International Student Buddy System

By:Stephanie MartinSalma Abdullah

Purpose To personalize orientation and

preparation for students who plan to study abroad in a new culture

Why? Connect International Students with

American Students Hands on Information Accomplish Imperative 6 of Vision

2020 to increase diversity and globalization at Texas A&M University

Allow students to immerge themselves in the new culture they will experience

Vision Buddy Partnering System Cultural Inventory

Strategy Outline: Buddy System Meet and pitch ideas to study abroad advisors Contact student organizations to recruit

international students who are willing to become buddies

Meet with the advisors in order to discuss how to apply the project to their particular program

Create a spreadsheet of students’ personal contact information

Relay information to the advisors and pair up students with their buddies

Strategy Outline: Cultural Inventory Create a survey of cultural information Meet and pitch ideas to study abroad

advisors Contact student organizations that have

international students from different countries and ask them to fill out the survey

Compile a database of the cultural information for each of the countries

Create packets out the information Offer these packets as a part of pre-trip

programs, such as Travel Wise

Strategy Outline: Other Information Plan to have the Buddy System up

and running by Fall 2009 Plan to have the Cultural

Inventory ready to give in presentations by Spring 2010

International Component Involving international students Allowing students who are

studying abroad to become more culturally sensitive

Sustainability International students’ contact

information Update list as needed

Database of different countries with cultural information Update list as needed

Struggles and Successes Positive interest for the project

from advisors and programs Contacting student organizations:

response time