The “From Sarawak to USA” event was recently held at the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Auditorium. The event was organised by the Sarawak MACEE/Fulbright Alumni to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange (MACEE).
Present at the event were Dr Jarrod Sio, assistant director (Learning Sector, English Language Unit) of the Sarawak State Education Department; Curtis Johnson, executive director of MACEE; Shearon Nisha Kimbi, assistant secretary of the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Sarawak (MEITD); and representatives from local universities.
Over 350 people attended the event, including teachers and students from 22 secondary schools in the districts of Kuching, Samarahan, Padawan, and Serian, as well as college students and members of the public.
Dr Jarrod Sio, in his welcoming speech, expressed his support for the MACEE/Fulbright Malaysia programmes and commended American liberal arts universities for offering a well-rounded education that fosters critical thinking, communication skills, and a broad understanding of the world.
The goal of this state-led engagement programme, which was part of the alumni’s community outreach initiative, was to raise awareness of MACEE/Fulbright Malaysia’s wide range of scholarships, grants, and exchange programmes. It also aims to increase the number of applicants from Sarawak.
Curtis Johnson, who termed this initiative “education diplomacy”, said that the prestigious Fulbright awards (programmes) are open to both Malaysians and American scholars who come to Malaysia to study.
Among the highlights of this event is the captivating alumni sharing session. These professionals from various backgrounds, including educators from local universities and schools, university students who had recently completed their SPM examinations, and professionals from local organisations such as Chemsain Konsultant Sdn Bhd and the Heart Treasures, shared their journey in the United States and valuable insights in the application process to those who were interested in applying.
There was also a poster competition in which school students had the opportunity to showcase the Highly Immersive Programme (HIP) or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) projects that they had initiated in their schools. The attendees also participated in a pop quiz segment.
Towards the end of the event, there was an interactive session with the alumni and the audience. During this session, the audience was able to ask questions about the alumni’s experiences living in the United States, the application process for the programmes, and the motivations behind the alumni’s decision to apply.
There are currently eight Fulbright programmes available to Malaysians. Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, and gain valuable cross-cultural experiences in the United States.
The MACEE/Fulbright Sarawak alumni are hopeful that the event would increase the number of Sarawak applicants in the near future.
About MACEE/Fulbright Malaysia
MACEE was founded on January 28, 1963, through an agreement signed by the governments of Malaysia and the United States to promote educational and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Over the years, MACEE facilitated the participation of over 1,000 Malaysian Fulbrighters in the United States under the Fulbright Programme. Furthermore, more than 2,000 Fulbright US grantees have participated in the programme in Malaysia.
