Grassroots Leadership Program

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1 Grassroots Leadership Program Integrating International Students into the University of Cincinnati Community By Frank J. Merendino, University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Integrating International Students into the University of Cincinnati Community 1

Merendino, University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio

2 About the Grassroots Leadership Program NAFSA: Association of International Educators, whose 10,000 members worldwide power Connecting Our World, launched the Grassroots Leadership Program in 2010 in response to the growing demand at the state and local level for training and resources to help address public policy challenges faced by NAFSA members. Notice of Liability The information in these documents is distributed on an As is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of each document, neither the submitter(s) nor NAFSA shall have any liability to any persons nor entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alledged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in any of these documents. Please note that while NAFSA verified the website links included in this report, NAFSA cannot guarantee that every link will be current at the time of download. Acceptable Use Guidelines Electronic resources are provided for the benefit of the international education community. However, commercial use, systematic or excessive downloading, and electronic redistribution of these publications are all expressly prohibited. Released NAFSA: Association of International Educators. All rights reserved 2 Integrating International Students into the University of Cincinnati Community

Notice of Liability The information in these documents is distributed on an As is basis, without warranty.

3 Integrating International Students into the University of Cincinnati Community What was the problem you identified in your community? International student integration into the campus community via intercultural training program for faculty/staff. I originally wanted to find a way to ease international students transition to the United States and university. While we have an international orientation that has consistently been ranked highly by international students according to the International Student Barometer (ISB), I knew the University of Cincinnati (UC) could do more to help with this transition. I had attended an LGBTQ Safe Zone training earlier that year, and while brainstorming at my desk, I saw my Safe Zone sticker and it made me think, Why not have something like this for faculty/staff, but focused on intercultural understanding? That s how the idea for the training program came about. What did you plan to accomplish at the local level (first six months of the program)? I wondered, is there a need for this? Will the campus community be supportive? I assumed the idea would be supported around campus, but I wasn t sure. The University of Cincinnati is a very large institution and trying to establish a training program from the grassroots level could be a real challenge. I did a lot of groundwork building support for the program, and over the course of the year developed a steady stream of interest. The majority of the initial work was just getting the word out and building allies across campus. It s something that takes time and the right timing. What did you plan to accomplish at the state level (second six months of the program)? Raised awareness at the state NAFSA meeting for this type of program general advocacy beyond just public policy. This was a bit more challenging for my chosen topic. Developing an intercultural training program at the institutional level doesn t necessarily relate directly to state level advocacy, other than adding to the support system that international educators need to constantly be modifying to cater to the changing needs of their respective international student populations. I plan to share this program at the NAFSA Ohio Drive-In Conference next spring in Columbus. Integrating International Students into the University of Cincinnati Community 3

I originally wanted to find a way to ease international students transition to the United States and university.

4 What did you accomplish at the local level? I executed an intercultural training program for faculty and staff. Key relationships have been forged with the UC College of Business and College of Arts & Sciences. There is a need and desire for this type of program as it has received overwhelming support. Proof was evident in the successful turnout of the first training session along with a second session being requested from the College of A&S. What did you accomplish at the state level? Not really anything yet. Next year this will be a session proposal at the Ohio Drive-In Conference. Who are three people you met, who you didn t know before, that were able to help you with your project? Paula Breslin, academic director, the UC College of Arts & Sciences, and Jennifer Wiswell, director of undergraduate programs, the UC College of Business. These two offered early support of the project from two of the key colleges at UC that enroll international students (McMicken College of Arts & Sciences and the Lindner College of Business). They were both very encouraging about developing a faculty/staff intercultural training session, and assured me the campus community was not only in need of such a program, but would also embrace it. Their early support of the project provided a boost of morale that helped me during the initial planning phase. Leisan Smith, program director at the LGBTQ Center. Leisan helped me brainstorm how the intercultural training program would look. I had attended a Safe Zone training session earlier in the year that Leisan put on, which sparked the idea to create something similar, to train UC faculty/staff on improving their intercultural competence. I reached out to Leisan and she was gracious enough to meet with me and provide some background info on how the Safe Zone training module was developed. Carol Tonge Mack, director, student retention initiatives, at the UC College of Arts & Sciences. Carol reached out to me after the initial training session took place to set up a separate training session for the academic advisers in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences. Many of the A&S staff couldn t attend the first training session, but Carol wanted to make sure they still received the training. Her support was further confirmation that developing an intercultural training program was indeed something that the UC campus community was in need of. What were two roadblocks you encountered and tips for overcoming those roadblocks (based on your experience)? Getting support and momentum early on. There was lots of talk at meetings, but I wasn t sure if people would really show up when the training session were scheduled in late spring. Gaining support at a grassroots level is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to stay at it devote a little time each week. Timing is key, too: Know when to bring it up and which key players to talk with about what it is you re trying to accomplish. Funding was another. The International Committee (IC) came through and offered a few hundred dollars for any necessary printing or food costs. (We provided breakfast to participants.) 4 Integrating International Students into the University of Cincinnati Community

Proof was evident in the successful turnout of the first training session along with a second session being requested from the College of A&S. What did you accomplish at the state level?

5 What one piece of advice would you give to someone who is interested in taking on this issue in their community? Creation of the training program material was only half of it. Generating support and buzz for the program around campus is the time-consuming challenge. Sure, it took some time to find the proper resources to include in the training session, and I reached out to a number of international educators I found through NAFSA LISTSERVs and other various international education outlets, but the biggest challenge was gaining support and turning momentum into a solid turnout at the training session. What was the biggest outcome of your year-long project? The biggest outcome was actually conducting the intercultural training program. I ve done it twice now and both sessions were well received. I ve collected suggestions for improvements and am even making a part two training session. What s next for you, with regard to the work you ve started? I d like to make a few edits, then take this show on the road and submit it as a session to other professional conferences like National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), American College Personnel Association (ACPA), National Orientation Directors Association (NODA), National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), etc. Ideally, the work would be with a colleague on the domestic side and someone from NAFSA s public policy team. This program is a work in progress, so I imagine it will grow over time. I m already working on incorporating a Chinese name pronunciation section to aid UC staff who work with our large Chinese undergraduate population. Read More Learning and Fun: The Ongoing Path to Advocacy Success, by Frank Merendino Integrating International Students into the University of Cincinnati Community 5

Sure, it took some time to find the proper resources to include in the training session, and I reached out to a number of international educators I found through NAFSA LISTSERVs and other various

Grassroots Leadership Program

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