Deadline: December 1, 2017
Participate in an exciting new program to acquire skills in social entrepreneurship, design thinking, the business model canvas, leadership and more. Apply now to join the MENA-Michigan Initiative for Global Action Through Entrepreneurship (M²GATE) Program 2018. M2GATE is a team-based social entrepreneurship program that offers experiential learning and cross-cultural interactions with international peers through a virtual exchange.
Through the eight-week program, your cross-cultural, six-person team will identify a social challenge or issue in the MENA region. Through the program’s instructional modules, your team will learn how to approach this problem and create and pitch an entrepreneurial solution. The program will culminate in your team’s proposed solution being entered in a virtual competition.
The MENA-based members of the winning team from each cohort will be offered the opportunity to travel to Michigan to meet their Michigan-based teammates, interact with entrepreneurs in Ann Arbor and Detroit, and pitch their project to an expert panel for feedback and further development.
Benefits
M2GATE program offers students the opportunity to:
- Gain marketable 21st century skills: the multidisciplinary, experiential nature of this program will strengthen your communication and presentation skills.
- Experience cross-cultural teamwork: an opportunity to collaborate closely with peers from other cultures.
- Enable positive engagement: The focus on social entrepreneurship will empower you to engage in social issues in your community.
- Build an innovative resume: Employers are looking for graduates with exactly the type of skills this program will build.
Eligibility
- Open to post-secondary (undergraduate) students aged 18-25 at the University of Michigan (USA) Ann Arbor Dearborn, or Flint campuses and post-secondary (undergraduate) students aged 18-25 from Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia (or refugees currently residing in one of these four countries);
- Applicants from a variety of disciplines – including Engineering, Business, Healthcare, and Liberal Arts – are encourgaed to apply;
- Women, refugees, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as well. Students who have previously participated in a U.S. Government-funded exchange program are, unfortunately, ineligible for this program.
Application
- Please fill out the application form accurately and completely;
- You will be prompted to upload a one-paragraph bio, a photo of yourself, and a scanned copy of your passport if you possess one (not necessary for U.S. students). These documents will help the program coordinators and your fellow participants learn more about you and enable preparation of the visa documents if you are selected to travel to the USA at the end of the program. (Note that only project management and visa processing personnel will see your passport copy.)
- You may return to the application within one week using the same link by using the bookmark feature (if you do not bookmark your spot, you will lose your progress). You must use the same computer and browser (or smartphone). Do not press the final >> button until you are completely finished (you will be notified when you reach this point).
For information specific to your country, please contact the following individuals:
- Egypt: Maha Khalil via [email protected]
- Libya: Ahmed Elsiwi via [email protected]
- Morocco: Amy Fishburn via [email protected]
- Tunisia: Dr. Manel Khadhraoui via [email protected]
- U.S.A.: Meghan Neuhaus via [email protected]
Applications are due on December 1, 2017 at 11:59 A.M. EST/11:59 (UTC -5) (Note: this is 6:59 P.M./18:59 Egypt & Libya time; 4:59 PM/16:59 Morocco time; 5:59 PM/17:59 Tunisia time)
For more information, visit M²GATE Program.
