Operation Smile, the international children’s charity that provides free surgery for children born with facial deformities including Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate, will host 450 students from 22 countries including Canada, China, Mexico and South Africa at the University of Limerick from July 14th to July 19th for its 23rd Annual International Student Leadership Conference (ISLC).
This is the second time for the ISLC to be held in Ireland and Operation Smile founders, Plastic Surgeon Dr Bill Magee and his wife Kathy Magee will officially open the Conference at an opening ceremony at 7pm on Monday 14th July. The Conference aims to educate students on the value of service within their communities and help develop their skills as future philanthropic leaders.
Oscar-nominated, Grammy award-winning songwriter, Amir Windom who wrote Pharrell William’s chart-topping “Happy”, will speak to the students alongside other internationally acclaimed authors and entrepreneurs.
“The purpose of the week-long leadership conference is to enrich each student’s perspective of the value of service within their community and help develop their skills as future philanthropic leaders,” said Operation Smile’s Co-Founders Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee.
Throughout the week, students will participate in team-building activities, attend leadership workshops, compete in field games and complete service projects.
Conference participants range in age from 15 to 22 and hail from 22 countries around the world. By bringing together international students, community leaders and scholars from all backgrounds, Operation Smile creates a forum for examining and celebrating the positive impact of cultural diversity.
“I hope my message will empower this group of young leaders to embrace their uniqueness, to be bold in the face of uncertainty and to seek opportunity in every difficulty,” said Amir Windom, Oscar-nominated songwriter.
ISLC participants are actively involved in Operation Smile student clubs or associations in their hometowns. Since its inception in 1982, Operation Smile’s Student Programmes have been an integral part of the organisation. Student involvement has expanded to all levels of school education, universities, and medical schools worldwide. Today, well over 18,000participants are active in more than 900 Operation Smile student clubs and associations throughout 40 countries. Students often self-initiate campaigns for Operation Smile to raise awareness and donations to fund more surgeries for children in need. Through their school and community-based fundraising, student volunteers raise an estimated $1 million annually for Operation Smile.
To learn more about Operation Smile’s and other keynote speakers participating in this year’s leadership conference, visit our ISLC student conference page.
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Media:
Here’s how the man who wrote Happy makes people happy – TheJournal.ie
About Dr Bill Magee, Plastic Surgeon and Co-Founder of Operation Smile
Dr Bill Magee is a leading plastic and craniofacial surgeon who founded Operation Smile in 1982 with his wife, Kathy Magee, and serves as the organisation’s CEO. Dr Magee received a DDS from the University of Maryland, M.D. from George Washington University Medical School, served his general surgery residency at the University of Virginia Medical School and received his plastic surgery training in Norfolk, Virginia.
Awarded the Hays-Fulbright Scholar Grant from the Franco-American Commission, he studied in France with Dr Paul Tessier, the father of craniofacial surgery. He has been published in numerous medical journals and medical texts and was honoured by the American Medical Association and the American Plastic Surgery Society. Dr Magee has been awarded honorary doctorates from six universities and the American Medical Association honoured him with its 2000 Pride in the Profession Award; and he received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In addition, he was also highlighted in November 2009 in US News & World Report’s issue “America’s Best Leaders;” and the National Medal for Peace and Friendship Among Nations – Vietnam in 2009.
Dr. Magee maintains a private practice in Norfolk and is Co-Director of The Institute for Craniofacial and Plastic Surgery in the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. He is a Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Southern California and an Associate Professor at the Eastern Virginia Medical School.
About Kathy Magee, Co-Founder and President of Operation Smile
Kathy Magee, BSN, MEd, MSW, co-founded Operation Smile in 1982 with her husband, Bill Magee and currently serves as its President on a full-time, volunteer basis.
Operation Smile is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. To date, Operation Smile has provided more than 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults born with cleft lip and cleft palate and other facial deformities. Operation Smile works in more than 60 countries.
Ms. Magee also is a lifetime member of the Board of Directors. She travels overseas extensively to nurture and maintain key corporate, diplomatic and medical partnerships that enable Operation Smile to carry out its surgical missions.
The Magees have been the recipients of numerous awards and honors including the first $1 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 1996, the Servants of Peace Award in 1997, the Golden Plate Award and Kellogg’s Hannah Neil World of Children Award in 1999, and in 2001 the Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service and the Antonio Feltrinelli Prize for Exceptional Endeavors of Outstanding Moral and Humanitarian Value by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. In 2007, USAID presented the Magees with the President’s Call to Service Award from President George W. Bush. In addition, she was highlighted in November 2009 in US News & World Report’s issue “America’s Best Leaders.”
A New Jersey native, Ms. Magee received her B.S.N. from College Misericordia in Pennsylvania, her M.Ed. from the University of Maryland and her MSW from Norfolk State University in Virginia. She also completed graduate work at the University of Virginia and Jung Institute in Switzerland.
About International Student Leadership Conference (ISLC)
In 1991, Operation Smile Student Programs had its first annual International Student Leadership Conference in Norfolk, Virginia. The conference has grown exponentially since its inaugural event when 40 students from the United States attended. Now, hundreds of student volunteers from around the world come together each year to participate in the Conference,where they learn how to meet challenges and take confident steps toward leadership and strong character development. The Conference helps high school and college students build leadership skills, self-esteem, a lifelong commitment to serving others, and teaches the importance of cultural awareness. Every year the conference is held at a different university around the world,and recognises and celebrates diversity among our students. We believe that students play a vital role,not only in the future of Operation Smile, but also in the future of the world.
About Operation Smile
Operation Smile, headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is an international children’s medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries, whose network of more than 5,400 medical volunteers from over 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children.
Since its founding in 1982, Operation Smile has provided more than 220,000 free surgical procedures for children and young adults born with cleft lip and cleft palate and other facial deformities. To build long-term self-sufficiency in resource poor environments, Operation Smile trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries so they are empowered to treat their local communities. Operation Smile also donates medical equipment, supplies and provides year-round medical treatment through its worldwide centers.
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