Transitioning from high school to college is an exciting but also scary time for many incoming students. The transition from high school to college can come with many new decisions; majors, courses, career planning, and RSO’s are just a few of the many new aspects that mark college-life. On top of that, freshmen may have to form new communities and forge new friendships. This episode of In the Loop will help you navigate this new terrain by giving you guidance and resources to smoothen out the transition from high school to college.
News
In the Loop podcast: Taking Classes From Different Time Zones (Season 2, Episode 1)
In our first episode this season, we feature student guests to voice the challenges of attending class from a different time zone and how they are preparing for the upcoming fall quarter. Give it a listen!
A Message From CIRCLE’s Executive Director, Felipe Martinez
Dear International Husky,
Welcome to a new academic year! Whether you are a retuning student or this is the beginning of your Husky experience, we are excited to have you at the UW.
Even though the pandemic has changed the way we engage with each other in person and has prevented us from welcoming you to the UW community in person, it is important to remember that we are here for you. CIRCLE and the rest of the UW services continue to be accessible to you regardless of the distance between you and the Seattle campus.
Building community and remaining connected to the UW is now more important than ever. Consider joining us during the many programs that we have created during the quarter. We have intentionally set times that are both accessible to students in Seattle and abroad. Together we will get through.
If you have a quick question, drop by our CIRCLE chats or if you want to engage with UW Alumni consider joining our Global Leadership Series. Download the CIRCLE podcast to learn about University Resources or consider joining the Unite UW program to engage with other UW students in a quarter long cross cultural experience. However you want to engage, just remember to reach out.
GO HUSKIES
Mask distribution for International Huskies
A message from the CIRCLE office
Dear International Huskies,
As we prepare to welcome you back for a new academic year, we want to take this opportunity to first reiterate our commitment to you and your academic success. Despite being on remote operations, please remember that University services continue to be accessible to you whether you are in Seattle, back in your home country, or somewhere else in the world.
Even when this pandemic has disrupted our University environment, the Husky spirit continues on. To help us show our Husky pride, the University has made UW-branded masks available to all students. The masks are part of the HUSKY PACK Pledge, where we remind each other about the community responsibility we have to keep each other safe.
The HUSKY PACK masks will be mailed to all UW students who have a current U.S. mailing address. We know that the pandemic forced many students to reconsider their living arrangements, which may include living outside of the greater Seattle area. To ensure that these masks get to you, we ask that you complete this short survey to give us your mailing address for autumn quarter 2020. To protect your information, the survey will ask you to log in using your UW NetID and password.
If you are planning to remain in your home country for autumn 2020, we still encourage you to complete the survey. This way, we can ensure that we have a mask ready for you for when you arrive. The CIRCLE staff will follow up later in the year to make sure we have an updated U.S. mailing address.
Masks will be mailed to students who submit current U.S. mailing addresses the week of September 21st. If you are in the Seattle area and would prefer an in-person pickup, we will have some days for in-person distribution. You can tell us your preference via the survey, but please note that these in-person pickups will follow social distancing guidelines.
If you have any questions about this message or the HUSKY PLEDGE masks, feel free to email us at uwcircle@uw.edu. The survey will remain open until September 18, 2020.
We look forward to welcoming you for autumn 2020. Go Huskies!
CIRCLE Student Advisory Board (SAB) Applications Now Open!
The Undergraduate International Student Advisory Board (SAB) aims to help CIRCLE staff ensure that programs and services reflect the current needs of UW international undergraduate students. SAB will provide a space for discussion and advocacy for international student resources and support on campus.
This is a student volunteer position, where board members are responsible for advocating and representing international student concerns from their communities. It would also be a great opportunity to get involved on campus, expanding personal and professional development, and networking with fellow international huskies. In addition, SAB members develop a greater understanding of the university administration and functions with regards to general funding, policy creation and implementation, and international student programs and initiatives. Most importantly, making UW a home away from home for you and others.
In order for SAB to fulfill its goal of reaching the different parts of our University, SAB welcomes applications for additional board members for the 2020-2021 school year. Please note that the time for the SAB meetings for Fall 2020 has been set, it would be every Wednesday at 9:00 pm Seattle time. This time is to accommodate students in different time zones. Prospective applicants will need to be available for the SAB meeting at this time.
CIRCLE invites undergraduate international students to apply at:
The application will be open from now until September 18th, 2020 at 23:59 PST.
For more information about SAB check out our introductory video:
https://youtu.be/rL6oq1POw2o
You can also visit our online zoom info sessions on the following dates: (Time and Dates are listed in PST)
September 03, 2020 09:00 am – 10:00 am (Suggested timezone: North America)
September 10, 2020 08:00 pm – 09:00 pm (Suggested timezone: Asia Pacific, Oceanica)
September 17, 2020 02:00 am – 03:00 am (Suggested timezone: Europe, Africa)
Zoom ID: 97730904715
https://washington.zoom.us/j/97730904715
If you have any further questions feel free to email us at sabchair@uw.edu.
Message to International Students
Dear UW International Students,
In light of the USCIS press release on autumn 2020 today, we would like to let you know that we too were taken aback by this announcement and were not anticipating these new developments. ISS and other offices on campus have forwarded questions and concerns stirred by this announcement to UW Leadership and UW Federal Relations. At this time, we do not have further updates or information, but know the UW is reviewing the announced modifications and consulting experts in the field to understand and interpret these upcoming changes. We understand that you and your family may feel anxious about these modifications and how they can impact your studies, but please be aware that these changes have not been published to the Federal Register and may not be final yet. Once we understand what these changes mean specifically for UW international students, ISS will update their COVID-19 information page and will send email updates to all currently enrolled F1 students regarding the updates.
We appreciate your patience.
CIRCLE
In the Loop podcast: Reflecting on the Year with CIRCLE Staff (Episode 11)
Tune in to our final episode to hear CIRCLE staff reflect on their experiences this year!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Y3AatA6V3gw7puGOrWoKA?si=yLpRrv94SXqDKCNJ1-olPQ
In the Loop podcast: UWAA Alumni and Student Programs (Episode 10)
On this week’s podcast, Sophie Lee (Alumni Relations Representative for International Alumni) and Amanda Campbell (UW Alumni Association & Student Programs) join to discuss travel and networking opportunities, as well as possible community chapters for international/domestic students to join!
The UW Alumni Association (UWAA) is offering one full year of free membership, follow the link for more information:
https://www.washington.edu/alumni/membership/2020grad/
As mentioned in this episode, here is a link to the Converge Program set up by the UWAA. Check it out!
In the Loop podcast: Unite UW Virtual Quarter (Episode 9)
This week Emma and Suchi join the podcast to talk about how Unite UW is managing the virtual quarter. Unite UW is an on-campus cultural exchange program that pairs international students with domestic students through a series of fun events throughout the quarter. Through this bonding, Unite UW inspires lasting relationships that unify our campus. Check it out!
In the Loop podcast: Wellness and Self-Compassion During Covid-19 with Core Programs (Bonus Episode)
Ziyan and Jaye, from Core Programs, join us to talk about wellness and self compassion during COVID-19. Since they are from Core programs, the podcast focuses on international graduate students. Feel free to listen to a few minutes of it to get a better sense of what it is about!