The past year has been challenging for the entire CU Boulder community, and few student populations have been affected as much as CU鈥檚 international community. Closed borders, cancelled flight routes, quarantine requirements听and changes to student visa protocols have upended life for CU鈥檚 international community. In response, CU Engineering has launched an International Student Advisory Board听to better understand and respond to international student needs鈥攄uring and after the pandemic.
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Composed of 10 students across academic levels and departments, the ISAB meets monthly to identify projects and set goals the board wishes to achieve. Most recently, the ISAB approved language for a mission statement:听鈥淭o amplify the voices and concerns of international students within the college, to raise the visibility of our multicultural student body, to foster community-building, and to ensure college leadership acts proactively to improve the international student experience.鈥澨�
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Projects this year are focused on creating more professional development opportunities for international students, fostering a greater sense of community, and building intentional linkages with new international students as they navigate CU Boulder鈥檚 campus and U.S. academic culture.
Sustainability of the board is also a priority. Even after campus resumes in-person events and on-campus learning, understanding and responding to the international student experience is of vital importance to CU Engineering鈥檚 long-term goals for diversity and inclusion, as the college enrolls and graduates more international students than any other school or college on the Boulder campus.