Melton Foundation
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The Melton Foundation is a foundation that hopes to establish a global community capable of addressing human issues and fostering cross-cultural understanding.
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[edit] Background
William Melton first came up with the idea for the foundation when he and his wife, Patricia Smith Melton, took a trip to Germany shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Melton began to wonder what would happen if one mixed talented people with the proper set of tools and the right environment. The Melton Foundation was established in 1991 as a result of its founder’s vision to form a community of talented people from different cultures who could interact and address global issues based on principles of open communication and mutual respect, using technology as a communication tool.
The Melton Foundation's guiding principle is: The Melton Foundation is committed to bringing positive change in the world through a network of people from diverse cultures empowered by lasting bond of friendship, open communication and mutual respect
The Melton Foundation is 501(C)(3) Organization based in the state of Virginia, USA.
[edit] Activities
- Annual Symposium. Every year, the foundation gathers all of its fellows for a weeklong symposium. A different partner university hosts every year, which allows the partners to experience many different cultures.
- New Fellows Orientation Each new group of fellows participates in an orientation which provides them with skills necessary to proceed in the program.
- Workgroups Throughout the year, fellows work in small groups to study a problem of interest.
- Social Service Projects Fellows are required to provide service in their own communities.
[edit] Founders
William (Bill) Melton is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global Internet Ventures, an Internet Holding Company. For more than 20 years, Melton has been an entrepreneur bringing technology to the financial industry.
He was the original founder of VeriFone Inc, the transaction automation company that has made credit authorization terminals ubiquitous on retail counters throughout the world. He was also an early investor in America Online and served on its Board of Directors for several years. He currently serves on the BOD for several private early stage technology companies. He holds a master’s degree in Asian Studies and Chinese Philosophy
Patricia Smith Melton, The Melton Foundation co-founder, is an active member of daily operations. Patricia is a Board member and consultant to the Foundation, actively involved in the global forum and in the conflict resolution project.
Patricia is a playwright with productions throughout the U.S., a photographer who has taught at the Smithsonian Institution, a poet, and an entrepreneur. She is founder of, and currently focused on directing, the PEACE X PEACE Global Network. This organization uses the internet to connect women-based groups in the U.S. in one-to-one relationships with women-based groups working in their home nations outside the U.S. The aim is to foster the conditions necessary to achieve and maintain peace.
[edit] Partner Universities
- FSU Friedrich Schiller Universität joined the program in 1991 as one of the founding institutions. FSU, located in the city of Jena, was founded in 1558 and has more than 20,000 students.
- BMS Established in 1946, BMS College of Engineering has been part of the Melton network since 1992. BMS is located in Bangalore, the Garden City and Silicon Valley of India.
- ZU Zhejiang University located in Hangzhou has been part of the network since 1992. With more than 41,000 students, ZU is considered one of the top 3 graduate schools in China.
- UFRO Universidad de La Frontera located in Temuco Chile. UFRO has been part of the program since 1994.
- DU Dillard University is currently the partner University in the United States. DU situated in New Orleans joined the network in 1995 as a private historically black faith based liberal arts institution.
- Westmar University (1890-1997) Westmar University in Le Mars, Iowa, was the first partner university. Westmar was Bill and Patricia Smith Melton's alma mater.
