named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
FLEX Program
U.S. Government-sponsored exchange opportunity for students from specific countries; PAX serves as the U.S. partner organization providing host families and support services.
PAX Exchange Program
Places international high school students aged 15–18 with U.S. host families for one semester or one academic year; includes orientation, school enrollment, and ongoing support through Community Coordinators.
YES Program
U.S. Government-sponsored exchange program for students from countries with significant Muslim populations; PAX acts as the U.S. implementing partner for host family placement and student support.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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High School Exchange Programs 6 activities
- Administer high school exchange programs for international students in the U.S.Operates academic-year and semester-long exchange programs for nearly 1,000 international high school students annually, placing them with U.S. host families and enrolling them in American high schools. Programs last 10 months or 5 months, beginning in August/September or January.
- Facilitate U.S. study abroad opportunities for high school studentsProvides study abroad opportunities for U.S. high school students through cultural exchange programs, including placement with host families abroad and structured educational activities focused on global learning.
- Provide academic and compliance support for exchange studentsEnsures exchange students maintain a minimum grade of “C” in all courses, coordinates school enrollment through signed forms, and provides certification for schools hosting multiple students. Submits placements for school approval and monitors academic progress in collaboration with school staff.
- Recruit and vet U.S. host families for exchange studentsConducts home visits, interviews, and reference checks to approve U.S. host families, ensuring safe and supportive environments for international exchange students placed in their care.
- Sponsor J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor ProgramsDesignated by the U.S. Department of State as a sponsor of the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program, facilitating legal entry and cultural exchange compliance for international high school students participating in its programs.
- Support scholarship exchange students from FLEX and YES programsAdministers exchange programs for high-achieving students from Eurasia, Europe, and Mongolia through the U.S. Department of State’s FLEX and YES scholarship programs, including merit-based selection and structured educational enhancement on American culture, democracy, and leadership.
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Admissions and Enrollment Support Services 1 activity
- Conduct pre-departure and on-site orientations for exchange studentsProvides pre-departure orientations in students’ home countries and local orientations upon arrival in the U.S., including five structured orientation sessions for FLEX students covering pre-departure and re-entry topics.
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Residential Camp Health & Safety Services 1 activity
- Deliver health, safety, and emergency support for exchange participantsProvides 24/7 emergency support through a national on-call hotline and local coordinators, ensures all exchange students have health insurance and personal spending money, and maintains communication with families during crises such as the pandemic.
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Fund community organizations through host family referral programDonates $150 to a nonprofit or community group for each new U.S. family that hosts a PAX exchange student as a result of their outreach, channeling referral-based giving to support local organizations.
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Student-Led Community Service Programs 1 activity
- Require and support community engagement by exchange studentsRequires all exchange students to participate in community volunteering, with scholarship recipients (FLEX and YES) completing at least 30 hours of service. Supports cultural presentations and virtual exchanges between U.S. schools and schools in students’ home countries.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$8.56M
Contributions & grants$3.09M36%
Program service revenue$5.11M60%
Investment income$364K4%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$8.51M
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$3.19M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.20M
Cash$2.14M
Investments$1.11M
Liabilities$1.69M
Net assets$2.51M
Liquid reserves4.6 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -3.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Smith | President & CEO | 40 | $288K |
| Sarah Fellows | Vice President | 40 | $158K |
| Matthew Stainback | VP, Field Ops | 40 | $150K |
board members · 8
- Edward Massey — Chairman
- Jane Spalding — Director
- Kevin McQuade — Director
- Rob Fenstermacher — Director
- Rodney Gould — Director
- Scott Meadows — Director
- Tom Whitehouse — Director
- Walter Stewart — Director
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Council on Standards for International Educational Travel Network — Grants PAX full listing in its Advisory List for international educational travel programs.
- Council on Standards for International Educational Travel Partner — Accrediting body that grants full listing in the Advisory List, certifying compliance with international educational travel standards.
- FLEX Program Partner — Collaborates with the FLEX Program to sponsor U.S. Government-funded exchange students.
- FLEX Program Partner — International partner program that selects students for U.S. high school exchange; PAX serves as U.S. sponsor and host family coordinator
- PAX Laurasian Exchange Partner — PAX is a program of PAX Laurasian Exchange and operates under its umbrella.
- PAX Laurasian Exchange Partner — PAX is a program of PAX Laurasian Exchange.
- PAX Laurasian Exchange Partner — Program of Academic Exchange is a program of PAX Laurasian Exchange.
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designated sponsor of the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designated sponsor of the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program.
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designated sponsor of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program and primary government partner.
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designates PAX as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designates PAX as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor and partners with PAX on government scholarship programs.
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designates PAX as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.
- U.S. Department of State Government — Designates Program of Academic Exchange as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.
- U.S. Department of State Government — Federal agency that sponsors the FLEX program and designates PAX as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.
- U.S. Department of State Government — PAX is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.
- YES Program Partner — Collaborates with the YES Program to sponsor U.S. Government-funded exchange students.
- YES Program Partner — International partner program that selects students for U.S. high school exchange; PAX serves as U.S. sponsor and host family coordinator
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Cultural Immersion Through Host Familiesmethodology: cultural_immersion_through_host_familiesBy placing international students with U.S. host families, we foster deep mutual cultural understanding because shared daily life and familial integration create more transformative and lasting cross-cultural learning than tourism or classroom-only experiences.
- Education-Diplomacy Integrationmethodology: education-diplomacy_integrationBy partnering with U.S. high schools to host international students, we advance foreign policy goals through people-to-people engagement, because educational exchange builds long-term international goodwill and strengthens diplomatic ties at the community level.
- Participant-Centered Exchange Experiencemethodology: participant-centered_exchangeBy designing deeply positive and individually supported experiences for participants, we ensure successful cultural exchange outcomes because transformative personal experiences drive lasting attitudinal change and global engagement.
- Reciprocal Exchange Modelmethodology: reciprocal_exchangeBy supporting U.S. students in international exchange, we increase U.S. family participation in hosting international students, because mutual opportunity fosters broader community engagement and sustains program equity and goodwill.
- Youth Ambassador Modelmethodology: youth_ambassador_modelBy positioning exchange students as youth ambassadors integrated into schools and communities, we advance mutual understanding because sustained personal relationships humanize cultural differences and transform students into agents of informal diplomacy.