04/04/2025
*New AFS Exchange Podcast Episode* Today we’re launching a special two-part episode of the AFS Exchange in honor of AFS Founders’ Day, which is coming up this Monday, April 7!
In this episode, we delve into the remarkable origins of our organization as the American Field Service, where young American volunteers courageously served as ambulance drivers during World War I, years before the US even officially entered the war. In conversation with historian Thomas Fife, host Kate Mulvihill explores the significant expansion of the American Field Service beyond its initial base in Paris, as it became a vital support element for the Allied forces.
That same spirit of the original WWI volunteers – that deep desire to connect with people across cultures – is alive and well in AFS volunteers today, whose story is just as vital, though thankfully less dramatic and dangerous. They are the modern-day drivers, working tirelessly to promote intercultural understanding, facilitate life-changing exchanges, and build lasting bridges between communities.
Visit afsusa.org/podcast/ -nav-s5-e2 to listen to this episode and learn about the many twists and turns that transformed the American Field Service into AFS as it exists today!
