Thursday, Sept. 1st brought an opportunity for Longwood students to gain a new perspective on international students and studying abroad. Longwood’s Global Leaders hosted an activity at Brock Commons that allowed students to have a visual on how they fit in the relationship with our world at large.
Students were asked the question, “How can you be a global citizen?” The answers were written on green Post-Its, which were then combined together to form a tree, the answerses making up the leaves.
Longwood’s Global Leaders play a huge role for international students, as a peer mentor would for an average incoming student. Global Leaders are in charge of picking up new international students at airports, helping them move in, and helping them adjust to their new home here on campus.
“I believe that our efforts make the international students feel more comfortable adjusting not only to campus life, but American culture as well, so they take something away from us,” said Benjamin Lambert, a Global Leader. “I chose to be a Global Leader because I wanted to not only learn about different cultures around the world, but also help international students learn about our culture as Americans as well.”
Lambert’s international student from Saudi Arabia, Helal Almutairi, has been helping him learn Arabic while Lambert helps him learn more about our American culture; it’s a win-win situation for both parties. Almutairi is here on scholarship and enjoys Longwood because of its environment that it provides for students. He also favors how Longwood professors allow their students to study in a comfortable pace. He plans to major in computer science.
“We learn from each other,” said Lambert.
“They (the Global Leaders) were the first people I encountered from Longwood University and they helped me move to campus,” said Almutairi. “They showed me everything I needed to know.”
The event continued in the Lankford Ballroom at the Study Abroad Fair. Students and faculty were able to explore all the different study abroad options that are available as a Lancer, as well as gain more information on the Global Leaders program.
Students were asked to write down on a bright sticky note, what they could do to become a global citizen. Answers varied from "Learn another language," "Be one with mother nature," and "Be kind to all."
Students were asked to write down on a bright sticky note, what they could do to become a global citizen. Answers varied from "Learn another language," "Be one with mother nature," and "Be kind to all."
Students were asked to write down on a bright sticky note, what they could do to become a global citizen. Answers varied from "Learn another language," "Be one with mother nature," and "Be kind to all."
Students were asked to write down on a bright sticky note, what they could do to become a global citizen. Answers varied from "Learn another language," "Be one with mother nature," and "Be kind to all."
One of the students sticky notes from the event.
