Spring 2025 ISSS Events So Far…

It’s close to being a month since the Spring 2025 semester has started! (that’s crazy!) ISSS has had many events in this short amount of time (about 30)! We had our Global Spartan Welcome for the new incoming international students and Campus Tours lead by our Global Leaders in the few weeks ahead of the spring semester starting, then once the semester started we had our staple International Welcome and Grad Panel Networking events just to name a few. Below are some of the events that we wanted to highlight. We will have many more events during the semester so keep a lookout on our Instagram page (@sjsuinternational) and our events webpage for all of our upcoming events!! March is Global Spartan Month where there will be many different kinds of events, a fair and many opportunities to connect with fellow Global Spartans!

International Grad Panel & Networking 

For this event we had around 62 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 Suhaa Ahmed an Urban Planning major from India, Ambarish Govindarajulu Kaliamurthi a Computer Engineering major from India, Bokyung Kang a Counseling & Guidance major from Korea, and Dimple Mulchandani a Biomedical Engineering major from India. After the panel, students were able to mingle, network and speak with staff from the Career Center.

 

 

 

 

International Welcome

At the start of the semesters, we host an International Welcome event to welcome in new and returning international students. This semester’s theme was Back to Childhood. About 60 students were able to join us in playing throwback games from childhood, connect with other students and also learn about other cultures! Students had fun playing Passing the Pillow (Hot Potato), Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, and Rochambeau Train! Special shout out to the committee leads: Sanya Mandhyan, Piero Miranda 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 Spring 2025 we’ll meet every Monday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 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 Spring 2025 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 Fun & Games on Feb 17, Come game with us!

 

Global Leader Chats

Our Global Leader team facilitated chats that covered different topics from tours to advice. This semester we’ve had Global Leader Chats with topics that included, 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 Feb 19  and Feb 24 respectively so you still have time to join and experience a Global Leader Chat!

 

Join the Global Spartan Photo Contest!!

March is Global Spartan Month (GSM) where we celebrate international education and exchange! During GSM we offer many events and opportunities to learn about diverse cultures and also a space where you can share your own. You can also learn about opportunities to study abroad, make global connections and also expand your knowledge about the #GlobalSpartans community! See our Global Spartan Month website for more details on events!

One of the featured events that takes place is the Photo Contest. Students can submit photos and a narrative from students who have experience in one of our study abroad programs and/or 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.

Last year we had an amazing pool of 43 photo submissions! See our past blog posts for the winning submissions.

Submissions for this year have started from January 21 and will be open until Feb 17th at 11:59pm.

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)