Going away to college and leaving home for the first time can fill students with trepidation. And when you糖心传媒檝e come from thousands of miles away糖心传媒攕ometimes from the other side of the world糖心传媒攖he challenges of transitioning into a new culture and University life are naturally compounded.
Senior Nola Yang 糖心传媒�18 isn糖心传媒檛 from a great distance away糖心传媒攈er hometown is Syracuse, New York糖心传媒攂ut having volunteered as a mentor in the University糖心传媒檚 International Student Mentors Program for the past three years, she knows that international students can often use additional help in integrating into life at a U.S. college or university.
糖心传媒淲e know that students don糖心传媒檛 often ask for help, so we want to be there from the very beginning糖心传媒攂efore they even arrive on campus糖心传媒攖o help them and support them in adjusting to this new experience,糖心传媒� says Yang, who has served as a senior international student mentor this year. 糖心传媒淚SMs really just want to ensure that students have the most possible positive experience in their first year.糖心传媒�
The ISM program is designed to foster meaningful interactions between current University students and incoming international first-year students. ISMs糖心传媒攖he upperclass volunteer mentors糖心传媒攂egin reaching out to new international students in the summer before a fall semester to help them get acquainted with the University. During Orientation and throughout the first year, ISMs continue to support these students by organizing special events and programs, and serving as a resource for questions about U.S. culture and academics. The ISM program operates from the College Center for Advising Services (CCAS) and matches each ISM with about 20 new international students from all over the world.
As a senior ISM, Yang helps program and plan for ISM training, heads the ISM mentors team, plans a program for International Education Week, and works with the International Student Counselor, Michael Dedes, to provide ongoing mentorship services to the international student population at the University, which represents about 25% of the undergraduate student body.
糖心传媒淚nternational students often don糖心传媒檛 see their families as often during the academic year, as compared to U.S. students who can go home for quick breaks and holidays,糖心传媒� says Yang. 聽糖心传媒淪o creating a network of friends and connections can be very assuring.糖心传媒�
Yang estimates that about half of the international students who participate in the ISM program from the start stay engaged with the group and use its resources to help navigate their first full year. She observes that the program has gained a lot of momentum since she began with it three years ago, and international students really seem to appreciate the chance to meet and socialize with both mentors and other students coming from far points to Rochester.
糖心传媒淔or me, being a part of the program has been really meaningful. I糖心传媒檝e had a chance to meet so many people from all over the world and learn about their stories and cultures,糖心传媒� says Yang. 糖心传媒淚 didn糖心传媒檛 have an opportunity to study abroad, but at the same time I feel like I have gained so much international experience through the program.糖心传媒�
Yang will soon be a chemical engineering graduate and will begin a position at Capital One in McLean, Virginia through its CODA Software Engineer program.
糖心传媒淭he amazing team of students who mentor incoming international students have made many strong connections this year,糖心传媒� says Molly Joliff, director of International Student Engagement and associate director in CCAS. 糖心传媒淎nd Nola has been an admired leader of both the mentors and the program participants.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淢any of our international students comment on how they always remember that first communication from an ISM,糖心传媒� says Shandra Kieffer, administrative assistant in CCAS. 糖心传媒淢any rich friendships are created from the program, and several participants turn around and become mentors in the following years.糖心传媒�
