Gabi Schmiegel, Assistant Director for Sponsored Student Programs, is actively recruiting students and promoting UC Santa Cruz as an ideal destination for graduate and undergraduate students.
UC Santa Cruz, along with UC Berkeley and UC Davis, was part of two pre-arrival orientations organized by EducationUSA for students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The orientations explored the student experience at a research university and were broadcast across the MENA region to attract prospective students.
“It is important to be visible to prospective international students and say ‘we welcome you, we want you, you will be a valued part of our campus.’ In the wake of COVID-19, UC Santa Cruz plays an active role in attracting g a diverse population of highly qualified students in order to continue to offer world-class education for all,” said Schmiegel.
October and November will see an abundance of virtual school visits from international high school seniors who are prospective scholarship students. Visits have already been scheduled with schools in Dubai, Kuwait, and Qatar, among others. Additional webinars will occur for sponsoring organizations that place graduate students at partner universities.
UC Santa Cruz doesn’t only work with EducationUSA. Over the summer, Schmiegel collaborated with the Superintendent of Santa Cruz public schools and former Fulbrighter, Kris Munro, to propose an Intercultural Classroom activity where foreign Fulbrighters work with local teachers to highlight and share the Fulbrighters’ home country culture and customs. This program is modeled on a very successful program administered by Global Minnesota, a non-profit organization on the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus.
“Cross-cultural engagement lies at the heart of the Fulbright experience. A program like this offers a win-win for all. It opens the world to domestic students and allows Fulbrighters to gain insights into another facet of U.S. culture. It also provides another avenue for positive interaction between UCSC and Santa Cruz communities,” said Schmiegel.
Learn more about this and other programs on Global Engagement’s Prestigious International Postgraduate Scholarships page.