On Friday, May 12, the atrium of the University of Delaware's Old College Hall filled with more than 100 international students, scholars and guests as it does every Friday afternoon during the academic year.

International Coffee Hour, a signature program of the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS), is held from 4 to 6 p.m. each Friday during the fall and spring semesters. Open to the public, the event provides a forum for international and domestic students and scholars to build relationships and learn about cultures from around the world.

At 5:30 p.m. on this particular Friday, the normal buzz of old and new friends catching up over coffee and tea quieted at the sight of U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, who made his first-ever guest appearance at the event.

“I was so happy to stop by the University of Delaware’s International Coffee Hour and welcome students from all over the globe to our state,” said Carper. “Our nation’s colleges and universities should be places where students come together and learn about different cultures and issues that affect all of us. The International Coffee Hour is a great place to do that, all while having fun and making lifelong friendships.”

Carper began by introducing himself and his role to the group and continued with a message of inclusivity for the international community. “No matter where you come from, you are always welcome here,” he noted, citing the United States’ and Delaware’s values of openness.

During the visit, Carper shook the hands of every international student and scholar in the room. “Sen. Carper was genuinely interested in knowing how international students, who come from all parts of the globe and different cultures, felt about being at UD,” said Ashish Chouhan, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering from India. “It felt good to be sincerely welcomed by him.”

Jubair Musazay, a Fulbright foreign student, will return to his home country of Afghanistan in a few short weeks after graduating with his master’s degree in civil engineering. For him, Carper’s message was inspiring. “Usually, when people in the U.S. ask me what I will do after graduating from UD, I reply that I will go back to my country and will try to make a difference. Everyone gets shocked and questions why I am leaving a stable country like the United States for war-stricken Afghanistan,” he said. “That was not Sen. Carper's response. He instead said that I have a lot of responsibility, and that I can certainly make a difference. That was very satisfying to hear. I know exactly what I am getting myself into by going back to Afghanistan.”

International Coffee Hour, now finished for the spring semester, will begin again on Friday, Aug. 25. Over the summer, all members of the University community are invited to attend OISS Ice Cream Socials, to be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, June 21, July 19 and Aug. 16, at the Cultural Crossroads just outside Elliott Hall. No registration is necessary.

About OISS

OISS is the designated office at the University of Delaware that provides immigration advising and support services to more than 5,000 international students, scholars and family members from over 95 different countries. Throughout the year, the office also offers a series of 100-plus workshops, sessions and programming events for the international community at UD.

For more information, visit the OISS website, which provides comprehensive information and resources on how to navigate issues that are most common to international students and scholars in the United States.

Those with questions about International Coffee Hour are invited to contact international student adviser and programming coordinator Travis Pocta.