Seang’s Experience as an International Orientation Leader
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Kimseang Am, a sophomore at Bucknell University, loved her freshmen International Orientation. She decided to pay it forward to other incoming international students by becoming an International Orientation Leader.
The first day I came to Bucknell, I was welcomed with a loud cheer and enthusiasm from the International Orientation Assistants (IOAs) and Leaders (IOLs). The international orientation program was five days long and full of information sessions, tours, games and |
many other fun activities to connect with other international students and to get to know the campus resources better.
In the fall of my sophomore year (August 2020), I knew I wanted to be an International Orientation Assistant to help the new students adjust and settle in. This fall was the most challenging time in the International Orientation program’s history because the atmosphere the new students have to face is different.
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Can you imagine leaving your home country to pursue a higher education during a pandemic? As IOAs, we have to consider the fear, worries, and anxiety the students face. In addition to the resources we were providing, we had to be positive and give ongoing support.
A lot of international students were not able to come to campus during the fall semester due to travel restrictions. |
Ready to welcome new international students in the fall
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Therefore, the International Student Service at Bucknell decided to create another program for the students coming in the spring semester. I was promoted to International Orientation Leader, and my fellow IOLs, the IOC (International Orientation Coordinator), and I recruited 5 new IOAs into our team. We were trained on a variety of topics including leadership/mentorship and conflict management, then we creatively designed the 3-day program for the new students.
Welcoming Sopheak to campus
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This semester, my SHE-CAN sister Sopheak arrived! We have been talking throughout the fall semester and it was very exciting to welcome Sopheak to Bucknell. It was fun showing her around and seeing her making new friends during the program. Seeing her and other students gave me a flashback to my fabulous international orientation experience during my first year.
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Recalling my interview to be an IOL, I was asked how to be a good mentor. I instantly thought of my mentors. Their kindness, frequent check-ins, honest talk and on-going support was everything to me. I want to pay it forward to the new students I mentor. I was and I will be there to answer any questions, give guidance throughout the unusual semester. As a mentor, I also learn a lot from my mentee, Min Sub, regarding his culture and perspective. I really like learning about different cultures because it opened my eyes to many things that I’ve never known before.
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From my experience as an IOA and IOL, I learned to be a better leader through empathy. As an international student myself, I understand the feeling of other international students and some of their worries. I also learned to be flexible and made changes to the plan because of uncertainty. We can’t predict what will happen even a week from now, so we always have to come up with a few contingency plans.
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My first year mentee Min Sub
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I also had a lot of fun doing team-bonding activities with the new students and my fellow IOC/IOLs/IOAs, we built a strong relationship and trust amongst each other. Helping lead International Orientation was the best way to start a new semester. Many nations, one Bucknell.
Our team of IOLs and IOAs