Amy Chamberlain, Director of Grants and Partnership Development for AYUSA, passed away on July 4th in a tragic accident. Amy was a uniquely inspirational person who affected so many of us, our partners and our participants in the past two years. Amy impressed everyone with her unbounded energy, her unwavering optimism, and her total commitment to our mission and our students.

In a short period, Amy had a number of significant achievements that affected lives all over the world and inspired people to greater levels of cultural understanding and mutual respect:

• Amy was the internal leader of the YES (Youth Exchange and Study) program, a DOS initiative to help build bridges of friendship and understanding between the U.S. and countries with predominantly Muslim populations. Amy's work and passion helped make this the preeminent exchange program in the field today. Recently, Amy coordinated a culminating event for more than 200 YES students in Washington D.C., including a visit to The White House where students met the President and a reception hosted by Senators Kennedy and Lugar. Amy gave all of herself to this program, and was beloved by all the YES students.
• Amy secured a partnership between AYUSA and the College of Humanities and Sciences, who helped fund AYUSA's 2005 International Leadership Conference. As was typical of Amy, this was a relationship that benefited the broader organization by providing educational opportunities for our AuPairCare and Intrax programs.
• Amy launched a strategic relationship with the Gallup Organization, in which AYUSA students can attend Gallup leadership training and participate in Gallup panels to help improve relations between the U.S. and the international community.

Amy was a dynamo - always smiling and always generating ideas, relationships, and good will. AYUSA and Intrax Cultural Exchange are stronger as a result of her leadership, creativity and hard work. Amy perfectly captured AYUSA's spirit and will continue to inspire us all.

In Amy's honor, students and partners whom she touched from all over the world have planted trees in her name. These trees of hope have been planted in Gaza, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, the West Bank, Germany, and Japan.

The Amy E. Chamberlain Study Abroad Scholarship Fund

AYUSA has established a study abroad scholarship fund in Amy's name. The recipient will be someone who embodies Amy's sense of leadership, volunteerism, and optimism. To make a donation, please send a check payable to AYUSA International, reference in the memo line "Amy Chamberlain Scholarship Fund," and mail to AYUSA International, 600 California Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108

The Amy Chamberlain Study Abroad Scholarship Fund is a 501(c)3 charitable trust whose sole purpose is to award scholarships to AYUSA Study abroad students.

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