The Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) of the Organization of American States (OAS) through the OAS Development Cooperation Platform – CooperaNet, launched the OAS Scholarship Alumni Program. The program, which aims to create a platform for those who have received scholarships from the OAS to give back to the hemisphere was launched virtually on May 21, 2025, at 10:00 EDT (14:00 GMT), and featured OAS scholarship recipients from all generations and various stages of their careers.
Opening remarks were delivered by the OAS Executive Secretary for Integral Development, Kim Osborne, who officially launched the initiative and urged OAS scholarship alumni to use their skills to address what she described as "the most pressing challenges in our countries, whether in public service, private enterprise, academia, or civil society." The audience also heard from former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados and OAS scholarship alum, Maxine McClean, whose academic career spans over forty years. McClean credited the OAS scholarship as the "beginning of a transformative journey which shaped both her professional and personal life."
Former Uruguayan Senator and OAS scholarship alum, Carmen Sanguinetti, was also among the presenters at the launch. Sanguinetti said she would not have been able to earn her master's degree in Public Administration at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts if it had not been for the OAS scholarship. The former Senator applauded the Executive Secretariat for its decision to create a platform for OAS scholarship alumni to connect and give back to the region in their respective fields.
OAS scholarship alum and Alternate Representative of The Bahamas to the OAS, Mikhail Bullard, emphasized the importance of the OAS scholarship in his own journey, stating that: "The OAS Scholarship program did for me what it has done for thousands of others across the Americas; it facilitated access to what I believe still is the great equalizer, especially when attained affordably - higher education."
More than 60 people from across the hemisphere attended the event, including personnel from OAS Permanent Missions, OAS National Offices, civil society, students and OAS scholarship alumni. This OAS Scholarship Alumni Program aims to build a dynamic community of leaders committed to giving back to the region and contributing to shaping the future of the Americas through their expertise and experiences. Through this initiative, the OAS aims to reach the thousands of scholarship alumni and enable them to contribute their knowledge to OAS projects and programs to address critical challenges and drive positive change and collaboration throughout the region.
For additional details on how to apply, eligibility criteria, and to access the online application form, please visit Open Call for OAS Scholarship Alumni.
Reference: E-029/25
