West Virginia University is seeking applicants for a U.S. State Department Sport for Social Change exchange between the U.S. and Mexico. The program will involve an eight-day trip to Mexico with the goal of using the sport of soccer to promote leadership and empowerment among young women in Mexico. The U.S.-based participants will later interact with participants from Mexico during a 13-day exchange in the United States to build on lessons learned in Mexico.

Team coordinators are seeking 20 participants from West Virginia, Virginia or Pennsylvania to take part in this program. The team will select approximately 10-12 professionals and 8-10 students (at least 15 years old) to travel to Mexico in late April 2019 (exact dates depending upon airfare) to participate in a soccer exchange with Mexican youth and adults.

The U.S. Department of State’s Sports Diplomacy division will pay for all expenses via a cooperative agreement with the University of Montana and through a sub award agreement with West Virginia University.

U.S.-based participants will interact with 20 youth and adult participants from Mexico in July 2019 for a 13-day exchange. The U.S.-based participants will lead or facilitate sessions and activities focused on soccer, leadership, empowerment and/or youth development during the program.

The Mexican-based program will occur in a safe region of Mexico with local partners at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), located in San Nicolas de los Garza, a suburb of the city of Monterrey in the state of Nuevo León.

Students and professionals from West Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania who are interested in issues associated with soccer, leadership, empowerment and/or youth development, should apply for the program. Please share this announcement with colleagues.

The application deadline is midnight December 31, 2018. Visit the links below to view applications. All individuals selected for participation in this program will need to pass a background check before traveling.