MONTHLY NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2015

2016 Washington Summer Internship Applications Open

TCA is accepting applications for its 2016 Washington Summer Internship Program until Friday, January 29. The program is open to currently enrolled undergraduate/graduate students and recent graduates of Turkish American heritage. Now in its ninth year, the Internship Program has provided 146 internship opportunities at congressional offices and non-governmental organizations in Washington, DC. Designed to enhance Turkish American participation in political life, the program provides an opportunity for young Turkish Americans to live and work in Washington, DC, learn about the American political process, contribute to U.S.-Turkey relations and the TCA mission, and explore career opportunities in public affairs.

Turkey Caucus Gains Two New Members

The Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations and Turkish Americans reached 151 members with the addition of Congressman Steve Womack (R-AR/3rd) and Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI/AL). Currently, the Turkey Caucus is represented in 43 out of the 50 states and all six of the U.S. territories. The Turkey Caucus is a bi-partisan platform for members of Congress to focus on U.S.-Turkey relations and issues that concern Turkish Americans.

TCA Sponsors Congressional Study Group Lunch

On December 1, TCA and the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (USAFMC) organized a luncheon on Capitol Hill for the Congressional Study Group on Turkey to discuss the November 1 elections in Turkey and recent developments in the country. Drs. Kemal Kirisci and Omer Taspinar of the Brookings Institution and Joshua Walker of the German Marshall Fund of the United States spoke, and four members of Congress (Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN/9th), Virginia Foxx (R-NC/5th), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO/4th), and Pete Olson (R-TX/22nd)) were present.

TCA Meets with State Department and USCIRF

On December 11, TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy and TCA Washington team members met with the State Department and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). At the meeting, the group shared ideas about promoting balanced dialogue in relation to Turkey, its region, and U.S.-Turkey relations.

TCA President Travels to Texas and Florida

In December, TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy traveled to Texas and Florida. In Houston, he spoke with Turkish Americans at an event organized by the Turkish American Heritage Association and met with the Turkish Consul General in Houston. McCurdy spoke with Turkish Americans in Miami and at the Florida Turkish Center in Ford Lauderdale. He also met with the Turkish Consul General in Miami.

TCA Attends Turkish Cypriots Day on Capitol Hill

On December 16, TCA Washington team members attended Turkish Cypriots Day on the Hill. The event invited Members of Congress and Staff to meet Turkish Cypriot Americans and share in their history and culture.

TCA Discussions with Members of Congress

This December, TCA had discussions with the following members of Congress and their staff at various events in Washington, DC: Turkey Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC/5th), Congressman John Garamendi (R-CA/3rd), Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC/12th), Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD/4th), and Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI/AL).

TCA Outreach

In December, TCA hosted a lunch for the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (USAFMC) to discuss and coordinate cosponsored events in 2016. TCA also hosted a lunch discussion with Joshua Walker, Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and Gillian Turner, Senior Associate at Jones Group International. The TCA Washington team also spoke with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Representative in Washington, DC Ismet Korukoglu. In addition, TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy met with Seda Serdar, Head of the Turkish News Service at Deutsche Welle, during her visit to Washington, DC.

TCA Scholarship Program for Students of Minority and Heritage Communities Breaks Record

TCA provided 90 scholarships in 2015 as part of its Study Abroad Scholarship Program for Students of Minority and Heritage Communities, breaking the previous year record of 83. In December, 12 students were selected as recipients of scholarship, bringing the total number of scholarship recipients to 469 since the program began in 2008. The program benefits American students of African, Armenian, Bosnian, Filipino, Hispanic, Macedonian, and Native American heritage. Scholarships are awarded to eligible undergraduate and graduate students who have been accepted to a university study abroad or language program in Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), or Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Students who received scholarships in December attend schools across the U.S., including San Diego State University, Valdosta State University, the University of California-Santa Barbara, SUNY Buffalo, Tulane University, Cornell University, Appalachian State University, the University of Texas at Austin, and American University.

www.tc-america.org
   
info@tc-america.org