Whether it’s by leading campus tours, answering questions about course selection or even being a friendly face at the arrivals section of the Newark Liberty International airport — sometimes in the middle of the night — Lehigh’s international orientation leaders support international students in many ways.
For many international students, arriving at Lehigh marks the beginning of a new journey. The international orientation program was created to help ease this transition and guide these cohorts of students.
The program surrounds the idea that international students have experiences and challenges which are different from those of domestic students. The orientation is “designed to address those needs and make (international students) familiar with the processes, resources, and staff that are unique to Lehigh and studying in the U.S.,” according to the program’s page on the Office of International Affairs’ website.
Patricia Goldman, assistant director of international student engagement, has overseen four groups of international orientation leaders since joining Lehigh’s staff in 2022. She emphasized the importance of fostering a sense of belonging among international students.
“The international orientation leaders, hands down, are my favorite part of the program,” Goldman said. “They are a group of selfless, dedicated, enthusiastic students who remember what it was like to land in the United States for the very first time and be terrified, and they want to make sure that doesn’t happen to another student.”
Goldman said the responsibilities of international orientation leaders extend beyond typical orientation duties, as they answer questions, organize events and help newcomers adjust throughout the entire academic year.
She also said anyone is welcome to apply to be an international orientation leader, whether they’re an international student themselves or simply “globally-minded.”
Those who are international students themselves use their own experiences to help ease the transition for new students, like Zelalem Ayalew, ‘26, who has been an international orientation leader for two years.
Ayalew said when he arrived in the U.S., it was difficult for him to adapt to the national and school culture, but his orientation leaders provided crucial support.
“My (international orientation leaders) helped me a lot to get familiarized with almost everything,” he said. “I was even able to call them without a schedule. I was just calling them every single time I had something.”
This experience motivated Ayalew to become an international orientation leader.
He said he wanted to support his peers, acknowledging their struggles and aiming to help in any way he could, whether by offering mental support or reassuring them that everything would be okay.
Ayalew also said he believes the experience has strengthened his leadership and communication skills. With only one year left in the role, he considers it to be invaluable.
“If I would get a chance, I would definitely do this again,” he said.
Tinuola Gbadamosi, ’28, an international student from Nigeria, said she was unaware of the international orientation program before she arrived at Lehigh.
However, once she participated as a first-year, she realized it played a key role in helping her adjust.
“I didn’t know it even existed until they sent me links to register, but it was really fun,” Gbadamosi said. “They put us into small groups, and it was nice to learn from other international students, not only from Africa, but from Vietnam and different countries.”
She said throughout her orientation week, the international orientation leaders hosted social activities and group outings. They also provided practical advice, including walking new students through the process of purchasing necessities.
Gbadamosi said the leaders also shared their experiences as international students at a predominantly white institution and offered advice on course selection, recommending which professors would be a good fit for them.
The orientation leaders’ guidance, she said, helps new students navigate their academic journey at Lehigh, and she would recommend the experience to future students without hesitation.
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