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Vitoria-Gasteiz.  USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium) began in the US in 1983 as part of efforts to build a bridge between the American West (Nevada, Idaho) and the Basque Country.  At that time there were 23 students, some of Basque origin, but the majority not.  Subsequently, the organization grew and today welcomed students from various American universities and sends hundreds of them to 41 different programs in 26 countries around the world.  It still uses the lauburu as its logo and its director continues to be Carmelo Urza who is himself Basque-American.

Lehendakari Urkullu, accompanied by Asier Vallejo, Director of Basque Communities Abroad, welcomed Urza, who came from the main USAC office in Reno, along with directors and workers who run campus offices in Donostia (the first) and in Bilbao (founded in 1995) at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), with a delegation of students that currently are taking courses in Euskadi on the program.

In his greeting to the Lehendakari, Carmelo Urza recalled the origin and the history of USAC from that initial group of 23 people, who visited Donostia, to its current reality, which includes a total of 7,250 students who have studied in Euskadi with USAC.

Urkullu, stressed the important work that USAC has done to link and bridge the US and the Basque Country, saying that he hopes that when each participant returns home, he/she will do so with a piece of the Basque Country in his/her heart.

The staff at USAC offices in Donostia and Bilbao also presented the Lehendakari a letter in Basque thanking the Basque Government and the University of the Basque Country for their help and collaboration throughout these 31 years.  Afterwards, there was an official photo taken of the event, including many more taken by students using their phones taking advantage of the opportunity to take a picture with the Lehendakari.