AIFS Abroad is committed to sustainability, environmental responsibility, and climate action. As part of our Green Initiative, we are proud to offer the Green Ambassador Scholarship to participants who share our passion for creating a greener future.
AIFS Abroad Green Ambassador scholarship recipients are expected to collaborate with their on-site staff to plan and execute at least one “green” event during their program. This event should promote sustainability and climate education and awareness. Recipients will also be involved in sustainability-related content creation.
Read on to learn more about the Fall 2026 cohort of AIFS Abroad Green Ambassadors:
Maya Carstensen, Iowa State University
AIFS Abroad in San José, Costa Rica | Study Abroad Program
Major: Global Resource Systems and Wildlife Conservation and Ecology | Minor: Spanish and Political Science
What does it mean to you to be a Green Ambassador?
“To me, being a Green Ambassador means bridging the gap between global environmental stewardship and community engagement by turning local action into real momentum. It’s about inspiring my peers to practice conscious global citizenship by demonstrating that sustainable living and cross-cultural learning go hand in hand.”
How will this experience abroad tie back into your everyday life after you return from your program?
“Upon returning to Iowa, I’m excited for the opportunity to use my firsthand ecological insights to advocate more effectively for global habitat protection in both my everyday community and professional pursuits.”
Portia Calogero, California State University San Marcos
AIFS Abroad in Barcelona, Spain | Study Abroad Program
Major: Business | Minor: Marketing
What does it mean to you to be a Green Ambassador?
“To me, being a Green Ambassador means finding creative ways to make sustainability feel more realistic and interesting to other students. Since I’m interested in marketing, I’m excited to use content and storytelling to share what I learn in Barcelona and show that making better choices while abroad does not have to be difficult.”
How will this experience abroad tie back into your everyday life after you return from your program?
“When I come back, I want to bring what I learn to my campus and my sorority by helping make events and everyday habits more sustainable. I also want to use these ideas in my future marketing business and find ways to create successful campaigns without ignoring their environmental impact.”
Empowering climate advocates like our Fall 2026 Green Ambassadors and promoting sustainability is a top priority for AIFS Abroad as an organization.
In response to the overwhelming global climate crisis, AIFS Abroad has made sustainability a key priority when considering organizational, operational, and programming decisions. We understand that the only way to effectively combat this crisis and mitigate the effects of climate change is to drastically reduce our environmental impact. Therefore, we’ve committed to reaching carbon neutrality.
Our Green Initiative has three pillars:
- Green Business that includes auditing our own business practices and our program partners to reduce our consumption of finite resources and limiting our carbon footprint.
- Sustainability Education for both our program participants, through onsite engagement with local environmental projects, and within our industry as a leader in our field.
- Offsetting Carbon Emissions by purchasing verified carbon credits for all our program participants round trip flights to their program location.
