The world studies at UC
UC International offers new workshop for faculty and staff who work with international students
International students laugh with each other in an English conversation group at UC International.
UC International and its partners across campus piloted a comprehensive new professional development program this spring for staff and faculty who work with international students.
“This came from a lot of different places,” explains Ron Cushing, director of International Services in the UC International Office. “Over the years, our office and other university offices have provided pieces of training to faculty and staff who have asked for them.” Recurring requests have varied from training on visa and immigration regulations to help with classroom communication skills or pronouncing Chinese or Arabic names. “Clearly, there’s been a consistent need for a program that addresses several different areas when it comes to hosting international students.”
Cushing and his staff and volunteers from student services offices throughout UC have developed The World Studies Here to meet that need.
UC’s international student population
The University of Cincinnati’s population of international students has increased rapidly in the last 10 years. Critically, it includes many more young students than ever before, as the number of international undergraduates at UC has doubled.
“We’re seeing a lot more 18-year-olds struggling with the stresses of being far from home, coming up against the cultural and social differences of the American classroom—what their cultures have taught them about being a college student, and how that changes when they get here.” Cushing’s goal is to strengthen the support network across campus for those students so that they don’t reach the point of mental or physical distress.
Cushing also wants to make sure that accurate information gets to those international students about immigration or visa issues that affect their study or travel or work plans.
Staff and faculty support
The "Bearcat Global Ally" logo for The World Studies Here
Faculty, advisors and staff of other student services organizations connect with those students throughout the year. Making sure that those professionals have opportunities to gain a comfortable level of expertise and have access to up-to-date information is vital for student success.
Michelle Huang, who works as an international student support and success specialist in the UC International office, is one of the people who have been working on The World Studies Here, along with volunteers from advisory services, the colleges, and the libraries. She explains, “If we only provide support to students, that only completes one side, one half of a circle. By working the two ends at the same time, we not only provide support to students but also provide support to people who work with students on a daily basis. That completes the whole circle.
“We (UC International) can do a lot for students, but there are so many resources out there, so many people out there who work with the students on a daily basis. We want to make sure that they become our allies, too, which is why our logo says Bearcat Global Ally.”
Huang sees the workshops as a way for staff and faculty to develop a global perspective, to gain experience and comfort in assisting international students, and to be aware of the network of support they have in their work. This includes tapping their shared expertise. “To provide a platform for them to communicate best practices, that’s the most important thing—to provide them with some best practices examples and maybe to spark some new ideas out of them.”
Workshops
There are three workshop tracks: one for faculty and educators, a second for academic advisors and other staff who work with international students and a third on pronouncing names. The faculty and staff workshops cover topics like immigration basics, cross-cultural communication skills, classroom strategies and best advising practices.
The advisor track program was recently piloted with the undergraduate advisors from the College of Engineering & Applied Sciences. The workshop was customized for them to include a focus on co-op and work-related regulations.
The faculty workshop focuses on identifying, assessing, and meeting the needs of international students and on exploring pedagogical approaches to clarify expectations with them, prevent plagiarism and miscommunication and communicate empathy and respect.
The World Studies Here planners are reaching out to the deans, the Faculty Senate, and the organizers of the annual UC Advising Conference to provide further training opportunities. Their goal is to build strong connections with the colleges and to address specific needs of different staff units and the students they serve. Looking toward the future, they are also developing an online component for the training.
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