About HIS
International students in the United States now number over one million. Add to this number those who come as visiting scholars, researchers, and post-docs and the opportunity is compelling. It has been shown that those who have been engaged and influenced positively while studying here go back with changed thinking, desiring that their own countries have more of the caring and compelling ethics they see in America. The State Department has pointed out that if these internationals have a good experience in our country, they are more likely to want us as allies.
Seeing this need, HIS International seeks to mobilize marketplace and academic leaders to inspire, connect, and equip international students and scholars to become principled leaders, resulting in positive change in their lives and the world.
Mission
HIS International is a partnership organization that mobilizes marketplace and academic leaders to inspire, connect, and equip international students and scholars to become principled leaders, resulting in positive change in their lives and the world.
Vision
Applying time-tested leadership principles, internationals become global marketplace leaders who reproduce themselves and transform the world.
Our Structure
Our
History
Get to Know Us
HIS (Helping International Students) International was officially founded by Pete and Patricia Cannon in 1991. The following year, with the help of donors, the house at 1711 Pendleton Street was purchased and renovated to become “The Hospitality House.” It evolved into a place where future generations of international students, international researchers, and visiting scholars would meet and find meaningful opportunities to interact with other internationals and Americans. At the HIS Hospitality House, internationals were invited to lunches and many other gatherings throughout the year. HIS has perpetuated a non-threatening “community” in which internationals have built relationships with Americans.
As time moved on, many global changes, such as the Internet changed the needs of International students as well as the approach for reaching them. Fewer students entered the United States with goals of staying, but instead hoped to return to their country of origin with higher degrees and skills that would make them successful and allow them to improve their home countries. Pete and Pat discovered that students were interested in learning leadership, ethics, entrepreneurship, networking, coping, and influencing. They also expressed a desire to study resume writing, interviewing, and learning things that would make them more valuable to employ and resilient in setbacks or failures. Students often expressed an interest in doing more for their countries, such as helping the poor or improving education.
This discovery resulted in the student-led Global Leadership Network, which began to meet these needs. HIS changed its mission statement to reflect this change in thinking, “HIS International is a collaborative organization that mobilizes marketplace and academic leaders to inspire, connect, and equip international students and scholars to become principled leaders, resulting in positive change in their lives and the world.” Pete realized that the focus of the work at HIS would change from solely being about hospitality and helps to being more about intentionally building principled global leaders.
Pete’s unexpected death in 2010 caused some setbacks to fully implementing the new mission. HIS was fortunate that family, friends, and the leadership team stepped in to help bridge the gap immediately after Pete’s death. In 2012, Pat Cannon accepted the position as Interim-President of HIS International and has found Reid Radtke to take HIS to its next level.
Meet the Staff
President of HIS International Area Director, Columbia, SC
Patricia Cannon
Patricia better known as Pat Cannon has been at HIS since the beginning in 1992. As stated in the History, she was instrumental with her late husband, Pete, in founding HIS International. They met while attending Georgetown University where they had the privilege of attending classes with internationals from various cultures and being invited to embassy parties. Some of the students they knew, upon graduation, went on to become leaders after returning to their home countries.
Columbia, SC
Reid Radtke
Reid Radtke has been a Leadership Keynote Speaker with HIS International since 2017 and
accepted a position as a board member in 2018. Reid and Sharon, his wife of 28 years, joined the HIS team in March 2023. Reid earned his pilot’s license and a BS in Aeronautical Science and Management of Technical Operations while attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL. Reid and Sharon have two children, who graduated from University of South Carolina. Reid is also an adjunct professor at the Darla Moore International School of Business at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
Area Directors, Charlotte, NC
Randy & Wendy Anderson
Randy and Wendy Anderson with their four children joined the HIS team in 1999 serving international students and visiting scholars in Columbia, SC at the University of South Carolina. In the Fall of 2005, they left Columbia to begin another HIS International team in the Charlotte, NC area at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC).
Working with our student leaders at Global Leadership Network, we offer Global Leadership Forums (GLFs) on Leadership Development. This provides a great opportunity for international students and scholars to interact with a variety of workplace leaders. From GLFs, small groups, trip adventures, there are many networking and mentoring opportunities.
Staff, Columbia, SC
Lillie Smith
Lillie Smith has been a part of HIS International since 2009. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Spanish Education from the University of South Carolina. She also lived and studied in Madrid, Spain, receiving a diploma in Spanish Studies from the Universidad Complutense. She taught for ten years at Spring Valley High School before choosing to stay at home with her children. She has since taught and tutored private Spanish classes to all ages and in many different settings, including as an instructor at Principia and Excelsior Resource Centers. She enjoys traveling and experiencing new places and people. She and her husband, Randy, have two adult children and one amazing granddaughter. They enjoy spending time in the outdoors with their family and their golden retriever. Lillie has a special love for her relationships with international students and scholars.
Staff, Columbia, SC
Marshal (Rock) & Pat Stone
Born in Alabama where he grew up, Rock joined the U.S. Air Force in 1965. During his 20 years of military service he was in Florida, Hawaii, Colorado, and Thailand. When back to civilian life Rock worked as a hospital consultant, assisted in developing a trauma system for South Carolina, was employed by Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and sold cars, used and new.
Taking early retirement, he began working with HIS International. Rock oversaw the meal preparation at the Hospitality House on Pendleton Street. Day trips for students to the beach, factories, historic sites, and famous restaurants have been a major way Rock has ministered within His International.
Margaret, Rock’s wife of 29 years and the mother of his two children, died of cancer, and in 2006 he married Pat. She is extremely talented in stained glass, fused glass and mosaics and has created glass art for 20 years. She owns her own business in West Columbia SC where she teaches all three forms of glass art. She participates in the HIS International and international student activities as time permits.
HIS International
Board Of Directors
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Patricia Cannon
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Andrew Todd
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Jane Bader
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Reid Radtke