Our Organization
His Mission incorporated and filed for non-profit status in 1993, establishing an organization purposed for helping international students and scholars in their many needs. Students need help adapting to their new environment, as well as managing academic requirements. The language barrier and cross cultural issues are often the root cause of many of their struggles and complicate their adjustment. These difficulties, together with being lonely and homesick, often lead to isolation. HIS Mission welcomes international students and scholars, offering hospitality and friendship, and serves as an ambassador of peace and goodwill. To further penetrate the cultural barriers, the organization provides techniques for addressing culture shock issues and expert training to reduce foreign accent and achieve Advanced American Accent.
In 1999, HIS Mission expanded its vision by launching a web site to provide a connection with internationals before leaving their homes abroad to come to the United States.
President and Founder – Donya Brown
Donya Brown’s credentials include the following: International Student Ministry Specialist Certified to teach English as a Second Language – an expert in Foreign Accent Reduction and Advanced American Accent Development; North American Mission Board, SBC; Literacy Missions Associate; Royal College of Chaplains American Center for Religion and Society Studies; Field Traumatology and Compassion Fatigue Educator accredited through the Green Cross Foundation; Peninsula Recovery Education.
Donya Brown immediately became involved with international students as a volunteer after moving to Tennessee from her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana in 1988. She identified with their struggles regarding culture shock because she, too was living away from home, knew no one, found the terrain to be unfamiliar and had difficulty understanding the East Tennessee accent. She gave up her full time job in 1993 in order to incorporate HIS Mission. Then she assembled its Board of Directors and began fundraising to support her new full-time job working with the students and to finance the work of the organization. She is committed to leading the students and International Friendship Partners in their many concerns and is the guiding light and goodwill behind this organization.