The Students Crossing Borders living learning community brought together students from all over the world to live together, sharing their cultures and forming lifelong friendships. Alumni of the program recently gathered for a reunion weekend to celebrate 10 years since they met in Middlebrook Hall.

International students recently learned how to become more effective and inclusive leaders at a leadership retreat organized by International Student and Scholar Services.

At the two-day retreat, international student leaders led participants in discussions and exercises to enhance communication, collaboration, and leadership skills. The goal was for students to leave with a personal leadership philosophy, a clear set of goals, and actionable strategies to lead confidently within diverse teams.

International students and scholars learned about the U.S. elections process at events planned by International Student and Scholar Services and Small World Coffee Hour.

At “U.S. Government and Elections 101,” David Schultz, Distinguished University Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies at Hamline University, explained the electoral college, and how even Americans are confused by the way U.S. elections actually work.

We understand the U.S. government system and elections are very complex. How do these systems work? How do they impact you as an international student or scholar? 

A panel discussion will take place at 3 p.m., with panelists speaking on topics such as federal, state, and local government systems, U.S. voting and election processes, government protections and rights for non-citizens, involvement in student government, and other related topics.

The University of Minnesota’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is celebrating 150 years of international students on campus.

The University first welcomed its international undergraduates in 1874, where they made up less than 1% of the student body. Today, international students make up 11% of the student population with more than 5,200 students from 140 different countries.

ISSS's advisor training is held once per semester. It is intended for new or seasoned academic advisors, Graduate Program Coordinators, career counselors, and student services staff who work with international students.

Content includes:

Meet International Student and Scholar Services staff and learn more about their services.

Since completing his master’s and Ph.D. in linguistics in 1992, Ki-jeong Lee has been to Minnesota for several visits, but in August he returned for the first time in an official capacity. Now president of Hanyang University in South Korea, Lee met with University of Minnesota leaders from the Technological Leadership Institute, the Minnesota Nano Center, the Research and Innovation Office, and the College of Liberal Arts to discuss possible collaborations.

Nita Touch chose the University of Minnesota from a list of SHE-CAN Global partners. The nonprofit supports high-achieving young women in Cambodia, Liberia, and Guatemala on their path to leadership, providing scholarships to select colleges and universities in the United States.

Touch liked UMN’s reputation for research excellence, and she was also excited by its diversity.

“When I looked it up on the internet, UMN seemed so diverse with so many people from around the world,” she said. “So I guessed it would be a very welcoming community.”

Millicent Adjei believes in paying it forward. She is using her experiences as a first-generation, low-income student and as a mature international student to inform her work as director of the Office of Diversity and International Programs at Ashesi University in Ghana.

“Many of the things I do is because I have walked in [the students’] shoes before,” Adjei said. “I didn’t get that much advising or guidance because I was the first to go [to university] in my family. I couldn’t go ask my mom, ‘OK, which courses should I read at the university?’”