CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour Visits Park City

Tour highlights how BridgeUSA makes America safer, stronger, and more prosperous

Mar. 13, 2026 at 11:10pm

The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) brought its nationwide BridgeUSA Celebration Tour to Park City, Utah, this week, recognizing exceptional host employers and other supporters of international exchange programs in the state. The BridgeUSA program, powered by the U.S. Department of State, brings international college students to live and work in America during their university summer break, helping seasonal employers expand and extend the tourism season.

Why it matters

BridgeUSA programs bolster America's national security and strengthen public diplomacy by fostering mutual respect between Americans and people of other nations. The program also provides a significant economic and cultural benefit to hundreds of communities across America by enabling local businesses to extend their peak-season sales surge.

The details

In Park City alone, more than 1,200 BridgeUSA participants from the Southern Hemisphere support ski resorts and other local businesses during the busy winter recreation season. CIEE honored local host employers, supervisors, mentors, community leaders, and advocates for international exchange who help showcase the best of America to BridgeUSA participants.

  • The CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour began in June 2025 with stops in Ohio, Kentucky, and Montana.
  • This week's visit to Park City kicked off the 2026 leg of the tour, which will continue to Mackinac Island, Michigan, Wisconsin Dells, and Ocean City, Maryland.

The players

CIEE

The Council on International Educational Exchange, the organization behind the BridgeUSA Celebration Tour.

BridgeUSA

A U.S. Department of State program that brings international college students to live and work in America during their university summer break.

James P. Pellow, Ed.D.

President and CEO of CIEE, who stated that the BridgeUSA program "truly enriches all Americans."

Carye Duffin

Senior Vice President of External Affairs at CIEE, who said Utah provides BridgeUSA participants an "authentic lens into American culture."

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What they’re saying

“If BridgeUSA did not exist, someone would need to invent it, as it truly enriches all Americans.”

— James P. Pellow, Ed.D., President and CEO of CIEE

“Utah provides BridgeUSA participants an authentic lens into American culture.”

— Carye Duffin, Senior Vice President of External Affairs at CIEE

What’s next

The CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour will continue to Mackinac Island, Michigan, in June, Wisconsin Dells in August, and Ocean City, Maryland, in September.

The takeaway

The BridgeUSA program provides significant economic and cultural benefits to communities across America by enabling local businesses to extend their peak-season sales surge and fostering mutual respect between Americans and people of other nations.