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!

 

Executive Orders impacting our international community

Effective January 20, 2025, a series of Executive Orders have been put in place in addition to federal agency actions with potential impacts for our international community. Due to the fluid nature of these policies, we recommend referring to NAFSA Association of International Educators’ website for more details. Below is a list of the specific Executive Orders, as listed on the NAFSA website. You can read more about each one by clicking on the hyperlink.

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.

Travel Guidance for International Students and Scholars

As you make your international travel plans, please keep in mind that we highly recommend that you plan to return to the United States on or before the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. As context, a new presidential administration can enact policies on its first day (e.g., travel bans). Although ISSS is not aware of nor speculating about any such policies, we are sharing this recommendation to minimize potential disruptions to your travel. We will be certain to message you immediately if we learn of any such policies going into effect.

 

Please make certain to review the travel page on our website for more detailed information on the documents you should be carrying. Please remember:

  • To remain calm if questioned at the Port of Entry (POE) and to answer questions truthfully;
  • To review your social media postings to make sure they represent the best version of you;
  • Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have the right to inspect your electronic devices.

 

We also recommend planning your return trip during normal ISSS business hours, if possible, so you can contact us if anything comes up. Please either stop by or consult with an ISSS advisor if you have any questions or simply to ensure all your documents are in order. You can learn about various ways to contact or meet with us here.