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Learning Adventures Faculty & Student Study Tours Want to know what to expect in our study tours? Take a look at past itineraries. Itinerary #1 Itinerary #2 Discover Morocco with a program designed for secondary and university teachers and faculty. This study tour will give American educators the chance to develop a broad appreciation for the history and Arab-Islamic culture of the Kingdom of Morocco whose friendly relations with the United States date back over 200 years. Participants will focus on issues related to areas such as education, politics, languages, and civil society. We also explore women's issues in the arts, agriculture, administration, and government as powerful traditional and increasingly contemporary forces in Morocco. Each educator will join the program with a clearly defined point of emphasis they intend to take back to their classrooms and AMA will make sure they have access to the information needed to design their classroom experience. The program is specifically designed to expose educators to unique Moroccan experiences through one-to-one exchanges with community leaders, civil society, and government entities. Each curated trip is led by highly qualified speakers and guides who will help us navigate various historical sites, family home visits, and community organizations. When they return to the USA, they will carefully integrate their learnings into the academic curriculum of American schools and universities. ​ To date, AMA estimates that this program and the experiences shared by our participants in their classrooms have impacted over 5000 students and educators in the North Texas region. Building Bridges One Educator At a Time. I'm interested in participating Let us know if you'd like to join us on one of our curated trips. Tell us a little about your interests and submit the form below. I am a: University Professor Secondary School Teacher Undergraduate Student Graduate/PhD Student Secondary School Student International Studies Administrator I want to subscribe to the newsletter and receive email updates from AMA Submit Thanks for submitting!

Service Learning Programs Our service-learning programs are more than "travel tourism." Each program is designed to enhance your chosen academic or career path with emersion into what you already love. Our programs are an excellent opportunity for you to increase your competencies and to get experience in the real world of a topic you want to learn about that can be applied to your personal goals and objectives. Service learning adds real-life experiences to what teachers, institutions, and workplaces perceive as relevant learning, and exposes you to the issues of the world and how you make a difference. ​ Experts in the agricultural sector, academic institutions and faculty members, and buyers and product development professionals are the main subjects of our attention. We curate programs for our participants to gain new insights into these various fields. Our excursions are intimate, focused journeys that lead you off the beaten path to discover new opportunities and creative ways of looking at global challenges. Your enjoyment and adventure are made possible by the fact that each tour is tailored to the group's interests. Additionally, you will learn about important issues and sectors connected to your fields of study and career objectives through cultural and technical exchange. ​ Through service, we learn. Sustainable Farming Email AMA to learn more: AMA@americanmoroccanalliance.com Please tell us your name, academic institution (if applicable), and agricultural specialization. English As A Second Language Want to work with young students in the rural mountains of Morocco to introduce them to English? Email AMA to learn more: AMA@americanmoroccanalliance.com Product Development We connect Moroccan artisans with retailers and product development teams in the US. Buyers can work with the artisans without the middleman. We can introduce your team. Email AMA to learn more: AMA@americanmoroccanalliance.com Physical & Occupational Therapy AMA partners with a rehabilitation center in Marrakech where you can share your talent with those who need your help. This volunteer program is for one month, and includes cultural visits in Marrakech and nearby coastal and desert cities. Email AMA to learn more: AMA@americanmoroccanalliance.com

< Back Melissa Hendrickson Study Tour & Virtual Exchange Director As Study Tour & Virtual Exchange Director, Melissa's primary responsibility is to promote, organize, administer and lead AMA's exchange programs. She is based in the US and will be the primary USA liaison for our programs. Melissa has 12 years of experience developing and delivering faculty-led, agriculture-based study abroad programs for university students, faculty, and administrators. She taught agribusiness at North Carolina State University for 20 years and was the owner/operator of Farmer Mac's Berries blueberry farm for over 35 years. She has worked with AMA on virtual exchanges for the past 2 years and has joined AMA to expand her past faculty-lead program success to include in-country teacher programs targeted to specific academic interests and disciplines. Melissa earned her Doctorate of Education in Agricultural and Extension Education from North Carolina State University, Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from New Mexico State University, and her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business Management from North Carolina State University. Most recently she held the position of Coordinator and Senior Lecturer of Agribusiness Management at NCSU where, among her other responsibilities, she created, developed, led, and evaluated international programs in the United Kingdom, Italy, Croatia, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Descriptions of these study tours can be found in the attached file. International Programs .pdf Download PDF • 75KB . americanmoroccanalliance@gmail.com

< Back Ahmed Yanouri Founder, President & Executive Director Based in Arlington, Texas just outside of Dallas, Ahmed is the visionary and founder behind American Moroccan Alliance, a US nonprofit organization focused on education and fostering intercultural understanding between the US and Morocco. As a world traveler with a lifetime of international experience and service, Ahmed envisioned study programs allowing collaboration and exchange between teachers in the U.S. and Morocco, as well as joint projects with leading academic institutions and Moroccan civil society. Ahmed was born in Berkane, Morocco and after completing his undergraduate studies at Mohammed V University in Rabat, he earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology in the USA. He settled in Arlington, Texas where he has remained active in the local community for the past 25 years. Ahmed was among the few Muslim leaders to be invited by President George Bush to the 2008 Iftar dinner at the White House. He was also a guest of the State Department to President Obama’s inauguration ceremony and a guest of President and Mrs. Obama to a reception at the White House in 2009. Local recognition includes the DFW International Community Alliance Award for “African Businessman of the Year” for North Texas. As a past board member of DFW World Affairs Council, Ahmed actively promotes economic and social development while "wearing two hats" - one American and one Moroccan. Currently, he has several entrepreneurial ventures in Morocco and the USA including a carob processing factory in Morocco that is generating jobs and opening international markets within the Moroccan agrobusiness field. Texas is home to his two hotels including the Hampton Inn at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, TX. Always on the go, whether the hospitality sector, international business development, or as a community volunteer, Ahmed has a passion for humanity and is an activist working for peace and awareness in the global world we live in. americanmoroccanalliance@gmailcom

Faces of Our Organization Since our founding in 2012, American Moroccan Alliance has developed and grown in a positive direction. We’re very proud of the diversity of our staff, and their abilities to contribute their own unique experience and skills to our success. Find out more about some of our team members below. Ahmed Yanouri Founder, President & Executive Director As the visionary behind AMA, Ahmed leads its mission to build cultural and economic connections between Morocco and the US through dialogue, advocacy, collaborative service, and education. His efforts have also produced business opportunities in both the US & Morocco. Read more Elaine Obenshain Marketing & Development Director Elaine is responsible for marketing, promotional materials, graphic design, website development, and training plan development. She co-creates the program's itineraries and is responsible for site arrangements and in-country travel. She focuses on strategic planning, program development, and quality control, and she is the liaison to the US Study Tour Director for all AMA programs. Read more Melissa Hendrickson Study Tour & Virtual Exchange Director Melissa has significant agribusiness teaching experience, virtual exchange facilitation, and international program development and delivery. Her academic training and her hands-on classroom experience uniquely qualifies her for the role of directing AMA exchange programs. She is a solution-focused team player with a detailed and organized approach to planning. Be sure to click to read more about her previous faculty-lead study tours. Read more

Faces of Our Organization Since our founding in 2012, American Moroccan Alliance has developed and grown in a positive direction. We’re very proud of the diversity of our staff, and their abilities to contribute their own unique experience and skills to our success. Find out more about some of our team members below. Ahmed Yanouri Founder, President & Executive Director As the visionary behind AMA, Ahmed leads its mission to build cultural and economic connections between Morocco and the US through dialogue, advocacy, collaborative service, and education. His efforts have also produced business opportunities in both the US & Morocco. Read more Elaine Obenshain Marketing & Development Director Elaine is responsible for marketing, promotional materials, graphic design, website development, and training plan development. She co-creates the program's itineraries and is responsible for site arrangements and in-country travel. She focuses on strategic planning, program development, and quality control, and she is the liaison to the US Study Tour Director for all AMA programs. Read more Melissa Hendrickson Study Tour & Virtual Exchange Director Melissa has significant agribusiness teaching experience, virtual exchange facilitation, and international program development and delivery. Her academic training and her hands-on classroom experience uniquely qualifies her for the role of directing AMA exchange programs. She is a solution-focused team player with a detailed and organized approach to planning. Be sure to click to read more about her previous faculty-lead study tours. Read more

< Back Elaine Obenshain Marketing & Development Director Elaine’s retail and wholesale background spans 35+ years working with international and national brands and retailers including JCPenney, Sears, Petrie Corp. and Williamson-Dickies Workwear. She has collaborated on associate customer training programs with leading international brands including Nike, Addis, Dockers, Levi, Dickies, and more. Her roles include brand marketing, visual design, and corporate training. Her life focus has shifted to teaching and social entrepreneurialism with emphasis on empowering local artisans. The virtual exchange program, ENGAGE, was conceived and designed by Elaine and sponsored by the Mohammed VI Polytechnique University's agricultural department, ESAFE. Stevens Initiative was the grantor for this program. Through facilitated dialogues and intentional activities, students develop critical cultural awareness skills that are relevant in today’s global workforce while helping students develop a true #worldclassconnection. In addition to her teaching activities, Elaine co-founded a start-up export company, AMCO to facilitate a growing artisan wholesale export business. She is passionate about her work with American Moroccan Alliance. Elaine possesses a lifelong enthusiasm for exploring the cultures, religions, histories and politics of the world with a focus on Morocco where she has resided for the past six years. americanmoroccanalliance@gmail.com

< Back Melissa Hendrickson Study Tour & Virtual Exchange Director As Study Tour & Virtual Exchange Director, Melissa's primary responsibility is to promote, organize, administer and lead AMA's exchange programs. She is based in the US and will be the primary USA liaison for our programs. Melissa has 12 years of experience developing and delivering faculty-led, agriculture-based study abroad programs for university students, faculty, and administrators. She taught agribusiness at North Carolina State University for 20 years and was the owner/operator of Farmer Mac's Berries blueberry farm for over 35 years. She has worked with AMA on virtual exchanges for the past 2 years and has joined AMA to expand her past faculty-lead program success to include in-country teacher programs targeted to specific academic interests and disciplines. Melissa earned her Doctorate of Education in Agricultural and Extension Education from North Carolina State University, Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from New Mexico State University, and her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business Management from North Carolina State University. Most recently she held the position of Coordinator and Senior Lecturer of Agribusiness Management at NCSU where, among her other responsibilities, she created, developed, led, and evaluated international programs in the United Kingdom, Italy, Croatia, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Descriptions of these study tours can be found in the attached file. International Programs .pdf Download PDF • 75KB . americanmoroccanalliance@gmail.com

< Back Ahmed Yanouri Founder, President & Executive Director Based in Arlington, Texas just outside of Dallas, Ahmed is the visionary and founder behind American Moroccan Alliance, a US nonprofit organization focused on education and fostering intercultural understanding between the US and Morocco. As a world traveler with a lifetime of international experience and service, Ahmed envisioned study programs allowing collaboration and exchange between teachers in the U.S. and Morocco, as well as joint projects with leading academic institutions and Moroccan civil society. Ahmed was born in Berkane, Morocco and after completing his undergraduate studies at Mohammed V University in Rabat, he earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology in the USA. He settled in Arlington, Texas where he has remained active in the local community for the past 25 years. Ahmed was among the few Muslim leaders to be invited by President George Bush to the 2008 Iftar dinner at the White House. He was also a guest of the State Department to President Obama’s inauguration ceremony and a guest of President and Mrs. Obama to a reception at the White House in 2009. Local recognition includes the DFW International Community Alliance Award for “African Businessman of the Year” for North Texas. As a past board member of DFW World Affairs Council, Ahmed actively promotes economic and social development while "wearing two hats" - one American and one Moroccan. Currently, he has several entrepreneurial ventures in Morocco and the USA including a carob processing factory in Morocco that is generating jobs and opening international markets within the Moroccan agrobusiness field. Texas is home to his two hotels including the Hampton Inn at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, TX. Always on the go, whether the hospitality sector, international business development, or as a community volunteer, Ahmed has a passion for humanity and is an activist working for peace and awareness in the global world we live in. americanmoroccanalliance@gmailcom

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