U.S. Based Training Program for Mid-level Overseas Educational Advisers (USBT)

FALL 2004 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

October-November

Ms. Alice C. Beirao U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section (PAS), Luanda, Angola
Ms. Marilyn Owusu PAS Satellite Advising Center, CEDEP, Kumasi, Ghana
Mr. Bongani W. Mkorongo PAS Satellite Advising Center, Bulawayo Public Library Zimbabwe
Ms. Lee Healy U.S. Education Advising Service, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA Australia
Ms. Donna Ria Pasaribu Educational Advising Service, YPPIA, Medan, Indonesia
Ms. Sayamaa Dangaasuren EARC Children and Youth Library, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Ms. Rebecca Payiata Fulbright Commission, Nicosia, Cyprus
Ms. Sevinj Mammadova Ganja Educational Information Center, Ganja, Azerbaijan
Ms. Svetlana Demashova Educational Information Center, IREX, Vladivostok, Russia
Mr. Alvin Curtis Harris Library and Information Service, Public Library, Roseau Commonwealth of Dominica
Mr. Akram al-Baghdadi AMIDEAST, Gaza City, Palestine
Ms. Sonia E. Ortiz U.S. Consulate General Public Affairs Section, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Ms. Amritha Upadhyaya UNITI Foundation, Hyderabad (USEFI Satellite Center), India
Ms. Luz Dione Casilimas Centro Colombo Americano, Manizales, Colombia
Ms. Maya Dafinova Instituto Chileno Norteamericano de Cultura/BNC, Santiago, Chile
Ms. Ana Maria Merlo Centro Cultural Paraguayo Americano/BNC, Asuncion, Paraguay
Ms. Areta Galat InterAmericano Educational & Business Center, Curitiba, Brazil
Ms. Sherri Spillman Regional Educational Advising Coordinator/REAC – Europe Based at the Fulbright Commission, Berlin, Germany

Group photo

ETS Launches New Certified Education Partner Program To Deliver Next Generation TOEFL Test.

Program Will Create the World's Largest English Language Testing Network, Providing Students with Even Greater Access to the Test

Princeton, N.J. (Nov. 2, 2004) - ETS (Educational Testing Service) is currently recruiting colleges, universities and overseas student-advising centers to become part of a new worldwide testing network in connection with the global launch of the next generation Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in September 2005.

The new testing network will be used in addition to the Thomson Parametric centers that are currently used, and will increase the size of the network from hundreds of test centers today to more than 3,000 centers over the next two years. Called the "ETS Certified Education Partner" (ECEP) program, the new network will increase test-taker access and convenience, while continuing to provide the same high standards of quality and security for computer-based test administration currently in place.

"We will leverage the power of the Internet to create a more efficient delivery channel for the next generation TOEFL test," explains Stephen Koffler, Vice President of the Higher Education Division at ETS. "Our goal is to create the world's most accessible test. ETS has a long-standing relationship with colleges, universities and advising centers throughout the world, and we will continue to draw upon their expertise as we expand the network through the ECEP program."

When the next generation TOEFL test premieres in September 2005, it will, for the first time, reflect the integrated reading, writing, listening and speaking skills students need to be successful on higher education campuses worldwide. Institutions will feel more confident in their students' ability to use English, while students will gain the confidence they need to succeed.

The first phase of recruiting new testing centers will begin in November and will continue through February 2005. Later in 2005, ETS will launch phase two of its ECEP program that will enable institutions, language schools and other organizations to deliver, market and sell a variety of ETS learning products and services.

"ETS's mission is to help advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related learning services," explains Mari Pearlman, Senior Vice President of ETS's Higher Education Division. "We accomplish this by providing the widest possible access to students and test takers and by working hand in hand with the institutions and organizations making it happen. Our new ETS Certified Education Partners program will help us do that."

Institutions and advising centers interested in joining the network can e-mail ETS at ecep@ets.org , or visit online at www.ets.org/ecep . An online registration process
for institutions or advising centers wishing to become part of the new worldwide network will be available in early November.

About ETS

ETS is the world's largest private educational testing and measurement organization. As a nonprofit corporation, our mission is to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research, and related services for all people worldwide. Our products and services measure knowledge and skills, promote learning and performance, and support education and professional development. Founded in 1947, ETS today develops, administers or scores nearly 24 million tests annually in more than 180 countries.

The Professional Advising Leadership (PAL) Fellows Program is designed for senior-level educational advisers in the EducationUSA network sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.  These individuals benefit from a competitive selection among their peers by designing and taking ownership of a personally-driven research or training project carried out in the United States that will have a formative impact on advising in their countries and regions.  It builds upon the mid-level U.S. Based Training Program (USBT) as well as in-country and regional advising workshops and conferences.  More information is here...

We Are the USBTeers!

by USBT Alumni

There comes the time, when we are to celebrate

When all must come together as one

It’s our 20^th Anniversary

And it’s time to celebrate this event

The greatest one of all

We all wanna thank, The U.S. Department of State

For giving us, the chance to be USBTEERS!

We are all a part of this big great family

Which is called

USBT Alumni

Chorus:

We are the U, USBTEERS,

We are the ones who are to celebrate

So let’s start cheering

It’s a joy to do it

We’re sharing this great time

It’s true, we are to celebrate, just we, we all!

Spread the word, so everyone knows who we are

And then join this grand and big event

All universities that have hosted us

Are welcome to join us as well

Chorus repeat

Now that we are all here, let’s make a toast for all

Those ones who have made this dream come true

Lets us realize that 20^th Anniversary

Only happens once in life

Chorus repeat x2

It’s true we’d better celebrate just we, we all

Did not get your CD with the USBT 20th Anniversary Commemorative Yearbook 1984-2004 at NAFSA in Baltimore? Want to see it? Want to read about 587 USBTers? The Yearbook is availble for donload now!!! Click here to download the Yearbook.

The software necessary to read PDF documents, "Acrobat Reader" is available free of charge from Adobe.