International Student Advisory Council 2021-2022

Purpose

The Council provides feedback and recommendations to International Student Services and other campus units to assist the University of Arizona in setting the standard for an international university in the digital age. Members of the ISAC contribute to unparalleled student support by serving as advocates for the international student community and contributing to effective international engagement.

Who

Members of the ISAC are a diverse group of students representing a wide range of colleges, education levels, and nations of origin who are prepared to think critically about issues affecting the broader international community.

Expectations

Members of the ISAC are expected to inform practices on campus that are designed to promote international student engagement and satisfaction.

	Ally So	Simchoranay (Ally) So is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Economics at the Eller College of Management. She also minors in Real Estate Development at the University of Arizona and plans to obtain her real estate license. As an international student from Cambodia, Simchoranay understands the hardships of living in a foreign place with a lack of support, and most importantly, experiencing incredible turmoil regarding international student policies. She is eager to fulfill her role as a student representative and make sure that international students’ voices are heard. As a member of ISAC, she shows enthusiasm for bringing significant change through engagement with the greater international student community as well as our university leaders.
	Chi Thieu	Hi everyone, my name is Chi. I am a sophomore of pre-computer major. I come from Viet Nam and I have been to Tucson for 9 months. As an international student, I hope I can meet more students from other countries. I love cooking and watching drama a lot. I join ISAC because I think it is a good chance to contribute and assist the International Student Council to help other International students feel home when they are at Tucson.
	Hassan Abdulmonem A. Alnamer	Hassan Alnamer is a senior studying Computer Science and minoring in Mathematics. He was born and raised in the capitol of eastern province in Saudi Arabia, Dammam. Hassan’s interests roam a wide range disciplines medicine, business, and technology. Hassan believes that taking the courageous step to go on a journey in a person’s 20s is one of the most refining experiences where a person can find a new meaning of life. He is passionate about helping students to bridge the social gap between them and the community of the University of Arizona.
	Liane Eugenio Pinto	Liane Pinto is a Clinical Translational Science 3rd-year PhD student with a minor in Cancer Biology. She was born and raised in Brazil. She went to high school and undergrad studies at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She completed her master’s degree in Cancer Science at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and a Palliative Care fellowship in Barcelona, Spain. As a result of this past exposure to different cultures and experiences , she is delighted to be part of the International Student Advisory Council (ISAC) where she wants to support the University of Arizona International Student Community in local adjustments, smooth transitioning and settlement into the UA and Tucson Community. She also wants to give voice to any difficulties of the international community on campus/out of campus and open the possibility to seek solutions and improvements to the past and present issues faced by her fellow international students and their families. In her spare time, Liane likes to be with her daughter and husband and to read local, national and diversified international News.
	Maritza M. Marquez Olague	Maritza is a PhD. student from the program Educational Leadership & Policy with a minor in Higher Education. She is an international student from the border of Mexico which gives her a deep understanding of border practices. As a collaborator of ISAC, she will support and advocate for the international students’ community with the goal to humanize immigration practices, by creating networks in and out campus with educational leaders and engaging in necessary conversations to generate change. At the University of Arizona Maritza is also a member of the Dean’s Graduate Student Advisory Board for the 2021-2022 school year, EDLP coordinator of undergraduate courses and member of TAMP Teaching Assistant’s Mentorship Panel. In her free time, she likes to watch Netflix, swim and be with friends.
	Nguyen Dang	Nguyen Dang is an international student from Vietnam. He is currently a Sophomore majoring in Food Safety with a minor in Chemistry. He spent his first year in the United States as an exchange student under the J1 exchange student program in 2018. He later went on to graduate high school in Michigan under the F1 international student during the COVID-19 pandemic. He loves the campus because of its classical and modern buildings as well as the fascinating lifestyle that Tucson has to offer. Here, he works as an Operations and Distribution Staff for the Campus Pantry, a student-run organization that distributes food to the Wildcats community at no cost. He decided to join ISAC because he believes the voice of international students should be heard, and he could share some of his experiences during his years in the United States so that they could feel the university like their home. While he is not doing his homework, he loves to hang out with his friends and cook some Vietnamese dishes to the people in the dorm.
	Shubhi Bilgaiyan	Shubhi is an undergraduate senior majoring in Chemical Engineering. She is from India. Shubhi loves meeting people from different countries and backgrounds and hearing their stories over a cup of coffee. She believes each conversation gave her a unique perspective on life's challenges and is very proud of the diversity of students on campus. Being a fourth-year international student, she understands the struggles of a freshman trying to adjust to the new culture and an international upperclassman looking for jobs/internships. She believes ISAC represents the voice of international students. It is a platform for them to raise concerns or bring to attention any hardships that come with being an international student. She decided to join ISAC because it promotes a culture of mutual respect and increases the sense of belongingness among international students.
	Violet Ana Chabko	Violet Chabko is a PhD candidate in Literature in the English Department. She teaches Foundations Writing courses and introductory level literature courses. Before coming to The University of Arizona, Violet worked as a ESL teacher at John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. Her scholarly interests include twenty and twenty-first Anglo-American prose, literary realism, contemporary ethical criticism and the cognitive theory of literature.