AIESEC Life would like to encourage alumni to support the JoAnn Boland International Scholarship Fund, which holds the name of a very special AIESECer and is a dedicated avenue for AIESEC alumni to help sponsor the development of future AIESEC leaders. All proceeds will go toward scholarships for AIESEC US local committee members to attend international conferences.

Scholarships will be awarded annually at AIESEC US summer and winter conferences. AIESEC US will collect applications and the final selection will be made by JoAnn Boland’s AIESEC US staff team from 1992-93 (Dariusz Paczuski, Martin Alvarez, Heidi Dickert, Laura Granucci, and Renee Klosterman). After awardees attend their international conference, essays will be written summarizing what they learned and how they achieved their objectives both for themselves and for AIESEC. These essays are shared in our monthly newsletters and, most recently, have been linked to the recipients names.

Alumni electing to give specifically to the JoAnn Boland Fund may do so here. Annual membership into AIESEC Life is provided with each donation to the fund.

History of The JoAnn Boland International Scholarship Fund

Several years ago, a group of AIESEC alumni created a scholarship fund in memory of JoAnn Boland who served at AIESEC United States as Vice President of Human Resources in 1992 –1993 and Local Committee President of AIESEC Miami Ohio in 1991-92. Throughout her career in AIESEC, JoAnn focused on the development of AIESEC’s international leaders. She was an international leader herself and inspired others to follow in her footsteps as she fostered the development of over 70 local committees during her tenure at AIESEC US. Tragically, shortly before she was due to depart on her own international traineeship in Finland, JoAnn died in a car accident on February 22, 1994. After her death, several AIESEC friends asked about creating a scholarship fund in her memory. The JoAnn Boland International Scholarship Fund was launched in 2000 with contributions dedicated to sponsoring AIESEC US local committee members’ attendance at international conferences. Since then over 20 scholarship awards have been given.

Past Donors of The JoAnn Boland International Scholarship Fund

Thank you to all the past donors of The JoAnn Boland International Scholarship Fund whose combined contributions total more than $10,000 allowing 18 awards to be presented since it was launched in 2000.

Past Awardees of The JoAnn Boland International Scholarship Fund

The JoAnn Boland International Scholarship Fund has awarded 25 AIESEC US LC members since it was launched in 2000.

How this helps AIESEC

The Boland scholarship has had a notable effect on AIESEC US over the past year and a half and is supporting the continuous improvements in the quality and success of our operations.

Let me share two of the success stories.

Steven Jordan, who won the award in August 2010, is now the president-elect for AIESEC Purdue. His local committee (LC) is one of the few that has conducted a full transition for their new executive boards, setting themselves up for success in 2011. Steven is also extremely active in national leadership, even though his term as president has not started yet. His enthusiasm increased demonstrably after he won the Boland award, and it is having clear results in his LC and on the national playing field.

Jamie Wernet, who received the award in August 2009, attended IberoAmerican Leadership Congress in March of this year. Jamie went on to be one of the most successful local committee presidents in AIESEC US. Her LC won our national exchange award in July and will likely be decorated further in Albuquerque. Jamie was one of four candidates for MCP.

In short, the Boland award is helping to change the face of our country. It is the clearest sign to the nation that our alumni are engaged and care. Even beyond the individual success stories, therefore, it is helping to build a culture of recognition and collaboration across the United States.

Thank you so much.

Michele Trickey

AIESEC US President 2010-2011