Every nonprofit organization has a stated mission. For many, the mission will never be fully achieved. So what happens when an organization finally does fulfill major parts of its mission and a new approach to service is needed? This is the question that the board of Global Connections, an organization with a 60-year history in Centre County, recently had to answer.
That answer came in the form of restructuring which transferred the organization's most critically important programs -- Conversation Partners, International Speakers’ Bureau, and the annual Tax Program Workshops -- from Global Connections, a county-run organization, to Global Programs, a program administered by Penn State.
“Thanks to significant improvements in technology, the presence of new local groups serving the international community, and much broader needs, we realized we needed to make some major changes,” said Janyce Mose, chair of the board. “But we also realized that change is good, especially for an organization that’s been around as long as we have!”
Global Connections as an organization began in 1961 with the creation of the International Hospitality Council (IHC). IHC was a grass-roots organization dedicated to serving internationals joining the State College community, mostly Penn State students and scholars and their spouses. IHC put its efforts into connecting people new to the area with important services, such as finding medical providers, shopping venues, places of worship, and schools. IHC also provided a social outlet for spouses of students and scholars, who otherwise little opportunity for meeting locals or other internationals.
Over the years, IHC went through many changes. It became a 501c3. In 1965, it partnered with United Way. Then, in 1974, it began its longest-running program: The Friendship Program. The idea was simple: partner internationals with locals to foster intercultural understanding and help internationals feel more at home.
“My husband and I were originally matched with a Japanese couple about 15 years ago,” recalled Mose. “We did festivals, parades, local speakers, holidays, as well as coffee and meals at each other’s homes. We were able to learn from each other, and they were also able to practice English.”
Practicing English is also the goal of the Conversation Partners program. The program is one of the organization’s most popular, providing opportunities to practice English and build social connections. Wenjie Fu, former program coordinator for Global Connections, ran this program from 2016-18.
“I remember one specific instance, there was a Chinese scholar who was so nervous about speaking English. We connected him with an American who helped him boost his confidence – he would give him homework, like ‘Start a conversation with a stranger’ or ‘Say these 20 words in conversation this week,’” she recalled.
“By the end of the year, he was so excited. He came in to me and told me that he now started small talk with his colleagues! That was a very rewarding experience.”
Since the 1980s, IHC (now Global Connections) has also sponsored the International Speakers Bureau, which provides a platform for internationals to speak to businesses, schools and government bodies in the community; and the Tax Assistance Program, which provides resources to international students and scholars for preparing their annual taxes. In 2005, IHC was renamed to Global Connections.
Global Connections also has offered many events throughout the years, such as Cultural Luncheons, Passport-on-a-Plate, the International Children’s Festival, Women’s International Night, and many more. With the support of Penn State’s Global Programs, Global Connections offered strong community outreach in State College for many years.
Recently, however, it became clear that change was needed.
“Our Executive Director resigned in 2017, which led to a complete re-assessment,” said Mose. “Changes in staffing, funding and community needs required the board to look seriously at a new organizational structure. Luckily, we’ve been able to work closely with our colleagues in Global Programs to find a solution that we think works well for all parties.”
“We are excited about the opportunities presented through the reorganization of Global Connections and our new partnership,” said Jennifer Theiss, senior assistant director of special initiatives in Global Programs, who is leading the transition. “This new model allows each organization to focus our efforts on what we do best. By working together, we will be able to provide more meaningful programs and reach an even broader audience.”
Wenjie Fu has been hired by Global Programs as the external relations coordinator to oversee the new programs.
“I’m excited for the future of these programs,” Fu said. “Penn State offers so many resources, information, and connections that will help us improve our programs.”
Meanwhile, Global Connections will continue to offer community programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, cultural luncheons, book discussions, welcome events and others.
“We provided our major services when they were critically needed and we’ve served a very valuable purpose in the community,” said Mose. “Now, perhaps, it is time to step back and change gears a bit.”
Mose still sees great importance in fostering intercultural understanding.
“In these days of fear and, sadly, hate, any way to expand knowledge of cultural differences and promote cultural understanding and tolerance is critical. Global Connections, with the help of the community, will continue providing opportunities for this to happen.”
To keep up with Global Connections' activities, such as ESL classes and book groups, visit their website at http://www.gc-cc.org.
For more information on Global Connections and how you can get involved, contact Janyce Mose at janycemose@comcast.net.
For more information about Penn State’s Global Conversation Partners, International Speakers Bureau and the annual Tax Program workshops, contact Wenjie Fu at wzf11@psu.edu.