February 2010
Faisal Hassan (Malaysia)

Faisal Hassan

During his first semester at a Seattle, Washington, high school, Faisal Hassan had his first taste of American-style teamwork by taking part in club activities and watching Seattle Mariners baseball. Returning to Malaysia from his 2007 Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, Hassan brought home his lessons learned about teamwork and leadership. He put these lessons into practice as president of YES Alumni Malaysia, an association promoting youth empowerment through leadership, development, and volunteerism. In the past year, Hassan has led numerous alumni projects and workshops, including the Global YES Alumni Conference held in Kuala Lumpur in November 2009.

During his exchange program in Washington State, Hassan lived with a host family on South Whidbey Island, several miles north of his high school. When asked about his exchange experience, he cited “family, friendship, and an open mind” as the three elements that made his U.S. exchange experience most memorable. “I realized why the YES alumni and volunteers whom I spoke to back home before coming to America really emphasized that the best way to make friends is to join a club and work with others,” said Hassan.

Hassan vigorously recruits people to join YES Alumni Malaysia, which has grown to 250 members since his election as president in 2008. He is a strong proponent of new media tools, and makes full use of Facebook, his association’s blog, and the State Alumni website to showcase YES Alumni Malaysia’s many achievements. Hassan is also involved in activities such as leadership training, teaching English to disadvantaged youth, and raising public awareness to promote international peace.

Several projects kept Hassan and the YES Alumni Malaysia busy during fall 2009. With financial assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, the alumni association hosted a train-the-trainers workshop to develop leadership skills among YES alumni in Malaysia. This undertaking allowed Hassan and a core group of alumni to expand their mentoring, leadership, and organizational skills in preparation for one of the largest international YES events. In November, Hassan and YES Alumni Malaysia hosted a Global YES Alumni Conference welcoming over 50 YES alumni worldwide to a global version of the train-the-trainers leadership skills development program. When asked about his efforts, Hassan said, “I am doing my best to use every single opportunity to get busy and show my respect for my community and all of those people and organizations that supported me.”

Hassan’s contributions as a YES alumnus and leader have positioned him to share his American exchange experience with students in his hometown of Kuala Lumpur and people around the world. He currently works with YES alumni in Ghana and India to assist them in starting their own alumni associations. Hassan also studies mass communications in a university program. He hopes to complete future studies in political science and international relations to pursue a career in Malaysian politics.