History

LTI was founded in May 2007 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by YeSeul Kim and Semmie Kim. YeSeul always had a desire to help other people, but she knew could not change the world single-handedly; with her high school experiences to inspire her, she decided to create a program that would empower students to learn how to be leaders in their community. Semmie had enjoyed being involved with leadership-oriented activities through organizations that promote volunteerism, wellness, and self-development; she had always been motivated by the realization that small steps taken by one person could truly make a difference in the world.

Since that pilot program in the summer of 2007, LTI has become a sustained student-run organization on the MIT campus and continues to provide leadership opportunities to high school students in the Boston community.

Accomplishments

    Summer 2010

  • Expansion to China: Three LTI members traveled to Beijing to start a new LTI chapter at Beijing University.
  • HSSP-LTI Summer Session IV: Five LTI alumni returned to mentor over 30 high school students participating in summer session.

    Spring 2010

  • Expansion to Brazil: Five LTI members traveled to Belo Horizonte to start a new LTI chapter with college students, in partnership with PESSOA.
  • Spring Session III: Ten students participated in and graduated from the spring session.
  • LTI provided training sessions for Associate Advisors in partnership with the MIT Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming.

    Fall 2009

  • All-staff retreat to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Summer 2009
  • HSSP-LTI Summer Session III: Five LTI alumni returned to mentor over 40 high school students participating in summer session.
  • CDI-SLP: Three LTI members joined the China Development Intitative on their Service Leadership Project in Shenzhen.

    Spring 2009

  • LTI received recognition as a student-group status from the MIT Association of Student Activities.
  • Spring Session II: Eight students participated in and graduated from the spring session.
  • Development of elections process and Constitution.
  • Expansion to Mexico: Five LTI members traveled to Tuxla to start a new LTI chapter in collaboration with Casa Telmex.

    Fall 2008

  • Development of mentor-training program.
  • All-staff retreat to Camp Cody, New Hampshire.
  • Establishment of contracts and system of accountability.
  • Restructuring of Executive Board committees, separation of mentors from Executive Board.
  • Transfer of Directorship

    Summer 2008

  • HSSP-LTI Summer Session II: Three LTI alumni returned to mentor over 20 high school students participating in summer session. MIT Open CourseWare recorded sessions and published materials as course on OCW website.
  • Establishment of LTI blog.
  • Expansion to Mexico: Introduced LTI curriculum to Casa Telmex facilities in Mexico City and Tuxtla-Gutierrez.
  • CDI-SLP: Created partnership with China Development Intiative for annual Service Leadership Program in Qidong.

    Spring 2008

  • Spring Session I: Five students participated in and graduated from the first LTI spring session.
  • Intiation of periodic curriculum evaluations.
  • Incorporation of General Body Meetings.

    Fall 2007

  • Recruitment of mentors and staff, establishment of Executive Board.
  • Raising of initial capital from CSF, UAAP, PSC, DUE, SAO, DSL, OME, DUSP.
  • Creation of LTI website.

    Summer 2007

  • Development of initial curriculum.
  • Recruitment of initial MIT students.
  • HSSP-LTI Summer Session I: Pilot program with over twenty students.