Quarterly Report FY 2011, Quarter 3: LOTUS Scholarship Program

The program aimed to provide scholarships to Egyptian students pursuing higher education in their chosen fields of study. During the 2010-2011 academic year, 44 students from Cohort 1, Cycle 1, were placed in various universities across Egypt. The breakdown of students' fields of specialization is as follows: Accounting and Finance (3), Business Administration (2), Dentistry (5), Engineering (16), Informatics and Computers (3), International Business (1), Languages and Translation (1), Mass Communications (2), Pharmacy (9), and Political Science (2). The activities of the April 1-June 30, 2011 quarter were impacted by the aftereffects of the Revolution, with universities' class and exam schedules remaining fluid due to demonstrations and security issues. IIE/Egypt held various Leadership in Action and Leadership Capacity Building for Universities sessions during the reporting period. These sessions included Presentation Skills, Team Building Retreat, Rights and Responsibilities, and Strategic Leadership. Planning, implementation of outreach and recruitment, and application review for Cohort 1, Cycle 1, and the potential Cohort 2 took place during this period. Task 0, Program Start-up and Management, involved finalizing service agreements for partner NGOs and universities, staffing IIE and partner positions, developing a branding strategy and marketing plan, and completing annual work plans. Task 1, LOTUS Scholarship Recruitment, Selection, and Placement, involved developing common LOTUS Scholarship Program materials, orienting the public to the program, and recruiting potential candidates. Task 2, LOTUS Scholar Academic and Personal Support, focused on developing agreements and procedures with universities to host LOTUS students and pay university coordinators, ensuring adequate student housing and personal space needs, and providing supplemental English training and tutoring as needed. Task 3, Leadership in Action Program, involved developing Leadership in Action Program design and first-year materials, conducting orientation to the program, and delivering Leadership in Action Program sessions. Task 6, Leadership Capacity Building for Universities, involved developing and delivering workshops to universities, inviting university leaders to participate in Leadership in Action activities, and setting up program wiki and other communications systems. Task 7, Communications, Monitoring, and Reporting, involved developing evaluation criteria and impact indicators, identifying the control group of students, and planning for annual assessments. The LOTUS Scholarship Program aimed to provide opportunities for Egyptian students to pursue higher education in their chosen fields of study. The program's activities were impacted by the aftereffects of the Revolution, but IIE/Egypt continued to work towards its goals, including providing scholarships, academic and personal support, and leadership development opportunities to LOTUS students.