BII Symposium in Washington, DC

The Welcome Reception on August 15th was the first time that all three groups (interns from USA, Malaysia and India) had the opportunity to meet each other, and the event sparkled with the excited interns, in their national dress, taking lots of pictures and merging into large cross-cultural groups. The connections they made with each other that night carried through for the rest of the week.

Tuesday was a day of continued exchange between the US, Malaysian and Indian interns. The Conference began with an introduction by me, outlining the agenda for the conference. This was followed by breakout discussion groups of intermixed interns who spent almost two hours sharing their internship experiences and answering the questions of the newest interns from India. After a buffet lunch, the meeting continued with a discussion of the Global Leadership Website development. After each country's interns met briefly to elect an editor and establish content, a general discussion led to the outline of a website which would highlight each aspect of the internship program, the cultural exchange experience and the impact of the program on interns individually.

Wednesday the group visited selected locations in and around Washington, DC. The Heritage Foundation was the first stop, with a presentation by Bridgett Wagner, Director of Coalition Relations. Ms. Wagner explained the background and work of the Heritage Foundation, giving the interns a look at the way public policy is influenced by policy analysts in “think tanks”. Ana Isabel Eiras, editor of the Spanish edition of the Index of Economic Freedom, explained how the index is compiled and what the rankings tell us about the economic and political freedom in these countries. This index is produced every year (by the Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation), using 50 factors which measure the level of governmental interference in an economy, ranking every country according to its level of economic freedom.

Congressman Roy Blunt's office arranged for a visit to the Capitol Building for the group. Dividing into two guided tours, they saw the public and historical areas of the Capitol. The beauty of the building was impressive and even the non-US interns caught the feeling of awe in being in the place where legendary figures made American history.

After lunch at Union Station, the group attended a short talk at the University of Maryland on the Hinman Campus Entrepreneurship Opportunities Program. This was followed by an introduction to Patricia Cleveland, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs, and a short tour of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Two SIFE students from the University of Maryland accompanied them on a brief tour by bus of the campus, which really impressed the Malaysian and Indian students. They had to be reassured that not all US colleges were that immense.

On Thursday, several guest speakers attended the Symposium. Professor Timothy Scales, of Indiana University East, spoke to the students about entrepreneurial skills, giving examples from his own experiences, demonstrating that entrepreneurship is as much a matter of mindset as it is of skill. John Reynolds, President of the International Franchise Association Educational Foundation, introduced the students to the benefits of franchise ownership. Astrida Levensteins, with the Youth Programs Division at the United States Department of State, welcomed them, shared details about her department, and introduced her co-worker Philip Hughes, with the State Alumni program. Mr. Hughes explained how the State Alumni program works and the benefits of membership. Because the BII grant is funded by a State Department exchange program, the interns are automatically alumni. State Alumni have access to an interactive website providing them a host of informational services, including job postings and career development information. The Symposium was concluded with a buffet lunch.

The Embassy of Malaysia hosted a reception Thursday evening for the Malaysian interns and US interns that went to Malaysia. The students made a short and sometimes amusing presentation of their experiences in SIFE and the internship program. They were warmly received by the Ambassador, Dato Sheikh Abdul Khalid Ghazzali, who took time from his busy schedule to speak with the students. He was very eloquent in his appreciation of the history and character of the American people.

Friday saw a brief wind up of the conference, with reminders concerning the development of the website. Interns were then free to explore the sights, visiting memorials, the Smithsonian Institute and some even walked to the White House. Friday night and Saturday morning witnessed many farewells in the hotel lobby with the excited Indian students dispersing to their host schools, and the Malaysian interns either leaving immediately for home or embarking on private travel in the U.S. before returning home.

The connection that the interns made with each other was one of the most exciting results of the conference. The U.S. interns who went to India and Malaysia were greeted joyfully by those students they had come to know during their internship in those countries. The Malaysian students offered endless advice and observations to the Indian students about how to adapt to and enjoy America. They talked endlessly, and took thousands of pictures of each other. None of them will ever forget these experiences, and some will undoubtedly continue and expand their relationships during the coming years.