GMR Varalakshmi Foundation’s ‘Gifted Child’ selected for the US government’s Community College Initiative Programme
Hyderabad: A ‘Gifted Child’, studying at GMR Varalakshmi Foundation (GMRVF) run educational institute, has made an exemplary achievement by bagging an opportunity to pursue the course of her choice under the Community College Initiative Programme (CCIP) sponsored by the Department of State, United States of America.
Ms. Yendava Reshma will soon fly to the US to pursue her dream course. Reshma is currently studying B.SC. (CBZ) at SGCSR College, Rajam, VIZIANAGARAM District, Andhra Pradesh, run by GMRVF, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of GMR Group. Reshma has cleared all the hurdles to participate in the CCIP this year.
Reshma hails from Menthipeta SC Colony of Rajam. Her father abandoned the family soon after her mother’s death when she was less than a year old. She is now under the care of her grandmother, surviving on a senior citizen’s pension. Reshma was selected under the GMRVF’s Gifted Children scheme. The Gifted Children scheme seeks to identify, encourage and financially support the education of underprivileged meritorious children from GMRVF’s target communities to enable them to unleash their inherent potential. Under the Scheme, selected children from under-privileged families are supported from Std. I till they get their first job. Apart from joining them in quality schools and bearing their complete educational expenses, the Foundation also provides coaching, tuitions, counseling support to these children so that they can excel in their personal and professional lives. Reshma is one such Gifted Children of GMRVF whose education since her 1st Standard has been supported by GMRVF.
Recognizing her potential, GMRVF encouraged Reshma to apply for CCIP program. Reshma has successfully cleared all the stages of the selection process with the coaching and guidance provided by GMRVF. As a result, she has opted to study Agricultural Geo Special Technology at Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, USA.
Commenting on Reshma’s achievement, DR. Ashwani Lohani, CEO – GMRVF, said, “GMR Varalakshmi Foundation is committed to providing quality education and empowering underprivileged students. Over the years, talented students from GMRVF institutions were selected for CCIP. The objective of this program was to give global exposure and learning to underprivileged students from the local communities. This will help the students to also understand various cultural nuances across continents.”
With the patronage of the US Department of State, the CCIP supports deserving candidates from other countries to study at an American community college for one year. Candidates from under-privileged backgrounds are only selected for this program. The stages in the selection process include screening and shortlisting candidates by the US Consulate, Telephonic/face-to-face interviews with shortlisted candidates, and Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) test for the candidates. Post shortlisting, the American government bears the entire expense of the selected candidates – course-related expenses, airfare, boarding and lodging expenses, books and medical aid. Further, the candidates are also paid a monthly stipend to meet other incidental expenses.
GMRVF has been partnering with the US Consulate at Hyderabad and facilitating admission of the students in this program since 2015. It has been grooming the short-listed candidates and providing them every support in all the stages till they have succeeded in getting admissions. With the selection of Reshma, GMRVF facilitated candidates selected for the CCIP have reached 11. Some students who returned from the US after completing the courses successfully got employment in reputed companies, while others are pursuing their higher education.