Almost 130 new students participated in last weekend's International Student Orientation compared to last year's figure of 78, said Director of the International Students and Scholars Office David Elwell. The international students were part of a first-year class that included 910 first-years as well as 60 transfer students, according to an e-mail from Jennifer Abdou, the orientation programs specialist. Last year, 78 international students were part of a first-year class of 754; This year, the number of international students within the entire first-year class has increased by 4 percent. The number of international students is far greater than in any year in the past decade, said Elwell.

Mark Levi '12, an international student from Turkey, attributed the rise in the number of first-year international students to the climbing admittance rate overall. "I am assuming that because of the financial crisis, ... generally the admittance rate increased for the U.S. and international students," he said.

Christine Chen '12, an orientation leader who had two international students in her AIDE group, said that she thought the increase in the number of international students might be evidence of Brandeis' efforts to bring more diversity to the University.

International students began arriving on Friday, Aug. 21. According to Elwell, the international students who arrived early took part in early orientation programs focused on the needs and challenges of students arriving from other countries before taking part in the general New Student Orientation, which began Sunday.

International students had the option of participating in a reception for students and families Friday evening as well as making a trip to Target to purchase various items, among other orientation events. On Saturday, students participated with their international AIDE groups in a program geared toward the experiences and challenges of being international students, according to the International Student Orientation schedule.

According to Abdou, international students "are provided an International Orientation Leader for those two days [Friday and Saturday] and then goes with his/her assigned Orientation Leader and meets the rest of his/her AIDE (Advise Integrate Develop Educate) group starting on Sunday."

Elwell said that during International Student Orientation, the International Students and Scholars Office addresses "the immigration ... and legal parts [of being an international student] and also [incorporates] parts on cultural adjustment. ... A lot of it is very similar. All new students are adjusting to college, but [international students] have some of the add-on of someone who may not have been to the United States before whose first language is not English."

Along with the 89 OLs, these students took part in new events such as "the Tunnel of Oppression, which allowed students to read, listen, and view different types of stereotypes and oppression that exist around the world in safe space and then discuss what they saw, read, and listened to with their Orientation Leader and AIDE group members. ... Associate Dean Jamele Adams gave an energetic and informative diversity discussion titled 'The Beauty, Balance, and Challenge of Diversity,'" wrote Abdou. These events went along with events that are always included in New Student Orientation, such as the Academic Overview and the Values Program.

Abdou wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that "Orientation collaborates with the International Student and Scholars Office to create a comprehensive program for the international students." The program includes "sessions on academics at Brandeis, adjusting to US culture, [and] working in the US."

Chen said that the challenges of working with international students varied. She had one student who chose to spend more time with people from his country than with the AIDE group, but another international student attended all the events during orientation with the group.

































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