Africa Regional Media Hub
United States Department of State
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Media Advisory | Tuesday, November 20th Briefing on U.S. Department of State and Educational Testing Services (ETS) Collaboration to Support African Students
Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Academic Programs at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Meghann Curtis and Executive Director for Client Relations at Educational Testing Services (ETS) Eileen Tyson will brief the media on the collaboration between ECA and ETS to increase the rate of access to U.S. higher education opportunities for low-income students from Africa. In support of this effort, ETS has donated 300 vouchers for the Test of English as a Foreign Language Test (TOFEL). These vouchers will be given to low-income African students who have also been identified by State Department-supported EducationUSA advising centers to receive ECA Opportunity Funds. Lethabo Nxumalo, a student from South Africa who has received Opportunity Funds, will be participating in the teleconference as well.
DETAILS:
Speakers: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs Meghann Curtis Educational Testing Services Executive Director, Client Relations, Eileen Tyson Point Park University Student, Lethabo Nxumalo
Topic: Briefing on U.S. Department of State and Educational Testing Services (ETS) Collaboration to Support African Students
Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Time: 8:00 EST | 13:00 GMT |14:00 West Africa | 15:00 Central/South | 16:00 East Africa
Language: English
Bios: Please see below
Groundrules: ON THE RECORD
RSVP: To Africa Media Hub, afmediahub@state.gov and Buhle Makamanzi (makamanzib@state.gov).
Numbers to dial: Once you RSVP, we will send you the numbers to dial.
Eileen Tyson Bio:
Eileen Tyson is the Executive Director, Client Relations at Educational Testing Service (ETS) headquartered near Princeton, New Jersey. ETS, founded in 1947, is the world's largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization. ETS develops standardized tests primarily in the United States for K–12 and higher education, and it also administers international tests including the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication), GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) General and Subject Tests, and The Praxis test Series — in more than 180 countries, and at over 9,000 locations worldwide. Many of the assessments it develops are associated with entry to US undergraduate and graduate institutions. In total, ETS annually administers 20 million exams in the U.S. and in 180 other countries.
DAS Curtis Bio:
Ms. Meghann Curtis serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Academic Programs at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) where she oversees all academic programs sponsored by the Department, including the Fulbright Program, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, Teacher Exchange Programs, and English Language Programs. Ms. Curtis is also responsible for international student advising and marketing of American higher education resources through EducationUSA's network of offices around the world. ECA’s Office of Academic Exchange Programs, Office of English Language Programs, and Office of Global Educational Programs report through DAS Curtis.
Lethabo Nxumalo Bio:
My name is Lethabo Nxumalo, a 19 year old South African student currently attending Point Park University studying Film and Screenwriting. I was born to Mandela Mashing and Lindale Nxumalo on the 3 of June 1993. I lived with my mother for most of my life and went to school at St Nicholas (from 2002-2007), at Amanda Seminary (2007-2008) and Pietermaritzburg Girls High School (2008-2011). My achievements include winning a Silver award at the Eskom Science Fair in 2010 and academic colors in metric for academic excellence.