WELCOME INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Dreams and plans This is a moment you will remember You planned this for a long time Now you are here Everyone in this room is starting new This is a chapter in the book of your life

What do you all have in common? All felt a need and interest to study abroad All got information and came to MSU Took the TOEFL You have now traveled great distances Some of you will be tired from traveling Familiar surroundings are gone Got a visa and are now subject to U.S. laws

You all now arrive in our community Many of you do not know anyone here Everyone has an interesting story to how they planned and got here We look forward to hearing your stories

Your stories are interesting OISS essay contest Write your story Best essay wins $1,000

What’s not new? You are part of a long tradition Studying abroad is not new Centuries ago scholars went to great centers of learning India, Athens, Egypt among others MSU ranks among the top research universities in the U.S. and you now live in a great center of learning

What is new? The U.S. response to terrorism Heightened bureaucracy created more rules This means you must understand the rules about your immigration status in the U.S. You will hear more about this later

Study abroad is an adventure Living outside your country will change you and the way you see the world Life is not always predictable Confronting different values Confronting different ways The leopard cannot cross the river without getting wet

Common questions from new students What will it be like here? Will I succeed? How will I cope being away from family and friends? Will I make new friends? Who will help me?

Can I manage in English all the time? Is it safe here? Will others understand my feelings? You will soon have answers to those questions

What we know about you International students are high achievers International students work hard International students are willing to take risks You are successful in your home country People respect you for the challenge you are taking

Look around you Everyone else is on the same path You have a lot in common with others in this room

Challenges of being new The simplest things are strange Using the phone Riding the bus Knowing where to shop Needing the help of others

Be patient with yourself Everyone before you survived You will learn quickly You will have some confusion You should accept help Next year, you can help others at ISO

Adjusting How much time to feel comfortable here? All students have stress As a representative of your country; people will ask about culture, politics, and other matters Everyone can learn from everyone else here

MSU’s International Community 3, 300 students 850 faculty and scholars 136 countries represented 7% of MSU students More than 30 international associations and clubs

When else in your life will you have the opportunity to get to know so many people from so many places? This is a special moment that can transform your life.

MSU’s international traditions First U.S. university to create the position of Dean of International Studies and Programs International Center built in 1964 CVIP provides friendship programs for more than 40 years #1 U.S. university for study abroad Your presence here is part of internationalization of MSU

MSU has strong commitment to serving international students It is an honor for OISS staff to work with you International education is very important way to learn about others in today’s world

Feelings of last year’s students Excited to be here Felt a bit lost and confused at the start Full of hope, but a bit nervous Already homesick missing family & friends Frustrated they could not communicate their true intelligence in English

Very enthusiastic to be here Curious about everything Feeling overwhelmed….so much to do and so little time Worried about money Open to new experiences, but not yet comfortable

Information overload People only remember 20% of what they hear Orientation can be too much Must feel comfortable asking questions No question is a bad question

Goals for Orientation Provide warm welcome to MSU and the community of East Lansing Help you make new friends; many of you do not know anyone else here Help you know where to go for help later Provide information to get you started here

Tips for success People will help you if you ask questions Remember your goals Keep your sense of humor Stay open to new experiences Work to understand the ways Americans do things Withhold judgment of others Make use of all resources: people and tech

Conclusion We are fortunate you are here Your presence on campus enriches MSU You have special challenges We will do our best to help you We are looking forward to knowing you

Announcements Introduce OISS staff ISO volunteers Welcome dinner tickets Orientation for parents Break out into groups