INTERNATIONAL SERVICE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE (ISLE)

CLUB AT PENN STATE IS SPONSORED BY THE TGIP - 3.1.2006

ISLE HISTORY, PURPOSE AND GOALS

Natural disasters in during 2004-05  (such as Tsunami, Earthquake, Katrina, and Rita) caused global devastation in many nations including the USA. The American’s response to such global concerns generated two main responses:

1-       Immediate short-term cash infusion by the federal government and non-profit organizations

2-       Long-term and sustainable partnership building by grass-roots people and institutions

TGIP (Town and Gown International Partnership) was established as a long-term and a sustainable response by local communities and educational institutions in order to deal with natural disasters. TGIP partnership also promotes the leadership and civic engagement of the students at K-12 and Collegiate levels. Thus, they sponsored the first ISLE club at Penn State in December 2005. Later in

March 2006, the ISLE was officially recognized as an international/leadership service club by Penn State University. Leadership of the ISLE Includes:

Ymene Fouli, President                ymene@psu.edu                

Amit Guleria, 1^st V-P                   amitg@psu.edu   

Amos Hutchinson, 2^nd VP           akh155@psu.edu

Malcolm Kuno, Treasurer           malcolmkuno@gmail.com

Dr. U.B. Bakker, Advisor            ubbakker@adelphia.net

Dr. Negar Davis, Co-advisor       ncd10@psu.edu

As for our purpose and goals, the statements below summarize in general what we are all about.

The purpose of the Penn State International Service Leadership Experience (ISLE) is to help those in many countries, including U.S., affected by natural disasters to overcome their difficulties through a long-term and sustainable projects by developing a mutually beneficial partnership and friendship among people at local, national and international levels..

ISLE will also raise local awareness of the difficulties encountered by these people while creating long-term partnership between the "Town and Gown Communities" here and those

communities affected by the natural disasters: Tsunami, Katrina, Rita, etc. Initial clientele groups served will also include the children and youth from the partnership countries.

Vision I: Plan and implement courses suggested by TGIP for international and intra-national service leadership experiences (academic and hands-on) for credit for Penn State Students.
Vision II: Initiate and maintain an international "Penn Pal Mail" project between the students from the Happy Valley community and orphaned students in countries affected by the natural disasters (i.e.: Sri Lanka), and possibly create a long-term friendship/partnership between them.
Vision III: Develop a bridge between the international student leaders and Town and Gown International Leaders and build an experiential service leadership network.