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The 11th Annual Ambassador Johnny and Angie Young Civic Leadership Summit kicked off Aug. 5, 2025, at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach.
Named in honor of Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young, whose legacy of public service and diplomacy continues to build bridges across cultures, the summit celebrates the best of the U.S. Department of State's BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Program, a transformative program that invites international college students to live and work in the United States during their summer break — deepening cultural understanding, fueling local economies, and sparking friendships that span the globe.
Since its founding, the Young Civic Leadership Summit has helped more than 450 BridgeUSA participants from around the world develop the skills needed to be changemakers.
The 2025 Young Civic Leadership Fellows are 50 young leaders hailing from 29 countries who have spent the summer supporting the staffing needs of 39 different host employers across the United States.
In Myrtle Beach, the Fellows received intensive training on leadership, practiced intercultural collaboration, and developed a deeper understanding of how to affect positive change in their communities and the world.
They had the opportunity to meet Rebecca Pasini, deputy assistant secretary for Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and they gave back to the local community by engaging in one of three service projects, supporting either Palmetto Works, The Shepherd's Table Community Kitchen and Pantry, or Keep Myrtle Beach Beautiful.
Top sponsors of this year's summit include Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and Skanska.
"We are proud to support this event that allows extraordinary BridgeUSA participants to explore a new part of the United States and to experience firsthand the diversity and values that define the American spirit," said Amy Therien, vice president of People Operations for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
Therien added, "We hope participants leave this summit with a deeper appreciation for their international peers, a lasting connection to a new American community, and a clearer sense of their unique potential as global changemakers."
"When the Young Civic Leadership Fellows return to their home countries, they carry with them not only a deeper understanding of leadership and social impact, but also a network of peers who will support them on their journeys for years to come," said James P. Pellow, president and CEO of CIEE.
Since 1947, CIEE has supported more than 1 million student exchanges for participants from more than 140 countries.
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