ASSIST (student exchange organization)

ASSIST

Motto	Today's Scholars. Tomorrow's Leaders.
Founded	1969
Founder	Paul G. Sanderson, Jr.
Type	non-profit student exchange organization
Location	Suffield, Connecticut
Area served	United States
Services	student exchange
Employees	20 (worldwide)
Volunteers	100 (worldwide)
Mission	"ASSIST creates life-changing opportunities for outstanding international scholars to attend and contribute to the finest American independent secondary schools to promote mutual understanding, cultural interchange, and global citizenship."
Website	assist-inc.org

ASSIST (American Secondary Schools for International Students and Teachers) is a nonprofit, international student exchange organization based in the United States and active in more than twenty countries around the globe. ASSIST places academically and extracurricularly excelling international students on one-year merit-based scholarships at leading American independent secondary schools.

Structure

ASSIST is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status incorporated in the state of Vermont. ASSIST is designated by the United States State Department as an authorized Exchange Visitor Program and is listed with the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel. This arrangement allows ASSIST to use the services of American facilities and staff overseas and has made possible the endorsement and support of international government officials. ASSIST is able to facilitate the issuance of the J-1 visa, under which some of its students study in the United States for one academic year on Exchange Visitor status.

History

ASSIST was founded in 1969 by Paul G. Sanderson, Jr., then Suffield Academy’s Director of Admissions, who wanted to enrich American independent secondary schools through an international educational community. Sanderson began with a class of 13 students and started ASSIST as an educational and cultural exchange program to bring talented young men and women to study in the United States on one-year scholarships.

From its original base in Germany, ASSIST has expanded to numerous other countries and has brought students from nations underrepresented in member schools’ student bodies.

After the death of Sanderson, Kenneth and Betsy Lindfors were appointed to lead ASSIST. During their 13-year tenure, ASSIST expanded substantially.^[1] Following their retirement, the ASSIST Board of Directors named Robert and Anne Stanley as the third leadership team in ASSIST’s history. Today, Robert Stanley continues as President, joined by Martin Milne as Vice President for School and Family Relations, and Meg Milne Moulton as Vice President for Marketing & Communications.

To date, more than 4,300 students from 51 countries have become ASSIST Scholars.

Scholar selection

ASSIST class of 2013/2014

ASSIST's recruitment and interview teams travel around the world interviewing potential program candidates. In 2013, from a pool of 1,650 applications, 725 finalists were invited to an interview, and 161 were accepted as ASSIST Scholars (a 10% acceptance rate).

Over 90% of ASSIST students earn honors or high honors academic standing each year. Students are also selected to make contributions to the artistic, athletic, community service and other extracurricular programs and to share their own cultural backgrounds. In the class of 2013/2014, ASSIST scholars come from 20 countries, including Somaliland, and have fluency in three languages on average. Their talents range from award-winning athletes to championship debaters to nationally-recognized musicians.

Member schools and countries

Philips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire

Deerfield Academy, Massachusetts

The Hotchkiss School, Connecticut

St. Paul's School, New Hampshire

All ASSIST member schools are independent high schools and are members of the National Association of Independent Schools. Every school agrees to accept at least one international student on a full scholarship and may also accept additional students on partial scholarships. The scholarship includes tuition and room and board. Scholarships are offered for one year only, after which the scholar must return home to complete his or her secondary education.

ASSIST reviews member schools twice annually. Each school is visited by ASSIST staff and volunteers to ensure that the programs available meet the needs of the students who apply to the ASSIST program.

Member schools 2013/14

• Albuquerque Academy, NM
• The Baldwin School, PA
• Berkshire School, MA
• The Blake School, MN
• Bosque School, NM
• Brunswick School, CT
• Canterbury School, IN
• Catlin Gabel School, OR
• Chadwick School, CA
• Chatham Hall, VA
• Christ School, NC
• Colorado Rocky Mountain School, CO
• Culver Academies, IN
• Darlington School, GA
• Deerfield Academy, MA
• Dublin School, NH
• The Episcopal Academy, PA
• Episcopal High School, VA
• The Ethel Walker School, CT
• Ethical Culture Fieldston School, NY
• Fountain Valley School, CO
• The Galloway School, GA
• Garrison Forest School, MD
• Greenhill School, TX
• Hawken School, OH
• Hebron Academy, ME
• The Hill School, PA
• The Hockaday School, TX
• The Hotchkiss School, CT
• Indian Springs School, AL
• The Key School, FL
• Lancaster Country Day School, PA
• Laurel School, OH
• The Lawrenceville School, NJ
• The Madeira School, VA
• Maret School, DC
• The Masters School, NY
• Maumee Valley Country Day School, OH
• Menlo School, CA
• Mercersburg Academy, PA
• Miss Hall's School, MA
• Morristown-Beard School, NJ
• National Cathedral School, DC
• New Hampton School, NH
• Norfolk Academy, VA
• North Shore Country Day School, IL
• Parish Episcopal School, TX
• Peddie School, NJ
• Pennington School, NJ
• The Perkiomen School, PA
• Phillips Exeter Academy, NH
• Porter-Gaud School, SC
• The Potomac School, VA
• Princeton Day School, NJ
• Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, GA
• Saint Andrew's School, FL
• Salem Academy, NC
• Salisbury School, CT
• Sandia Preparatory School, NM
• Santa Fe Preparatory School, NM
• Sewickley Academy, PA
• Shady Side Academy, PA
• Sidwell Friends School, DC
• Solebury School, PA
• St. Albans School, DC
• St. Andrew's School, DE
• St. Andrew's-Sewanee School, TN
• St. Catherine's School, VA
• St. John's School, TX
• St. Margaret's School, VA
• St. Mark's School of Texas, TX
• St. Paul's School, NH
• St. Timothy's School, MD
• Stoneleigh-Burnham School, MA
• The Stony Brook School, NY
• Suffield Academy, CT
• The Taft School, CT
• Trinity Preparatory School, FL
• Wasatch Academy, UT
• Washington International School, DC
• The Waterford School, UT
• Wayland Academy, WI
• Western Reserve Academy, OH
• Westminster School, CT
• White Mountain School, NH
• Woodberry Forest School, VA
• Woodward Academy, GA
• Wyoming Seminary, PA

ASSIST countries

Since its inception, ASSIST has drawn students from the following nations. In a typical year, the organization operates in more than 20 countries. At present, ASSIST is working with partner organizations or schools in countries noted in bold.

• Albania
• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• China
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Gambia
• Germany
• Honduras
• Hungary
• India
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Jordan
• Kenya
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Macedonia
• Mali
• Moldova
• Mongolia
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Palestine
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Samoa
• South Africa
• Somaliland
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• Vietnam
• Yugoslavia

External links

• ASSIST USA
• ASSIST Germany

References

1. Richard P. Hall: ASSIST, 1969-2009. Today's Scholars, Tomorrow's Leaders. ASSIST, Suffield 2009.