Kansas City, Missouri, June 29, 2023 — Lukas Pitman, an alumnus of the Department of State’s exchange program “Youth Ambassadors” and Global Ties KC’s Youth Diplomats program, has received a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund to create a space for U.S. Department of State exchange alumni in the Heartland (Kansas and Missouri) to connect and network with each other. This initiative is the first of its kind in the Midwest.
“Almost 5,000 Department of State exchange alumni live in both Kansas and Missouri,” said Lukas. “Our project aims to connect those alumni in tangible ways, creating lifelong bonds among our fellow alumni. In the months to come, we plan to hold several in-person events—from conferences to dinners—where Heartland alumni can network and get to know one another. Additionally, we also plan to offer mentorship opportunities among alumni and provide information about local internships and job opportunities. I can’t wait to see what our alumni accomplish together!”
Earlier this year, the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs invited U.S. citizen alumni of all U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to apply for small grants of up to $10,000 as part of the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund funding opportunity. The 2023 competition, which was the most competitive selection process since the start of CDAF in 2019, will fund 47 projects in 22 countries and territories, including 13 in the United States.
Lukas Pitman was a member of Global Ties KC’s Youth Diplomats program in 2020-2021. After graduating from Youth Diplomats, he was inspired to apply to the Youth Ambassadors Program, a U.S. Department of State exchange program. Now, as an alumnus of both programs, he aims to establish the “Heartland Alumni Network” with his grant. This network will serve as a dynamic and innovative space for exchange alumni in Kansas and Missouri to connect with fellow alumni, collaborate on important community issues, and engage in storytelling.
The Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and implemented in partnership with Global Ties U.S. For more information, visit https://alumni.state.gov. For questions on ECA exchange programs, contact ECA-Press@state.gov.
If you are a DoS exchange alumni, please fill out this form for more information:
Heartland Alumni Network Interest Form
You can also join our LinkedIn page here:
Heartland Alumni Network LinkedIn
