Tenth stop of CIEE’s nationwide tour celebrated exceptional host employers and other community leaders of BridgeUSA in Michigan

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) was in historic Mackinac Island this week for the tenth stop on its nationwide BridgeUSA Celebration Tour that spotlights how international exchange programs powered by the U.S. Department of State are making America safer through diplomacy, stronger through global collaboration, and more prosperous through innovation and shared opportunity.

In picturesque Mackinac Island, CIEE honored supporters of the BridgeUSA Intern-Trainee program, which gives U.S. host organizations access to diverse, globally minded talent. CIEE also celebrated champions of the BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program, which brings international college students to live and work in America during their university summer break, helping seasonal employers expand and extend the tourism season by an average of 50 days, contributing billions of dollars to the American economy each year.

BridgeUSA Makes America Safer and Stronger

BridgeUSA is one of America’s most powerful public diplomacy tools. By connecting future global leaders with American communities, it fosters mutual understanding, strengthens international relationships, and creates lifelong advocates for the United States around the world.

BridgeUSA Makes America More Prosperous

BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel participants enable thousands of local businesses to extend the duration of their peak-season sales surge, which, in turn, allows local businesses to employ more Americans for a longer seasonal period.

About the CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour

In 2025, the CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration tour visited: family-favorite Kentucky Kingdom, stunning Yellowstone National Park, majestic Big Sky, Montana, beloved Myrtle Beach, and historic San Antonio. The 2026 leg of the tour kicked off with a March visit to premier ski destination Park City. Future stops include fun-filled Wisconsin Dells in August and vibrant Ocean City, Maryland, in September.

If you are interested in participating in a future CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration event, please reach out to Carye Duffin, CIEE Senior Vice President of External Affairs, at CDuffin@ciee.org.

About CIEE:

CIEE builds bridges between different people, different countries, and different cultures. For nearly 80 years, we have helped young people participate in high-quality international exchange and study abroad programs that bring the world together. Since 1947, CIEE has supported more than 1.5 million student exchanges for participants from more than 140 countries. We change lives, our alumni change the world. Learn more at ciee.org. 

Media Contact: Leslie Taylor, ltaylor@ciee.org, (207) 553-4274

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ciee-bridgeusa-celebration-tour-visits-mackinac-island-michigan-to-highlight-how-bridgeusa-makes-america-safer-stronger-and-more-prosperous-302811133.html

SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)