Minnie Battle Mayes, director of International Programs at North Carolina A&T State University recently visited Turkey as part of a 22 member delegation of international program directors and faculty from HBCUs and TCUs (Tribal Colleges and Universities). The delegation was organized by the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) and United Negro College Fund Special Programs (UNCFSP), in cooperation with the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).

The goals of the trip included:

Learning about unique study abroad opportunities and promoting TCA’s "Study Abroad in Turkey Scholarships" for African American, Hispanic and Native American students. The $2,000 scholarship will assist students participating in study abroad to Turkey. An A&T student was one of the first students to receive the award for fall 2008.

Exposing trip participants to the UNCFSP Institute of International Public Policy (IIPP) Fellowship Program, for students in their sophomore year who are interested in careers in international affairs. The fellowship provides participation in a summer policy institute, language training and support for study abroad.

Increasing the number of students from Minority Serving Institutions who are engaged in study abroad activities.

Promoting faculty and student exchanges between Turkish universities and HBCUs and TCUs as well as, short term visits. During the trip, it was announced that a $500 scholarship has been established for any student visiting Turkey on a short term program.

Providing an understanding of Turkey's rich culture and history including the Afro-Turkish community, US-Turkish relations and Turkey's role in the international arena.

In addition to visiting 5 universities with the delegation, Mayes also visited N.C. A&T's exchange partner Ege University in Izmir, Turkey, where A&T graduate student Shawn Wozniak is currently spending the semester. The partnership with Ege University was initiated by Dr. Terrence Thomas, under a grant from the USDA for a project titled Globalizing Educational Experience: A Collaborative Student and Faculty Exchange Problem Centered Research and Teaching Approach. The grant provides financial support for graduate students in agricultural economics to study at Ege University. To date, two students from A&T have studied at Ege and two faculty members from Ege have conducted post doctorate studies at A&T.