Transitioning to college can be especially challenging for international students. Through leadership studies, domestic聽students facilitate smooth transitions and inclusive engagement as Husky Presidential Ambassadors
Universities across the nation are working to further聽connect international students and create a globally聽engaged campus environment for all students.聽Increasing globalization also raises the demand for聽graduates with increased competencies in cross-cultural communication and practice. Engaging together in聽cross-cultural leadership studies, undergraduates learn聽to think and connect across boundaries, enhancing all聽students鈥� Husky Experience.
Learning from a pilot orientation program
Global Affairs and First Year Programs saw an聽opportunity to connect and engage incoming and聽returning students from the U.S. and overseas through聽a study abroad program. Because Chinese students聽make up the largest number of international students on campus, they held the pilot program in China.
In 2015, they partnered with Regional Advancement聽to pilot the program,聽a study abroad program in which 20 upperclassmen聽traveled to China to bring a short orientation experience聽to incoming Chinese students. The organizers agreed it聽was a success, but they knew it could be more.
Partnering with the Husky Leadership Initiative
The team engaged the Husky Leadership Initiative in order to further anchor the program in the Husky Experience. 鈥淲e are聽seeking innovative ways to make leadership education accessible to all 91探花students, and we believe leadership studies can聽cross cultural barriers in the ways we wanted,鈥� says Fran Lo, director of the Husky Leadership Initiative. Lo is co-directing the聽new program with Liping Yu, senior lecturer of Asian Language & Literature. They聽developed a leadership curriculum that students will begin together in China and聽continue on campus.
In summer 2016, 20 91探花students selected for their outstanding campus engagement聽and diversity of background and experience will participate in an Exploration聽Seminar. A week of coursework on campus will prepare them for their experience in聽China. They will spend the next week in Beijing聽experiencing new cultural surroundings. In the聽final week, they will meet the incoming Chinese聽students and engage together in the week-long聽Husky Presidential Ambassadors Leadership聽Institute. The students will live and study together聽in Tsinghua University facilities.
During the institute, Yu and Lo will guide the聽students in connecting leadership theory to聽practice. They will meet with government officials,聽business
leaders and community change agents聽while also engaging in skill-building and self-reflective聽opportunities to accelerate their personal leadership development. The students聽will continue to explore leadership perspectives across boundaries when they arrive on聽campus. In fall quarter, they will continue their education through an on-campus seminar聽and participation in Unite UW, a domestic-international student exchange program聽facilitated by Student Life.
Through strong campus partnership and creative collaboration, the Husky Presidential聽Ambassadors Leadership Institute is an innovative education model cultivating globally-minded聽leaders who are prepared to create connections across boundaries and work聽together for a world of good.