Global Lions Mentor (GLM) Program is a peer mentorship program which provides an opportunity for international and domestic students to experience what it is like to create a positive impact on a fellow student’s life. The role of such mentors is to serve as voluntary guides to new international students. The mentors help the incoming students effectively, as they transition into the Penn State Harrisburg campus community by sharing and imparting wisdom, skills and providing adequate support.
This volunteer opportunity will help you build your interpersonal skills and expand your global connections and perspective by interacting with your peers. Most importantly, the Global Lions Mentor program involvement is self-fulfilling in that the experience will be rewarding as you help someone succeed and overcome hurdles as they transition into a new culture. Please read what the following mentors say about their involvements in this year’s International Student Welcome week.
Andrea Yang (Sophomore, from Taiwan):
Having four roles on me during the last month of my summer was full of challenges, but I managed to accomplish them all. Especially during the international Student Orientation, I was able to help a lot of international students who were in the place that I was in last year, making them feel welcomed and at home, helping them settle in, supporting them during the first few weeks of school and so much more. I think one of my favorite memories was talking to a German girl, Jackie , and later finding out she lived in the same community as me and bonded with her more on the trips later on. I was happy to see not only how much she grew and evolved but my development throughout August as well.
Demiana Dabsha (Senior, from Egypt):
Being a part of Global Lion Mentor (GLM) was something that I was missing here as a student at Penn State. I am glad I joined GLM. Having the ability to work with international students is the missing piece of the puzzle here at Penn State, from the meetings to the trips we go on together. I moved to the United States 11 years ago and having the ability to work with international students reminds me of when I moved to the U.S. and was new to the culture. The trips we go on make the international office an extra special place for me. Having the ability to meet people from all around the world and hang out with them is an amazing experience. You get to experience their culture and to see how they are. I have been on two trips and the memories and relationships I have made on these trips will surely last beyond Penn State. I would love to thank and give a shout out to all the staff in the international office for putting so much hard work in making these trips possible for the international student.
Josh Gray (Graduated, from USA):
ISW (International Student Welcome) is hands down one of my favorite times of the year! There’s something so beautiful about watching cross cultural connection, competency and community start to form organically, even after just the first few hours spent together. The friendships and support formed through this first week have the potential to chart the course of an international student’s academic life for unwavering success.
It seems overwhelmingly true that the unique heartbeat of our campus, pulses from its cultural diversity. Here a safe space is created to challenge our social and cultural norms, learn from each other, and ultimately grow into a campus community that’s beautiful inside and out. Anecdotally, I entered Penn State Harrisburg committed to being a student for 4 years. After meeting our invaluable international community they’ve changed my perspective entirely. Now I’m committed to being a student for life.
Mentor recruitment takes place via e-mail invitation at the beginning of the spring semester of each academic year. The application to participate, as a mentee, is open to incoming international students prior to arriving at Penn State Harrisburg. The Global Lions Mentor staff will email new international students the application form once they are accepted into the university. All new international students, in their first semester, are eligible for the GLM program. Once mentees complete the application to join the program, they will be introduced to their assigned Global Lions Mentor. We look forward to you joining the GLM program and experiencing the multiple benefits the program has to offer!
Application can be filled out online.
Source: https://harrisburg.psu.edu/international-students-office/global-lions-mentor-program