Adesoye Taiwo, Newark Native, Selected for Prestigious Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship

New York, NY – AFS-USA is pleased to announce that Adesoye Taiwo, a young adult and student from Newark New Jersey is one of 52 Americans to be awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year. CBYX is a bilateral exchange program co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and German Bundestag (Parliament).

As a CBYX scholar and diplomat, Adesoye will spend the academic year in Germany living with a host family, learning about European Public Health Infrastructure, and participating in language learning and cultural immersion training to gain a better understanding of German culture, language, and everyday life. Conditions permitting, there will be ample opportunity for her to visit the German Bundestag, meet with German government officials, participate in intercultural seminars, and explore the country through excursions to nearby cities and historical sites.

She remarks that, “as a young Black woman from Newark with a longstanding commitment to social justice, healthcare equity, and community organizing, I view this opportunity not merely as a personal milestone, but as a platform to foster cross-cultural dialogue; particularly at a time when many Americans continue to navigate incredibly precarious and terribly unequal healthcare systems. I hope to return with globally informed perspectives that can contribute to more equitable and sustainable approaches within my own community and communities nation wide.”

Each year, on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, AFS-USA awards 52 CBYX scholarships to high-achieving students from 14 states, allowing youth from an array of communities to participate in a full cultural immersion experience. The CBYX program, which is jointly funded by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, was created to foster mutual understanding and strengthen ties between Germany and the U.S. through citizen diplomacy. The program is a true public-private partnership, leveraging the contributions of host families, educational institutions, and local communities.

Not only do American students go abroad to Germany, but German students also come to live and study in the United States, experiencing American culture firsthand and enabling American communities to get to know Germany without leaving home. Schools and families who volunteer to host these German youth help strengthen the U.S. relationship with Germany and showcase their community to international audiences. Since its inception in 1983, the CBYX program has allowed more than 30,000 participants to expand their leadership, language, communication, and problem-solving skills, and become global citizens. All participants become part of a global network of U.S. Department of State program alumni.

For more information about CBYX, visit exchanges.state.gov/cbyx or contact AFS at cbyx@afsusa.org or 646-751-2161. German language skills are not required to apply for the scholarship. To learn more about hosting an international high school exchange student coming to the U.S. for the 2025-26 academic year, please visit afsusa.org/host.

About AFS-USA
AFS-USA honors the legacy of its founders – volunteer WWI and WWII American Field Service ambulance drivers – who emerged from the wars with a bold mission: to help prevent future conflict through cultural exchange and understanding.

As a partner in the global AFS network, AFS-USA offers international exchange and education opportunities in 40+ countries and hosts exchange students from 80 countries. True to the spirit of our founders, these intercultural programs are made possible by the dedicated work of AFS volunteers – more than 2,600 in the U.S. and over 32,000 worldwide.

AFS programs foster transformation that lasts a lifetime. Today’s exchange students are tomorrow’s changemakers: diplomats; thought leaders; influencers in the international business and non-profit communities. Every new exchange student is another global citizen in progress – an individual primed to help build a more peaceful world. And the impact doesn’t stop with the students. Host families’ lives are transformed by new members from across the globe and host communities gain greater cultural understanding. For more information, visit afsusa.org.

To learn more about CBYX, including information about eligibility and how to apply for the 2025-26 academic year, visit usagermanyscholarship.org. The CBYX program also provides scholarships for high school graduates in vocational fields and young professionals.