Rackham I-Connect Program

Welcome

The University of Michigan has a long and distinguished history of international graduate education. Each year, Rackham welcomes over 700 new international students to its graduate programs. Our international students arrive in Ann Arbor during fall from dozens of countries from across the world.

We are asking graduate students to volunteer some of their time this fall to provide our new international students with a friendly introduction to the University of Michigan and life in Ann Arbor and to help ease their social and cultural transition into the new country. A personal connection with another graduate student willing to share his or her experiences and helpful advice can be of extraordinary benefit for a new student from overseas.

All graduate students are welcome to volunteer for Rackham's International Connect (I-Connect) program. We will match you with one or more new students, and provide resources and information for you to share. You do not need to be an international student yourself, or be in the same program as the new student you will meet.

Thank you for your willingness to lend a welcoming hand to new members of the University of Michigan's growing global community.

John B. Godfrey
Assistant Dean for International Education

About the Rackham I-Connect Program

The Rackham I-Connect Program is open to all first-year international graduate students who would like to be connected with an experienced graduate student. I-Connect Volunteers are international and/or domestic graduate students from all disciplines across the University. I-Connect Volunteers share their U-M experience with new international graduate students and provide support and resources to help ease their transition to the University. This program is coordinated by Graduate Student Affairs at the Rackham Graduate School.

We are now accepting applications from graduate students from all backgrounds who are interested in being a part of I-Connect. Please complete the Volunteer Application Form and submit your applications on or before April 20th 2008 to be considered for the I-Connect program as volunteers for new students arriving in Fall 2008. If you have questions about the program please e-mail .

Purpose of the Rackham I-Connect Program

The purpose of the Rackham I-Connect program is to provide an opportunity for new international graduate students to connect with current graduate students who are experienced and knowledgeable about the University and the United States in general. This connection will provide a support network for new international students during their first-year adjustment to the new environment and is primarily intended to help new students establish contact with an experienced graduate student volunteer for informal guidance regarding adjustment into U-M and to Ann Arbor and to help ease their social and cultural transition into a new country and university.

Feedback and Review of I-Connect 2007

The I-Connect program was organized for the first time to connect Fall 2007 new students with experienced graduate student volunteers. The program was a success with a participation of 86 volunteers and 191 new students and was a beneficial experience for both volunteers and new students. Below are some quotes on what participants liked best about the program:

“Getting to know new students, their backgrounds. It also helps you grow as a person interacting with people from diverse communities and learning to respect their aspirations and inhibitions.”

“Being able to convey to my new students the mistakes I made early in my graduate career. From my point of view the program was about connecting inexperienced people with experienced people and this goal was a complete success.”

For Current Students: A Call for Volunteers

The Rackham Graduate School is pleased to announce an initiative to assist international graduate students in their first-year adjustment to the University of Michigan in the United States. We are looking for enthusiastic graduate students from all cultural and academic backgrounds, willing to share their Michigan experience with first-year international graduate students. Volunteers provide support and resources to new international students through one-on-one communication.

Sign up today and become a part of I-Connect and help new international students! Volunteer Application Form. Last Date for receiving Volunteer Applications is April 20th 2008.

Why Consider Becoming Part of I-Connect?

Make Connections, Make a Difference!

You probably still remember your first-year at the University of Michigan -- the wide array of questions you had, the challenges you faced adjusting to a new environment and the people who made an impact on you. Now you can make a difference by providing assistance to new international graduate students. It is a great opportunity to be actively involved on campus and engage in meaningful interactions with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Volunteer responsibilities are limited to those specified below.

To become an I-Connect Volunteer, you must be:

  • Willing to share your first-year experience and help new students assigned to you by answering their questions before arrival and throughout their first year.
  • Willing to guide new students on everything from airport pick-up to procedures for class registration and be able to direct them to reliable sources of guidance as and when needed. A volunteer resource guide will be provided to help you in this regard..
  • Interested in facilitating support and interactions among new students
  • Interested in engaging in intercultural social experiences with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
  • Able to participate in Rackham organized training workshop dinner for volunteers tentatively scheduled for the 23rd or 29th of April ’08, Welcome Social in September ’08 and the End-of-Year Celebration in April ’09.

If you are unable to attend any of the required events for some reason, please do let us know in advance by contacting Ranjani Ramachandra at so that we can make alternate arrangements.

In addition, Rackham also holds various events throughout the year for International students including Cross-Cultural Adjustment Series Workshops, International Coffee Hours and International Movie Nights, participation in which will be beneficial to further facilitate interaction between volunteers and new students.

Please note that the I-Connect Program is primarily intended to help new students establish contact with an experienced graduate volunteer for informal guidance regarding adjustment into U-M and to Ann Arbor and to help ease their social and cultural transition into a new country and university.

Become an I-Connect Volunteer today and make a difference! Volunteer Application Form

For Incoming International Graduate Students

Welcome to the University of Michigan and the Rackham Graduate Student Community.

The I-Connect Program is designed to help you connect with our I-Connect Volunteers - advanced graduate students at the University of Michigan who have generously volunteered their time to help guide new students through their initial periods of transition and adjustment to U-M and to Ann Arbor. One volunteer will work with a single new student or with a small group of new students. Participants in each group will not only learn from the experiences of the more advanced graduate student volunteer, but will also be a part of a small group of new graduate students undergoing the same process of transition into a new environment.

Benefits

Volunteers are helpful in many ways. Here are some highlights of what they have to offer:

  • They will provide information and resources and direct you to appropriate sources of guidance before your arrival and throughout your first year on various issues ranging from airport pick-up and accommodation to campus life and recreation.
  • They have gone through a transition experience, so they understand your challenges and feelings.
  • They have gone through a transition experience, so they understand your challenges and feelings.
  • They will help you navigate campus resources and opportunities.

Participating in the I-Connect program is a great way to make friendships and start networking with your peers.

Expectations

By participating in the I-Connect program, you are expected to:

  • Actively engage in I-Connect activities such as the Welcome Social in Fall term and the End-of-Year Celebration in Winter Term.
  • Communicate with your assigned volunteer frequently and respond to his or her messages.
  • Ask for help and guidance from your volunteer when needed.
  • Share feedback with your I-Connect Volunteer.
  • Respect your volunteer's time and efforts.

To request an I-Connect Volunteer, please complete the New International Student Questionnaire and specify any preferences that you might have and we will try our best to fulfill your preferences in connecting you with a graduate student volunteer.

We look forward to welcoming you in person very soon!

Please note:

There are a number of peer mentoring programs that exist at the University of Michigan. Some programs are developed by academic departments or by certain international student organizations. You can participate in more than one program. Rackham I-Connect is specifically intended for all new international graduate students who are interested in establishing a relationship with an experienced graduate student and in establishing peer networks with other new international graduate students.

Contact Us

The Rackham I-Connect Program is coordinated by Graduate Student Affairs at the Rackham Graduate School.

For more information, please contact us by email: .

or

Ranjani Ramachandra
2008-2009 Program Coordinator

Darlene Ray-Johnson
Director, Graduate Student Affairs
Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies

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