Host: Hello, everyone. Join us for a special podcast episode on International Education Week, 2024. International Education Week or IEW is a nationwide celebration of education exchange that promotes intercultural understanding and highlights the diversity that strengthens our global community. In honor of IEW 2024, this podcast episode explores this year's theme of belonging beyond borders, examining how international education fosters connections and celebrates the diverse perspectives that make our community thrive. We will discuss the goals and stories behind IEW with guests sharing insights on building a sense of belonging, embracing unique cultures and forming lasting bonds across borders. 


In this episode, our guest Marielle Lyons, Louise Li, and Noel Hermilio Aispuro will share their perspectives as students in multicultural international education programs, their experiences as IEW veterans and their insights from both attending and planning events including some first time programming experience. And let's jump right in. 


Hello, Louise, welcome to the Global Connections podcast. And thank you for making time to speak with us amongst the IEW business and planning frenzy. Do you mind introducing yourself for us, telling us a little bit about your department and the role you play? 


Louise: Thank you so much for inviting me to be on the podcast. My name is Louise. I'm actually a USF alum. I graduated in May 2022 with a degree in Marketing from the School of Management and a minor in Computer Science. Right after graduation, I joined the International Students and Scholar Services office also known as ISSS, where I supported international students. And last year, September, I transitioned into my new role. I'm currently the marketing and project manager for the Center for Asia Pacific Studies. Our department organizes community building events, lectures and promoting research centered on the Asia Pacific region. My role involves managing these events from planning to execution along with overseeing all the marketing efforts. 


Host: Wow. So it's really bringing that diverse perspective here to USF. Thank you for all the work that you do and getting into Iew for those who don't know about International Education Week. Do you mind telling us what it is according to you? And a little bit of brief history. 


Louise: Yeah, of course. So International Education Week also known as IEW is a global celebration that highlights the importance of international education and exchange. So this is a joint initiative by the US Department of State and the US Department of Education. And it's essentially aimed at promoting cross-cultural understanding.


Host: How exciting and you're an IEW veteran. You've been involved with planning events to marketing and execution over the years. How have you seen USF develop its IEW events. And how important is the theme with this year's theme of belonging beyond Borders? Does that resonate with the moment for you? 


Louise: I think USF’s IEW events have definitely grown a lot in recent years with really an increased focus on collaborating across departments and centers within the USF community. And I truly think that this collaboration expands the reach of IEW because it's not only educating students but also departments that may not have known about the initiative. And obviously, the more people involved, the broader the audience we reach and the more we promote cultural understanding. 


Obviously, not everyone knows about IEW and that's totally fine. I think the purpose of IEW, International Education Week, is more of a foot in the door approach, like I hope you come and have fun at one of our events. And oh, this is why we're having this event if you're curious. So, you know, it's not just about promoting cross cultural awareness, but also, you know, having fun and having events that foster community and knowledge sharing. 


In regards to this year's theme, Belong Beyond Borders, I feel like it's especially relevant given recent events. I think, you know, many students, domestic and international, feel uncertain about the changing policies and their place in the US. And this theme highlights that everyone here deserves to be here. And I feel alludes to the fact that the US is built on diversity and contributions from people from all over the world. 


Host: Yes, definitely. And I also like the approach that you mentioned, it reaches out to as many people as we can and that's pretty much the goal at the end of the day, right? So thank you for all the work that you do and for sharing your thoughts about this year's theme with us. 


Before we let you go, two final questions, please tell us your most favorite Iew memory so far. And for this year, what is it that you're most looking forward to? 


Louise: Oh, that is a good question. My favorite IEW’s memory was from last year. It was hosting a film screening with the Center for Asia Pacific Studies. We screened the Past Lives and it was the first event I led from beginning to end in my current role. It was a very defining moment in my career and it made me realize how much I enjoy organizing events that bring communities together. 


The event that I'm looking forward to the most this year. I'm most excited for Culturescape. I love seeing all the student organizations come together, you know, to fundraise, share food, perform and just, you know, enjoy the experience. It's a lot of effort to coordinate and seeing it come together so successfully is really fulfilling. I supported Culturescape two years ago with ISSS, so it's so exciting and rewarding to see it grow each year. 


Host: Absolutely. The movie screening of Past Lives was a massive success and such a lovely event. Well, thank you Louise for spending your time with us today. I hope you have an enjoyable time at IEW this year and I'll look out for you at Culturescape. Thank you. 


And now we will be hearing from friends of the podcast and my fellow ISSS colleagues. We will start off with Marielle. Hi, Marielle. Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your role here at ISSS. 


Marielle: Hi, everyone. My name is Marielle. I use she/her/hers pronouns. I am the ISSS program assistant. So I oversee all front desk operations in our offices, communications like the newsletter, our website, and social media. I also help with the planning, hiring and logistics associated with our programming such as our Spring and Fall Orientations and International Education Week. 


Host: Thank you. And as someone who is both part of ISSS and you've also just started your Master's program at USF. What does International Education Week mean to you personally and professionally? How do you see its role in fostering that community and promoting the theme of Belonging Beyond Borders this year?


Marielle: International Education Week means celebrating international voices, perspectives and experiences. I love this year's theme of Belonging Beyond Borders because it gets at fostering a welcoming, inclusive and celebratory space where people of all backgrounds can be in community. I love that part of my role at iss is have the opportunity to help our students build meaningful connections and hopefully long lasting relationships through our programming. 


Host: Lovely. Yeah. And being involved in the marketing and planning of IEW generally, but also hosting a virtual event this year. How excited are you about creating opportunities for students like yourself to get involved in building the international education community? And what is it that you're most excited and looking forward to this year?


Marielle: I'm looking forward to co-host my first IEW event and taking part in building that community. As someone who's studied and worked abroad, I know what it's like to be far away from home, far away from your family and close friends. I found that looking for ways to be involved within the local community abroad and working on creating meaningful relationships was the best way for me to find a sense of belonging abroad. I joined a club volleyball team when I was working and living in Spain and I was able to share experiences both on and off the court with my Spanish friends and now forever have and cherish these friendships. 


Host: Thank you for sharing that. And I know you're looking forward to all of the events this year. But from all of the planning conversations and meetings we've had, I know you're most looking forward to the Voices from abroad: study and research experience. Tell us a little bit about that. 


Marielle: I'm looking forward to hearing from our panelists who studied or conducted research abroad and learning about their experiences, both the joys and the challenges and how they found community abroad or a home away from home. 


Host: How lovely. Thank you, Mariel. And now to introduce our last guest. Hello, Noel, welcome to the Global Connections podcast. We're thrilled to have you with us today during this busy IEW season. Could you please start by telling us a little bit about your role here at ISSS? 


Noel: Thank you very much, Rashi. It's a pleasure to make it on the airwaves and to our listeners. My name is Noel Hermilio Aispuro and I'm the newest international student advisor here at ISSS. I started here at USF in March of 2024 and it's been a great experience so far. Spring graduation was definitely a highlight and I know IEW will be another. Before my time here at USF, I did work at an immigration law firm based out of Boston, Massachusetts for about two years before moving to higher education in January of 2020. So two years of immigration law experience and about four years of international student advising. 


I specifically advise our graduate students and Schools of Management and Education. For those students listening from those schools. Please reach out to schedule an appointment with me. I love meeting with my students. I really do see my role here as somebody to support our international students however I can. I think specifically what that looks like is for questions about cultural adjustments here in the United States, work authorization and benefits that you have here. And then of course, international travel students traveling back home. Really, I think I want students to meet with me because I love to talk about their future, whether that's here in the United States after graduation or students returning back to their home country. 


Host: Welcome. And how lovely and shout out to all of our SOM students, please reach out to Noel for all your questions and advisement needs. So I gather this is your first year that you're engaged in IEW programming. Had you heard about it before? And how has jumping right into the planning and execution of an amazing event been for you so far. 


Noel: As you know, IEW is a joint initiative between the US Department of State and Education, typically in the month of November. I had heard about IEW. But at my previous institution, the international student population made up about 95% of the general student body. Therefore, it kind of felt like IEW all year long. I would say that this is my first year engaging in IEW officially, but I am a firm believer in international education 365 days of the year. 


I think jumping into programming, planning and execution was not terribly hard. But what does that specifically mean at USF is an adjustment. At the end of the day, we want IEW to be relevant to our students here at USF. How can we foster those connections and community given my past experience in immigration law and at a business school with 95% international students. I think my real value comes from conversations with students about their post graduation plans here in the US. 


Host: That is great. Thank you. And I know you are organizing the Job Success Strategies workshop this year. Could you tell us a little bit about the event and how it ties into the IEW theme of Belonging Beyond Borders? 
 
Noel: Great. Of course, I need to plug our Job Success Strategies workshop this upcoming Thursday on November 21st in McLaren from 5:30 to 7:30. I'm sure our listeners have seen our emails, Instagram posts, and tabling events. This event is co-hosted by our office ISSS and the Career Services Center. We are welcoming six (6) USF alumni back to campus to talk about their job successes. 


For those listening, we hope you will consider giving back when you are graduated and rock stars in your fields of study. I really see this as a great way to get a different perspective as current students. What can you do now to set yourself up for success later when you're already graduated and looking for your next career. In terms of how this ties into IEW’s Belonging Beyond Borders; as international students, you're already very courageous and strong for being here with us and a part of the USF community. We hope you can have a successful career here in the United States where you feel like you belong and you're a part of the fabric of the US community. 


Again, have a conversation with us as your international student advisors. Not all students want to stay in the United States forever. So what are the skills, knowledge, experiences that you can take away from USF and the United States before returning back home.


Host: Thank you so much for that. Noel, I'm sure it's going to be a super successful event. And as we come to a close, can you please tell us what is the one event that you're most excited about other than the one that you're planning, of course?


Noel: No, thank you, Rashi. We hope our students come away with new perspectives or strategies that will allow them to succeed here in the US if they so choose. Now, one event I'm most excited about, but I really have a tie for those who are more active, which I'm not as active as I used to be. I would say our International Friendly Soccer Match. I used to run cross country and track in high school and played soccer growing up. Soccer is definitely one of those things where we could have healthy competition and still come together. I hope to see many students there. You'll see me with my Mexico Jersey. 


The other event is probably one of my other top highlights from IEW and that does not require you to be active, that would be Culturescape. This would be my first Culturescape, but it definitely sounds similar to what I've done at my previous institution. Really, it's an event to share food, break out the traditional dresses that you may have. Enjoy the beauty, some of the amazing live student performances we will have. If you are not trying to break a sweat, I would definitely recommend joining us for Culturescape to see the diversity that we have here with our USF community. 


Host: Thank you, Noel. It's been fantastic to hear about your journey and dedication to supporting international students at USF. 


And now for all of our listeners, if you are looking to join one of these engaging IEW events or want more information on sessions like the job, success strategies, workshop or voices from abroad, you can find all the details on the ISSS website linked below. Make sure to RSVP to events and be part of this vibrant celebration. 


Thank you again for joining us on the special IEW episode of global connections at USF. We hope you've enjoyed today's discussion with Louise, Marielle, and Noel and are as excited as we are for the upcoming events. From panels to soccer matches to showcases of cultures, IEW 2024 is a unique opportunity to experience the incredible diversity and connections at the heart of our USF community. 


To stay connected and learn more about upcoming events. Be sure to follow ISSS and the Center for Asia Pacific Studies on social media or visit our website for the list of IEW events. Let's keep building bridges, sharing stories and celebrating the richness of our global community. Until next time. This is global connections at USF.