FULBRIGHT

The Fulbright Program is a US Cultural Exchange Program aiming to improve cultural diplomacy and intercultural competence through exchange of people, knowledge, and skills. The program is a widely recognized and prestigious scholarship with 8,000 grants awarded annually. 

Suriname is the smallest country in South America with only 500,000 people.  It's people are multicultural and official language is Dutch. It is thick in rainforests. 

In Suriname, with my colleagues in Environmental Sciences at Anton de Kom University, I teach Wildlife Conservation and techniques on Professional Communication.  

I guide & mentor students in this culturally and biologically rich country and currently oversee a small environmental watch group of students and young professionals looking to make an impact on conservation in their country. 

"...Sylvia offered a series of workshops targeting cover letter, resume, and interviewing skills for Green Corps organizers at our main office in Denver. The workshops were interactive, thorough, and tailored for our specific needs. Her technique is to concentrate on specific areas of difficulty and offer easy-to-remember formulas as well as insider tips distilled from her extensive experience. Our organizers learned an incredible amount in the time Sylvia spent with them, and will definitely apply her lessons and knowledge to their professional development goals now and in the years to come. I can't recommend Sylvia more highly for her passion, dedication, and expertise in professional development for good, and hope that she will join us again at future trainings."

-Annie Sanders, Executive Director Green Corps, Denver.

  "We have been collaborating with Sylvia Atsalis in Suriname since 2013 and have seen first hand how she dedicates her time and energy to teaching and mentoring our local students in Environmental Sciences and the Advanced Training Institute in Biology towards meeting their personal and professional goals. Her approach and programming at our annual conservation, research, and professional development workshops have proven to be very effective in creating self-awareness among the students and in some cases has kickstarted their careers. Our workshop alumni highly value the workshops for building confidence, constructing resumes, and developing networking and research skills."

-Arioene Vreedzaam (Chairperson) & Chantal Landburg (Treasurer), Foundation for Environmental Awareness Research and Training, Suriname.