Visitors are selected by American embassies around the world for their leadership potential in professional fields such as business management, the environment, law, government, journalism, the arts and education. With a paid staff of only five, the non-profit organization depends heavily on volunteers. Collins says the work can be tedious. The work is also competitive. All referrals for visitors come to the National Council for International Visitors in Washington, D.C., which then sends out a request for proposals to the local councils.
Local councils submit their proposed programs for visitors.
The Triangle council has been quite successful. It is ranked eighth out of 97 councils in the United States for the number of visitors hosted and the quality of programs generated. The success of the Triangle council is due, in part, to the commitment of the volunteers who contribute their time and expertise. Prouty says she believes in the mission of the organization. Prouty said people should be encouraged to join IVC because it helps to promote world understanding.