By Erin Kelly
More than a year after its creation, the Global Pathways Program at Northeastern has helped international students adjust to student life effectively, those involved said.
“It’s a different culture so [the Global Pathways Program] told me some information about how to live in America, how life is here,” said Michelle Zhang, a senior project management major from China.
Northeastern created the program in September 2007 to attract high-level, academically qualified international students to Northeastern, give them extra help with their language skills and introduce them to life at an American university, said Mary Churchill, senior assistant dean of international programs. Shortly thereafter, the program added the Global Awareness Program (GAP).
GAP is a conversation and cultural partnership pairing international students who are members of the Global Pathways Program with Northeastern students, staff or faculty members, Churchill said. Within these partnerships, the international students get to work on language skills and learn about life in the United States, she said.
Zhang came to the United States with the program seven months ago. She said GAP helped her adjust to the culture shock of living in the United States for the first time.
“As I understand it, the idea of the program is to improve [the international student’s] English,” said Kevin Eldridge, a Northeastern alumnus still involved in the program. “It gives them a chance to network and make friends, but the main goal is to practice their English.”
The Global Pathways Program and GAP are ways to “internationalize the campus and globalize the university,” Churchill said.
Students can concentrate their studies in business and social sciences, engineering, mathematics, computer science or physical and life sciences.
The Global Pathways’ website describes the Pathways program to international students as “your opportunity to experience life at a top American university while preparing for your US bachelor’s or master’s degree.” It also guarantees to prepare international students for their entry into the bachelor’s or master’s degree program of their choice.
The international students come to Northeastern and take basic courses on culture, communication and English language before enrolling in a full undergraduate or graduate degree program, Churchill said. The students live in off-campus apartments or with American families until the students choose and enter their degree program, she said.
“GAP is strongly encouraged, but not required [for Global Pathways students],” Churchill said.
Out of the 198 students participating in the Global Pathways Program, 139 of those individuals are also part of GAP, said Sue Thorn, director of communications, digital media and advancement in the College of Professional Studies.
Eldridge said he became involved in GAP last year and continues to maintain a “conversation partner” despite his graduation after the upcoming Summer I semester.
Eldridge joined GAP after studying abroad in Denmark, where he was involved in a similar program. While his program focused more on the culture in Denmark and what places to visit, it carried the same structure by partnering him with a “buddy” to mentor him, Eldridge said.
“It was really helpful for me, so I figured I could pay it forward,” he said.
Eldridge currently has two conversation partners at Northeastern for the semester and tries to meet with them at least once a month, he said.
GAP is not rigidly structured, so it is up to the student abroad and the Northeastern member to figure out when and where they can meet or talk, Eldridge said.
As a Northeastern staff member, Churchill also has a “conversation partner” who she meets occasionally to discuss a variety of different topics, including cultural characteristics of the United States.
“I met with her … and we talked about Thanksgiving and how it is a unique American holiday,” Churchill said.
Presently, the majority of students involved in both the Global Pathways Program and GAP are from China, Churchill said.
“Approximately between 60 and 70 percent of the students are from China, but increasingly we are seeing students from Khuzestan [a province of Iran], Saudi Arabia and Latin America,” Churchill said. “The diversity is always increasing.”
To attract a larger amount of international students, Northeastern advertises its Global Pathways Program at international college fairs in both the United States and abroad, Churchill said.
GAP is a beneficial program for both the international student and the Northeastern students, staff or faculty member, Eldridge said.
“It’s a great program,” Eldridge said. “I give [international students] tips on where to go in Boston, and I enjoy talking with them.”
