Envision EMI, LLC
Encyclopedia
Envision EMI, LLC
is a privately held, for-profit education company that creates, markets and runs ten youth leadership programs under various names. The company develops curriculum for, markets, manages, and produces a variety of educational experiences, including leadership and career-oriented education programs, for elementary school through college-age students. The company is based in Vienna, Virginia
and runs its organizations' programs across the world. EMI stands for "Educate, Motivate and Inspire." Since its founding, nearly 600,000 young people from all 50 of the United States, as well as several other countries, have attended Envision EMI education conferences.
The company hosted more than 56,000 students in 273 conferences during 2009 in the United States, China, and Australia focusing on career education and qualities of leadership. The week-long programs cost from $1,440 to more than $3,060. Students are encouraged to raise money to help fund the trip.
In 2010 the Better Business Bureau of Metro Washington D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania restored the company's “A+” rating and its accreditation after downgrading it to an F rating following problems with its Presidential Youth Inaugural Conferences.
Envision administers a number of similar for-profit programs for high school and middle school students in the United States and internationally.
According to the 2008 IRS filing for Congressional Youth Leadership Council, one of its subsidiary organizations, "all full-time staff working on the account of CYLC are employees of Envision EMI LLC." Envision EMI formerly operated some of its programs on behalf of non-profit entities that it had an exclusive marketing relationship with, including the Congressional Youth Leadership Council and the National Youth Leadership Forum, which Envision purchased in November 2007. Envision acquired the assets of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, including its name and the rights to run all of the programs.
The programs are marketed as conferences that help scholars develop their leadership and educational skills. The company strives through its marketing efforts to reach students it describes as high-achievers. While the company is privately held and a for-profit enterprise, all of its wholly owned, subsidiary programs' web sites utilize the .org
domain suffix, which was originally intended for generally non-commercial non-profit organizations.
In 2010, the company will conduct conferences in 35 cities and two foreign countries, China and Australia.
Envision EMI produces five programs under the Congressional Youth Leadership Council brand targeted for middle, junior high, and high school students.
and junior high school level. Attendees examine leaders in American history and social advocacy to hone leadership skills. The program is held in the summer, spring, and fall in Washington, D.C.
, with an optional alumni conference in Boston the following year. Students from all over the United States are invited to learn about leadership by studying American History. Students stay in hotels or conference centers for six days and visit museums throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and many historical sites including the Vietnam Memorial
, Korean War Veterans Memorial
, Lincoln Memorial
. Students are divided into groups based on six leadership traits that they study during the conference: goal-setting, teamwork, respect, communication, problem-solving, and character.
, junior high and high school
level students. The program was first offered in 2004 to challenge students to strengthen the skills they need to succeed and gain a new perspective on how they view their role as leaders in their own communities. During the program attendees focus on eight core leadership power tools: communication, conflict resolution, decision making, goal setting, group dynamics, leadership techniques, project management, self awareness and appreciating diversity.
Many students fundraise and receive community support to attend programs.
On March 4, 2010, Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert addressed NYLC students on the floor of the House of Representatives. Students also meet with their Representative’s and Senators’ offices.
Other keynote speakers who have previously spoken at NYLC include:
students from around the world. Students take part in programs intended to help them improve diplomatic skills and understand global-scale roles. The program was first offered in 1999 as the Congressional Youth Leadership Council’s first international program. In the two sessions held that year, there were 395 students who joined the first session on June 28 - July 8, 1999. The program takes place for 13 days throughout the summer in one of the following locations:
During the program students are given the opportunity to learn and exchange ideas with business leaders, policy officials, lobbyists, journalists, diplomats and academics. Previous GYLC keynote speakers include:
In November 2010, Sanvar Oberoi a GYLC alumni and third-year business student from Mumbai's HR College was nominated among 300 students to attend an interactive session with U.S. President Barack Obama. The Hindu, an Indian newspaper, reported that “Sanvar's representation to the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) in 2007 made him a natural choice for the prized interaction with the U.S. President…”
al organization founded in 1992 that offers career and leadership-based programs for high school
students throughout the United States
. It offers a college preparation program where students live on campus and learn skills for early college success.
NYLF previously offered programs in Nursing and Technology. NYLF currently offers four forums.
level, where students explore law and crime scene investigation, learning how lawyers prepare for trials and differences between civil and criminal law.
level. Participant Andrew Sharp said, “I came with a great interest in medicine, and now I know that it’s what I want to do.”
level, where students explore a career in national security. The Forum began in 1992 and invites promising high school students.
level program where teacher-nominated students are introduced to key leadership traits, including teamwork, communication, problem solving, character development and goal setting.
The nomination form does not ask for G.P.A. levels or educational achievement, simply asking only for the student’s name, address, school year and sex.
campaigns, a "carefully timed mix of mail, phone, fax, and Internet", producing returns for each direct marketing sale of between $100 and $1000. He has produced a number of direct-marketing campaigns that have produced over US$50 million in revenue. Envision recruits exclusively using direct marketing techniques.
GoCollege.com reports that "such seminars are relatively meaningless as resume builders, at least in the eyes of college admissions officers." It reports that college admissions officers believe that "real honors...generally do not come with a price tag."
Envision sends invitations "on weighty card stock adorned by a giant gold seal," using a "fancy script." It contained words like “elite,” “distinguished,” and “select.” The letter received by the student "appears to be awarding the student recognition." Linda Litterer, a teacher at Fort Madison High School, sent her daughter to the conference. She told the New York Times, “For these kids, it is a big deal.” The packaging for the conference invitation "kind of reinforces that.”
Among college students, Susan Garrity Ardizzoni, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Tufts University
, reported that some students who receive invitations are not what she would consider "leadership material." Patrick O’Connor, the director of college counseling at the Roeper School for gifted students in Birmingham, Michigan, reported that he is "happy to nominate whoever wants to go.”
, endorsed the Envision program in a letter to middle-school parents. In early 2009, he said he regretted endorsing the program and using Tufts University letterhead, which violated the university's policy barring endorsements of outside products or causes.
Some students who had attended prior Envision events were surprised by the number of participants. One alumni of prior Envision conferences said she did not expect to be among 5,000 university students and 10,000 middle school and high school students at the conference. Prior conferences she had attended had around 200 to 400 students. Envision did not tell participants the actual number of attendees until they arrived. A former employee of Envision, Angie Peltzer, returned as a faculty adviser during the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conferences and said she believed the company was unprepared to handle the number of students. "It's hard to do 15,000 people when you've only done 500 before," Peltzer said. Another student attendee said the invitation gave her the impression "that there would be less people and it would be more intimate." She was surprised by the numbers who attended.
The program web site stated that the conference included "exclusive and private inaugural events and activities...as well as public ceremonial events, such as the official swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural parade."
Some students found upon arrival and to their surprise that they would have to compete with two million other visitors for viewing space to see the inauguration ceremonies. An unknown number were "stuck on buses during Barack Obama's swearing-in, unsupervised on the Mall or waiting for hours in hotels without participating at all" due to the logistical difficulties at that time in the national capital. Although an August letter from Envision to participants told them they would be "on the Mall," participants thought they would be receiving tickets to attend the inauguration itself, but when they arrived, they "were told to go to the National Press Office or Hard Rock Café to watch it on television."
Parents began to file complaints with the company. As a result, the company pledged an independent review headed by Benjamin R. Civiletti
, the Carter administration attorney general, and set aside US$1 million for restitution. The company acknowledged there were issues: “While the vast majority of scholars who attended our presidential inaugural programs had a positive experience, we acknowledge that some of them have stated that they did not and this is unacceptable to us... We are urgently working to address each and every concern and to respond to the families’ inquiries as quickly as possible." Envision created a temporary web site in early 2009 that was active for about two months to help customers find information. No review by Civiletti was ever made public and Envision never made any follow-up statements about the $1 million restitution fund.
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg
and Representative Bill Pascrell, D-Paterson, who were listed among more than 100 members of Congress as honorary advisers, asked to be taken off the list because of concerns about the inauguration program. Lautenberg's spokesman commented, "The group at some point converted itself to a for-profit organization, and the senator is seriously concerned about complaints from New Jersey families regarding this group’s inauguration program."
lawsuit, Radosti v. Envision EMI, LLC, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs, Bina Radosti, Joshua Rottman, Sally Rife, Heather Kern, Zachary Johnson Burton, and Latiana Carter on "behalf of over 15,000 middle school, high school, and college students", filed suit against Envision and CYLC citing breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, and violations of state consumer protection laws. CYLC, as a subsidiary company without any employees, was subsequently dropped from the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, delegates were told they would attend a "Black Tie Gala", when the actual dress code was "professional business attire (suits)". The suit alleges, that "Instead of the promised official inaugural ball, the students were taken to a "glorified prom"." Richard Rossi, a co-founder of Envision, told The New York Times
in April 2009 that the logistical challenges during the inauguration were overwhelming. "We were operating in almost a war zone, literally a presidential state of emergency", Mr. Rossi said. “There were a lot of things going on that were inconveniencing even V.I.P.’s.”
The judge who approved the settlement rejected the arguments of 22 state Attorney Generals who objected to the settlement,citing that, among other things, that "Envision’s financial condition significantly undermine Plaintiffs’ likelihood of obtaining meaningful class-wide relief at trial." It also noted that the cy pres fund established by the settlement agreement—if properly administered—will ensure that Envision substantially disgorges the profits from its alleged misconduct.
The vouchers are worth approximately 50% of the tuition cost for the Presidential Inaugural conference. Class members are restricted to using one voucher for an Envision program costing less than USD$3,500, or two of the vouchers towards an Envision program costing more than USD$3,500. To provide a marketplace for the transferable vouchers, Envision agreed to maintain a web page describing how the vouchers can be transferred and redeemed. If Envision fails to distribute vouchers totaling at least USD$8,000,000, it agreed to establish a Class Settlement Scholarship Fund that may be used to provide partial or total scholarships to "academically qualified applicants." The Fund may also distribute an additional 5% of scholarships to other youth organizations to give to their members so they may attend Envision programs.
brief filed with the United States Supreme Court, Theodore H. Frank of the public-interest law firm Center for Class Action Fairness
stated that there is a likelihood that "class members will not be able to use their coupons to attend the conference of their choice, given that only 10% of seats at any given conference will be allowed to redeem coupons." He noted that the court approved the settlement over the objection of 22 state attorneys general. He also wrote that class members are forced to help Envision EMI stay in business and are compelled to deal with the same firm that failed to deliver the initial conference for which they paid more than $2,300 to attend.
of Metro Washington D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania. Fifty of those complaints were filed after the conference. In February 2009, the Better Business Bureau
of Metro Washington D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania revoked the company's accreditation because of "its failure to maintain the principles and standards required for accreditation" and the "number of complaints filed against business." The Better Business Bureau (BBB) cited "problems encountered by attendees at its Presidential Inaugural Conference." The company has since resolved 92% of those complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau. Of the seven remaining unresolved complaints, the Bureau shows that the "company made every reasonable effort to resolve" five of them. In mid-2010, the Bureau gave the company an “A+” rating and restored the company's former accreditation.
magazine questioned the selection process and motivation behind CYLC and other similar programs. Common Cause identified methods which then-Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole called "questionable recruiting practices." The company promised to change its methods. Members of the United States Congress
and foreign embassies are listed on an 'honorary board of advisers.' These endorsements were questioned by the Common Cause
article.
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
is a privately held, for-profit education company that creates, markets and runs ten youth leadership programs under various names. The company develops curriculum for, markets, manages, and produces a variety of educational experiences, including leadership and career-oriented education programs, for elementary school through college-age students. The company is based in Vienna, Virginia
Vienna, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
and runs its organizations' programs across the world. EMI stands for "Educate, Motivate and Inspire." Since its founding, nearly 600,000 young people from all 50 of the United States, as well as several other countries, have attended Envision EMI education conferences.
The company hosted more than 56,000 students in 273 conferences during 2009 in the United States, China, and Australia focusing on career education and qualities of leadership. The week-long programs cost from $1,440 to more than $3,060. Students are encouraged to raise money to help fund the trip.
In 2010 the Better Business Bureau of Metro Washington D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania restored the company's “A+” rating and its accreditation after downgrading it to an F rating following problems with its Presidential Youth Inaugural Conferences.
Founding and purpose
Founded in 1985 by Barbara Harris and Richard Rossi, Envision EMI plans, organizes, and runs seminars, programs, and conferences around the world. As of 2006, Envision EMI had over 200 staff members and annual revenues of over USD$75 million, with over 47,000 students from fourth grade through college attended Envision programs around the world.Envision administers a number of similar for-profit programs for high school and middle school students in the United States and internationally.
According to the 2008 IRS filing for Congressional Youth Leadership Council, one of its subsidiary organizations, "all full-time staff working on the account of CYLC are employees of Envision EMI LLC." Envision EMI formerly operated some of its programs on behalf of non-profit entities that it had an exclusive marketing relationship with, including the Congressional Youth Leadership Council and the National Youth Leadership Forum, which Envision purchased in November 2007. Envision acquired the assets of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, including its name and the rights to run all of the programs.
The programs are marketed as conferences that help scholars develop their leadership and educational skills. The company strives through its marketing efforts to reach students it describes as high-achievers. While the company is privately held and a for-profit enterprise, all of its wholly owned, subsidiary programs' web sites utilize the .org
.org
The domain name org is a generic top-level domain of the Domain Name System used in the Internet. The name is derived from organization....
domain suffix, which was originally intended for generally non-commercial non-profit organizations.
Programs worldwide
In 2009, Envision EMI hosted more than 56,000 students in 273 conferences, more students than attended the programs of the company’s three closest competitors combined, and it plans to offer 310 conferences in 2010. Most of the programs are attended by 150 to 400 students.In 2010, the company will conduct conferences in 35 cities and two foreign countries, China and Australia.
Congressional Youth Leadership Council
The Congressional Youth Leadership Council, or CYLC, was founded in 1985 to provide leadership training to young students. Formerly a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, its assets were acquired by Envision in 2007. It is a subsidiary organization of the for-profit Envision EMI, LLC, of Vienna, Virginia, which produces hundreds of similar conferences in multiple locations across the United States and in Europe and China. CYLC is owned and administered by Envision EMI, LLC.Envision EMI produces five programs under the Congressional Youth Leadership Council brand targeted for middle, junior high, and high school students.
Junior National Young Leaders Conference
The Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) is for middleMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and junior high school level. Attendees examine leaders in American history and social advocacy to hone leadership skills. The program is held in the summer, spring, and fall in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, with an optional alumni conference in Boston the following year. Students from all over the United States are invited to learn about leadership by studying American History. Students stay in hotels or conference centers for six days and visit museums throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and many historical sites including the Vietnam Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
, Korean War Veterans Memorial
Korean War Veterans Memorial
The Korean War Veterans Memorial is located in Washington, D.C.'s West Potomac Park, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and just south of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall...
, Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
. Students are divided into groups based on six leadership traits that they study during the conference: goal-setting, teamwork, respect, communication, problem-solving, and character.
Junior National Young Leaders Conference Alumni Boston
The Junior National Young Leaders Conference Alumni Boston, also known as JrNYLC Alumni Boston, is a program where alumni of JrNYLC continue their journey of leadership and explore American history in the city of Boston, Massachusetts.National Young Leaders State Conference
The National Young Leaders State Conference, or NYLSC, is a leadership program for middleMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, junior high and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
level students. The program was first offered in 2004 to challenge students to strengthen the skills they need to succeed and gain a new perspective on how they view their role as leaders in their own communities. During the program attendees focus on eight core leadership power tools: communication, conflict resolution, decision making, goal setting, group dynamics, leadership techniques, project management, self awareness and appreciating diversity.
Many students fundraise and receive community support to attend programs.
National Young Leaders Conference
The National Young Leaders Conference, or NYLC, is a program for United States high school students to discuss and debate current events and leading issues with national leaders.On March 4, 2010, Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert addressed NYLC students on the floor of the House of Representatives. Students also meet with their Representative’s and Senators’ offices.
Other keynote speakers who have previously spoken at NYLC include:
- Neil Williamson, Founder and CEO of One Heartland
- Maya Enista, the CEO of Mobilize.orgMobilize.orgMobilize.org is an national non-profit organization that works with and for members of the Millennial Generation . The mission of Mobilize.org is to improve the way democracy works by investing in Millennial-driven solutions ....
and the cofounder of the 80 Million Strong campaign
Global Young Leaders Conference
The Global Young Leaders Conference, or GYLC, is a program for high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students from around the world. Students take part in programs intended to help them improve diplomatic skills and understand global-scale roles. The program was first offered in 1999 as the Congressional Youth Leadership Council’s first international program. In the two sessions held that year, there were 395 students who joined the first session on June 28 - July 8, 1999. The program takes place for 13 days throughout the summer in one of the following locations:
- USA (Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) - Europe (ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
) - China (BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, HangzhouHangzhouHangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
and ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
)
During the program students are given the opportunity to learn and exchange ideas with business leaders, policy officials, lobbyists, journalists, diplomats and academics. Previous GYLC keynote speakers include:
- Ishmael BeahIshmael BeahIshmael Beah is a former Sierra Leonean child soldier and the author of the published memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.-Early years:...
, former Sierra Leonean child soldier and the author of the published memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy SoldierA Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy SoldierA Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is a memoir written by Ishmael Beah. Published in 2007, this book provides a firsthand account of the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone and the ongoing plight of child soldiers in conflicts worldwide. Ishmael Beah was forced to run away from attacking...
. - Marc KielburgerMarc KielburgerMarc Kielburger, CM, OMC is a Canadian author, humanitarian and activist for children's rights. He is the co-founder of Free The Children, an international development and youth empowerment organization....
and Craig KielburgerCraig KielburgerCraig Kielburger, CM, MSM, OMC is a Canadian activist for the rights of children. He is the founder of Free The Children and co-founder of Me to We. On February 20, 2007, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada by the Governor General of Canada.-Early life:Kielburger was born in Thornhill,...
, Co-founders of Free The ChildrenFree The ChildrenFree The Children is an international charity and youth movement founded in 1995 by children's rights advocate Craig Kielburger. The organization is largely youth-funded, based on the concept of "children helping children." It specializes in sustainable development in countries of Kenya, Ecuador,... - Alec Ross, Senior Adviser on Innovation in the Office of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
- Claudio GrossmanClaudio GrossmanClaudio Grossman is a lawyer and law professor. He is the dean of the Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, D.C.. Grossman served as vice chair of the United Nations Committee Against Torture and now as Chair . He is a former member of the Inter-American Commission on...
, Dean and Co-Director of the Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian lawCenter for Human Rights and Humanitarian lawThe Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law was founded in 1990 as a way to coordinate all the human rights and humanitarian law activities at WCL...
at Washington College of Law - Renjie Butalid
In November 2010, Sanvar Oberoi a GYLC alumni and third-year business student from Mumbai's HR College was nominated among 300 students to attend an interactive session with U.S. President Barack Obama. The Hindu, an Indian newspaper, reported that “Sanvar's representation to the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) in 2007 made him a natural choice for the prized interaction with the U.S. President…”
National Young Leadership Forum
The National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) is a tuition-based educationEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al organization founded in 1992 that offers career and leadership-based programs for high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It offers a college preparation program where students live on campus and learn skills for early college success.
NYLF previously offered programs in Nursing and Technology. NYLF currently offers four forums.
National Forum on Collegiate Success
The National Forum on Collegiate Success gives high school students hands-on experience in a college setting, including how to live and eat in the dorms, how to use office hours, maintaining a manageable schedule, and dealing with stress.National Youth Leadership Forum on Law and Crime Scene Investigation
The National Youth Leadership Forum on Law and Crime Scene Investigation, high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
level, where students explore law and crime scene investigation, learning how lawyers prepare for trials and differences between civil and criminal law.
National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine
The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
level. Participant Andrew Sharp said, “I came with a great interest in medicine, and now I know that it’s what I want to do.”
National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security
The National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security, high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
level, where students explore a career in national security. The Forum began in 1992 and invites promising high school students.
International Scholar Laureate Program
International Scholar Laureate Program (ISLP) is a college level program for students to explore careers in business, diplomacy and international relations, engineering, medicine and nursing.National Young Scholars Program
The National Young Scholars Program (NYSP) is an elementary school level program for 3rd-5th grade students nominated by a teacher. Students develop leadership skills through role playing. The company formerly offered a National Young Leaders Program for elementary school students. Some components of the program were incorporated into Envision’s National Young Scholars Program, an Elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
level program where teacher-nominated students are introduced to key leadership traits, including teamwork, communication, problem solving, character development and goal setting.
Recruitment practices
The company markets its programs to what it describes as "high achievers" and "an elite group of outstanding young people" which it identifies via recommendations and mass mailings. In 2009, more than 287,000 teachers nominated students to participate in an Envision EMI program.Teacher referrals and rented mailing lists
Students are nominated to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum by "teachers and alumni of previous conferences, and it culls names from mailing lists, for which the Congressional Youth Leadership Council paid $263,000 in 2006." Tuition ranges from $1,440 to more than $3,060 depending upon the program. The fee covers accommodations, breakfast and dinner, program materials, and bus transportation. Students are responsible for other expenses including airfare, ground transportation to and from the conference, lunch, and other incidental expenses. A limited scholarship program is available to students with financial need.GPA not a criterion
In 2008, some program materials stated that a minimum 3.5 G.P.A. was required. Educators who nominate students are now told to use their own discretion. Teachers who nominate students to attend the company’s programs say they consider a student’s grades, behavior and participation in class, interactions with other students, and ability to learn. One said, “So it’s not just how many clubs can you get involved with, who do you know and what do you know? It’s: are you the type of person who will be able to step up and be a leader?”The nomination form does not ask for G.P.A. levels or educational achievement, simply asking only for the student’s name, address, school year and sex.
Direct marketing success
Richard Rossi, co-founder of Envision EMI, has been described as a "direct mail genius" and an expert at producing integrated direct marketingDirect marketing
Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows businesses and nonprofits to communicate straight to the customer, with advertising techniques such as mobile messaging, email, interactive consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional...
campaigns, a "carefully timed mix of mail, phone, fax, and Internet", producing returns for each direct marketing sale of between $100 and $1000. He has produced a number of direct-marketing campaigns that have produced over US$50 million in revenue. Envision recruits exclusively using direct marketing techniques.
Not selective
Many high school students believe that attending one of Envision's conferences is an honor and that their participation will positively affect their chances for college admission. CollegeConfidential.com, written by professional college admission counselors, reports that "Too many students are invited to take part to make this a truly selective organization, and so many college candidates do take part—especially those from the more well-heeled families—that college-admission officials usually just yawn when they spot NYLC on an application."GoCollege.com reports that "such seminars are relatively meaningless as resume builders, at least in the eyes of college admissions officers." It reports that college admissions officers believe that "real honors...generally do not come with a price tag."
Envision sends invitations "on weighty card stock adorned by a giant gold seal," using a "fancy script." It contained words like “elite,” “distinguished,” and “select.” The letter received by the student "appears to be awarding the student recognition." Linda Litterer, a teacher at Fort Madison High School, sent her daughter to the conference. She told the New York Times, “For these kids, it is a big deal.” The packaging for the conference invitation "kind of reinforces that.”
Among college students, Susan Garrity Ardizzoni, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, reported that some students who receive invitations are not what she would consider "leadership material." Patrick O’Connor, the director of college counseling at the Roeper School for gifted students in Birmingham, Michigan, reported that he is "happy to nominate whoever wants to go.”
Recognition
In 1999, 2003, and in November 2007, Envision EMI was cited in Great Places to Work: Where to Launch a Career by The Washingtonian Magazine.Endorsement withdrawn
In 2007 Dr. Richard M. Lerner, director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts UniversityTufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, endorsed the Envision program in a letter to middle-school parents. In early 2009, he said he regretted endorsing the program and using Tufts University letterhead, which violated the university's policy barring endorsements of outside products or causes.
2009 Inaugural conference criticism and legal action
In January 2009, Envision EMI was criticized for its handling of their Presidential Youth Inaugural Conferences that offered 15,000 youths the opportunity to attend exclusive events in Washington, DC. Participants received a letter congratulating them on being "accepted to be among the thousands of students" to "witness first-hand the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States.Some students who had attended prior Envision events were surprised by the number of participants. One alumni of prior Envision conferences said she did not expect to be among 5,000 university students and 10,000 middle school and high school students at the conference. Prior conferences she had attended had around 200 to 400 students. Envision did not tell participants the actual number of attendees until they arrived. A former employee of Envision, Angie Peltzer, returned as a faculty adviser during the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conferences and said she believed the company was unprepared to handle the number of students. "It's hard to do 15,000 people when you've only done 500 before," Peltzer said. Another student attendee said the invitation gave her the impression "that there would be less people and it would be more intimate." She was surprised by the numbers who attended.
The program web site stated that the conference included "exclusive and private inaugural events and activities...as well as public ceremonial events, such as the official swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural parade."
Some students found upon arrival and to their surprise that they would have to compete with two million other visitors for viewing space to see the inauguration ceremonies. An unknown number were "stuck on buses during Barack Obama's swearing-in, unsupervised on the Mall or waiting for hours in hotels without participating at all" due to the logistical difficulties at that time in the national capital. Although an August letter from Envision to participants told them they would be "on the Mall," participants thought they would be receiving tickets to attend the inauguration itself, but when they arrived, they "were told to go to the National Press Office or Hard Rock Café to watch it on television."
Parents began to file complaints with the company. As a result, the company pledged an independent review headed by Benjamin R. Civiletti
Benjamin Civiletti
Benjamin Richard Civiletti served as the United States Attorney General during the last year and a half of the Carter administration, from 1979 to 1981. He is now a senior partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm of Venable LLP, specializing in commercial litigation and internal investigations,...
, the Carter administration attorney general, and set aside US$1 million for restitution. The company acknowledged there were issues: “While the vast majority of scholars who attended our presidential inaugural programs had a positive experience, we acknowledge that some of them have stated that they did not and this is unacceptable to us... We are urgently working to address each and every concern and to respond to the families’ inquiries as quickly as possible." Envision created a temporary web site in early 2009 that was active for about two months to help customers find information. No review by Civiletti was ever made public and Envision never made any follow-up statements about the $1 million restitution fund.
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.-Early life, career, and family:...
and Representative Bill Pascrell, D-Paterson, who were listed among more than 100 members of Congress as honorary advisers, asked to be taken off the list because of concerns about the inauguration program. Lautenberg's spokesman commented, "The group at some point converted itself to a for-profit organization, and the senator is seriously concerned about complaints from New Jersey families regarding this group’s inauguration program."
Lawsuit filed
On May 13, 2009, the law firms Hausfeld LLP and DiMuroGinsberg PC filed a class actionClass action
In law, a class action, a class suit, or a representative action is a form of lawsuit in which a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court and/or in which a class of defendants is being sued...
lawsuit, Radosti v. Envision EMI, LLC, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs, Bina Radosti, Joshua Rottman, Sally Rife, Heather Kern, Zachary Johnson Burton, and Latiana Carter on "behalf of over 15,000 middle school, high school, and college students", filed suit against Envision and CYLC citing breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, and violations of state consumer protection laws. CYLC, as a subsidiary company without any employees, was subsequently dropped from the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, delegates were told they would attend a "Black Tie Gala", when the actual dress code was "professional business attire (suits)". The suit alleges, that "Instead of the promised official inaugural ball, the students were taken to a "glorified prom"." Richard Rossi, a co-founder of Envision, told The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in April 2009 that the logistical challenges during the inauguration were overwhelming. "We were operating in almost a war zone, literally a presidential state of emergency", Mr. Rossi said. “There were a lot of things going on that were inconveniencing even V.I.P.’s.”
Preliminary settlement made
On December 17, 2009, a class-action settlement agreement was preliminarily approved by the U.S. District Court. The initial settlement provided US$2,500 to each of six class representatives. Envision agreed to pay for all settlement costs and to award attorneys' fees and costs to plaintiff counsel totaling US$1,455,000. The tuition vouchers Envision must issue total in value $8,000,000, about one-half of what Envision was reported to have earned from the conference.Amended settlement announced
On June 10, 2010, the law firm announced in a press release that a federal judge had approved a settlement plan after extensive mediation. It provides up to USD$17 million in tuition vouchers to members of the class action suit. The vouchers provide anyone who attended either the Junior Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference, the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference, or the University Presidential Inaugural Conference, with two, fully transferable vouchers worth USD$625 (totaling USD$1,250). The voucher can be redeemed until 2018 in payment as tuition for any future Envision program. Class members may only transfer the vouchers to individuals who meet Envision's academic qualifications, including a demonstrated grade point average of 3.5 or higher.The judge who approved the settlement rejected the arguments of 22 state Attorney Generals who objected to the settlement,citing that, among other things, that "Envision’s financial condition significantly undermine Plaintiffs’ likelihood of obtaining meaningful class-wide relief at trial." It also noted that the cy pres fund established by the settlement agreement—if properly administered—will ensure that Envision substantially disgorges the profits from its alleged misconduct.
The vouchers are worth approximately 50% of the tuition cost for the Presidential Inaugural conference. Class members are restricted to using one voucher for an Envision program costing less than USD$3,500, or two of the vouchers towards an Envision program costing more than USD$3,500. To provide a marketplace for the transferable vouchers, Envision agreed to maintain a web page describing how the vouchers can be transferred and redeemed. If Envision fails to distribute vouchers totaling at least USD$8,000,000, it agreed to establish a Class Settlement Scholarship Fund that may be used to provide partial or total scholarships to "academically qualified applicants." The Fund may also distribute an additional 5% of scholarships to other youth organizations to give to their members so they may attend Envision programs.
Settlement criticism
In an amicus curiaeAmicus curiae
An amicus curiae is someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer information to assist a court in deciding a matter before it...
brief filed with the United States Supreme Court, Theodore H. Frank of the public-interest law firm Center for Class Action Fairness
Center for Class Action Fairness
The Center for Class Action Fairness is a Washington, D.C.-based public-interest law firm, founded by Ted Frank in June 2009 to represent consumers dissatisfied with their counsel in class actions and class action settlements...
stated that there is a likelihood that "class members will not be able to use their coupons to attend the conference of their choice, given that only 10% of seats at any given conference will be allowed to redeem coupons." He noted that the court approved the settlement over the objection of 22 state attorneys general. He also wrote that class members are forced to help Envision EMI stay in business and are compelled to deal with the same firm that failed to deliver the initial conference for which they paid more than $2,300 to attend.
Better Business Bureau rating
Of the more than 150,000 students that participated in Envision EMI programs in the last three years, 88 have filed complaints with the Better Business BureauBetter Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau , founded in 1912, is a corporation consisting of several private business franchises of local BBB organizations based in the United States and Canada, which work through their parent corporation, the Council of Better Business Bureaus .The Better Business Bureau, through...
of Metro Washington D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania. Fifty of those complaints were filed after the conference. In February 2009, the Better Business Bureau
Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau , founded in 1912, is a corporation consisting of several private business franchises of local BBB organizations based in the United States and Canada, which work through their parent corporation, the Council of Better Business Bureaus .The Better Business Bureau, through...
of Metro Washington D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania revoked the company's accreditation because of "its failure to maintain the principles and standards required for accreditation" and the "number of complaints filed against business." The Better Business Bureau (BBB) cited "problems encountered by attendees at its Presidential Inaugural Conference." The company has since resolved 92% of those complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau. Of the seven remaining unresolved complaints, the Bureau shows that the "company made every reasonable effort to resolve" five of them. In mid-2010, the Bureau gave the company an “A+” rating and restored the company's former accreditation.
College Credits
The faculty at George Mason University has approved several Envision programs for elective college credit in "Special Topics in Leadership.". These programs are the NYLF Forum on National Security, the National Young Leaders Conference, the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, the National Youth Leadership Forum on Law and CSI, and the Global Young Leaders Conference. Participating students have the opportunity to earn one or two college credits, depending upon the length of the program, and credits are generally transferable to other 4-year colleges or universities. Students are evaluated for “active participation in simulations, contributions to discussions and demonstration of leadership and critical thinking skills in group and individual settings.” George Mason University notes that “it is unlikely that this type of credit will have a significant bearing on the college admissions process. When given the opportunity, we encourage students to think about how they can present these experiences in the application process as an example of their leadership potential.” Academic programs offering college credit help save on undergraduate tuition, in addition to allowing students to explore specialized career paths and interests while offering “invaluable opportunities to take advanced courses and make use of resources not available in most high schools”.Common Cause article
An article in the Fall 1993 edition of Common CauseCommon Cause
Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
magazine questioned the selection process and motivation behind CYLC and other similar programs. Common Cause identified methods which then-Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole called "questionable recruiting practices." The company promised to change its methods. Members of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and foreign embassies are listed on an 'honorary board of advisers.' These endorsements were questioned by the Common Cause
Common Cause
Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
article.