The Challenges of Fostering International Student Leadership Through an ISA

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The Challenges of Fostering International
Student Leadership Through an ISA

• June Naughton, Retired Director
• Linda Duckworth, Ph.D., Director
• Heyse Ngan, ISA Adviser
• Nozomi Hamaguchi, ISA President
• Yubin Wu, ISA Past President

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Questions to Answer

• How can an International Student Services office
  promote and support students acquiring skills in
  Teamwork, Leadership, and Communication through
  an ISA?
• How do students benefit from a global leadership
  training program that provides activities for
  international student cross-cultural adjustment?
• How does an ISS office benefit from working
  closely with an ISA?

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PerspectiveInternational Student Services (ISS)
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ISS Mission

• To promote international student success by
  providing services programs which help
  international students meet their academic,
  personal and professional goals
• Advise students on regulations affecting status
• Provide programs that facilitate cross-cultural
  adjustment
• Serve as a general resource
• Advocate for international education

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ISS Organization

• REGROUPED - with other international education
  offices under an Assistant Vice Chancellor for
  International Exchange Programs
• REORGANIZED - from Student Affairs to Academic
  Affairs

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ISS Organization

• Personnel 2.5 FTE advisers, IT specialist, 2
  clerical, graduate assistant, student assistant,
  IT student assistant, 6 student interns
• No dedicated programming staff
• ISS advisers also advise specific ISS programs
• International Student Association (director)
• Mentor Program (assistant director)
• Spouse Program (international student adviser)

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Relationship Between ISS ISA

• ISS provides
• Office space
• Storage space
• Computer line
• Access to phone, fax, printer, copier, scanner
• Access to office supplies
• Logistical support
• Access to campus resources

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Relationship Between ISS ISA

• ISA provides
• Activities that help welcome new students
• Activities that help facilitate on-going
  cross-cultural adjustment of international
  students
• Annual International Night a celebration of the
  diversity of cultures at UHM and in local
  community
• A student base from which to promote the ISS
  Mentor Program

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Benefits of Serving asStaff Adviser to ISA

• Opportunity to mentor students.
• Involvement with ISA helps balance my other
  responsibilities of managing the ISS and striving
  to meet and maintain federal compliance.
• Get to know students beyond their name, country
  of citizenship immigration status.

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Benefits of Being an ISA Member

• Connect with other international students
• Provide opportunities to speak English
• Develop TLC
• Learn how to work with people from different
  cultures
• Stimulate curiosity
• Looks great on resume
• It is FUN!

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Benefits of Being an ISA Officer

• Learning experiences
• Learning and developing TLC skills
• Self-achievement and self-confidence
• Looks great on resume

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Benefits of Being an Alumni Advisor

• Giving back to the community
• Experience your theory
• Continuous learning process
• Keep yourself young!

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Maintaining the ISA Program
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Starting the Program

• Gathering the core group
• Setting common goals
• Providing leadership training
• Establishing and supporting initial programs and
  activities

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Support from ISS

• Space
• Committed to providing office space support
• Financial support
• 2008 Leadership Retreat
• Staff support
• Attend weekly meetings, all welcome activities,
  and most activities throughout the semester
• Provide logistical support

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ISAs Constitution Mission Purpose

• Promote global friendship and understanding among
  students
• Support new and continuing students in their
  educational objectives
• Explore issues and places in Hawaii
• Developing leadership among international student
• Have fun

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TLC Teamwork, Leadership, CommunicationISA
Structure and Goals
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ISA Structure Goals

• Commitment
• One semester only
• Serve on at least 2 activity planning committees
• Role of officers (Leadership)
• Elections
• Functions of each officer

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ISA Structure Goals

• Meeting structure (Communication)
• Weekly general meetings fall spring semesters
• Officer/Advisor Meetings
• Meeting agenda
• Roberts Rules of Order
• Receive committee updates

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ISA Structure Goals

• Committee work (TLC)
• Each committee has a programming, logistics,
  marketing lead
• Expected to meet outside weekly meeting
• Recommend that committees allow 4 weeks to plan
  activity
• Works with ISS to advertise collect activity
  fees
• Post Evaluation

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ISA Structure Goals

• Games Activities (TLC)
• At meetings and ISA activities
• Purpose
• Example
• Impact
• Differences in time and events

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ISA Structure Goals

• Role of advisors (Communication)
• Listen
• Be available
• Mentor
• Be a resource
• Create continuity from semester to semester

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Current Program and Activities
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Internal External Programs
Internal Programs
External Programs

• Open only to members
• Small scale events
• Participants 15-20
• Importance on bonding

• Open to anyone
• Large scale events
• Participants 40-120
• Importance on the process of planning,
  organizing, practicing TLC

Both events are organized by collecting certain
amounts of money through selling tickets and
signing up to support the activities fee
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Leadership Retreat

• Once-a-year, overnight, mandatory event
• Get to know each other
• TLC training
• Learn how to work with each other
• Strengthen bond between members

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International Night

• Biggest ISA annual event
• A night of culture sharing
• Purpose
• Programming
• Performances, culture exhibitions, and prize
  drawing
• Impact
• Students and local community
• ISA members

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Challenges and Reality
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From the ISS Perspective

• Space is VERY political.
• Staff resources to advise ISA is limited.
• Need to create strategy for ISS fund-raising to
  support international student leadership
  development
• Campus Resources
• Community Resources
• Alumni

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From the Student Perspective

• Demands of ISA
• Event planning organizing
• Demands of School and Work
• Academic study
• Working experiences
• Internship Financial Reasons
• Extracurricular activities
• Habits and leisure

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Misconceptions of International

• International ? Foreign

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Maintaining Ones Passion

• As an Educator
• As a Cultural and Language Interpreter
• As a Peace Maker

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Questions?
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For More Information

• Contact Session Chair, June Naughton, at
  jnaught_at_hawaii.edu
• Best wishes as you create your own win-win
  situation to meet international education goals
  for your students and ISS office.
• Mahalo!