Institute for Civic Leadership Selects 50 Future Sustainability Leaders Through the Alcoa Global Service Leaders Scholarship Program

For many students, summer is a time to go to the beach, visit amusement parks and enjoy nature. For the winners of the Alcoa Global Service Leaders Scholarship, it will also be an intense adventure in sustainability leadership. The Institute for Civic Leadership (ICL) announced today that 50 students from around the world, ages 15 to 18, received scholarships from Alcoa Foundation to study and learn about leadership and service at Dwight International School (DIS) in Vancouver Island, Canada, from August 1-14, 2011. ICLs Leadership Academy hosts a total of 83 students from 21 countries.

Winners were selected from a diverse applicant pool of more than 450 high school students for this comprehensive, hands-on summer leadership program. Scholarships were awarded based on a combination of merit and need and cover all program costs, including: tuition, roundtrip international travel, passports and visa fees. Children of Alcoa employees were eligible to apply, and 22 were selected for the program.

"We are proud to help develop the next generation of sustainability leaders through our partnership with the Institute for Civic Leadership,” said Paula Davis, President, Alcoa Foundation. "The Alcoa Global Service Leadership Scholarship was created to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and have a passion for service in their communities. Over the summer, they will broaden their perspectives on leadership as they interact with students from all over the world.”

In a "classroom without walls,” participants will learn "sustainable leadership” and key skills to enable them to act as leaders right now as well as into the future. During workshops, team-building exercises and excursions, highly trained educators will push students to reach their highest leadership potential.

"After two weeks, students become part of a network of service leaders from around the world and have a different understanding of themselves and their ability to make service count,” said Kirk Spahn, Board President and Co-Founder of the Institute for Civic Leadership. "Participation in the ICL Leadership Academy helps students answer the most critical questions asked by both colleges and future employers: How are you a leader? How have you made a difference?”

Applications were evaluated by a panel of international judges from industry, government, sports and academics, including tennis great Monica Seles, former NFL linebacker and investment banking associate at Goldman Sachs, Brandon Short, former United Kingdom Ambassador to the United Nations Jeremy Greenstock, diplomat Mitra Vasisht of the Indian Foreign Service, Saudi Arabia’s HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud and Jordan’s HRH Prince Rashid el Hassan.

Visit Alcoa’s Global Service Leaders Scholarship Program for the list of scholarship winners and to learn more about the program.

About Alcoa

Alcoa (NYSE:AA) is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for nine consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 59,000 people in 31 countries across the world. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.

About the Institute for Civic Leadership (ICL)

ICL inspires and connects a global network of service leaders who are "Making Service Count” in order to build a better world. ICL’s mission is to ensure that students and faculty around the world, who have become service leaders in their schools and communities, are recognized for their leadership in civic engagement, given training to enhance their leadership skills and provided with the resources to promote and sustain their endeavors. At ICL, we teach our students leadership skills that include critical thinking, teamwork, communication, reflection and self-awareness. With these skills, we empower our participants to use their passion for service to build a better world. For more information, visit www.iclny.org.

About Alcoa Foundation

Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S., with assets of approximately US$436 million. Founded more than 50 years ago, Alcoa Foundation has invested more than US $530 million since 1952. In 2010, Alcoa Foundation contributed nearly US$20 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the world, focusing on promoting environmental stewardship, enabling economic and social sustainability, and preparing tomorrow’s leaders through education and learning. The work of Alcoa Foundation is further enhanced by Alcoa’s thousands of employee volunteers, who in 2010 gave more than 720,000 service hours. Through the company’s signature Month of Service (October) program, Alcoa employees share their energy, passion and purpose to make a difference in our communities. In 2010, a record 49 percent of Alcoans took part in nearly 1,000 Month of Service events across 24 countries, reaching 59,000 children, serving 17,000 meals, planting 16,000 trees and supporting 3,000 nonprofit organizations. For more information about Alcoa Foundation, please access www.alcoa.com/foundation.