Press Release For Immediate Release October 30, 2006	Media Contact: Mike Liberty American Institute For Foreign Study River Plaza, 9 West Broad St. Stamford, CT 06902-3788 (203) 399-5187 mliberty@aifs.com www.aifsabroad.com

$150K in Scholarships Available for Hispanic Students to Study Abroad

SAN ANTONIO, TX – A new program to provide $150,000 in study abroad scholarships for Hispanic college students was announced today by William L. Gertz, President and CEO of the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS), and Dr. Antonio Flores, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

According to the Bipartisan Congressional Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, Hispanic students make up a much smaller percentage of students going abroad than their respective percentage of U.S. post secondary enrollment. The same study indicates that participation of minority and low-income students is limited by economic perceptions and realities and lack of information about opportunities.

“It is very disappointing that only 4% of the 160,000 college students studying abroad each year are Hispanic,” said Gertz. “We hope this scholarship program will be the beginning of a concentrated effort to reach more Hispanic students and enable them to learn more about our world through studying overseas.”

The new AIFS-HACU program, announced at HACU’s 20th Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas, will provide scholarships of up to 50% of the full program fee to study at Richmond, the American International University in London, England. The student will become part of a special internship program where they will be placed with an international company in their field of interest to gain work experience. The program is available during the summer and both fall and spring semesters.

"An educational experience abroad allows students to become more competitive in an increasingly international job market,” remarks Flores.

“Actual work experience is invaluable in helping students add to their resumes so they can find a job after college,” Gertz continues. “The practical working experience that this program offers will make them unique.”

For additional information on the AIFS-HACU scholarship program, visit www.aifsabroad.com, email college.info@aifs.com , or call (800) 727-2437, ext. 5163.

The American Institute For Foreign Study, Inc. (AIFS) and its family of companies organize cultural exchange programs throughout the world for more than 50,000 students each year. Since its founding in 1964, more than one million students and teachers have participated on AIFS programs worldwide. Visit AIFS on the web at www.aifsabroad.com.

Established in 1986, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), represents more than 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S. and abroad. Visit HACU on the web at www.hacu.net.