Ramadan in Morocco
Above: Saadia giving a lesson about Moroccan schools while leading a program in Morocco
Eligibility
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The Summit is open to female-identified and non-binary teens, who are entering 9th-12th grades or their 1st year of college in the fall.
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Participants should have a good command of the English language. If an applicant has 2+ years of French or Arabic study, this can be indicated on the application as there may be opportunities for group work in French or Arabic.
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Participants should have an interest in international relations, leadership, advocacy, activism, or gender studies.
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Participants must be able to join daily Zoom sessions during the Summit (July 12-16, 2021) that last 2 hours from 12-2 p.m. PT / 3-5 p.m. ET. You may miss part or all of a session, but no refund will be available for missed time.