S4Si Holds First Advisory Board Meeting

With the recent formation of our Advisory Board, Students for Students International gained a valuable source of support, advice, and expertise. The new board consists of ten members, including distinguished S4Si alumni, UNC African and Afro-American Studies professors, and individuals with experience in the administration of other international non-profit organizations.

The Advisory Board held its first meeting with current S4Si leaders on April 24, 2010—the afternoon of S4Si’s 6th Annual Auction for Education. The meeting commenced with a greeting through Skype from a former Zimbabwean S4Si scholar and current Advisory Board member, Francis Kaitano, who is now working in New Zealand. The board discussed the creation of S4Si’s new mentorship program; they gave suggestions regarding the roles of the three Tanzanian women that S4Si plans to hire this summer to provide support for our scholars. The board also generated ideas for introducing the scholars to professional female role models and enriching the girls’ educational and cultural experiences.

As S4Si alumni, many of the Advisory Board members will be able to provide a unique perspective on the organization’s current fundraising endeavors, and they will also serve to connect current students with S4Si’s history. This year has been an exciting milestone for S4Si, especially with the graduation of S4Si’s first class of scholars in December 2009. As S4Si has helped these young women towards this significant achievement, the scholars’ futures—and the future opportunities for the organization—have become some of the major considerations that S4Si Executive Board and the Advisory Board are striving to address.