What does global engagement mean to you?
How has BU contributed to your understanding of international education?
Need to remove news articles and keep the IEW stories. Will also want to add to it.
Global Programs Launches New ‘Talk About’ Event Series for International Students
More than 1,000 students registered for the eight Talk About events that ran last year
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and its many challenges, Global Programs has been striving to meet the ever-evolving needs of international students. Like the pandemic’s lasting effects felt by so many, students’ needs have evolved as we collectively respond to the twists and turns of the pandemic.
International students have encountered myriad obstacles – from visa challenges to travel bans to online courses in different time zones, to name just a few. Amid these complications, Global Programs saw an opportunity to develop a new way for international students to come together and get access to resources alongside a community of international classmates, albeit virtually. The event series Talk About was born.
“The concept for Talk About was to create a platform for international students where they feel comfortable to come together to collaborate, meet other people, share ideas, and help create a greater sense of community at BU,” says Kamelia Turcotte, Assistant Director of International Student Initiatives. “Event topics are largely informed and chosen by international students. They are involved with the events from conception to completion to help ensure that topics resonate and meet the needs of the international student community.”
Turcotte is no stranger to the challenges that international students can face, even without a global pandemic looming. She came to the U.S. as an international student from Bulgaria and remembers what it feels like to complete one’s education away from their home country.
“As a former international student from Europe who also studied abroad in Asia, I know what it means to find my way in a new place, and all the excitement and challenges that come with this transition,” she says. “Our goal with the Talk About series was to, in collaboration with campus partners, ensure international students have a successful academic and social experience at BU. It is so rewarding to see them thrive in the university community and beyond.”
The 2020-21 Talk About event series generated more than 1,000 student sign-ups from its eight events that ran from September to February. Nine campus partners, ranging from Student Activities Office, to Student Health Services, to Alumni & Friends, shared resources and recommendations for international students on how to adjust to LfA, engage with the BU community, manage societal and cultural changes, normalize experiences related to COVID-19, and find employment in and outside of the U.S.
On the docket for fall 2021, Turcotte has four virtual Talk About events planned:
- International Students and Academic Success: September 7 at 4 p.m. ET
Hosted in collaboration with the Education Resource Center, this event discussed strategies for academic success in the transition to in-person learning.
- What You Really Need to Know: September 27 at 5 p.m. ET
The event featured a panel of upper-class international students, sharing what incoming students need to know from the perspective of a peer. Topics included academic opportunities, campus life, student organizations, employment, and adjusting to life at BU.
- International Students & Safety: October 7 at 4 p.m. ET
This discussion will help students learn when they should call for emergency help and how to avoid scams targeting international students. Chief Kelly A. Nee, Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police will present.
- Networking and Employment in the U.S. – November 4 at 1 p.m. ET
Representatives from the Center for Career Development and the International Students and Scholars Office will discuss services and resources available to international students. A panel of international BU alumni will share their experiences and recommendations for successfully obtaining employment.
If you have ideas or feedback on Talk About events, please let us know. Or if you would like Kamelia’s input or help with any international student issues or initiatives at your college or school please email her at kameliat@bu.edu.
A Remote Internship Offers Next Best Thing to Studying Abroad
Will Andronico Interns with an Irish Magazine during Pandemic-Related Pause on In-Country Programming
Will Andronico (COM ’22) has always been interested in the timeless art of storytelling and plans to pursue a career in this area. More
Study Abroad is Back!
Photos Capture the Joy of Welcoming Students Back to Study Abroad Sites
After 18 long months of being shuttered due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most Boston University Study Abroad programs have re-opened and many Study Abroad sites joyously welcomed students back for the first time since March 2020.
BU students have made their way to various Study Abroad locations excited to start their journeys in international education. Among the many different opportunities that await students: interning with international organizations; improving foreign language skills; earning academic credit in awe inspiring locations; gaining a global perspective, and more.
No matter the paths that students will take, Boston University Study Abroad is delighted to be able to offer these life-changing opportunities to students again. COVID-19 protocols will remain a part of daily life to help create a safe environment, as Study Abroad locations around the world continue to prioritize the health, safety, and security of our students, faculty, and staff.
For the locations with circumstances that do not yet permit them to welcome back students, Study Abroad staff will continue to prepare and plan for the resumption of programming. It’s never too early to start planning your study abroad experience and research program options. Get in touch with an advisor to learn more about opportunities.
International Students & Scholars Overcome Travel-Related Challenges
Most international students & scholars have successfully made it to campus this fall
The start of the 2021-2022 academic year has been anything but typical as we collectively continue to navigate living through a pandemic. COVID tests and daily attestations are part of daily life now. But the familiar buzz of BU’s dynamic, diverse campus is also back – and it is a welcomed jolt of energy that has been missing for many months.
Naga Rithika Roddam
Many international students and scholars have had to overcome additional pandemic-related challenges to return to campus for their academic pursuits. Constantly changing travel restrictions and fewer visa appointments being available – to name just two hurdles that international students are facing – can add stress to an already nerve-racking situation.
“I had to travel alone for 20 hours from India and had no one to call on if something happened…my parents could not travel with me because of COVID travel restrictions,” says freshman Naga Rithika Roddam. “It added to the stress and anxiety of the whole situation.”
Another student, Parnian “Par” Asgari experienced other travel challenges as she navigated coming to Boston for the first time.
“Because of the country I come from, I had some issues and difficulties getting to Boston,” Asgari says. “I had to stay away from my family almost all summer because I had to quarantine in another country for 17 days before coming to the U.S.”
Like Rithika Roddam, Asgari had to travel alone for 15 hours.
Parnian “Par” Asgari
“I came here never having been to Boston before,” Asgari says. “But the ISSO [International Students & Scholars Office] helped me.”
According to the ISSO, most international students have been able to make it to Boston this fall despite the extra obstacles they faced. Generally, each fall about 3,300 new international students check-in, but this fall, we’ve already surpassed that, and BU has nearly 4,500 “new” international students checked-in because so many couldn’t travel to Boston last year.
“We are pleased to welcome most of our international students and scholars back to campus this fall,” says Jeanne Kelley, Managing Director of the International Students & Scholars Office. “They overcame significant visa processing delays and COVID travel restrictions to return to the U.S. and should be congratulated for their perseverance and their commitment to BU!”
Despite the added stress associated with traveling to Boston, many new international students who are a part of BU’s International Peer Mentor (IPM) Program report that the first few weeks on campus have been either what they expected or better than they expected.
The IPM Program assists new international undergraduate students in making a successful academic and personal transition to Boston University, and helps them acquire cultural knowledge, make new friendships, and understand available campus resources. The Program matches new students (“mentees”) with trained current students (“mentors”) based on background, common interests, academics, and professional goals.
“It [the IPM Program] has been excellent,” Rithika Roddam says. “My mentor is also from India, so I could ask her about visas and packing and immigration because she had been through the same things. When I got here, she showed me how to take the T. We also meet every two weeks. It’s been a helpful experience.”
Asgari says she has connected with some clubs on-campus and has found them to be a good way to make friends. “When you find a club or organization that is the right one for you, you will feel more supported and the older students who are in charge of the clubs will help,” she says.
Asgari also noted that she has been pleased with how friendly and helpful students have been. “My roommate didn’t even know me yet, but she and her family helped me,” she says. “They picked me up at the hotel where I was staying and helped me move in.”
The University is proud of all BU students for the big and little ways they are helping each other and fostering an inclusive campus community.
Dispatches from Abroad: International Students on Life at Home
They talk about how they’re doing and how their countries are addressing the coronavirus pandemic
Study Abroad Program Directors on Coping with Coronavirus, Far from Boston
Their students gone, their daily lives upended, they share their personal stories
Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future New Video Series “The World After Coronavirus,” (#WorldAfterCorona)
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis of unprecedented scale, with aftershocks that will be felt in virtually every aspect of life for years or decades to come. The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future at the Pardee School of Global Studies has launched a new video series called "The World After Coronavirus," (#WorldAfterCorona) in which we ask leading experts and practitioners from Boston University and across the world to explore the challenges and opportunities we will face in our post-coronavirus future.
Virtual Coffee & Conversation: Adapting to a New Reality
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions in every facet of society worldwide. How are you coping with daily changes to your routine, well-being, familial and social relations? Have you ever experienced something like this before? Join the conversation virtually this Friday.
Friday, March 20, from 3 to 5 pm
Updated: BU Moves All Classes Online Due to Coronavirus — Questions and Answers
Campus to remain open after spring break for students who cannot return home
Update: Latest BU News on Coronavirus
University president and health and medical experts say the risk of an outbreak is low, but campus is prepared
Global Feature
Global Feature
Global Feature
