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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

IU responds to international student concerns

IU’s programs and services to help international students have room to grow, but there’s a lot in store for the near future, Angela Gast said.

Gast, the new director of international student engagement, works under the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate 
Education.

She said the best way for IU to make changes is to come up with solutions to the challenges students face.

“We must be advocates for international students,” Gast said. “The needs are becoming greater. Within my office, we want to make sure the full job doesn’t fall on the Office of International Services.”

Reaching out to students before they arrive on campus is key, Gast said.

She said IU2U, a workshop for incoming international freshmen and their families, is a growing 
program.

IU2U is working with current domestic students to improve their reach to more than half of the next international freshman class, Gast said. A new intensive freshman seminar will be introduced soon, she said.

“The IFS programs help prepare the transition for all students,” Gast said. “They practice their skills, and we work to make them more successful academically 
at IU.”

Gast said she understands the way several international students feel after they reach campus. Many students feel alone or inadequate, she said, and don’t know where to turn for help.

“Right now, IU2U has more of an academic focus,” Gast said. “We’re looking at making the program to have a new part for ongoing support and programming to address these challenges.”

While the Office of International Services provides more of the social support, Gast said they are improving their programs to reflect some of the input coming in from international students.

The Office of International Services provides admissions help, visa assistance, advising and other support for international students, said Rendy Schrader, director of student and scholar advising.

“I make sure students are aware of regulations in their new environment and can navigate them successfully,” Schrader said. “The goal is student success on campus.”

Schrader said one of the biggest challenges the University faces is in encouraging cross-cultural competence, or interactions between domestic and international students.

“It’s hard, because there’s no help for domestic students either,” Schrader said. “We’ve always expected that domestic students know what to do, but they don’t always.”

Through Residential Programs and Services, the Office of International Services placed a checkbox on housing forms to find students who were interested in living with people from other countries.

“Domestic students can help ease the transition for their peers,” Schrader said. “This is in addition to an incoming leadership council, which will be able to advocate for international students and listen to their concerns.”

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