International House Berkeley

International House Times 5 Residents enjoying the 2019 New Resident Orientation Retreat at Walker Creek Ranch in Marin County I nternational House Executive Director Hans Giesecke has made a principal focus of ensuring that I-House students' residential experience is a top highlight of their time at UC Berkeley. Over the decades, tens of thousands of Cal alumni around the world recall their I-House residency as one of their fondest university-related personal memories, and have spread the values of I-House globally. I-House emphasizes an integrated residential experience, with staff, alumni, and supporters working together to offer a wide variety of programs, events, activities, retreats, training, and community-building efforts in a seamless experience — from initial admission through meals and dining, lectures, films, and festivals with an international focus. In addition, workshops on leadership and intercultural skills are available to residents, as well as the campus and local communities. e residential experience here at I-House is shaped by multiple departments. We have a collaborative team called the Resident Experience Working Group, comprised of staff from Admissions, Programs, Resident Support Services, and the Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership (CIL). All team members are working to create an intentional residential experience from the day residents arrive to the day they move on and carry the I-House mission with them throughout the world. e Admissions team is where the residential experience begins. e team is responsible for marketing and outreach to the campus, to departmental partnerships, and to programs that bring international students into the Berkeley community to study and do research. Admissions assists applicants with room assignments, as well as with all the billing and administrative functions relating to a resident's stay at I-House. Admissions also oversees key resident services such as the Resident Service Center (RSC), the front desk operation, the mail room, package deliveries, and laundry, providing the facilities and services that contribute to a great I-House experience for the students who live here. Creating a community that residents thrive in is an important goal of the Resident Experience team. ere are many things that make International House a unique space for creating community, not least, the exchange of ideas and cultural sharing that play into how I-House is set up. e mandatory dining experience for all residents recognizes the importance of simply sitting across the table several times a week from someone who comes from a different background, having a conversation, and learning about that person in a one-on-one setting. The Resident Experience Working Group Cultivating Community: The Core of the I-House Mission Signature I-House programs start with new-resident orientation retreats. Sunday Supper is one of I-House's oldest and most-distinctive traditions. is special gathering of residents, alumni, and guests to share food, entertainment, and friendship always brings something memorable. Each Wednesday evening, residents gather in the Great Hall for coffee and treats. Residents can sponsor a special-themed Coffee Hour that features their home countries' cultural themes, music, and culinary specialties. e Program Office coordinates social and educational activities that include community exploration and tours, performances, and sporting events. Residents showcase special talents by becoming a part of I-House's performance roster. Resident musicians, singers, dancers, and artists of all kinds perform throughout the year. Residents enthusiastically use common spaces such as the Library, the Great Hall, the Game Room, and the Dining Commons, where they will inevitably engage with people in meaningful ways, instead of hanging out in their rooms with friends they already know. is kind of social setting is a necessary ingredient in the intercultural mix that we have nurtured here. e added social energy of having students from all over the world — some who are here for the first time, and some who are here for just a few short months — make most of the residents eager to get as much as they can out of this unique experience. is encourages friendships that often last a lifetime. Today's digitally-connected I-House residents perceive and learn about the world in a much different way than residents did in 1930, and we've had to adapt intercultural learning to acknowledge that level of experience and exposure. is is where the intentional programming that the Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership team develops and implements really comes into play. Leadership opportunities are something that the Resident Experience Working Group realizes is extremely important for I-House residents. In addition to formal traditional leadership roles, like Resident Council membership and being a resident assistant, I-House offers leadership opportunities for growth through our student workers. Continued on Page 7

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