These times of change and uncertainty offer valuable lessons—both on a personal level and for our sector—and it is our responsibility to pass them on to our clients. Such is the level of unpredictability from Mr. Trump and his team that any assertion contained in this article runs the risk of becoming outdated within minutes.
Over the course of these intense first 100 days, we’ve come to understand that the world is profoundly global in every aspect—far beyond just economics. Autarky and border closures are unfeasible and only lead to the impoverishment of nations. Today, we know that our mobile phones, cars, and the technology we use every day are manufactured across a multitude of countries. It is unlikely that a car will ever again be entirely assembled in Detroit by a worker born in Michigan—just as our phones will not be built by Californians in a Silicon Valley factory.
Sixty-eight years ago, with the Treaty of Rome—following two world wars—we learned that Europe could unite through concord. Four years later, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Cultural Exchange Program (J1), a success story that endures to this day thanks to the boundless generosity that continues to surprise us from American society. A generosity that remains undiminished. On a personal level, American citizens still form part of an open, compassionate, committed society that values freedom.
Had President Donald J. Trump spent an academic year abroad, we might be speaking of a different person—at least in terms of his empathy toward the rest of humanity. That is why, now more than ever, our mission holds true: to offer young people experiences that make them better human beings, that allow them to pursue a more global academic education, open up to new ways of understanding the world, and contribute—together—to a more just and prosperous society built on communication. A society more sensitive to other cultures, ideas, and beliefs, and true to the spirit of the Founding Fathers of the world’s oldest democracy.
The checks and balances established by the U.S. Constitution—particularly through the Tenth Amendment—make it clear that the rights and powers of the States and the People are protected, thus limiting the reach of the federal government in such crucial areas as education.
One hundred days of the 47th President of the United States, 64 years of the Exchange Visitor Program, and a hopeful future full of lessons learned.
Pablo Martínez de Velasco, 8th President of ASEPROCE
