International House Berkeley

International House Times 11 e Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership expands on the I-House mission of fostering a world of greater peace and understanding by focusing specifically on developing competencies for leadership in an increasingly global environment. CIL was formally launched in 2014 after several years of experimenting with the provision of intercultural trainings. e CIL staff of three offers training opportunities for I-House residents, the Berkeley campus, and corporate and non-profit clients beyond campus. "I-House is uniquely positioned to equip our residents and others with the skills needed to be effective leaders in globally diverse environments," says Dr. Jason Patent, Chief of I-House Operations and Director of the Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership. "With nearly 600 residents from over 60 nations under one roof, we live and breathe intercultural and global leadership every day, in everything we do." At I-House, CIL has become known for its flagship program for residents: the Intercultural Leadership Initiative, or ILI, which each semester brings together a cohort of 12–25 I-House residents and student staff. Over the course of the semester, ILI leads them through a rigorous series of class sessions, workshops, and field trips that challenge them to expand their range of approaches to problem-solving and collaboration. For their efforts, residents receive a Certificate in Intercultural Leadership. Since its inception in 2012, ILI has awarded certificates to over 100 students. "Research has shown that it often takes more than just interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds to advance intercultural competence," says Patent. "You need targeted interventions that provide chances for people to reflect on what they've experienced, to draw lessons from that, and to put those lessons into practice. Done well, this type of work has been shown to significantly accelerate the development of intercultural leadership skills." "Central to the process is cultural self-awareness," Patent continues, "which reveals how our own cultural biases filter everything we see, think and do. is is a key part of how we help equip I-House residents with crucial skills they will need for global careers in our ever-more-interconnected world," says Patent. With their transformative gift, longtime I-House supporters Candy and Peter Robertson have helped ensure the sustainability of CIL. ey have directed their contribution to bolster CIL's ability to generate outside revenue as a means of supporting CIL's core work with I-House residents. "Candy and Peter's gift is not only incredibly generous, it's extremely forward-thinking," says Patent. "We are so grateful for this opportunity, and excited for the future of Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership." n Center for Intercultural Leadership Named in Honor of Peter and Candy Robertson (Continued from page 1) In a recent interview with a global, multi-billion-dollar company, a key concept I had learned in ILI helped me stand out as a candidate for this exciting career opportunity. The company ultimately offered me the job. – Andrea Soto, current ILI participant Pictured above from left: Executive Director Hans Giesecke, Candy Robertson, Peter Robertson, and Susan Giesecke at the 2015 I-House Awards Celebration and Gala Left: Dr. Jason Patent, Chief of I-House Operations and Director of The Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership leading a workshop Photo by Jim Block

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