International House Berkeley

International House Times THE NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS & ALUMNI OF INTERNATIONAL HOUSE 2014 FALL / WINTER International House's intense focus on providing the best possible experience for our residents and to the surrounding community extends not only through our exemplary programs and services but also through consistent care and updates to our historic home. Some 84,000 individuals have lived and dined at I-House since it opened in 1930. e conversations that occur and the friendships that develop in the dining commons lie at the heart of the I-House experience and enhance our mission of advancing a world of greater understanding. Accordingly, beginning this December, we will embark on a major renovation project: the Dining Commons Transformation Project. e aim of this project is to improve the dining experience and interaction between the dining staff, residents, and guests. It will expand the variety of dishes the kitchen can offer, and enable us to reduce our energy and water consumption. It will create better space utilization, develop a presentation kitchen, and enhance ergonomics for the kitchen staff. IN THIS ISSUE: I have now been working at I-House formally for over three months, and informally for almost a year. e more people I meet, the more chances I have to tell people that I "wear two hats" at I-House: Chief of I-House Operations and Director of the Center for Intercultural Leadership. At first glance these two jobs may seem disconnected. In reality it is just one big hat — and taking a closer look reveals a lot about this moment in I-House's long history. For 84 years, I-House has been doing an unparalleled job of delivering on its inspiring mission. It might be tempting to let it rest on its laurels. ankfully, that is not the direction the Board of Directors has set for the organization. e Board has seen that, even with all that I-House has accomplished, in many ways we are only scratching the surface of the massive potential we have. e vision for I-House's future is based on the premise that the better experience we can offer our residents, the more effective we will be at fulfilling our mission. A deep and thorough service orientation is key to making this happen. us, the concept of two roles under one hat: On the operations side, we will ensure that we put residents first in everything we do. is means creating mechanisms for transparency and collaboration that have either not existed, or have become dormant. In my career I have found that Integrated Services for Residents and the Community Two Big Roles...One Big Hat By Jason Patent New Host Family Program PG 3 Davis Peace Projects PG 4 Alumni Share Their Stories PG 5 (continued, page 4) Scholarships Make a Difference PG 6 Transformation of the Heart of I-House: The Dining Commons Schmidt Matching Challenge PG 7 "I'm grateful to get the opportunity to live at I-House, and meet people from all over the world. While at the dining commons, I've met so many friends who have a genuine interest in getting to know me and my culture, and I get to know about them and their cultures as well. It's an amazing opportunity to meet the world while sharing a meal!" - Ying Cao, current resident (continued, page 3)

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