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Once an AFSer, Always an AFSer: When an AFS Logo Stops You in Your Tracks
 
For Sydney Hlavaty (U.S. to France, 2018), reconnecting with AFS began with an unexpected chance encounter.
Sydney happened to walk past an AFS banner while leaving a restaurant. Without knowing it, she was having dinner at the same restaurant as the Chicago AFS-USA Alumni Meet-up. What started as happenstance quickly became the catalyst for renewed involvement with AFS-USA.
"I had a complete stop-in-my-tracks moment...I had been thinking about getting involved again ever since I moved to Chicago," Sydney shared. "Running into that event was truly the best catalyst—it felt like a sign."
Sydney has joined both the Greater Chicago Team and the Young Adult Volunteer Advisory Group. Through social media projects, event planning, and outreach efforts, she has found meaningful ways to support AFS while connecting with fellow volunteers and current students.
"It's been incredible to be re-engaged," Sydney said. "Being around people who share the same values of travel and cultural exchange makes my heart grow. Every conversation reminds me why these experiences matter."
Sydney’s message to fellow alumni considering reconnecting is simple: "Just introduce yourself and say, 'I want to get involved.' There are opportunities for everyone, no matter how much time you have to give. It's absolutely worth it." Read Sydney’s full story.
Interested in engaging more?
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Growing Community: One Alumni Meet-up at a Time
As part of AFS-USA’s growing investment in our alumni community, our Alumni Meet-Up series continues to bring AFSers together across the country.
Since the Chicago Meet-up in 2025, we’ve hosted events in Boston and Washington, D.C. Across all three events, more than 350 alumni were connected and able to engage with five AFS-USA volunteer teams.
Attendees represented seven decades of AFS experiences, from recent participants to alumni from the 1950s, highlighting the lasting impact of the AFS community. Alumni shared strong appreciation for the opportunity to reconnect, celebrate shared experiences, and continue their AFS journeys together.
The Alumni Relations team looks forward to hosting additional regional gatherings to further strengthen connections across the AFS-USA community. Stay tuned for upcoming Alumni Meet-Ups in LA, San Fransico, and NYC this fall!
Interested in engaging more?
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| Welcoming Home the Class of 2026 & Celebrating the Journey Ahead |
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This summer, we are excited to welcome home the AFS-USA Class of 2026 while cheering on the Class of 2027 as they begin their own life-changing journeys abroad.
More than 400 students in the Class of 2026 traveled to over 40 countries through year, semester, and summer programs.While their programs may be ending, their AFS journeys continue. This summer, they will join fellow alumni at a virtual Welcome Home event to connect, reflect on their experiences, and support one another through the transition home.
At the same time, over 450 members of the Class of 2027 are preparing to travel to more than 40 countries through year, semester, summer, and new U.S.-based programs. We wish them safe travels, meaningful connections, unforgettable memories, and all the growth that comes with becoming a global citizen.
Interested in today’s study abroad opportunities? Check out the brand-new AFS-USA Study Abroad Catalog!
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New AFS-USA Alumni Resource:
Digital Certificates & Badges |
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We're excited to introduce Certifier, a new resource that helps AFS-USA alumni showcase their exchange experience through digital certificates and badges.
Each certificate highlights key details of an alumni's program, including program type, year of participation, theme, and language component. Digital badges can be added to LinkedIn profiles, email signatures, resumes, and professional portfolios, making it easy to share the skills and experiences gained through AFS.
After a successful pilot with a small group of alumni this winter, we are excited to launch Certifier with our Class of 2026 alumni. We look forward to expanding access to more alumni in the future.
In the meantime, be sure to add your AFS experience and AFS-USA alumni status to your LinkedIn profile and help showcase the impact of our global community. |
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Deepen Your AFS Impact: A Spotlight on Hosting an International Student
Each year, AFS-USA welcomes more than 750 international high school exchange students from over 80 countries to study at U.S. high schools and live with host families across the country.
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AFS alum Patti Rounsevell (U.S. to Costa Rica, 1966) shared how hosting transformed her family’s life:
"Our family has hosted students from Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Thailand, and Kyrgyzstan. From each of them we learned so much as a family, and we know that local students had a blast with our AFS sons and daughters. We love it when our AFS kids come back to visit, and we have even traveled to see some of them. We became a large, and growing, family through AFS.”
Interested in learning more about hosting? Contact Jenna Powell at hosting@afsusa.org or sign up for an information session.
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Once an AFSer, Always an AFSer
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Your AFS-USA Community
AFS-USA is more than a moment—it’s a community. Follow us on social and join our alumni groups on LinkedIn or Facebook to see what fellow alumni are doing and stay in the loop.
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Events & Opportunities
Join fellow AFS-USA alumni through in-person and virtual events, learning opportunities, and ways to stay involved—wherever you are. See a full list on our Alumni webpage.
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Copyright © 2026, AFS-USA, Inc. All rights reserved.
AFS-USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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