Ten Institute Alumni Survey

200 Total Alumni from 16 Countries 
110 Survey Respondents  from 10 Institutes

East-West Center hosted 10 Institutes on Environment since 2009.  To celebrate we surveyed the 200 participants from 16 countries.  Thanks to a 60% response rate we learned about their many successes and current adventures.  Check out highlights below

             Areas of Study:

              
               Employers:

#Over 50% won a fellowship, grant or award since completing the program

#70 respondents have successfully led projects since the program. Most projects:
     1) took direct action (e.g. restoring toxic site), 
     2) educated public/youth on issue (e.g. marine pollution impacts) or 
     3) improved their immediate environment (e.g. office energy reduction)

#Most common form of collaboration was project implementation after a successful grant application to the U.S. State Department's Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund or White House/US State Dept's Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Seeds for the Future

In their own words:

My experience and time at EWC literally changed my life. Not only did it change my mind on the environment, but because it changed my mind on it, it made me change career paths.

My experience in the United States, during the EWC SUSI program is a life-changing one. That experience molds me as global citizen and influences my way of thinking. It gives me a vision and helps me go through the challenges to pursue this vision in the Philippines. It transforms me both personally and professionally. No wonder, it helps extend my networks and working with the underprivileged sectors, unheard voices, local government units, civil society, legislators, politicians and even to UN development agencies. It also gives me an opportunity to touch not just hundreds or thousands but even millions of lives in underserved communities as youth leader and development worker. That opportunity remains alive within me as a public servant committed towards realistic solutions.

My experience and training at EWC really mold me into someone with a strong advocacy. I get to start to know myself and know what I want to do. My learning deeply rooted in my heart so that wherever I go, my principles and perception is mostly from my EWC training. I am deeply grateful to have a rare opportunity like it.

SUSI served as a trigger for me to broaden my expertise in a sphere of environmental regulations and renewable energy. Currently I am working on my Bachelor's thesis devoted to studies of renewable energy in the United States and related environmental regulations, where first hand experience gained through SUSI perfectly supplements my academic findings. Also, I got inspired by environmental studies and have applied for several master's programs in this sphere...Hopefully I will be able to pursue my graduate studies in the field I have become passionate about.

I can't find any words to describe how much EWC helped me. Now I know what I want from my life, I have new future goals. The most important thing for me is that I found people who can help and support me and my new ideas.