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.
Congratulations to this session’s ELI Tuition Scholarship winners: Rudy from Colombia and Xiaoyang from China!
On September 30th, 2018 two Education Abroad Advisors accompanied seven Education Abroad Interns and Alumni to Carrollton, GA, where they attended the Lessons From Abroad Conference. Lessons From Abroad is an organizations consisting of like-minded higher education professionals who aim to assist in the reentry process individuals experience when coming back to the US from abroad, especially those who have pursued educational sojourns. The conference kicked off with an inspiring speech by the Keynote Speaker, Vallera Gibson, who is the Diplomat-in-Residence for North Georgia, Tennessee, and North Alabama. Over the course of the day, students moved between various breakout sessions and received tips on applying for competitive programs like Peace Corps and Fulbright, learned how to make sense of their education abroad experience both in person and on their resumes, and how to navigate the job search after graduation. At the conclusion of the conference, UA students and study abroad alumni Shakerri Garrett, Madison Knapp, and Camille Carr were awarded prizes for their phenomenal photos from abroad.
Continuing the annual tradition of serving the Tuscaloosa community, 34 Capstone International Center volunteers including faculty, staff, and students participated in The United Way of West Alabama’s Day of Action. The United Way organized 40 local service projects to assist nonprofit organizations and schools in the Tuscaloosa community. More than 500 volunteers came together for this year’s Day of Action to improve the community where The University of Alabama calls home.
he United Way of West Alabama strengthens education, income stability, and health in our community by developing resources and partnerships. The Capstone International Center is honored to participate every year in the service opportunities that the United Way organizes in the community. Sharing our love of service with UA’s International students only strengthens our relationships!