International students and Greek organizations combine to form Global Greeks
Bailey McBride
Issue date: 11/19/08 Section: News
The UA Global Greeks Program is a pilot program attempting to bring together students from the Greek and international communities.
Global Greeks is "designed to allow international students and Greek students on campus to interact and form networks with each other."
Almost every Greek house across campus has adopted at least one international student. The international students have one primary person of contact in the organization, and they are invited to attend different programs and functions in their host organization.
"The idea for this program came from talks we had with international students at LeaderShape," said Jong Shin, vice president of the Associated Student Government and creator of Global Greeks.
LeaderShape is a six-day intensive leadership program attended by UA students to form greater communication among students leaders from groups across campus.
"At LeaderShape, international students stressed that coming to a new country, new state and new university was tough when you just get a packet telling you 'welcome to America' and you are expected to adjust to an entirely new culture," Shin said.
Shin was further inspired to create this program because he was born in South Korea and moved to the United States when he was in second grade, so he feels he knows to some extent what these students go through.
Global Greeks is designed to be a buddy system and not a mentor system, where students can mutually benefit from each other, rather than just the international student benefitting from the Greeks.
Greek students invite their international buddy to things like dinner at the house, movies and dinner out with members of the chapter, functions, and outings around town.
On their application, potential Global Greeks participants were asked things like what their interests include, what things they enjoy doing, what they would like to learn from or do with their Global Greek organization and what holidays they celebrate.
"We wanted the Greeks to be able to call up their buddy and invite them out to the things they are doing, and ultimately to help them learn what the Greek system and Greek houses are really about," Shin said.
Student also were asked to write a brief introduction about themselves that was copied and given to their Global Greeks host organization.
"We hope the result of this program will be that both participants are able to learn about different cultures and get past stereotypes," Shin said.
Student participants will take a survey at the end of the semester to help leaders know whether the program has been successful.
This program came from a partnership between Greek Life, International Students and Scholars, and the Multicultural Center.
Global Greeks is "designed to allow international students and Greek students on campus to interact and form networks with each other."
Almost every Greek house across campus has adopted at least one international student. The international students have one primary person of contact in the organization, and they are invited to attend different programs and functions in their host organization.
"The idea for this program came from talks we had with international students at LeaderShape," said Jong Shin, vice president of the Associated Student Government and creator of Global Greeks.
LeaderShape is a six-day intensive leadership program attended by UA students to form greater communication among students leaders from groups across campus.
"At LeaderShape, international students stressed that coming to a new country, new state and new university was tough when you just get a packet telling you 'welcome to America' and you are expected to adjust to an entirely new culture," Shin said.
Shin was further inspired to create this program because he was born in South Korea and moved to the United States when he was in second grade, so he feels he knows to some extent what these students go through.
Global Greeks is designed to be a buddy system and not a mentor system, where students can mutually benefit from each other, rather than just the international student benefitting from the Greeks.
Greek students invite their international buddy to things like dinner at the house, movies and dinner out with members of the chapter, functions, and outings around town.
On their application, potential Global Greeks participants were asked things like what their interests include, what things they enjoy doing, what they would like to learn from or do with their Global Greek organization and what holidays they celebrate.
"We wanted the Greeks to be able to call up their buddy and invite them out to the things they are doing, and ultimately to help them learn what the Greek system and Greek houses are really about," Shin said.
Student also were asked to write a brief introduction about themselves that was copied and given to their Global Greeks host organization.
"We hope the result of this program will be that both participants are able to learn about different cultures and get past stereotypes," Shin said.
Student participants will take a survey at the end of the semester to help leaders know whether the program has been successful.
This program came from a partnership between Greek Life, International Students and Scholars, and the Multicultural Center.
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