Capstone International Center Staff Inducted Into NAFSA Academy

• March 11th, 2019
• in Capstone International Services Education Abroad International Main

Education Abroad Advisors Raven McKenzie and Sarah Kidwell and International Student & Scholar Advisor Chris Larkin were inducted into the NAFSA Academy for 2019-20.

The current Academy class of 61 trainees and 11 coaches met in Atlanta, Georgia on the Georgia Tech campus, where they spent an energizing and intense four days broadening their knowledge of the international education field, participating in 5 knowledge community based workshops, convening evening roundtable discussions, and connecting with a community of International Education peers.

The Academy for International Education is a selective program, in which trainees are provided foundational training around nine international education professional proficiencies and the primary knowledge areas of international education. The foundational training is enhanced by a personalized learning plan the Academy trainee develops, which guides and measures the trainee’s learning throughout the Academy year, in addition to individualized coaching from a international education coach.

International Student Receives Premier Award

• February 18th, 2019
• in Capstone International Services International Main

Sakina Dhondia Receives William P. and Estan J. Bloom Award

The William P. and Estan J. Bloom Award honors a student who has improved relations among different groups. Past recipients have been chosen primarily for improving understanding and supporting interaction among groups for a common cause.

Sakina Dhondia finds that bringing people together for festivals – or even just coffee – can help UA students connect in ways they could not otherwise.

Thanks to her work with the International Students Association and as director of cultural experiences and diversity for the Honors College Assembly, she helped arrange activities, including the International Coffee Hour, the Diwali festival and the Crimson Culture Gala, that inspired interaction among the diverse student body of UA.

Dhondia, a finance and economics major, moved with her family from Delft in the Netherlands and now lives in Tuscaloosa. She has served as treasurer, vice president and president of the International Students Association, as well as a design partner for the Design for American project and budget director for Night to Shine, an Honors College initiative that creates a prom-like experience for students with special needs. She also works with the Alabama Transportation Institute.

Her parents are Juzer and Rashida Dhondia.

From – 2019 Premier Awards.

The ELI Welcomes Fulbright Students

• February 8th, 2019
• in English Language Institute International Main

This semester the English Language Institute (ELI) at UA welcomed ten Friends of Fulbright students from Argentina, as well as six Fulbright Long-Term English Placement students from Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Rwanda and Venezuela.

The Friends of Fulbright students take nine hours of English instruction per week and observe three University of Alabama classes related to their majors. The goal of the program is for students from Argentina to gain familiarity with attending U.S. universities and experiencing life in the U.S. In addition to classes, the students participate in cultural activities on and off campus. These students plan to pursue graduate degrees after completing their undergraduate studies in Argentina.

The Fulbright Long-Term English Placement students came to the ELI to improve their English language skills while seeking admission to U.S. university graduate programs. The students are enrolled in 20 hours of English classes per week and participate in seminars and cultural activities.

This is the second year the ELI was selected to host Friends of Fulbright and Fulbright Long-Term English Placement students. Abigail Stricker, a former Friends of Fulbright student studying biotechnology, said of the experience, “I enjoyed getting to know about American culture and getting more experience outside the Argentinian university.”

The ELI is pleased to partner with the Fulbright organization to support international exchanges.

The UA Community Celebrates Chinese New Year

• February 2nd, 2019
• in Capstone International Services International Main

The Chinese New Year celebration was hosted by the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars. It was held in the Ferguson Ballroom on Saturday, February 2, 2019, and provided attendees with Chinese food as well as traditional Chinese entertainment including dancing, Beijing Opera, comedy skits, and a fashion show. More than 350 students, faculty, staff, and members of the community came together to celebrate the Year of the Pig—2019!

International Exchange Students Welcomed to UA

• January 18th, 2019
• in Education Abroad International Main

In early January the Education Abroad staff collected UA’s new international exchange students from the Birmingham, Alabama airport. The University of Alabama is excited to host seven new exchange students and eight returning exchange students this spring. These students come from institutions in Italy, Australia, Scotland, France, Japan, Wales, England and China! They spent their first day in Alabama driving to Tuscaloosa and checking into their on-campus housing, as well as making other necessary trips through their new college town to get them fully settled-in. The majority of exchange students stay in an internationally focused on-campus housing program, which offers a small co-ed atmosphere for international students and other UA students who are interested in interacting with students from other nations. For an authentic American experience they ate lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings, an American sports bar and restaurant. The Education Abroad staff enjoys introducing the exchange students to sweet tea, fried pickles, and ranch every semester.

The exchange students are always welcomed to The University of Alabama with an international student orientation where they are taught the classic fight song and taught how and when to say Roll Tide so that they can be accustomed to using it every day.  The Capstone Men and Women spent an afternoon introducing the students to the beautiful campus and surrounding areas. The students really enjoyed getting to know campus and the staff even learned some interesting new fun facts as well. All together, we had a great day that concluded with a run to Target, because who doesn’t love Target?

The University of Alabama Education Abroad office also takes our exchange students on regular monthly expeditions and events. In the past, events such as trips to the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center, going to see a play in Birmingham, having dinner at local restaurants, and cooking a classic homemade Thanksgiving dinner have been educational and fun.

ELI Scholarship Winner

• January 17th, 2019
• in English Language Institute

 
 
Congratulations to this session’s ELI Tuition Scholarship winner: Laura from Colombia!

Laura plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in the U.S. after completing the ELI.

Every session the ELI awards tuition scholarships to current full-time students. The students must attend 80% of their ELI classes and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all ELI classes. Students must also write a short essay explaining why they want the scholarship.

If you are a current ELI student and want to apply for a scholarship for next session, you can find the application on the ELI Forms page.

ELI Student Wins Programming Prize

• December 4th, 2018
• in English Language Institute International Main

English Language Institute student, Javanshir Huseynli, won the Best Solo Hack prize at The University of Alabama’s Local Hack Day last Saturday, December 1.

The Local Hack Day, hosted by GitHub and the UA Association for Computer Machinery, is a hackathon which allows participants to create and complete interesting computer programming projects within a 12-hour time limit.

Javanshir worked from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. to program an Android app that allows local guides to connect with tourists. He was one of 40 participants in the competition who submitted their work to be judged. As a reward for his hard work, he won an Amazon Echo Dot.

Javanshir Huseynli is a Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) scholarship recipient from Azerbaijan. He is finishing his second session at the English Language Institute, and in the spring semester will attend UA computer science classes. He is working towards an undergraduate degree in mechatronics and robotics engineering.

Javanshir is shown here wearing a traditional hat from Azerbaijan.

Thanksgiving Dinner

• November 30th, 2018
• in English Language Institute International Main

 
ELI students were invited to the The University of Alabama Honors College First Friends Thanksgiving Dinner Party on Friday, November 16, 2018. Everyone enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal with new friends. The First Friends program partners new exchange students at UA to meet fellow undergrads who can welcome them and show them the basics of student life in Tuscaloosa.
 

International Student Cultural Retreat

• November 9th, 2018
• in Capstone International Services International Main

On Oct. 20, international students and ISSS staff went to a Fall Cultural Retreat which was held at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. The 40 students and staff who represented The University of Alabama at the retreat enjoyed visiting the Iron & Steel Museum of Alabama, a pioneer farm, hiking to the old ironworks facilities, seeing artists make their own hand crafts, and visiting “Trade Days” which is where people sell local food, handmade items, and antiques. Although there was a bit of rain throughout the day, it didn’t stop our students from having fun and exploring the state park grounds. International students were able to visit the Old Country store, see the Halloween decorations on display, and play games together near the campsite. Approximately 150 international students attended from various universities around Alabama including University of West Alabama, Samford University, Gadsden State Community College, and Jefferson State Community College. A Lebanese style lunch was provided by Regions bank, and The University of Alabama provided the snacks for the retreat. This truly was a cultural experience as students were able to learn about local Alabama culture, as well as make new friends from other countries!

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is a part of the Capstone International Center and is an integral part of an international student’s experience at The University of Alabama. ISSS helps F-1 and J-1 students maintain their visa status while studying at UA. The mission of International Student and Scholar Services is to provide essential services and innovative programs for The University of Alabama international students, scholars and their families to enable them to achieve their educational, professional and social goals. ISSS seeks to foster diversity and strengthen inter-cultural relationships throughout the UA campus and community. It is our commitment to promote understanding and respect for the world’s many cultures. We do that through offering weekly activities such as International Spouse Group which meets from 10-11:30am every Wednesday, and International Coffee Hour which happens from 11:30am-1:00pm every Friday during the fall and spring semesters. ISSS also sponsors special events such as the Fall Cultural Retreat for our international students. If you want to keep up to date with all the activities ISSS is hosting, follow us on Facebook @UAInternationalServices.

Crimson Culture Gala 2018

• October 25th, 2018
• in Capstone International Services International Main

The Crimson Culture Gala is an annual event organized to allow students to expand their horizons by immersing themselves in cultures vastly different from their own and to promote an atmosphere of inclusivity and diversity on campus. We hope to do so through dance, music, fashion and food. The event is hosted by International Students Association, Honors College Assembly and South Asian Culture Club. Many cultural organizations as well as organizations that promote diversity and volunteer work abroad were present. The organizations are encouraged to create a tri-fold and bring promotional material to talk to students about their organization and culture they represent. The planning of the event began when the semester started so there was enough time to talk to student organizations, organize the event (location, décor, DJ) and arrange the food that was catered by cultural restaurants in Tuscaloosa. We encourage students to come “dressed to impress” (business casual) or in cultural clothes.

The event kicked off with food and an opportunity to meet the 19 organizations present. The night featured performances, fashion shows, and dance tutorials held by different organizations on campus. The night ended with an opportunity to showcase the new moves learned on the dance floor.

In the fall of 2018 The University of Alabama welcomed more than 1,200 International students from over 75 countries and territories to study and call Tuscaloosa their home. To learn more about multicultural clubs and opportunities at UA, please visit the Programs and Activities page and discover new ways to be involved today!

Participating Organizations

1. African Student Association
2. Asian American Student Association
3. Association of Chinese Students and Scholars
4. BLEND
5. Caribbean Student Association
6. Hispanic Latino Association
7. Honors College Assembly
8. International Relations Club
9. International Students Association
10. Korean Student Association
11. Nepal Student Association
12. German Club
13. SACC
14. Students for Fair labor
15. Spectrum
16. Crossroads
17. Vietnamese Student Association
18. Black Student Union
19. Habitat for Humanity