Mission Statement
Our Purpose and Mission
Founded in 2000, the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) has promoted the civic awareness, public service, and economic prosperity of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community as a non-profit organization. Our mission is to develop young leaders in the United States, Asia, and Pacific Rim countries in the fields of public affairs, entrepreneurship and international relations through a network of business and community leaders.
Description
What We Do
ILF provides scholarships, educational seminars and other professional development and leadership training programs to its select group of students from a range of fields.
The ILF Civic Fellowship Program selects from over 1,000 APA college students from across the country. The program has since become one of the nation’s most prestigious civic leadership development programs designed specifically to foster the next generation of APA leaders. Each year, approximately 30 outstanding college students are inducted into the summer-long program and participate in a supervised training curriculum. These students are subsequently placed in public service internships throughout Washington, D.C. and are enrolled in educational seminars. In addition to its yearly commitments to the Fellowship Program, ILF, in conjunction with other leading D.C. APA organizations, sponsors another 120 college students in a similar leadership training program. Convening the Civic Fellowship Program every year, ILF continues to facilitate and be a constitutive part of the sweeping changes and shifts occurring across the U.S. and the world. ILF also sponsors over one hundred additional college students each year for the Washington Leadership Program in conjunction with other leading APA organizations.
Opportunities are given not only to American students, but also international students who bring diverse perspectives in our global age. The Young Ambassador Program hosts outstanding college students and young professionals from Asia to network with ILF fellows and participate in a unique fifteen day training program in Washington D.C. and the Northeast region.
The extensive network of ILF alumni includes young leaders who are now working in the fields of public service, entrepreneurship and the international affairs.
Over the course of the year, ILF hosts its annual gala and leadership and business conference. The conference is comprised of various events, such as a U.S.-Asia Strategic Economic Forum, business-to-business matchmaking opportunities, and panels of current Cabinet Secretaries, Members of Congress and other high-ranking officials. Previous Gala keynote speakers and honorees include the Honorable Elaine Chao, former Secretary of Labor and Honorary ILF Chairwoman; the Honorable Norman Mineta, former Secretary of Transportation and Honorary ILF Chairman; Yoshimi Inaba, Executive Chairman of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.; members of Congress Doris Matsui, Mike Honda, Judy Chu, and Grace Meng; Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana; Vivek Kundra, U.S. Chief Information Officer; Jackie Chan, international film star; David Ho, prominent AIDS researcher; and, Toby Dawson, Olympic medalist. ILF has a network of national advisory boards and global advisory councils in 15 cities, comprised of professional, civic, business and community leaders. In 2008, ILF Honorary Chairman and former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta led a delegation to Asia to promote leadership development and international relations in Asia.
