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Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Brit Fontenot, Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT: Authorization for the Mayor to sign a letter on behalf of the City of
Bozeman supporting Montana State University’s Office of International
Program’s 2008 Middle East Partnership Initiative proposal
MEETING DATE: December 10, 2007
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter on behalf of the City of Bozeman
supporting Montana State University’s Office of International Program’s 2008 Middle East
Partnership Initiative proposal.
BACKGROUND:
2008 marks the fourth consecutive year that the Office of International Programs at
MSU-Bozeman will apply to host a six-week Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)
leadership and community service program for 21 young adults from the Middle East and North
Africa. This intensive six-week program focuses on the development of the participants’
leadership skills and community service consciousness while expanding understanding of
American society and culture. MEPI includes an academic program conducted by scholars and
other professionals with expertise in leadership and U.S. Studies, as well as a study tour to other
regions of the United States.
The MEPI program brings invaluable cultural exchange not only to MSU, but to our
surrounding community. Past programs have included strong involvement in, and with, the local
Bozeman community. Activities include, among others, volunteering with the Gallatin Valley
Habitat for Humanity, spending an afternoon at Southwest Montana’s Boys and Girls Clubs,
visiting local retirement communities, meeting with the Rotary Club and dinner/cultural
exchanges with local families.
MSU was selected to host this prestigious program three consecutive years, 2005 – 2007
and is under consideration for hosting the 2008 MEPI group. A letter in support of these efforts
would enhance the grant proposal and demonstrate that not only MSU, but our entire community
supports this important program.
FISCAL EFFECTS: none
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ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the Commission.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________________ ____________________________
Brit Fontenot, Assistant to the City Manager Chris A. Kukulski, City Manager
Attachments: (1) Letter of support (2) Inquiry/Grant proposal
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Brit Fontenot
From: Hinkle, Daniel [daniel.hinkle@montana.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 2:55 PM
To: Brit Fontenot
Subject: Letters of Support for the Office of International Programs at Montana State
Attachments: support letter Institute for Secondary Educators.doc; support letter MEPI.doc
Page 1 of 2
12/4/2007
Hi Brit,
Thanks for agreeing to write these letters for us, we greatly appreciate it! We need to letters of support for two
separate proposals. You can find information on each proposal below. Please write the letter on city letterhead
and mail the completed letter to me at the following address no later than December 11th, 2007:
Daniel Hinkle
Office of International Programs
400 Culbertson Hall
P.O. Box 172260
Bozeman, MT 59717
If possible, I’d also appreciate receiving a PDF or other electronic version of the letter. Thanks so much for
supporting these important programs and please let me know if you need any further information on either of
them. I am attaching two draft letters, one for each proposal. Feel free to edit them in any way you see fit. Thanks
again for all your help and have a wonderful day!
Warmest regards,
Daniel J. Hinkle
Training and Special Programs Coordinator
Office of International Programs
Montana State University
400 Culbertson Hall
Bozeman, MT 59717
daniel.hinkle@montana.edu
Phone: 406.994.5045 Fax: 406.994.1619
http://www.montana.edu/international
Grant #1, 2008 Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators
The Office of International Programs at MSU-Bozeman is currently applying for an exciting new grant through the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the U.S. State Department. The 2008 Study of the U.S. Institute for
Secondary Educators will provide a multinational group of 30 experienced secondary school educators (teachers,
teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, and education ministry officials) with a deeper
understanding of U.S. society, education, and culture, past and present. The institute will largely take place on the
MSU campus and in and around the Bozeman area, but will also include trips to Yellowstone National
Park/Wyoming, Glacier National Park, Seattle, New York, and Washington D.C. This program would provide both
MSU and the surrounding community with an invaluable cultural experience and enable the kind of grassroots
diplomacy that creates true cross cultural understanding.
I am writing to ask you to write a letter in support of our program proposal. This letter of support would greatly
enhance our grant proposal and would demonstrate that not only MSU, but the entire (state/community) supports
this important program. If you think you are willing to write us a letter, I will send you instructions on where to
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send it and, if you like, will send more specific information on this institute and a sample letter of support from a
past program. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Please address letter to the following:
Jennifer Phillips
Insitute on Secondary Educators
Branch for the Study of the United States
ECA/A/E/USS, Room 314,
U.S. Department of State
SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW.
Washington, DC, 20547
Grant #2, 2008 Middle East Partnership Initiative
2008 marks the fourth consecutive year that the Office of International Programs at MSU-Bozeman will apply to
host a six-week Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) leadership and community service program for 21 young
adults from the Middle East and North Africa. This intensive six-week program focuses on the development of the
participants’ leadership skills, community service consciousness, and expands their understanding of American
society and culture. It includes an academic program conducted by scholars and other professionals with
expertise in leadership and U.S. Studies, as well as a study tour to other regions of the country.
The MEPI program brings an invaluable cultural exchange not only to MSU, but also to the surrounding
community. Past programs have included strong involvement in and with the local Bozeman community
including: volunteering with the Gallatin Valley Habitat for Humanity, spending an afternoon at Southwest
Montana’s Boys and Girls clubs, visiting local retirement communities, meeting with the rotary club, having dinner
with local families etc.
MSU was selected to host this prestigious program three years in a row (’05,’06,’07) and is very excited about the
prospect of hosting a new MEPI group in summer 2008. I am writing to ask you to write a letter in support of this
program. This letter of support would greatly enhance our grant proposal and would demonstrate that not only
MSU, but the entire (state/community) supports this important program. I can send you more information on this,
and a sample letter, if you think you are willing to write us a letter. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Please address letter to the following:
MEPI Program Officer
Office of Middle East Partnership Initiative
Bureau for Near Eastern Affairs (NEA)
U.S. Department of State
NEA/ PI, c/o Room 6258
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC, 20520
Page 2 of 2
12/4/2007
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