TURKMENISTAN NOMINATION FOR NAFSA: ASSOCIATION OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000980 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR ECA/A/S/A (ATTN: DOROTHY MORA),SCA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP OEXC SCUL KPAO TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN NOMINATION FOR NAFSA: ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPO - SHAPING THE FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION REF: SECSTATE 092177 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) Post is nominating an educational adviser from Turkmenistan to the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Annual Conference & EXPO - Shaping the Future of International Education to be held in Washington, DC, May 25-30, 2008. End Summary. NOMINATION -------------- ¶2. (SBU) NAME OF NOMINEE: MRS. BURASHNIKOVA ALBINA N. ¶D. NATIONALITY, DATE OF BIRTH, PASSPORT NUMBER: Turkmenistan, August 27, 1950 I-MR 128404 ¶E. SEX: Female ¶F. WORK ADDRESS, PHONE, FAX, E-MAIL: Agzyberlik 42 a Street, Mary, 745400 fax: (993) 522 73979, phone: (993) 522 7 38 65, email: macorner@rambler.ru; albina_mary@mail.ru ¶G. JOB TITLE AND DUTIES: Educational Adviser/Manager of the Mary American Corner; Ruling the American Corner: advising, library, computers & Internet, statistics, finance, budgeting; - Providing visitors with current information about United States history and culture; - Regular consultations on educational opportunities in the USA and abroad; - Help in searching for US universities, scholarships, and financial aid; - Information and consultations on standardized tests (TOEFL, SAT, GRE); - Consultations on US Government-sponsored exchange programs; -Consultations on US Government-sponsored exchange programs -Networking with other advisors in Turkmenistan and abroad, admission offices in the USA. NAME OF ORGANIZATION EMPLOYING ADVISER: American Councils for International Education ¶I. NUMBER OF YEARS EXPERIENCE IN ADVISING ON U.S. HIGHER EDUCATION: Three years and two months (started in July 2004) ¶J. PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION IN WORKSHOPS, TRAINING PROGRAMS: Trainings organized by ACCELS in Ashgabat in 2006 & 2007; training for educational advisors in Kyiv, March 2007; American Corners Conference in Yalta, June 2007 ¶K. U.S.STUDY, INSTITUTION, AND DEGREE AWARDED: TEA program fellow in Chico University, CA, 2002 ¶L. ENGLISH ABILITY: Non-native speaker; FSI rating 4/4. ¶M. NAME/TITLE OF NOMINATING EMBASSY OFFICER: Andrew B. Paul, Public Affairs Officer ¶N. POST ENDORSEMENT: Given recent openings in Turkmenistan's government and a strong commitment by the country's president to academic exchange and study abroad, it is critical that we continue to support quality educational advising to Turkmenistan's youth. Post nominates Mrs. Burashnikova with confidence. She is fully committed to educational advising, is familiar with the U.S. and Turkmenistan educational systems and with the application process for U.S. higher education and training. Her strong cross-cultural communication skills will also enable her to make the most of this opportunity and support educational advising. ACCELS guarantees funding for the nominee's foreseeable future. ASHGABAT 00000980 002 OF 002 ¶O. NUMBER OF VISITORS/CONTACTS THE CENTER HAS ANNUALLY: In 2006, 20,949 people visited the Turkmenabat American Corner. Phone/fax: (993)422 6 37 71; e-mail: tabat@americancornerstm.org , website: www.americancornerstm.org ¶P. INTERNATIONAL ROUND-TRIP AIRFARE COSTS: Post can provide international roundtrip airfare costs. ¶R. DATE CENTER AND COUNTRY FACT SHEET WAS UPDATED: On September 7, 2007, competitive applicants have reviewed and updated their center and country fact sheets located at http://www.educationusa.state.gov/centers/ N PARTICIPANTS SHOULD PROVIDE POSTS WITH WRITTEN AFFIRMATION THAT THEY WILL REMAIN AS EDUCATIONAL ADVISERS FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS AFTER THE PROGRAM ENDS, BARRING UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES I, Albina Burashnikova, confirm that after participating in NAFSA conference I will remain as an Educational Adviser at the Mary American Corner for at least two years , barring unforeseen circumstances. I will use the experience gained at the conference to spread information on the opportunities to study in the US among people in the community as well as sharing the knowledge with the other advisers in the country. Albina Burashnikova Mary American Corner Regional Representative/Educational Adviser September 12, 2007 ¶O. NUMBER OF VISITORS/CONTACTS THE CENTER HAS ANNUALLY (PHONE, FAX, E-MAIL AND WEB, IF APPLICABLE) From August, 2006 to August, 2007 - 13,744 visitors. Phone/fax #: (993)522 7 38 65 / (993)522 7 39 79 E-mail: macorner@rambler.ru, albina_mary@mail.ru http://www.americancornerstm.org/ ¶P. PLEASE INDICATE IF POST/HOST ORGANIZATION CAN PROVIDE INTERNATIONAL ROUND-TRIP AIRFARE COSTS: Post can provide international roundtrip airfare costs. ¶R. COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS SHOULD REVIEW AND UPDATE THEIR CENTER AND COUNTRY FACT SHEETS LOCATED AT _http://www.educationusa.state.gov/centers/_ AND PROVIDE DATE THAT INFORMATION WAS UPDATED: September 12, 2007 the applicant had reviewed and updated her center and country fact sheets located at http://www.educationusa.state.gov/centers/ HOALGLAND