Programs + Awards: Leadership - Baltic-American Freedom Foundation

Leadership Academy

Why Participate?

Gain experience in entrepreneurial skills and shape your career
Improve your English skills
Make new friends
Learn to spot and capture opportunities with vision, resilience, and resourcefulness – qualities that are important for both your education and your career
Have a chance to work on a team to develop and pitch your business idea
Work directly with people behind small and large businesses
Get expert guidance in creating a business/action plan, elevator pitches, and presentations
Learn about American culture and explore Maine by enjoying a minor-league baseball game, spending a day at the beach on the Atlantic Ocean, kayaking one of Maine’s many lakes, rivers or the ocean, touring Portland Harbor and its gorgeous Casco Bay islands by ferry boat

BAFF offers this exciting scholarship as part of its mission to strengthen ties between the Baltics and the United States and to invest in the development of young Baltic leaders and entrepreneurs. Scholarship recipients will complete an innovative experiential three-week curriculum provided by CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange through the Global Navigator High School Summer Program for Global Entrepreneurship.

This program will engage participants in the mindset, skills, and practices of successful entrepreneurs and industry leaders. All participants will create their own personal action plans and present them in a professional setting before implementing them upon return home. Participants will increase their self-confidence, improve communication skills, and practice leadership skills in informal and formal environments. Lectures and workshops will be held on the college campus, but there will also be fun sports and activities as well as relaxing down time to keep a good balance between fun and the professional environment of the course. At the conclusion of the program, participants will take a short tour of New York City and Washington, D.C. in order to complete their unforgettable American summer experience.

What you’ll receive:

A certificate of learning in global entrepreneurship
A final business presentation to share with your teachers at home
Membership in the BAFF Alumni Association

The Leadership Academy Scholarship includes:

Room, board and travel while in the United States
Round-trip international airfare
Travel health insurance while in the United States, provided by CIEE
Online pre-departure orientation course
In-person orientation
Participation in the three-week CIEE Global Navigator High School Summer Program for Global Entrepreneurship
A five-day tour of New York and Washington, D.C. upon completion of the CIEE program

Scholarship Recipient and Parent Responsibilities:

Participant and one parent must attend pre-departure orientation in Riga
Cover ESTA (for Visa Waiver Program Travelers registering under ESTA)
Participant must have pocket money for 4-weeks (approximately $300)
Travel to and from Baltic departure airport

Who Can Participate?

Program Eligibility

Applicants to the Summer Leadership Academy must:

Hold a passport from Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania valid for international travel
Be entering Grade 12 school year
Have written and spoken English language proficiency sufficient to participate fully in the curriculum
Have parental permission to apply and participate in the program
Have no immediate family members who are BAFF employees or members of the BAFF Boards of Directors or Advisors

Scholarship Selection Criteria

Applicants will be selected based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

Commitment to applying new leadership and entrepreneurship skills
Potential for contributions to school, community, and home country
Demonstrated self-motivation and responsibility
Ability to serve as a cultural ambassador
Understanding of the BAFF mission

Dates & Deadlines

Applications Open

December 2

Application Deadline

March 8

Short-listed applicants will be invited for in-person interviews to be conducted in Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius.

Interviews

April 14 - April 24

Notification

April 29

Orientation

May 16

Takes place in Riga, Latvia.

Leadership Academy: Session I

June 21 - July 17

Leadership Academy: Session II

July 12 - August 7

Apply

**THE APPLICATION FOR THE 2020 BAFF SUMMER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IS NOW OPEN. PLEASE CLICK APPLY TODAY TO START YOUR APPLICATION.**

Apply Today

If you have any questions, please contact Denise Desrochers at baffinfo@ciee.org. The CIEE Staff in Portland, Maine, USA will be happy to answer any questions you have (please keep in mind the office hours: 9am-5pm EST).
Or you may contact your country’s BAFF representative.

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