(Posted October 3, 2016)

            HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College has formed a partnership with Next-Genius, a Mumbai, India-based educational initiative that identifies talented students in India and matches them with colleges in the United States that offer curriculums that focus on critical thinking.

            Juniata will award a full-tuition scholarship to one of the top candidates that emerge from a nationwide competition sponsored by Next Genius. According to the Next Genius website, Next-Genius.com, thousands of students from across India enter the educational competition each year.

"Next Genius will expose international students to Juniata's exceptional education model, but also enriches the educational experience for students on our campus."

Rob Yelnosky, vice president, enrollment

            “It is very exciting to work with Next Genius and we are looking forward to meeting and enrolling some of the best students in India,” says Rob Yelnosky, vice president for enrollment at Juniata. “Juniata has long had a commitment to international education both in introducing our students to different cultures via our study abroad program, but also recruiting students from diverse locations around the world. Next Genius will expose international students to Juniata’s exceptional education model, but also enriches the educational experience for students on our campus.”

            Yelnosky explains Juniata’s partnership with Next Genius will begin a recruitment program designed to promote Juniata College in India and over time attract more students from the country’s huge market of college-age students.

            In November, Juniata President James A. Troha and Ran Tu, associate director of international recruitment, will travel to Mumbai, India to participate in the final selections for the Next-Genius educational competition.

            More than 15,000 students participate in the Next Genius program. In order to participate in the program, students complete an online critical thinking assessment and then pass a personal interview.

The Next Genius Scholarship Program was founded in 2014 by Naveen Mandhana and Neeraj Mandhana. Naveen Manhana is director of Videocon Group. Neeraj Mandhana is a career counselor based in Mumbai.

In addition to Juniata, Next Genius works with four other higher education institutions: Beloit College, in Beloit, Wis.; University of Rochester, in Rochester, N.Y.; Wheaton College, in Norton, Mass.; and Union College, in Schenectady, N.Y.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.