One highlight of my internship was shadowing the UNIV 102 course, taught by Akeya Porter specifically for international students on academic probation. I was able to observe the way that she built relationships with her students and provided a safe space for them to talk about their academic and personal struggles. For example, one week around midterms she brought in a counselor from the Wellness Center to speak about stress management. Earlier in the semester, we had spent the majority of a class period talking about traditions and travel and other “easy” topics to provide a space for the students to share their interests, build relationships and trust among the group. This course is a great example of how to support the international student population on university campuses, as well as an example of CEPS Program Objective (E). Although there is still much work to be done on Loyola’s campus and elsewhere, this is an example of how to implement educational policy and practice to support international students that I will take with me throughout my career.
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