January 13, 2026, Global Connections (GC) Executive Committee (EC) Meeting Minutes
Meeting Date and Time: January 13, 2026, 7:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Officers Present
President: Bob Persiko
Vice President: Ciara Halloran
Treasurer: Bruce Truitt
Secretary: Alexandra Persiko
Not Present
Public Relations Officer: Rose Sharp
Committee Chairs
Small Groups: Deb Leo (not present)
Membership: Anisha Mukherjee (not present)
Penn State Global Representative
Wenjie Fu (not present)
Call To Order: 7:04PM
October 21, 2025, EC meeting minutes were accepted as submitted.
Reports of Officers & Standing Committees
President – Bob Persiko
Bob reported that the two Smeal students are working with Rose on the updated website. He has not received updates for the marketing plan lately.
Sri Lankan luncheon: Bob will reach out to Asantha Attanayake to check if she needs support for organizing the event and to create a checklist of requirements. February would be preferred due to Sri Lanka’s Independence Day celebrations.
Bob is currently working on the annual report.
Vice President – Ciara Halloran
Ciara suggested discounted membership rates for partner organizations like the United Nations chapter as a marketing strategy.
Treasurer – Bruce Truitt
Bruce shared that the proceeds from the coffee social (“Brrr Social”) amounted to $60 and are deposited and recorded.
He noted a checking account balance of $6,800 with all bills paid, including charges to Affinipay, insurance, and Wild Apricot for another year. $18,302 is recorded in the money market account.
His assessment is that Global Connections is very solvent and stable.
Bruce discussed the civics test deployment, which he had expanded and simplified. He proposed distributing it to external stakeholders, members, and former members via email and the website. Bob and Ciara approved of this plan, with Bruce agreeing to include an explanatory note.
Secretary – Alexandra Persiko
No updates.
Public Relations – Rose Sharp (written update)
Rose provided a written update on her creation of a new website. The group reviewed the website and made the following comments and suggestions:
Home page: put quotes under “Testimonial” in italics and ideally identify the authors.
Decide where to locate agendas and minutes.
Add photos, maybe videos, and liven up the website.
Edits to the listing of the by-laws.
Edits to the book club information.
See specific email correspondence/suggestions provided by EC members to Rose.
Penn State Representative – Wenjie Fu (written update)
Wenjie reported that Penn State welcomed new students who joined Penn State in the spring semester this past Sunday. More than 80 students participated in the International Student Welcome sessions.
Conversation Partners Program is looking for English-speaking volunteers for the spring semester. If anyone is interested, please reach out to Wenjie ([email protected]).
Monthly Museum Moments are back for 2026 Spring (Monthly Museum Moments with Penn State Global – Fill out form).
Description details: “Discover the rich content of art, history, and science with fellow Penn Staters through Monthly Museum Moments – a recurring event that invites everyone to explore a different museum each month. Whether local gems or regional treasures, each visit offers a unique opportunity to engage with culture, spark curiosity and build community.”
Small Groups – Deb Leo (not present)
Deb had provided date suggestions for late March and early April for the next poetry night. The best date and time for the EC members is March 31, 2026, at 7PM.
Special Orders – None
Unfinished Business
The group discussed strategies to increase membership and engagement, including offering discounted memberships to organizations like the United Nations and leveraging events like Poetry Night to attract new members. They explored the idea of collaborating with local nonprofits and universities to expand their reach and support the community. The conversation also touched on the need for a well-defined marketing strategy and better communication with potential members. The group agreed to continue discussing these ideas and potentially involve Penn State students in their efforts.
New Business – see Officer Reports
Action Items
Bob
Pursue the possibility of a Sri Lankan themed cultural event and reach out to Asantha.
Notify Deb to pick a date for the Poetry Night that does not conflict with Passover (Note: March 31 chosen).
Approach United Nations Association of Central Pennsylvania (UNACP), American Association of University Women State College chapter, and potentially other relevant organizations to discuss possible collaboration, discounted membership offers, and event invitations.
Follow up with Anisha this week regarding the return of promotional materials.
Together with Ciara: Discuss and develop a common pitch for outreach to other organizations (e.g., UNACP) regarding membership and event invitations.
Continue the conversation about ways to support our local community.
Analyze our marketing plan.
Circulate the draft annual report to all members for review and feedback before finalizing
Bruce
Distribute the civics test to the membership and former members via Wild Apricot and email and include an explanatory note.
Contact Centre Gives to obtain a comprehensive list of local nonprofits for potential collaboration and marketing outreach.
Rose
Review feedback about the website from EC members and incorporate changes.
Provide updated website draft to the EC for another review.
Alexandra
Circulate the meeting minutes and hold them for posting until a new website is activated.
Anisha
Review Wild Apricot for updates.
Return promotional materials.
Deb
Pick a date for Poetry Night and notify Elaine Meder-Wilgus at Webster’s Bookstore Café (March 31 chosen).
Develop advertising materials with Rose.
Talk to Elaine about collaborating on an international fashion show.
Inquire further about a person interested in leading one of the book groups.
Next Meeting: February 10, 2026
Meeting adjournment: 7:53 PM
Submitted By: Alexandra Persiko Date of Submission: January 19, 2025
