Chennai, Sept 19: One hundred students graduated the U.S. Consulate General’s English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) at the Islamiah School run by the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society (VMES), Vaniyambadi, on Thursday, September 19, 2019. U.S. Cultural Affairs Officer Moulik Berkana was the Chief Guest at the Graduation Ceremony and presented the certificates to the successful students.
The Access program is a U.S. State Department-funded two-year interactive program that provides a foundation of English language skills to talented 13-20 year-olds through after-school classes and intensive summer camps. The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai has partnered with the VMES since 2009 to host Access programs for students studying at VMES institutions.
While presenting the Graduation Certifications to 100 students (50 boys and 50 girls), Mr. Berkana said, “The Access program not only provides the students with English language and communication skills, but also supports them to be more competitive for higher education and employment opportunities in the future. We would love to see these talented students pursuing onward education in the United States over time.”
VMES, established in 1901, is a pioneer in the field of education in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. The organization runs six educational institutions with three schools, two colleges, and a training center with a combined strength of 7,000 students.
Photo Caption: U.S. Cultural Affairs Officer Moulik Berkana (right) presents the certificate to a student at the graduation ceremony of the U.S. Consulate General’s English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) held at the Islamiah School in Vaniyambadi on Thursday.
