International Student Office Programs
Genuine relationships with community members are critical to international students’ success and are always highlighted when students talk about what makes Gordon unique. That is why the International Student Office provides various communal programs to enrich the international student experience. Whether you are an F-1 Visa student, a missionary kid, or a third-culture kid, we hope these programs help you feel at home and enhance your overall Gordon experience. At Gordon, we understand the challenges and adjustments unique to international and third-culture students, so we strive to support and guide our students to help enable their success.
Wellness Program
Our Wellness Program supports the emotional health and well-being of international students. Mental health struggles can be stigmatized around the world, and there are many common myths that keep people from seeking support for emotional and other stress-related problems. Knowing this, the Wellness Program provides an intentional space for students of multicultural and international backgrounds to learn wellness tools, healthy coping skills, and generally aims to help navigate cultural challenges faced in college.
Koinonia Mentorship Program
The Koinonia Mentorship Program is designed to connect first-year international students with upper-level students for lasting friendships and connections. The program gets its name from the Greek word Koinonia, which means ‘communion,’ ‘joint participation,’ the ‘share’ or ‘portion’ which one has in anything. In essence, it means community, and that is what this program fosters—a welcoming and genuine community for new students.
Attending college can be stressful, and flying to an unfamiliar country can be even more stressful. To help students feel welcome and supported in the Gordon community, we pair them with current students as mentors to ease their transition. The mentors will provide insights into American culture and Gordon culture, offering students encouragement and support. In addition to being hospitable members of the Gordon community, mentors have the opportunity to experience the rich cultural diversity our new students bring from around the world.
Holiday Host Program
The Holiday Host Program connects local members of the Gordon community to international students during our Thanksgiving and Christmas school breaks. Students are encouraged to experience life off-campus during the holidays with good people, eating good food and enjoying good fellowship with community members.
The Holiday Host Program is an excellent opportunity to share traditions and customs/culture and to develop edifying friendships.
Get Involved
We offer spaces for students to learn, grow, laugh and process life together. Explore our clubs and groups to see how you might get involved!