About the Society

Organized in 1989, the International Society is an association of professionals with international interests who are members or friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The society is supported by the following Brigham Young University institutions:

David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
Marriott School of Management
J. Reuben Clark Law School
David O. McKay School of Education
Alumni Association

Purpose

• Encourage collegiality among professionals involved in international business, law, education, humanitarian service, or other activities
• Promote shared professional and social interest and concerns of society members
• Provide support for international programs of BYU and the Church, where possible

Benefits

Conferences, newsletters, interactions, and the International Society Database (ISD) all offer a glimpse across the globe of what LDS professionals are doing, planning, and thinking--from Davis County to Davos, from Brazil North Area to the North of Burma. The society is free to join and the online profile only takes about 10 minutes to complete.

International Network of Professionals

Networking with thousands of members throughout the world, the society has elected officers, an executive board, and an office with staff support located on BYU's campus at the Kennedy Center for International Studies. Field representatives are located in cities or areas with significant numbers of professionals. Chapters may be organized where there is sufficient interest. When there is an existing professional organization such as chapters of the Marriott School Management Society, J. Reuben Clark Society, or BYU Alumni Association, it is recommended that the International Society's representative and members associate, or work with, the existing structure.

Resources

The society holds an annual conference each April to share the interests of members. Proceedings are now published in print and online and may be obtained by current members free of charge. In addition, the society publishes a print and online newsletter with information about various member activities, regional reports, Latter-day Saints, BYU, Church news and announcements, and updates on the society's various activities.

Awards

The LDS International Society presents the "Distinguished Service Award" to a deserving individual each April at our conference to recognize the service and devotion they have rendered. Elder John K. Carmack, director of the Perpetual Education Fund, received the award at our 2004 conference. For a short biography of Elder Carmack and a listing of previous years' recipients, please visit our awards page.

The International Society Database (ISD)

At the invitation of the Kennedy Center, the society participates in the promotion and maintenance of a resource database of society members and other Latter-day Saint professionals with international expertise. Users may search the database using keywords, language, city/state, country expertise, profession, or other fields or combinations of fields. The database includes the following features:

• Web-enabled to allow users worldwide to access, update, search, and download information
• Secure server and design to allow users to indicate who can view his/her record
• Dynamic Oracle database technology allows approved users to search for individuals based on a variety of fields
• Coordinates closely with the International Society to provide added value and content
• Facilitates interaction among LDS professionals across the world at all stages of professional development
• New users and content constantly being updated in order to expand the global network

User Policy

About the International Resource Guide Database (IRGD) and its Use of Information

The International Resource Guide Database (IRGD), which is hosted by the International Society, is an online community of international professionals that allows its members to post professional profiles and to browse or search profiles posted by others in order to identify and contact people to facilitate networking among LDS professionals and friends. The profiles can contain personal information about, among other things, a database participant's educational and professional qualifications. Collecting this information from database participants and providing services that enable members to search or browse through such profiles is fundamental to the IRGD and its functions as a networking organization.

The International Society is dedicated to protecting the privacy of IRGD participants. The IRGD is designed to give its participants control over their own profiles and allow them to update them regularly. Through its "preference" setting, the IRGD allows each participant to choose who can and cannot view their online profile. In particular, the IRGD allows each member to restrict viewership of his/her profile to other participants in the IRGD only, to IRGD administrators only, or, if he/she wishes, to all website visitors.

Security Procedures in Place to Protect the Loss, Misuse or Alteration of Information Under IRGD Control

The International Society is committed to keeping the IRGD participants' information secure and has taken steps to protect sensitive information both online and offline. ID/Contact and Profile Information Users who are not IRGD participants do not have access to IRGD profiles, except for those profiles where a participant has specifically chosen to have his or her profile visible to all website visitors. Otherwise, the IRGD requires individuals to become IRGD participants and to log in to use IRGD participants' services, including viewing other IRGD profiles or viewing/editing their own personal information. Each IRGD participant-only page checks that the participant is logged in and that the participant has permission to view the page in question.

Solicitations are Strictly Prohibited

The IRGD provides networking tools for professional purposes. As a result, participates must participate in a responsible and professional manner. The following are strictly prohibited: " The transmission of unsolicited commercial e-mail is expressly forbidden " Solicitation from you or your business to anyone in the network. " Acquiring contact information, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, etc. for the purpose of solicitations (present or future). " Promoting activities for personal gain including, but not exclusive to investment clubs, multilevel marketing activities, sales of home/automobile, etc. " Promoting causes or candidates " Any subject that is not appropriate for a international professional-oriented networking group. Anyone abusing these policies will be removed from the database or removed from all IRGD participation. Illegal activities are strictly prohibited and anyone engaging in such activities may be prosecuted according to the law.