First and foremost, my goal is to continue to support and build on the successful programs created during the terms of my six predecessors in this office — programs like our scholarships, which have such a great impact on people’s lives by helping to make education affordable. The letters we receive from recipients relating how important the funds were to their continuing education convince me we do have an impact. Our award-winning Mensa for Kids Web site (www.mensaforkids.org) is another area in which the Foundation is having great impact — not only for the entertaining and educational content for the kids, but also for the lesson plans for teachers and homeschoolers. This site received not only some 13,000 domestic visits from July to September 2011, but also 3,000-plus visitors from around the world.
Other programs, such as our Conversations with Mensa podcasts, are also enjoying international attention, being downloaded in countries as diverse as Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom, to name a few. The Mensa Research Journal has subscribers around the world and is recognized as a serious source for the latest results in research in the field of intelligence.
These are but a few ways the Foundation is operating on an international scope. The international flavor of the Foundation’s programs and efforts is one I intend to fully support since no other national Mensa has the resources yet to develop a foundation of its own. Mensa is an international family, and helping our “cousins” is a very worthwhile venture.
In addition to building on what we already have, I intend to explore new avenues in keeping with our vision and mission statements. We’ve scheduled a Colloquium on social gaming on July 3; it is the first one-day Colloquium event and the first scheduled in conjunction with an American Mensa Annual Gathering. It was conceived by my immediate predecessor, Greg Timmers, and has generated a high level of interest already. On the heels of the Conversations with Mensa success, we’re exploring the possibility of adding webinars. Partnering with other suitable organizations (such as NAGC, Odyssey of the Mind, math/history/geography/spelling bees, and science fairs/competitions) is another area to explore.
None of these or our other programs would be possible without the generous support of our donors. As President, one of my goals is to increase not only the donation totals but also the number of donors. This is your Foundation, and it deserves and needs your support to continue and expand the programs we offer.
Perhaps you have a suggestion for how the Foundation could become even more relevant, or maybe you have a question you’d like addressed? If so, please email me at DaveRemine@mensafoundation.org. All submitted questions will be answered by the appropriate Trustee, and some may be answered in future columns or be used as FAQs on this site.