Education has been a priority for The American Turkish Society from the organization’s inception. The first annual report of the Society records more than 700 Turkish exchange students who came to the United States and were assisted by the Society. The Society also played a major role in the establishment of the Center of Turkish Studies at Columbia University, and provided many scholarships and educational programs for both adults and students throughout the years.

Since the earthquake in 1999, The American Turkish Society has been concerned about deteriorating conditions of the educational system in Turkey. In an effort to influence change, The Society has supported three different high schools in the earthquake area through the Sister School Project of Robert College in Istanbul. The Society has also helped underwrite the construction of a school in Yalova and a daycare center in Golcuk.

The American Turkish Society launched and has been supporting the “Global Educators Program” for Turkey, in collaboration with the American Field Service (AFS), since 2003 – an exchange program for Turkish teachers to study the educational system in the United States while sharing Turkish culture with American students. For more information about this program, please visit AFS.

The American Turkish Society is currently working on a number of ambitious educational initiatives, to be launched in the near future. Please return here for more information about our new projects soon.