LSI Wins First Grant Under New Partnership with FSU International Programs

Florida State University’s Learning Systems Institute (LSI) and the Center for Intensive English Studies (CIES), in partnership with the university’s International Programs (IP), have been selected to lead the Panama National English Contest Winners Study Program. Funded by the U.S. Embassy in Panama, the project is a weeklong immersive academic and cultural exchange in Tallahassee for up to 16 Panamanian high school finalists from the national English oratory contest.

The program combines university-level English language instruction delivered by CIES, career readiness workshops, civic and cultural programming, and structured engagement with Panamanian alumni of U.S. universities. Participants will represent all 16 of Panama’s educational regions and will be finalists in the country’s national English oratory contest.

“We are thrilled to have been selected to lead this project and thankful for the trust placed in our entire project team by the U.S. Embassy in Panama,” said LSI Director Rabieh Razzouk. “We hope that this grant will be one of many that highlight the collaboration among FSU departments bringing  together experts from all over campus and are executed by LSI.”

The project aims to strengthen participants’ English proficiency and public speaking confidence, position the United States as the preferred destination for higher education and professional development, and expand participants’ professional networks through alumni mentorship.

“Florida State University, through the combined strengths of LSI, CIES and IP, is uniquely positioned to deliver a transformative, high-quality experience for Panama’s national oratory finalists,” said Razzouk. “Students will leave Tallahassee with stronger academic English skills, a firsthand understanding of university life in the United States, meaningful connections with Panamanian students at FSU, and lasting memories of cultural and scientific discovery.”

The Panama National English Contest Winners Study Program will host students representing Panama’s provinces and Indigenous comarcas, including Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Coclé, Colón, Darién, Herrera, Los Santos, Panamá Centro, Panamá Este, Panamá Norte, Panamá Oeste, San Miguelito, Veraguas, Comarca Emberá-Wounaan and Comarca Guna Yala.

English language instruction will be delivered by CIES each morning. The curriculum includes two structured public speaking activities during the program, building on participants’ existing strengths and further developing their confidence communicating in English before an audience.

Each afternoon, students will engage in a structured rotation of cultural, civic, career and professional experiences designed to support the embassy’s program objectives. Throughout these activities, Panamanian alumni and FSU employees currently living and working in the United States will serve as guest speakers, panelists and informal mentors.

“We are looking forward to welcoming these exceptional young leaders and are committed to delivering a program that honors the vision of the Panamanian Ministry of Education, the U.S. Embassy in Panama and Florida State University’s decades-long commitment to supporting education in Panama,” said Razzouk.

This is the first grant resulting from a recently announced partnership between LSI and FSU International Programs. The partnership was established to allow the university to benefit from the processes, relationships and logistical infrastructure LSI has spent nearly six decades developing. The team at LSI is working with the provost and the Office of Research to help establish FSU as a leader in international education, academic initiatives and service projects.

“This marks our first official grant under the new partnership between International Programs and LSI and supports FSU’s broader internationalization initiatives,” said Razzouk. “I am especially excited about this milestone and what it represents for our future collaboration.”