2010/11 - Bechtel International Center - Stanford University
2010/11 - Bechtel International Center - Stanford University
2010/11 - Bechtel International Center - Stanford University
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Services to <strong>International</strong> Families<br />
In today’s world, the individuals who come to <strong>Stanford</strong><br />
as dependents of international graduate students,<br />
post-docs and visiting scholars often have equivalent<br />
educational backgrounds to that of the person they are<br />
accompanying.<br />
Regardless of gender, these spouses all face a serious<br />
challenge in deciding to join their partner at <strong>Stanford</strong>.<br />
In most cases, they are forced to abandon or postpone<br />
their own professional development in order to keep the<br />
couple or family together. Reactions to this challenge<br />
vary widely, from acceptance to frustration and<br />
resentment at being cut off from one’s career, family and<br />
friends. This situation can be a major source of stress.<br />
The goal of the Office for <strong>International</strong> Families is to<br />
create programs and services that will provide support<br />
and assistance to these individuals in their varying<br />
situations, and to build a supportive international<br />
community that will enable them to create a positive and<br />
constructive experience at <strong>Stanford</strong>. This is accomplished<br />
by combining individual advising (in which the Adviser’s<br />
role is supplemented by peer advising in various<br />
languages through the members of the Spouse Welcome<br />
Committee and advisers in the Resource <strong>Center</strong> for<br />
<strong>International</strong> Families) and with program opportunities<br />
(to develop classes that use their skills and/or attend<br />
classes and programs that offer stimulation and new<br />
perspectives). Through this process, as spouses become<br />
involved in the I-<strong>Center</strong>’s programs, their basic needs are<br />
addressed. They are introduced to the resources of their<br />
new surroundings, build on their skills or learn new ones,<br />
and develop a feeling of community with others in a<br />
similar situation.<br />
ADVISING & SERVICES<br />
Coordinator for Classes and Programs for <strong>Stanford</strong><br />
Spouses, Partners & Families<br />
The program has one Coordinator, who works 15 hours<br />
per week for the program. Susanne Maas from Germany<br />
has been working as the Coordinator of the Program<br />
since November 2009.<br />
The Coordinator is responsible for the quarterly Spouse<br />
Program, the weekly newsletter, contacting volunteers,<br />
updating the information material, recruiting new<br />
volunteers, and answering questions about the program.<br />
She also plans procedures for welcoming and orienting<br />
newcomers to <strong>Stanford</strong>, including organizing the<br />
Welcome Reception and leads the Welcome Committee.<br />
Friday Morning Coffee Coordinator<br />
and Welcome Receptions<br />
This is a three-hour-per-week position, handling the<br />
logistical aspects and assuring continuity of the various<br />
procedures for welcoming and orienting newcomers to<br />
<strong>Stanford</strong>. Hyeyon Moon from Korea has held this position<br />
since November 2009.<br />
Welcome Committee<br />
We invite spouses to be part of the next year’s Welcome<br />
Committee. Since the most effective way to assist<br />
newcomers in adapting is to put them in touch with<br />
someone who speaks their language and has gone<br />
through a similar experience, we recruited and trained<br />
a group of volunteers from many different countries to<br />
be our Welcome Committee for <strong>International</strong> Families.<br />
Committee members met during spring and summer and<br />
organized a major Welcome Reception for <strong>International</strong><br />
Spouses.<br />
Email Service<br />
We provide an email service where new and returning<br />
spouses can ask questions: stanfordfamilies@gmail.com.<br />
Responsible for answering is the team of John Pearson<br />
(Director), Shalini Bhutani (Associate Director) and Gridt<br />
Find and later this year Wendy Cardamone (Building<br />
Manager).<br />
Resource <strong>Center</strong><br />
The Resource <strong>Center</strong> for <strong>International</strong> Families is a<br />
comprehensive combination of information and peer<br />
advising that enables spouses and family members<br />
to build a stimulating and worthwhile experience for<br />
themselves while they are accompanying a student,<br />
post-doc, visiting scholar or faculty member at <strong>Stanford</strong>.<br />
The community volunteer, Mary Schuelke, is responsible<br />
for the project. She continually adds new material, which<br />
she organizes and updates. She also coordinates the<br />
scheduling and training of the volunteer advisers who<br />
staff the <strong>Center</strong>.<br />
The RC advisers provided a warm welcome and<br />
encouragement to newly-arrived internationals as<br />
well as information on car purchases, driver licenses,<br />
health insurance, educational pursuits, volunteering,<br />
work authorization, schools and activities for kids, and<br />
recreational opportunities. Visitors also take advantage of<br />
our lending library, with books in Japanese, Korean and<br />
several other languages as well as English. The advisers<br />
skillfully helped visitors to the <strong>Center</strong> during open hours<br />
spread over 4 days per week<br />
Resource <strong>Center</strong> Coordinator, Mary Schuelke, has<br />
provided detailed information on the Resources <strong>Center</strong>’s<br />
activities, which may be found on page 28.<br />
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