The University of Texas at Austin is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the people of Texas and the United States. We are a leading provider of education and research with a depth and diversity of resources unmatched by most other public universities. As an enduring symbol of the spirit of Texas—big, ambitious and bold—the university drives economic and social progress in Texas and serves our nation as a leading center of knowledge and creativity.

The Center for Middle Eastern Studies, established in 1960, offers some 200 Middle East language and area studies courses each year. The Center provides a supportive environment for faculty researching and teaching on the Middle East throughout the University, which are carried out by 150 scholars with faculty appointments in 22 departments. The Center offers an interdisciplinary program in Middle Eastern Studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The stature of its faculty and the quality of special programs such as conferences, educational outreach, and the publication of scholarly and literary works, have brought the Center national and international recognition in the field of Middle Eastern studies.

The Institute of Interfaith Dialog (IID) grew out of the need to address the question, "How can citizens of the world live in peace and harmony?" From this question a conversation took root and began to grow. The founding members of the IID knew from personal experience that a discussion on religion and spirituality did not have to digress into confusion, fighting, and anarchy. On the contrary the founding members understood that peace could be achieved by sharing different perspectives by listening to each other from the space of love, respect, tolerance, mercy, and compassion.

Rain Drop Foundation is a non-profit organization established in Houston, TX in 2000 solely for educational and cultural purposes. Our goals are:

• To introduce Turkish Culture and establish bridges between different culture
• To fulfill the cultural and social needs of Turkish-Americans who reside in Texas and neighboring states
• To provide students and the public with a variety of educational services i.e. K-12 and SAT tutoring, ESL classes, Turkish classes and educational consulting (we help the students find the best college or graduate school that meet their qualifications and future goals)
• To help newcomers adapt the life in the US. This includes the health system, school district information, the tips when renting a place or buying a car and so forth.