Dear Colleagues, I am pleased to introduce Global Indiana: A Consortium for International Exchange.

GI resulted from a series of meetings of a group of educators interested in expanding Indiana students global perspectives. Originally dedicated to establishing sister schools in China, GI is now working with Germany and Thailand as well. Global Indiana is incorporated and has been designated a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization. Donations to Global Indiana are tax deductible. GI was initiated by Chris McGrew while he was the Indiana Department of Education Social Studies Consultant. The first meeting was held in February of 2005, and irregular, informal meetings were held throughout 2006. The Board of Directors was formed in early 2007, and the organization became incorporated in May of 2008. Global Indiana was formed with the following among its many missions
Partner with world languages, social studies and other teachers interested in international education Create grant proposals to obtain funding for global education initiatives Serve as the fiscal agent for grants obtained by others, when needed Facilitate school-to-school exchanges with other countries Consult with schools and foreign exchange student programs regarding exchange issues Assist teachers applying for Fulbright or other international travel grants Create a clearinghouse of resources and ideas for international education and travel Recruit and train for outbound exchange students, teachers, and other citizen diplomats Provide conference and workshop speakers on international education topics Network with other international education and exchange organizations

Most of the exchange activity of Global Indiana, so far, has been school exchanges with China. With the help of the China Exchange Initiative of Newton, Massachusetts in creating sister school relationships, we have sent seven waves of key school leaders. We now more than eighty Indiana elementary, middle, and high schools partnered with schools in the Liaoning and Zhejiang Provinces of the Peoples Republic of China. We also have limited partnerships in Germany and Thailand. These exchanges begin with administrators and lead teachers, but many participating schools now include students. With the Indiana Association of School Principals, the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, and again with the China Exchange Initiative of Massachusetts, Global Indiana has become involved with the Principals Shadowing Program (PSP), also in China. Three groups of Chinese and a like number of Hoosier principals have traveled to visit their counterparts. Economic concerns have limited PSP participation in recent years, but GI fully expects this excellent program to be resurrected in our state. Another GI activity has been participation in an IDOE-sponsored committee to study student exchange. GI leaders were involved in planning a set of guidelines for use by Indiana schools when dealing with issues related to foreign exchange students and with the sending of students as outbound exchange students. Global Indiana also works closely with the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel, based in Alexandria, Virginia. This national organization monitors
Promoting International Education and Exchange

and accredits international student exchange programs. I am pleased to serve on the Executive Committee of the CSIET Board of Directors as Secretary of that body. CSIET sponsors an annual National School Conference on Student Exchange which was held in Indianapolis in 2008, in Hartford, Connecticut in 2009, Charlotte, North Carolina in 2010, and is scheduled for Seattle, Washington, in October of this year. In its short existence, Global Indiana has won two significant awardsone on the national level. The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy awarded GI a Top Ten Program award at the U.S. Summit and Initiative for Citizen Diplomacy held in Washington DC in November of 2010. In March of 2011, Indiana State University presented GI President Chris McGrew with a Community Engagement Award for Global Indianas partnership programs which are scattered all over the state. The membership of GI includes teachers, principals, central office administrators, college professors, exchange professionals, and businesspersons. Dozens of school districts are represented as are two different state government agencies. Faculty members from twelve of our states universities are also involved. There are more than one hundred institutions whose employees are among our membership. Our aim is to make the group as broad as possible while retaining an educational focus. Eventually, I believe that there will be a representative from every school district and every college in the state. Finally, this organization needs the passion we all have for international peace and understanding. Many us have stayed with host families abroad and/or have had foreign visitors in our homes. We know that interpersonal relationships and contacts between and among all the worlds citizens demonstrate that humans are more alike than we are different. We need to emphasize that fact and help people understand it firsthand with the creation of multiple opportunities for our citizens to make friends with the rest of the world. Much of the impetus for foreign exchange began with President Eisenhower in the 1950s, a time when some of us can remember that the world was terrified of nuclear war. The following is from his 1954 State of the Union Address:
Our greatest hope for success lies in a universal fact: the people of the world, as people, have always wanted peace and want peace now. The world thinks of us as a country which is strong, but which will never start a war. The world also thinks of us as a land which has never enslaved anyone and which is animated by humane ideals. This friendship, based on common ideals, is one of our greatest sources of strength.

Let Global Indiana be part of our nations citizen diplomacy, an effort that we know can heal wounds, create friendships, and restore peace. Sincerely,

Phil Boley Executive Director Global Indiana: A Consortium for International Exchange
Promoting International Education and Exchange