Dear Friends,

Summer 2025 flew by! Now that the new academic year has started, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the last few months.

Thanks to our dedicated, tireless, and hardworking UB-based staff, interns, and volunteers, ACMS successfully pulled off one of our busiest summers. From delivering our Mongolia Field Schools and Intensive Summer Language Program, to hosting the UPenn Global Seminar and a professional development program for California K-12 teachers (sponsored by UC Berkeley’s Tang Center for Silk Road Studies), to organizing some of our best-attended Speaker Series events, this past summer was unlike any other.

We have big dreams and exciting possibilities on the horizon, including the Under Shared Blue Skies conference in Denver from November 7-9, 2025, Summer 2026 Field Schools, new speakers, and other opportunities I can’t wait to share with you.

However, the future is looking increasingly uncertain.

As you may already know, last week the Department of Education terminated funding to numerous international and foreign language education programs, including the grant that supports ACMS. Last month, the State Department also announced that they plan to cut a long list of international education grant programs, including the one that funds our Field Research, Language, and Library Fellowships.

Cutting these grant programs is a tremendous loss on many levels, and it is difficult not to lose hope. However, we must act now.

ACMS is a special community of thoughtful, caring, and intelligent people who understand the importance of cross-cultural exchange and international education. We have spent the last 23 years striving to be a hub for students, scholars, researchers, faculty, and lifelong learners connected by a shared love of Mongolian Studies. You—our program alumni, fellows, language students, speakers, event attendees, conference participants, library visitors, and so many others—are the reason we exist.

Now, I respectfully ask you to consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us weather this unprecedented storm. No amount is too small, and your support will go a long way toward allowing us to continue offering the engaging educational programming you have come to value.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support in any amount. I am confident that together we can ensure another 23 years of ACMS.

Sincerely,