Rose Mina - Sophomore of the Year

This year, Rose Mina, an international student was named Sophomore of the Year at the Hofstra Student Leadership Awards ceremony held on May 1, 2016. Rose shares some of her story as an international student leading up to being awarded Sophomore of the Year below.

My name is Rose Mina and I am from Kenya. I just completed my sophomore year and I am studying Finance and Mathematics.

My experience at Hofstra has been great. What I love most about Hofstra is the education experience. The professors are very committed in their work and they are approachable. What I learn in class is easily applicable to real life. Moreover, the class sizes enable me to have personal attention with my professors.

I also love my school because it has many opportunities for students to be involved and thus become well-rounded students.

I am involved in different clubs such as the African Student Association, HINT (Hofstra International) and for two years I was a Pride Guide. I am also a Global Mentor, and my role is to mentor new international students and help them in their adjustment to the new school and country.

All the above co-curricular activities have enabled me gain valuable experience on how to relate with people. I am also growing as a leader. At the end of the 2016 spring semester, I was humbled to be named Sophomore of the Year due to my involvement on campus. I am excited for what the remaining half of college has for me. I like challenging myself and Hofstra is giving me the platform to face challenges and growth experiences that are shaping me to become a leader who will hopefully bring change to society.

Guest Blogger: Rose N. Mina
Junior – BBA in Finance

International Student Affairs wishes to extend congratulations to Rose on being chosen as Sophomore of the Year.

Abdullah Wasif - Junior of the Year

This year Abdullah Wasif, an international student was honored with the Junior Student of the Year award at the  Hofstra Student Leadership Award Ceremony held on May 01, 2016. Abdullah shares a little bit of his background and his reaction to being named Junior of the Year below.

I am an international student who came to the U.S. for the first time back in the fall of 2014 from Pakistan to do my BBA in Accounting and Information Technology from Hofstra University. Since then, I have had a roller coaster ride. My experience at Hofstra so far has been nothing but rewarding and exceptional. I have met some great people and have made lifelong friends. People at Hofstra have been an important factor in making me feel comfortable, whether they are the people from the Zarb School of Business Dean's office, where I started working as a student aide in the end of 2014, or the people in the various clubs I have been part of so far, like Beta Alpha Psi, Hofstra Tax Society or 180 Degrees Consulting. I am also the current Executive Vice President for the Beta Alpha Psi, and have held the position of Treasurer in Tax Society for the academic year 2015 – 2016.

Recently, I won the student leadership award for the best Junior Student of the Year. There are honestly no words to describe that feeling, I still cannot recall what I was feeling when my name was announced as the winner for the award, I think I blanked out. Currently, this is one of my biggest achievements and I am really honored to have received this award. This last semester was full of achievements as I was also selected by the Zarb School of Business to represent it at the National DECA Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Last but not least, I successfully got into the leadership programs for all the Big 4 accounting firms, which are considered the most competitive programs to get into, compared to the other programs and positions offered by the Big 4 firms.

Being an international student, and competing with other students has not been easy. I personally had the right motivations that kept me going. Also, thinking about my family back home in Pakistan just added that fire in me which took me to that extra mile. What worked for me personally was my determination and proactive attitude. I faced every challenge with a head on and a smile on my face. With two more years to go, I have a lot more to achieve. I am on the route to sit for my CPA exams next year and look forward to becoming a Certified Public Accountant. Moreover, I also seek to intern with one of the Big 4 accounting firms next summer and hopefully receive a full time offer (through OPT).

Guest Blogger: Abdullah B. Wasif
Senior – BBA in Accounting and IT & Business Analytics

International Student Affairs would like to congratulate Abdullah on his achievements in winning Junior of the Year.

Alternative Spring Break

I could not wait for spring break for I was going to Washington, DC. I had applied for the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) which is an option offered here at Hofstra University during spring break.  This was going to be a week’s long volunteering program with the YSOP (Youth Service Opportunities Project). The YSOP is an organization that provides high quality volunteer service-learning experiences in metropolitan areas specifically New York City and Washington, DC. I was even excited more when I learned that one of my mentees from the Global Mentor Program, Jingru Cheng A.K.A Aurora, was also going to DC for the program. This was definitely going to be a bonding experience.

We left for DC on Sunday and did our orientation on Monday morning at around 8:00 a.m. We were informed of our schedules and what was expected of us. Basically, every day we would go to a different service site from about 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. then have a reflection session at about 2:00 p.m.

The first place we visited was ‘IONA’. This is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support people as they experience the challenges and opportunities of aging. We helped set up tables for the participants’ lunch, their exercise area and prepared lunch for them. We interacted with the staff there and the participants as well, which was very interesting. We then had our reflection session in the afternoon about our experience earlier in the day.

On the second day we went to ‘A Wider Circle’ which is an organization whose mission is to end poverty for individuals and families. They do so by providing basic needs, education and long-term support. They have different programs, and on that day we helped with the ‘Neighbor to Neighbor’ program. This program provides furniture, mattresses, kitchen ware, professional clothing and linens. We sorted out the clothes and linens and put them in the right places. We cleaned the kitchen ware and made everything look presentable. We also helped some clients look for whatever they needed.

The third place we visited was ‘The Capital Area Food Bank’. It is an organization that helps solve hunger and problems such as heart disease, undernutrition and obesity, by delivering healthy food to areas that are hard to reach. On that day, we helped sort meat and put them in separate boxes. We did this in a huge warehouse that was freezing and we had to bundle up for this activity. We then went to a different room where we sorted apples and discarded the bad ones.

Later in the day, we did the most exciting thing during that week. We prepared food at the church and we were going to let in 40 homeless people to share the meal with us. We took their orders, served them and got to interact as we ate. This night changed my way of thinking about homeless people. There are very many stereotypes in regard to the homeless. I realized how similar our lives were because we had numerous stories that we shared and we could relate with one another. Some had really amazing talents. It is just that circumstances force them to be on the streets. A number of them had jobs but they did not earn enough income to enable them afford housing which is quite expensive. Some stayed on the streets as a result of domestic violence and some were just born poor and had no way of making their lives better. It was an eye-opening experience for me. As a matter of fact, the next day, I met one of the ladies I had served dinner and we had a good conversation. I doubt I would have stopped, were it not for the previous night when we got to interact.

On Thursday, the last day of service, we went to Seabury Resources for Aging. It is a non-profit organization that provides free and affordable support in multiple ways for older adults and their families. Some of the services offered include home delivered meals, alternative transportation to medical appointments and home maintenance and clean-up projects. On this day, we went to a senior lady’s house and cleaned it up for her. She gave specific instructions on how she wanted the job done and it was satisfying to see her smile after the cleaning was well-done. We then had our last reflective session where we all shared our thoughts and experiences.

Although most of the time we were at the service sites, we did not fail to fit in some time for fun and exploring the capital. We visited nearly all of the attraction sites in Washington DC and learned most of its history.

I learned a lot during my spring break and I was happy that in my small way, I was helping somebody somewhere. I am glad I got to make new friends and further bond with Aurora, my mentee from China. We had lots of fun and I got to know her even better.

Guest Blogger: Rose Mina, Sophomore, Finance, Global Mentor and international student from Kenya

Reflections from a Global Mentor

“A Brit, a German and a Saudi sit down for dinner…” sounds like the set-up for a bad joke, but for me, it was the beginning of a great friendship. As a global mentor, I am part of the team of people who welcome and support Hofstra’s international students. We help with orientation, bring mentees to school events throughout the semester, organize impromptu study sessions and – of course – meet up with fellow internationals for dinner.

I have learned how to say “Thank you” in Russian, how Bolivians kiss you on both cheeks to say hello and that sometimes the best way to treat homesickness is watching videos of the “Eurovision Song Contest”. I have learned that for Japanese, Root Beer smells like “Icy Hot”, and “Mexican cheese” doesn’t exist in Mexico. But most importantly, I have learned that the foreign isn’t always so unfamiliar after all and that laughter sounds the same in every language. We tell each other stories of how home tastes and feels and smells and looks like (they say Britain smells like rain) and I want to travel the world to see all these places and people again. I want to stand on the busy Beijing streets and hike to the Mayan ruins in Guatemala. But together with the international students,


I also explore what is here. We tan on Coney Island, instead of Costa Rica, and eat Pretzels in a beer garden in Brooklyn, not Bavaria. We ice-skate in Central Park and eat Burgers while walking down Fifth Avenue. And I swear, the only thing better than seeing Times Square is watching somebody else see Times Square for the first time.
Without being a global mentor, I would have never met many of these wonderful people or made any of these memories. So the next time somebody starts with “a Brit, a German and a Saudi want to sit down for dinner…” come along, you might make some great international friends.

Guest blogger: Sarah Gerwens, Global Mentor

If you are interested in learning more about the Global Mentor Program you may do so by visiting the Global Mentor page. Applications for the Fall 2016 semester are currently being accepted. Global Mentor applications are available in International Student Affairs, room 040 Memorial Hall. Applications are due March 18, 2016.

International Student Affairs Annual Thanksgiving Dinner

This year the annual International Student Affairs Thanksgiving Dinner was held on Monday, November 23. International Student Affairs hosted about 70 students who feasted on traditional Thanksgiving favorites such as turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, corn bread and pumpkin pie.

Natalie Caesar, assistant director of International Student Affairs gave a fantastic presentation covering the historical significance of “turkey day” celebrations and a brief history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Students were surprised to learn that many of the foods we prepare in a modern-day Thanksgiving are quite different from those that were served at the first Thanksgiving such as waterfowl and venison.

As dinner winded down, students made turkey door decorations while discussing plans to attend holiday home stays, “friends-giving”, Black Friday shopping and viewing the Macy’s parade.

Guest Blogger: Lauren Krampen, Graduate Assistant, International Student Affairs

International Student Orientation: Global Mentor Perspective

On the 24th of August, 2015, Hofstra University was very glad to officially welcome the newest group of International students which were resuming for the Fall 2015 semester. This group consisted of over 300 international students from over 35 different countries. Preparations for their arrival began a year in advance, and we were finally happy to be able to welcome them.

In anticipation for their arrival, the International Student Affairs Office in collaboration with the Peer Mentor program put together a team of Global Mentors, which consists equally of both international and U.S. American student volunteers, to help the new students with the transition to living and schooling in the U.S. As a member of the Global Mentor team, I can say it was a great opportunity to meet and help new international students.
Also, for the first time the International Student Affairs office in collaboration with the Admissions Office and Provost Office and with help of the Global Mentors successfully planned and executed an airport pickup service that was available for all interested students coming in from the John Franklin Kennedy (JFK) Airport, New York. Knowing how long and exhausting international flights can be, we felt it would be nice to help alleviate some of the stress by picking them up from the airport and providing a smiling face to encourage them.
The undergraduate International Student Orientation lasted from Sunday, August 23 up until Thursday, August 27, 2015. At the arrival of the students earlier on the Sunday, there was a light pizza party to welcome them. There most of them got to meet with their Global Mentor and other international students, after which everyone proceeded to the bookstore to get supplies and enjoy a cupcake decorating party.
On Monday, the International Student Affairs Office organized a Welcome to Orientation session.  We had more of a full house here, a light breakfast, took a group photo and the rest of the day was spent getting acquainted with the campus and completing their arrival checklist. In the evening, interested students went on a bus to Target to shop for much needed supplies.
On Tuesday, most of the day was spent taking the ELP exams, which is required for every international student obtaining a degree at Hofstra. The rest of the day was spent learning about their immigration status, the Center for University Advising and resources available to them through the Hofstra Portal. Sessions on student employment and fire safety were also offered. Later in the evening, interested students went over to the fitness center for some healthy fruits and fun activities.

On Wednesday, the new students got to find out about even more learning resources available to them through an Academic Success Seminar coordinated through the Center of Academic Excellence and a session on Academic Integrity coordinated through the Dean of the Honors College, the Writing Center and the International Student Affairs office. They also had the pleasure of having their first Hofstra class which was centered on the novel Topdog Underdog.  During lunch, the students had the chance to gather other useful information from the Resource Fair. The afternoon was filled with sessions on being healthy and safe as well as relationships in the U.S. Later in the early evening, all the new international students were invited to the International Student Welcome Reception, were they were given an official welcome address by the Vice President of Student Affairs, W. Houston Dougharty and Provost Gail Simmons and also got to meet faculty and staff members. Later that evening, there was an ice cream social, where interested individuals came to unwind in the game room. During this event, I got to bond with my mentees over air hockey, and ice-cream, which was an awesome experience.
On the last day of orientation, Global Mentors met up with their mentees who had not completed their checklist and later in the evening, there was an Alumni Panel, where past students came to talk about their experiences at Hofstra.
In general, the whole orientation turned out to be very successful and exciting, not just for the new students but everyone that was involved including myself. I got to make new friends, create memories and help out with so many little things, the whole experience turning out to be very rewarding for me. It can be very different at first as an international student, and this is something I know firsthand, as I am one myself. So I look forward to getting to know my mentees better and helping them out in any way I can.

Guest Blogger: Tamunomiesiya LongJohn, Global Mentor

International Student Affairs Welcome Barbecue

For students, the start of the academic year usually means an end to all of the sunny backyard summer parties, grilling, and enjoying time with friends, but the summer fun lived on last week at the International Student Affairs Welcome Barbecue at Adam’s Playhouse Quad outside Memorial Hall.

On September 9, International Student Affairs hosted a Welcome Back Barbecue to celebrate its new location, Memorial Hall 040 and the return of all students to our campus. We missed you over the summer!

Over two hundred students attended the barbecue - most of which were international students enjoying a new experience. In addition, we had some U.S students and some faculty and staff join in enjoying this classic U.S American summer festivity. Students gathered in International Student Affairs’ new front yard – the quad outside the Memorial Hall to enjoy grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, corns, watermelon and pasta salad but more importantly, to enjoy the company and inter-cultural exchange, happening at the tables between international and domestic students.

Guest Blogger:
Kavneet Baweja
Graduate Student – MBA Business Analytics
Graduate Assistant – International Student Affairs

Summer English Language Program

Hofstra University had the honor of welcoming our new Summer English Language Program (ELP) students on Sunday, July 12. The Summer ELP is a six-week program for our new Hofstra students who are learning English as a second language; this program not only has a series of academic lessons to prepare students to obtain proficient English skills for their academic years, but also sponsors various on-campus activities and off-campus events to help students adapt to the new environment at Hofstra. We served 22 ELP students this summer, including six graduate students and sixteen undergraduate students.

We understand the new ELP students’ struggle when they arrive in the United States, so the International Student Affairs (ISA) office designed the Saturday off-campus trips and Tuesday on-campus activities for our ELP students to have a relaxing time after class. As the ELP coordinator, I am glad I had this opportunity to manage these events. I was an ELP student in 2014 and experienced all the same difficulties as the new ELP students, so I had a good connection with them, which made it easier for me to help them.

My coworker, Sara Wach, the Residential Assistant, designed very interesting games for our Tuesday night programs and we had a wonderful time. I am really grateful to our volunteers that dedicated their time for each program and I am glad we finally became good friends.

The Saturday off-campus trip program was awesome. It was a pleasure to lead our ELP group to explore New York City and Long Island this summer. We prepared five trips for students and I believe these new-comers gained a great picture of New York and their new home.

First trip--- Governors Island /Statue of Liberty/Chinatown.

 
We caught the City of Water festival in Governors Island and ate Lunch in Chinatown.

Second trip--- Coney Island (Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park/ Luna Park/ New York Aquarium)
 
A great way to release pressure is to scream when enjoying rides in the amusement park.
Third trip--- Metropolitan Museum of Art/Central Park.
 
It was a sunny day and our group was engrossed in great art and natural beauty.
Fourth trip---Brooklyn Bridge/ Brooklyn Bridge Park/Botanic Garden.
 

Brooklyn Botanic Garden has great greenhouse labs and we found a perfect place to take group pictures in the Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Fifth trip--- Dave & Busters.

We had our last lunch together and the electronic games were awesome!
At the end of the ELP on August 21, 2015, ISA sponsored and held the ELP Farewell Party on campus. The administrator representatives from the Office of Admission and ISA, our Global Mentors and volunteers, as well as our ELP students attended the party. During the party, our level two students were awarded with certificates for their successful completion of ELP, and every student was rewarded with a Hofstra lanyard for the efforts they made in this summer. Tasty food, great music, and awesome Hofstra people joined in laughing and happiness!

The end of this summer is also the end of my job for this ELP program. This is sad, but I am happy our ELP students completed their courses and many of them successfully transitioned into their academic studies. This precious job opportunity makes my summer meaningful and I truly appreciate the kindness and generosity of the all the ISA office staff who have helped me and continue to help our ELP students gain a foothold in US culture and language. I am grateful to be part of this family!

Guest Blogger: Yina Peng, ELP Coordinator, International Student Affairs