US Awards USAID Scholarships to 31 Indonesian Professionals

Jakarta (Antara) - The US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Andrew Sisson has announced 31 Indonesian young professionals received scholarships under USAID's Program to Extend Scholarships to Achieve Sustainable Impacts (PRESTASI) program. According to the US Embassy here on its official website, the scholarship recipients, announced last Wednesday, were chosen from 840 applications from across Indonesia. "USAID's scholarship program is a great opportunity for bright and talented Indonesian professionals to earn graduate degrees in the United States and Indonesia," said Sisson. "Upon their return to Indonesia, they will join a cadre of USAID scholars who are now working throughout the archipelago to improve their community and help Indonesia in its path to success." USAID's PRESTASI is an innovative scholarship program that builds the capacity of young professionals who will contribute to Indonesia's development. The scholars earn master's degrees in the fields of economics, public policy, political science, public administration, environment, health, and education. "I want to focus my life on helping people to be healthy," said Frans Judea Samosir of North Sumatra, one of the new PRESTASI scholarship award recipients. "I want to learn and practice more so that one day, I can have a health center or institution where people can have a place they run to if they need help." Since 2007, USAID scholarship programs have supported 183 Indonesians for short-term trainings and 231 master's and doctoral degrees in various universities in the United States and Indonesia. PRESTASI is one of the U.S. Embassy's education initiatives that support the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership. (*)