Emerging Scholars Blog

InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network

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Welcoming internationals to your university

ISM Discussion Group Over half (528,182) of all the international students and scholars in the United States are in graduate programs, optional practical training, or are visiting scholars. Overwhelmingly they come from China and India, but South Korea, Germany, and Saudi Arabia are just a few of the other places sending internationals here.

Welcoming internationals to your university is very straightforward. Everyone wants a friend, and that’s just an easy first step. Make sure you understand that crossing cultures is an aspect to be aware of, though. The InterVarsity International Student Ministry (ISM) website has plenty of resources on crossing cultures effectively, like this comparison of Eastern and Western cultures. [Read more…] about Welcoming internationals to your university

Seeking tips for international students

ISMOn Friday, I led an International Discussion Forum on Randy’s Last Lecture at U. of Pennsylvania, sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, the Penn Graduate Christian Fellowship, and Intercultural Friends.  Note:  Discussion questions posted here in PDF.

Afterward, there was an opportunity for participants to offer suggestions for future topics.  The international students in my discussion group desired an introduction to the practical elements of navigating American culture, one significant area being the management of money while studying in the U.S.

If you have suggestions of web resources/links on this topic or some helpful tips, please post them here.  To get us started below are some excellent resources from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s International Student Ministry:

[Read more…] about Seeking tips for international students