Distinguished Visitor Programs

From its inception, International House has played host to distinguished individuals whose life work has been of critical and lasting importance. During its first quarter century, the House welcomed such notables as Helen Keller, Paul Robeson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Pearl S. Buck and John Foster Dulles to share the wisdom of their life's experiences with the resident members of the House.

In the last 50 years, International House has established a number of Distinguished Visitor Programs, many of them in honor of some of the House's leaders and benefactors. The purpose of all programs remains the same: promoting interaction between resident members and distinguished guests in a way that can help shape the outlooks, ideas and lives of future leaders.

Each year, International House welcomes leading practitioners from a variety of backgrounds to address the community with their perspectives on a variety of current topics. In addition, a speaker series is offered each academic year around a specific programmatic theme. Themed speaker programs in recent years have included globalization, the environment, human rights, technology and global health issues.