CIEE to establish a cultural exchange program to build bridges of mutual understanding and peace between the United States and global Muslim communities.
PORTLAND, Maine, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) today announced a new scholarship to help build bridges between Americans and people from international Muslim communities. The Rick A. Ruth BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Scholarship will increase cultural exchange opportunities for students from Muslim communities around the world. Muslims represent about 25% of the world’s population.
The scholarship pays tribute to career public servant, Rick A. Ruth, a longtime senior advisor at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Mr. Ruth’s 40-year career was dedicated to advancing peace in our world by supporting public diplomacy programs between the U.S. and other nations, primarily through people-to-people exchanges. Throughout his career, Mr. Ruth focused on strengthening ties between the United States and the Muslim world, recognizing the importance of that connection for promoting international understanding.
The CIEE Rick A. Ruth Summer Work and Travel Scholarship will support ten university students selected from one of the world’s 50 countries that have significant Muslim communities. The Ruth Fellows will participate in the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program, spending a summer in one of America’s iconic destinations and working at one of CIEE’s Platinum BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Host Employers. In addition, Ruth Fellows will attend CIEE’s Annual Young Civic Leadership Summit, scheduled to take place in August 2026 in the Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
CIEE will rotate countries eligible for the scholarship each year. For 2026, Ruth Fellows will be selected from candidates from Bulgaria, Türkiye, and Thailand. Ruth Fellows will have demonstrated a proven interest in embracing positive civic engagement and a sincere motivation to foster goodwill between the U.S. and their home country.
Each year, the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program invites 100,000 international college students from over 140 countries to live and work in America during their university summer break. The program contributes billions of dollars to the American economy by extending the US tourism season by an average of 50 days, creating more jobs for Americans and helping American businesses become more prosperous. In addition, BridgeUSA participants learn firsthand about American culture and values, including the power of democracy and free speech, which they take home to share with their families and peers.
“When young people spend time living and working in the United States, they share their own perspectives while gaining insight into American society,” said Mr. Ruth. “Those personal connections play an important role in strengthening understanding between American and Muslim communities.”
“Rick Ruth spent his entire career advocating for mutual understanding and the power of people-to-people exchange programs to advance peace in our world,” said James P. Pellow, Ed.D., President and CEO of CIEE. “His life’s work is quite simply a perfect reflection of the founding mission of CIEE. In 1947, CIEE was founded to help American students meet Germans, Italians, and Japanese students. Today, we are proud to honor Rick Ruth’s legacy by increasing understanding and mutual respect between young Americans and Muslims.”
About CIEE
Since 1947, CIEE has built bridges between different people, countries, and cultures through study abroad and international exchange programs that advance peace in our world. We change lives; our alumni change the world. Learn more at ciee.org.
Media Contact:
Leslie Taylor
media@ciee.org
(207) 553-4274
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SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
