This semester, international students came together to present OISS staff with a banner in recognition of their support of the international community.

Making Delaware home

OISS adds first-ever International Student Advisory Committee to growing student engagement strategy

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6:19 p.m., April 28, 2016--More than one in every 10 students at the University of Delaware hails from an international home. 

The most recent annual report by UD’s Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) notes that the office served 3,272 international undergraduate and graduate students from 94 countries during the 2015-2016 academic year.

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This trend reflects a global phenomenon, in which, according to the Institute for International Education, international student enrollment has more than doubled worldwide since 2001.  

As the number of students from around the world who choose UD for their post-secondary education continues to expand, so, too, has the office’s international student engagement strategy. This model -- centered on the mission of making students and scholars from around the world feel connected, safe and at home -- now supports more than 100 programs and events throughout the year especially for the international community.  

Newest addition

The office’s newest addition is an International Student Advisory Committee (ISAC) comprised of 20 leaders from countries spanning six continents, including Canada, China, Colombia, India, Italy, Nigeria, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.  

Formed in fall 2015, the group works closely with OISS to assess and develop programming initiatives, to have a presence at existing OISS signature programs, and to enhance the sense of belonging among the international student community.  

ISAC members also will contribute to a new blog featuring student accounts of life at the University of Delaware and essential pieces of information for fellow international students. 

Jaime Arteaga, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering from Colombia, chose to be a part of the new initiative to share his experience with fellow international students who are adjusting to life at UD. 

“A lot of students arrive every semester from different parts of the world, most of them with a lot of questions about adjusting to a new city and culture, and I think I can help with my own life experience,” he said.  

“ISAC is composed of international students, each one with his or her own experiences, stories and opinions, and since ISAC members are from different parts of the world, they can provide a critical insight into the culture and habits of international students,” Arteaga added. “All this complements the views and institutional objectives OISS has, allowing for the creation of fully engaging programs for international students and their families.”

Likun Liu, a master’s student in international business from China, said that he, too, is excited to share his advice for fellow international students. “Come to Coffee Hour here. Join student organizations, and if you live in the residence halls, try to make friends with your roommates. Talk and practice your pronunciation.”

He added, “OISS has provided huge opportunities to make cross-cultural friendships, to expand my understanding of the world’s people and cross-cultural communication, to improve my informal English conversation and to share my culture with others.”

Fellow ISAC member, Ugo Nsofor, a doctoral. candidate in electrical and computer engineering, tells his fellow students that “the journey is as interesting as the destination. Make every moment count!”

Sharing coffee and conversation

A longstanding hallmark of the OISS Programming and Outreach calendar, International Coffee Hour has grown to accommodate more than 100 students, scholars and community members each week for coffee, tea and conversation. 

Among the strongest reasons students have reported attending the signature program are to learn about different cultures and share their own, to make friends with other international students, to feel a sense of community and to practice their language skills.  “OISS is my family away from family,” one student noted.  “Coffee Hour is our reunion!”

An increasingly large number of students from the United States also have begun attending the event.  “It's interesting to … get a perspective on what people think of America, to ask questions and see what other countries are like, similar to how they compare and ask me,” said Liza Dennis, a sophomore biology major and Delaware Diplomat. “It’s a really fun way to see what things are all about around the world.”

Other signature programs include the International Student Essay Contest, which garnered more than 90 applicants for a grand prize of $750 in 2015, an annual Welcome Reception, 300-person Thanksgiving Dinner celebration and a tailored International Student Orientation.  

OISS also plans a myriad of immigration-focused sessions, discussion series and personal development workshops each semester that encourage academic success and mental well-being.  

Supporting inclusiveness

According to Ravi Ammigan, interim associate deputy provost for international programs , while the office’s primary mission is to serve students in their immigration needs, OISS also considers it a priority to connect them with key partners throughout the larger community and to support campus-wide inclusiveness.  

OISS collaborates with more than 50 University units, as well as businesses and organizations in the Newark area, ensuring that international students are well informed about events, opportunities, and resources available to the entire student body. 

The Office for International Students and Scholars also supports the University’s mission for inclusive excellence by providing intercultural communication seminars for departments and student groups.  

This unique and comprehensive international student engagement model has recently been featured in the International Higher Education Journal and has earned praise in the Winter 2015 Professionals in International Education (PIE) Review.  

In 2015, the University of Delaware was awarded the coveted NAFSA Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization.  The winning application cited, among other things, the reorganization of OISS in 2009 and the opening of the Wright House as a hub for international student engagement activities like International Coffee Hour and many more.  

Perhaps most importantly, these engagement efforts have earned the office the trust and appreciation of the international student community.  Earlier this semester, international students from across campus came together at Coffee Hour to sign a special UD banner, which thanked OISS for the steadfast support.  

According to Daniel Chazi Capelo and Jubair Ahmad Musazay, international graduate students from Ecuador and Afghanistan, the flag was presented “as a token of appreciation for OISS in recognition of their hard work, determination and care toward the international community at UD.

“It is not only the support they provide,” they said, “but it is also the way in which OISS provides that support to international students and makes us feel that they are people who are truly concerned about our welfare. Not only are they ready to offer help, but they also encourage students to become more involved in American culture.”

For additional information on the Office for International Students and Scholars and its student engagement initiatives, visit the OISS website and follow OISS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

For the most up-to-date information on the international community at UD, view the Fall 2015 OISS Comprehensive Statistics Report.  

Those with questions should contact Ammigan,  OISS director and interim associate deputy provost for international programs. 

Article and photos by Nikki Laws

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