Participants are part of the State Department Professional Fellows Program
Fellows will spend a month gaining U.S. credit union experience
BIRMINGHAM, AL/TALLAHASSEE, FL (April 11, 2013) – The League of Southeastern Credit Unions and Affiliates (LSCU) will be hosting emerging leaders from Costa Rica over the next month. The participants are part of the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows Program. The Professional Fellows Program brings emerging leaders from around the world to the United States for intensive fellowships designed to broaden their professional expertise.
Southeastern credit unions will host eight credit union leaders from Costa Rica. The program participants have been placed in credit unions in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Orlando, Tampa, Panama City and Miami. One Fellow will spend time with the LSCU & Affiliates before heading to South Florida to complete her time in the program. The LSCU & Affiliates have had an international partnership with Costa Rica, through the World Council of Credit Unions, since 2005.
“This is an exciting program to be affiliated with,” said LSCU & Affiliates President/CEO Patrick La Pine. “We’ve hosted Costa Rican credit unions in the past and we’ve also had our credit unions go to Costa Rica. However, this program will begin to give these Costa Rican credit union leaders real experiences in U.S. credit unions. The experiences will be invaluable as future credit union leaders.”
The Professional Fellows program supports international cooperation and builds networks of people and organizations working on critical issues worldwide. The LSCU & Affiliates program is designed to facilitate idea exchanges, promote foreign language skill development, enhance cultural diversity and improve problem-solving skills as they relate to credit union development and management. In addition, the program focuses on helping credit unions find new ways to attract younger members.
At the conclusion of their fellowships, participants will gather in Washington, D.C., to take part in the Professional Fellows Congress, May 8-10, 2013. The Congress provides a forum for participants to discuss best practices with other young leaders in their profession, and to develop concrete projects and networks that they can implement upon their return
home. The LSCU & Affiliates is one of 17 U.S.-based non-profit organizations and universities chosen to host foreign professionals. From 2011 through 2013, participants from over 50 countries and territories worldwide will take part in the program.
The League of Southeastern Credit Unions represents 285 credit unions in Alabama and Florida with a combined total of $64 billion in assets and more than 6.5 million members. LSCU provides advocacy and regulatory information; education and training; cooperative initiatives (including financial education outreach); media relations and information; and business solutions. For more information, visit www.lscu.coop. Follow the League on Twitter at twitter.com/LeagueofSECUs or Facebook at facebook.com/LeagueofSoutheasternCreditUnions.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Exchange supports exchange programs that increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries. Approximately 50,000 individuals take part annually in exchange programs managed by the U.S. Department of State. For more information please visit the program website. Contact Anna Griffin from the U.S. Department of State at 202.632.6452 for more information.