About ERDT
Educational Resource Development Trust (ERDT), a nonprofit educational foundation, was established in 1974 and has, since its inception, been successfully involved in working with international students — both individually and in groups — for short-term and long-term educational and home stay programs. In the 1970s, ERDT was primarily involved in administering scholarships for employees of foreign government agencies and multinational corporations for study at U.S. colleges and universities.
In 1980, ERDT was designated by the United States Information Agency (now part of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs) to sponsor a Teenager High School Exchange Program — our SHARE! High School Exchange Program. ERDT/SHARE! now places more than 700 international students a year with American host families while they attend local high schools. ERDT also organizes short-term home stays, outbound programs for Americans, and administers a J1 Work / Travel program, which brings 300-400 university students to the U.S.A. each year to work in seasonal jobs.
The goal of ERDT is to provide opportunities for people of different cultures to come together to learn about other points of view and ways of life. We at ERDT believe that cross-cultural understanding is fundamental to developing mutual respect and tolerance between Americans and people from around the world. Our programs provide cultural experiences that foster good will, tolerance, and understanding through a positive people-to-people experience.
I’ve never heard of ERDT. Why?
Compared with some of the bigger sponsors in J1 Work/Travel, ERDT is quite small. Whereas big sponsors may bring tens of thousands of students to the USA each year, ERDT brings only 300-400. Our “boutique” size allows us to provide personalized, meaningful support to each of our students.
We are a U.S. Department of State designated program. Click here to see the list of programs.
ERDT undergoes rigorous steps each year to qualify for full listing (the highest level granted) with the Council for Standards on International Educational Travel (CSIET): CSIET Advisory List
The J1 Work/Travel Program
The J1 Work/Travel program provides foreign students with an opportunity to live and work in the United States during their vacation from college or university to experience and to be exposed to the people and way of life in the United States. College and University students enrolled full time and pursuing studies at post-secondary accredited academic institutions located outside the United States come to the United States to share their culture and ideas with people of the United States through temporary work and travel opportunities.
J1 Work/Travel Students must be:
Sufficiently proficient in English to successfully interact in an English speaking environment;
Post-secondary school students enrolled in and actively pursuing a degree or other full-time course of study at an accredited classroom based, post-secondary educational institution outside the United States;
Have successfully completed at least one semester or equivalent of post-secondary academic study; and
Pre-placed in a job prior to entry unless from a visa waiver country.
ERDT Program Director Emily Pesavento
ERDT Program Director Emily Pesavento joined ERDT in 2005. During college, Emily worked in Nepal at Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, providing orientation and support to guests from all over the world between their elephant safaris, Land Rover rides and river safaris. Now she is excited to welcome students to the USA to have a great cultural experience and learn what it is like to work in the USA!
ERDT Participants
Winter 2019-2020
