International Orientation welcomes new undergraduates from more than 90 nations

It's educational and informational - but it's also fun, said Ruby Cheng, assistant director of the Global Brown Center, which oversees the mentoring program.

"You can feel the enthusiasm of our international students and mentors," Cheng said. "We're welcoming students into this new space, and we definitely want them to feel a sense of belonging. We're really tapping into creating a home away from home for our students."

In the program, students learn the most immediate, important information necessary to successfully navigate cultural, academic and administrative systems that may be unfamiliar to them - from seeking immigration and employment resources to setting up a U.S. bank account or mobile phone.

But it's the emphasis on one-on-one mentoring, community networking and sharing experiences that makes the program so valuable, said Gabriela Molinari, an incoming first-year student from Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

"Everybody here has so much enthusiasm, so much joy and so much compassion to share," Molinari said. "There are just so many people willing to help you."

As older international students who went through International Orientation themselves, IMP mentors are uniquely positioned to help guide incoming first-year students, said mentor Albert Lou, a junior from Toronto. Not only can mentors relate to the international student experience on a personal level, but with at least a year or two of their own Brown education under their belts, they can offer insights and connections to incoming students hoping to build their own relationships on campus.

"It's as much a celebration of where you come from as who you want to be here," Lou said. "We want to honor your background, but we also want you to shape your own identity."

Mentees aren't the only ones who benefit. During pre-orientation training, the mentors complete a comprehensive curriculum aimed at developing crucial leadership skills, like navigating difficult conversations, advancing cross-cultural competency and more.