Transition to Success (TTS)
PROGRAM GOALS:
The Transition to Success Program is designed to support higher education opportunities for Afghan students, particularly women and girls inside Afghanistan, and to maintain an educated workforce for political and economic stabilization in Afghanistan.
The program will be conducted according to principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility (DEIA) – the same tenets which infuse AUAF’s core values of freedom and responsibility, pluralism, free expression and inquiry, equal opportunity, individual rights, tolerance, and honorable personal and professional behavior. The program will be completed in one year. We need students who are committed and punctual throughout the program.
This program is designed for students who have completed grade 9 th , 10 th or 11 th and who were unable to finish their studies due to the ban on girls’ education inside Afghanistan.
TTS Program Objectives
1
Prepare students who have already studied at the secondary level with qualifications for potential admission to the American University of Afghanistan.
2
Increase the ability of young Afghans in Afghanistan to access higher education opportunities, in
particular women and girls and those from marginalized and lower-income communities.
TTS Success Story
“What is your education in your mind, in your heart, in your soul? What is it for?” asked AUAF President Ian Bickford in his remarks to students during a completion ceremony for the institution’s Transition to Success (TTS) program. “Is it because of inherent curiosity about the world? Is it because something drives you to learn more and to know more, and to find out more about the world that you live in, about the country you live in, about the people around you, and about the great mysteries of the university?" AUAF celebrated the graduation of 82 students, who completed the second iteration of the TTS program, on November 21, 2024. Piloted in October 2023 with the support of the U.S. government, the TTS program supports high school-aged Afghan students, particularly women and girls, and prepares them for higher education opportunities. It also seeks to maintain an educated workforce, which is critical for Afghan youth seeking education in the future. Along with President Bickford and AUAF Provost and VP of Academic Affairs Dr. Victoria Fontan, Mr. Mario Crifo, Counselor for Public Affairs, U.S. Mission to Afghanistan, and other partners from the U.S. government expressed their unwavering support for the graduates in their commendable achievement for completing this program and committing to further their academic pursuits. “In this program, you have gained knowledge and skills, but even more importantly, you have learned from one another,” said Provost Fontan. “You have built partnerships, shared perspectives, and supported each other. These connections are a reminder that education is not just an individual journey; it is a shared progression, one that is stronger when we move forward together.” Mr. Crifo, representing the U.S. Mission to Afghanistan, added, “It is fitting that this ceremony takes place during International Education Week. Each year during International Education Week, we are reminded that students should have the right to learn anything they want, anywhere they want.” Two recent graduates from the TTS program shared their gratitude to the supporters and advocates of education in Afghanistan for facilitating such an instructive educational program at AUAF. In closing, John Stanlake, AUAF’s Director of Pre-University Programs, encouraged the graduates to focus on learning and experience opportunities that will shape their journey. “As you move forward, whatever path you take, remember that this success is not a destination, but a journey. Keep pushing boundaries, keep asking questions, keep seeking solutions, lean on the lessons that you have learned in this program, and let them guide you to even greater achievement.”
