Programs & Spaces
International Student Mentorship Program
The International Student Mentorship Program pairs new UM-Dearborn international students with current students, staff, and faculty that serve as International Ambassadors and Mentors.
International Ambassadors connect with newly admitted international students ahead of their arrival. Ambassadors provide an initial, tangible connection to campus for new international students, answering questions and providing advice via email, phone, and social media.
Mentors assist new international students in discovering community, on- and off campus! International Mentors are volunteer students, faculty, and staff who connect with new international students once they have arrived on campus and throughout their first year at UM-Dearborn. They help new students form friendships while learning about the university and the region. As a result, new students are connected with resources to support their transition to university life in the USA.
For 2020/21 academic year, the International Mentorship Program has transitioned to an online format.
You are encouraged to contact Francisco Javier López, Director of International Affairs, with any questions: LopezFJ@umich.edu.
Conversation Circles
Come practice English (and other languages) at Conversation Circles!
Hosted on Wednesdays from 4-5pm, Conversation Circles will follow a hybrid schedule for the winter semester of 2022 alternating between in-person meetings and online sessions. The in-person meetings will take place at the Mardigian Library.
The program provides international students with the opportunity to practice conversational English in an informal, supportive environment. At the same time, the program also provides language students with the opportunity to practice their language of study with native speakers from abroad. Therefore, international students and students of foreign languages alike are encouraged to join!
Conversation Circles sessions are made up of small groups of current students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Each week, the Conversation Circle will focus on a new theme and be hosted by a new Session Leader.
You are encouraged to contact Francisco Javier López, Director of International Affairs, with any questions: LopezFJ@umich.edu.
Review the winter 2022 Circles schedule, below, and join us whenever you are able!
Winter 2022 Conversation Circles Schedule
| Date | Format | Circle Theme | Circle Leader |
| January 26 | In-person | Winter Hike Join us for an outdoor walk through UM-Dearborn's beautiful grounds. Dress appropriately! |
Scott Riggs, Global Engagement |
| February 2 | Virtual | Lunar New Year | Francisco Lopez, International Affairs |
| February 9 | In-person | The Super Bowl (CANCELED) | TBD |
| February 16 | Virtual | Internships and Career Development | Career Services |
| February 23 | In-person | TBD | TBD |
| March 9 | Virtual | Coffee and Tea | TBD |
| March 16 | In-person | Stress and Self-care | Charlie Starkman, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) |
| March 23 | Virtual | Traveling in Michigan |
TBD |
| March 30 | In-person | Ramadan | TBD |
Joining Conversation Circles
All current UM-Dearborn students, faculty, and staff are invited (an encouraged!) to join. There is no commitment, and participants are welcome to join as many Circles as they like, whenever they are able.