Category Archives: Events & Programs

Fall 2024 ISSS Events So Far…

The Fall 2024 semester has officially started! ISSS has had an event for most every day in August. Our events started with the Campus Tours and Global Spartan Welcome for our new international students starting this fall and the most recent events International Welcome Olympic Games and Global Connections Kick Off. The start of every semester tends to have lots of events so we wanted to highlight the ones that we have had so far. We will have many more events during the semester so keep a lookout on our Instagram page (@sjsuinternational) and our website (https://www.sjsu.edu/isss/events-programs/) for all of our upcoming events!!

 

International Grad Panel & Networking 

For this event we had around 175 attendees! They were able to listen to a group of international graduate students share about their experiences here at SJSU and share any work experience they may have had or experiences searching for a job. Our panelists this year were Bokyung Kang a Counseling & Guidance major from Korea, Nawal Nazar a Nutritional Science major from Kuwait, and Suhaas Teja Vijjiagiri a Computer Science major from India. After the panel, students were able to mingle, network and speak with staff from the Career Center.

 

 

 

Global Leader Chats

Our Global Leader team facilitated chats that covered different topics from tours to advice. This year we have 5 Global Leader Chats with topics that included a Virtual Downtown Tour, SJSU First Steps, Making Friends & Getting Involved, Time Management, and Study & Job Search Tips. Each chat has had great turn out and great conversions! Our last 2 Chats (Time Management, and Study & Job Search Tips) will happen on Sept 4 and Sept 11 respectively so you still have time to join and experience a Global Leader Chat!

Global Get Together

We hosted our first Global Get Together this year! This event was centered around connecting SJSU students who’ve studied abroad with current International Exchange Students from our overseas partner universities. We had over 30 students come and make new friends while playing games, sharing similar global experiences, chatting and having a good time!

 

 

 

International Welcome: Olympic Games

For the past few years, we’ve hosted an International Welcome at the start of the fall semester to welcome in our new and returning international students. This year was our biggest turn out yet with more than 200 people joining in on the fun! This year was an Olympic Games theme where students were split into different teams to battle against each other in various games. Games where: Build a tower using marshmallows and spaghetti, balloon trashcan shooting, ping pong ball passing with spoons, and pick up cups with balloons. Congratulations to our Olympic winning team, Team 6!!!! Shout out to the committee leads: Nick Shein, Sanya Mandhyan, and Dimple Mulchandani!

Global Connections: Kick Off 

Global Connections is a weekly meetup where each week we focus on a different theme. Students can come  to connect with people from around the world, explore cultural topics, and learn tips for improving your overall well being. It is open to all students. In Fall 2024 we’ll meet every Monday from 3:00 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. (PT). Please refer to the schedule on our webpage for all the topics and locations!. Everyone is welcome! For our first Global Connections of the Fall 2024 semester we had a Kick Off event where we had a large turn out! We were able to have meaningful conversations, play games, eat some snacks. Our next Global Connections will be focusing on Making Friends & Getting Involved on Sept 9, Join us!!

Global Spartan Photo Contest 2024 Winners!

The month of March is Global Spartan Month and one of the many fun activities that we have is the annual Global Spartan Photo Contest. This year, our Global Spartan Photo Contest had 43 amazing photo and narrative submissions from students who have experience in one of our study abroad programs and our international students. The Global Spartan Month Planning Committee selects the winner of the Most Impactful Narrative prize and also determines our set of finalists. Finalists then have their photographs and narratives posted on our Instagram pages, at the Global Spartan Fair and at the Global Games event. Thank you to everyone who submitted a photo entry and to all those who voted. Congratulations to all our finalists and a special congratulations to our winners.

First Place

Sharat Hiremath

Ganesha’s Grace: A Festive Portrait

This Ganesha Chaturthi portrait captures the rich cultural tapestry of Hindu spirituality. The vibrant colors, intricate details, & the divine presence of Lord Ganesha symbolize the auspicious celebration of new beginnings. This photo holds personal significance as it embodies the cultural heritage that resonates deeply within me, connecting to spirituality & the joyous festivities of Ganesha.

Second Place

San Vu

My Seoulmates

This is the moment that I have been dreaming of! To walk around Gyeongbokgung Palace in traditional Korean hanboks with my new friends. While the city of Seoul sparks with new technology and innovation, walk into the next street and you will find gems like Gyeongbokgung, the oldest and largest palace standing at 629 years old. Pictured are 4 strangers turned housemates turned friends! 🙂

Third Place

Trusha Thakore

Haldi Ceremony

The photo was taken on the day of “Haldi rasam/ceremony”. It is a pre-wedding ritual in India and is also called “Pithi ceremony”. It is a tradition in which the body of bride and groom are applied with a paste of turmeric, sandalwood and other ingredients. The yellow color is considered auspicious and keeps the couple away from evil eye. The celebration is filled with dance, music and laughter.

Best Narrative

Madison Cross

Blossoming Cultural Experiences

This photo was taken on my first excursion in Vietnam, a day I had no idea what to expect with little knowledge of the language. Despite the language barrier, this lovely woman who was in charge of rowing our boat stopped to pick a flower and give it to me. It was the most welcoming and thoughtful gesture that brought the two of us together. Soon after she let me sit and row the boat with her!!

Show & Movie Recommendations

The Global Connections theme this past Monday was about international shows and movies (because who doesn’t like to watch them?). Everyone had a lot of fun talking and sharing their favorite movies from both their home country and shows that they may have recently seen. Watching shows from diverse countries is a fun and great way to learn about other cultures and familiarize yourself with various languages! Below are some show & movie recommendations from fellow students at the Global Connections meeting, Global Leaders, and ISSS Staff members! Learn more about Global Connections here and join us next time!

Student Recommendations:

TV Series Movies
The Brother Sun (U.S) A Separation (Iran)
Samdal-ri (South Korea) Cook Up a Storm (Hong Kong, China)
Trapped [Indian Movie] (India)
KGF (India)

 

Global Leaders Recommendations:

TV Series Movies
Kingdom (South Korea) Meet Joe Black (U.S)
The Family Man (India) Rurouni Kenshin (Japan)
Atlanta (U.S) Captain Miller (India)
Athadu (India)

 

 ISSS Staff Recommendations:

TV Series Movies
Gilmore Girls (U.S) Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (U.S)
The Last of Us (U.S) Polite Society (U.K)
Letterkenny (Canada) Bend it Like Beckham (U.K)
Reservation Dogs (U.S) Elemental (U.S)

 

2023 Global Spartan Photo Contest Winners

Each spring, International Student & Scholar Services hosts the annual Global Spartan Photo Contest. Our goal is to share a variety of cultural perspectives through photography and short narratives. As such, each photo submission is accompanied by a short narrative that explains the cultural significance of the photo from the photographer’s perspective. Narratives answer the questions: What aspect of culture does this photo represent? and Why is this photograph important to me?

The Most Impactful Narrative and Top 10 Photos are selected by the Global Spartan Month Planning Committee. In-person voting is open to the general public at our annual Global Spartan Month Fair in March, followed by online voting via social media.  Once the voting period is over, the in-person and online votes are tallied to determine the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Fan Favorites.

Congratulations to this year’s winner and all of our Top 10 finalists! Thank you for submitting such outstanding photos and sharing your unique cultural perspectives with us! Continue Reading…

Gearing up to Graduate: Alumni Panel

Graduating is exciting, but as an international student, finding a job after graduation can be stressful. This panel discussion is an opportunity to meet SJSU international alumni, who will share about their experience preparing for and beginning their professional life post-graduation. As recent graduates currently on OPT, they understand first-hand how challenging it can be to navigate the job search while also being mindful of immigration regulations. ISSS is pleased to partner with the Career Center to bring you this important and timely panel discussion.

Scroll down for videos and to meet the Panelists!

Continue Reading…