Institutional Advancement Fellows

I recently visited the Simoneau House, which houses the Office of Alumni Relations, and was intrigued by and impressed with the vintage collection of MIIS student and campus publications on display.

The seemingly ancient publications chronicled a library expansion, featured throwback fashions and focused on issues that shaped the early 1980’s and 90’s international landscape.

The institutional archive reminded me of the rich history of our campus and the storied past that we share with faculty, alumni and staff. Institutional memory is a key component to learning from our past and celebrating our achievements. I encourage and invite former and current MIISers to share their memories and experience through visiting our “MIIS Alumni Community” online.

Over the past few weeks the MIIS campus has hosted great events offering students the opportunity to engage with community members in a professional and social capacity.  I have been very fortunate to participate actively in each of the following events, which I believe exemplify the strengths and uniqueness of our Community.

Inaugural Artists Without Borders Event:An evening of impressive live music and outstanding photography in addition to delicious hors d’ouvres and socializing was hosted by the MIIS “Artists Without Borders” Club in the Holland Center on campus.   The Holland Center was open to the public and embraced a diverse crowd.  This event highlighted the creative spirit of our international student body as well as the cordial atmosphere that we can create when the books are closed.

Internship Showcase: This night allowed students to share stories, media and connections relevant to their summer experiences with an eager audience, our peers.  Students from all disciplines proudly displayed photos, videos and tales from abroad.  I was part of the planning committee for this event and was glad to finally have the chance to swap summer stories with friends who I had not caught up with since the spring semester.  The event was sponsored by The MIIS Red Cross Club and The Center for Advising and Career Services.

2nd Annual International Education Day:For the second year in a row, I have enjoyed co-coordinating this event with my fellow international education enthusiasts.   Along with Student Affairs and Prof. Peter Shaw, MIIS hosted Monterey and Pacific Grove High School students interested in international study, work, volunteer and immersion programs.  IED was a natural fit for MIIS’ Fulbright, Peace Corps, TESOL, ESL and teaching community and we all enjoyed the youthful energy of the teenagers on campus.  I have enjoyed involvement with this event twice in my time here and hope to see it thrive in the future.

Communicators for Change iConference: This was truly a first for not only the institute, but the entire active social media community of Monterey.  Artists, scientists, professors and students all collaborated in a vibrant day long conference held on campus and in cyberspace.  The “iConference” was streamed live and had a lively audience online as well as throughout the MIIS campus.  The organizers did an amazing job gathering intellectual professionals from the field for a very memorable and enlightening day, topped off by an elegant reception featuring live Latin music and sustainable snacks.

I believe that the MIIS campus comes alive when our neighbors grace us with their presence as presenters, participants, collaborators and supporters of our work.  It’s always a pleasure working with inspiring colleagues in an inspiring setting.  Thank you for being an active member of our thriving academic and professional environment and we look forward to seeing you again soon whether it be in Monterey, the Bay Area, abroad or online.  Until next time…

Since being nominated and selected as an Institutional Advancement Fellow, I have enjoyed working intimately with some of the Institute’s most devoted community members. From donors and trustees to classmates, professors, deans and even the President of MIIS, as fellows we are offered the opportunity to leverage our experience to a broader audience and demonstrate the best that MIIS has to offer.

In addition to presenting our own pathways to Academic Excellence, we are proud to represent our student body to the faculty and donor community as extremely valuable and integral parts of our educational experience on campus.

I am constantly amazed at the work that our students and alumni do and
frequently find myself among incredible leaders, past, present and future. At events such as the Internship Showcase, hosted by The Red Cross Club & The Career Advising Center (11/4) and International Education Day (11/20) students highlight the application of their studies, linking classroom to fieldwork.

By recording these impressive and admirable student initiatives in video interviews, institute publications and social media we enhance the student connection to the larger MIIS community as well as bring in interested collaborators from our international audience.

Please do not hesitate to share your experience and ideas with your Institutional Advancement Fellows. We are excited to help you leverage your MIIS education to achieve Academic Excellence in your studies and professional ambitions!

The Institutional Advancement Office is pleased to announce the 2009 – 2010 Advancement Fellows.  The students will serve as a liaison between Advancement and alumni, donors, and friends of MIIS.  Some projects to look forward to include videos, blogs, and articles detailing exciting student experiences.  Read more about our impressive Fellows below:

Leloba Pahl

Rajeev Rao

David Reichbaum