April 2026

Dear International Students,

As spring finally settles what was a swirling New England winter, let’s stride into the last month of the semester with some energy, support, and balance.

In Announcements, meet other international students at a social event, give back with Bean, explore student storytelling at the Redstone Film Festival, and step outdoors with spring adventures across New England.

In Student Experiences, Brianna Leibowicz (COM ’27) reflects on growing up in Brazil, adapting to American culture, and finding her sense of belonging at BU.

In Culture Corner, we unpack the idea of the American Dream: its promise, its pressures, and what it reveals about individuality, community, and connection in the U.S.

Announcements

Briana smiling

Student Experiences

A Word from Students: Briana Leibowicz (COM ’27), shares her insights on life as an international student at BU.

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ISSO Insights

As the last snow melts and the promise of warm weather becomes real, we know that many students are starting to plan for summer. Any international students looking for internship opportunities in the US this summer are encouraged to connect with their ISSO advisor. They can provide valuable guidance and information on work authorization eligibility and resources tailored to your needs. Reaching out early can help you better understand your options and stay on track with important timelines—don’t hesitate to take advantage of their support as you plan your next steps!

Culture Corner

America's Biggest Americanism

By Ahaan Vaknalli, International Student Assistant 2026

‘The American Dream’ is the United States’ most valuable export. It’s a promise that dates back to the nation’s constitution, where people of all classes and creeds have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s a grinding hope that’s netted millions of immigrants into the United States over the years– but the hope of a better future comes with a present that is fundamentally lonely. We’re currently living through what sociologists classify as a ‘loneliness epidemic’, a global public health crisis with nearly 33% of young adults feeling isolated; a statistic that equates to the same health effects as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. While this ‘epidemic’ has spread deeper due to the rise of social media and artificial intelligence, its origins lie in what the American spirit has been about for centuries: Individualism, autonomy, and self-reliance.

Our sense of self is largely nurtured by either a collectivist culture or an individualistic one. A collectivist culture typically values social groups like family, school, ethno-religious groups, and more. They take on a sense of shared responsibility for harmony, placing the community’s welfare above their individual desires. An individualistic society typically emphasizes autonomy, self-reliance, and the prioritization of individual rights and goals over the group. It’s a core feature of capitalism. Typically, western nations tend to have more individualistic cultures while eastern ones have historically been more collectivist, primarily due to the volume of non-secular nations.

To talk specifically about individualism in the US, we can see both the good and the bad quite evidently around us. We see positive manifestations of individualism in the thriving economy, where new start-ups and independent businesses are launched almost daily. Nearly 28% of the world’s Fortune 500 companies were founded in the US. American individualism encourages people to take initiative and pursue paths that often lead to innovation and entrepreneurship. Throughout history, this pioneering spirit has drawn the best out of people, be it Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, or Amelia Earhart. The apocryphal ‘rags to riches’ stories are embedded in all the media we consume too, from self-help books to hip-hop music and movies.

The culmination of these cultural breadcrumbs had led to ‘hustle culture’ as we know it today. Whether it’s the fierce competitiveness of a Questrom classroom or the after-hours grind you’ll find in the halls of corporate America, we’re cornered by these features of hustle culture that tell us to prioritize work above all. More specifically, this is because American teenagers are statistically more likely to be raised to prioritize individual achievement and happiness as a marker for success over caring for others, revealing a harmful cultural norm. Because of this, work-life balances are also often diluted or abandoned entirely under the shadow of looming competition, and more Americans are delaying milestones like family planning and house-purchasing to cope with the highly competitive demands of the rat-race-like culture.

Still, however, there are pockets of collectivism in the American ethos that bring people together– especially in college. Finding those spaces and communities help ground you to a community. Whether it’s a club/organization or even Greek life, you can incorporate more belonging in your day to day life. Boston University’s Student Activity Office is a great place to begin your search, or even just finding clubs on social media. It could be as simple as NGOs and volunteering, to communal social movements and efforts, or even religious groups. What people often forget about the American Dream is its ultimate goal of happiness through social cohesion and finding your people. The pursuit of happiness lies not in our individual success but our collective capacity to empathize with one another and care for people we understand and even the ones we don’t.

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