Dear Bare Feet® Fans,
Today marks the 4th birthday for Bare Feet®, which is something that I am extremely proud of - starting as a blog, evolving into a web series, and now airing as a TV show, the Bare Feet® project has come a long way! And it couldn't be more fitting that today the State Department kicks off its #StudyAbroadBecause campaign - the whole reason I am doing what I am doing TODAY is because travel changed my life; the opportunity to study abroad TWICE kickstarted that journey for me over 10 years ago!
Earlier this week, I attended the Travel Bloggers Summit at the White House to discuss new Study Abroad initiatives and the idea of Global Citizenship. Attended by 99 other #WHTravelBloggers and top travel media icons, the summit was led by top White House officials including Assistant to the President, Ben Rhodes; White House Chief of Staff, Denis McDonough; Assistant Secretary of State for Education & Cultural Affairs, Evan Ryan; and Chief of Staff to the First Lady, Tina Tchen.
The biggest news that came out of this summit is that the State Department will soon be opening a US Study Abroad Office within the next few months. What does this mean? This is just the beginning of a very long and necessary journey to keep the United States in the forefront of a globalized economy, to make Americans true citizens of the world, and to give students of all socio and economic backgrounds the access to a richer and fuller education that will support them their entire lives!
- Mickela Mallozzi