From June 1 to 15, ten high school counselors took part in a two-week professional journey organized by EducationUSA and sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan. The group toured multiple campuses in Minnesota and Philadelphia, engaged in various training activities revolving around the U.S. application process, and received an official certification from the EducationUSA Counselor Training Institute 2024.
The group meets Masood Khan, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States.
Professional development
The counselors first traveled to Minnesota, where St. Cloud State University hosted them on campus and conducted the training modules. Discussions ranged from holistic development and innovative strategies to the use of artificial intelligence as a counseling tool and the power of supplemental essays.
“The training sessions at St. Cloud were truly invaluable in enhancing my comprehension of the U.S. admission procedure. They also provided significant insights into community colleges, prompting a change in how I view their admissions process,” said Farah Khan from Beaconhouse School System’s Bahria Town campus in Lahore. “I am committed to sharing the detailed insights with my students and will passionately advocate for them to consider undergraduate programs in the United States.”
The counselors get some fresh air between sessions at St. Cloud State University.
Asad Mehmood from Froebel’s International School, Islamabad, agreed.
“Our time at St. Cloud State University really stood out for me. The hospitality they showed us is truly unforgettable,” he said.
Study Minnesota, a consortium that promotes educational opportunities in the state, arranged visits to the following campuses:
- Saint John’s University
- College of Saint Benedict
- University of St. Thomas
- University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
- Normandale Community College
- Alexandria Technical and Community College
Something for everyone
After Minnesota, the group traveled to Philadelphia. This week included visits to the following campuses:
- Drexel University
- Temple University
- Villanova University
- Northampton Community College
- Bryn Mawr College
- Haverford College
- Swarthmore College
- University of Pennsylvania
- Lafayette College
The goal of the grant is to aid in counselor professional development through experience on a U.S. campus so they are better able to guide their students on the U.S. application process. For Fatima Raza, from The City School in Burewala, seeing firsthand the sheer number of opportunities and resources at each campus was eye opening.
The group poses for a photo on the Drexel University campus.
“Every institute was unique in its own way and was worth visiting,” she said. “I am now sure that getting a U.S. degree changes a student’s life.”
School counselors in Pakistan work with students applying to universities throughout the world, but many of them have never visited the United States or a U.S. campus. The confidence gained through firsthand experience helps them guide students much more effectively. For Marium Sherzaman, the counselor from the Beaconhouse College Program in PECHS, Karachi, this is precisely the kind of confidence this training instilled.
“Nothing can replace the learning that comes from visiting a campus and its surroundings. My solid takeaways in terms of visa policies, grading scales and application requirements stand on their own, but understanding what life for a student in America would be like has made this training unlike any other,” she said.
Of the ten counselors who participated in this program, four were from Islamabad, two from Karachi, three from Lahore and one from Burewala. They were accompanied by Senior EducationUSA Adviser Shiza Toor.
