Goli Ameri, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Cuts Ribbon for New EducationUSA Office in HCMC

Cutting the ribbon (from left to right): IIE Vietnam Director Mark Ashwill, Assistant Secretary Goli Ameri, Consul General Ken Fairfax, and Ministry of Education and Training representative Mr. Do Quoc Anh

Ms. Goli Ameri, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs participated in a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new EducationUSA advising and information office here in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday, September 24. The new office is a spacious, convenient and state-of-the-art facility designed to welcome larger numbers of students and others interested in studying in the United States.

"I am delighted to inaugurate the EducationUSA Center. It is the high point of my visit to Vietnam, because in fact it helps America open her doors wider to welcome Vietnam's students," noted Assistant Secretary Ameri. "Vietnam is now the twentieth-leading place of origin for students coming to the United States. This is the first time Vietnam has ranked in the top twenty sending places of origin. With this new, larger, and more centrally located office, we will be able to increase the momentum of interest that Vietnamese students are showing for study in the United States."

EducationUSA advising officers, administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), provide free, accurate information on the U.S. educational system and advice on study opportunities in the United States to students, parents, educators, and members of the general public on behalf of the United States government. The new advising center is located at 11 bis Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Da Kao Ward, District 1, HCMC (tel. 08 3911 8092; fax: 08 3911 8093). Students are welcome to visit for more information.