The Cultural Ambassador Program (CAP) at Iowa State is a semester-long program that pairs American students with international students based on interests and hobbies.
There are 116 foreign countries represented at Iowa State. Iowa State’s first international student traveled to Iowa in 1878, and since then the university has been providing international students with the tools they need to succeed.
The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) has been running this group for 10 years. ISSO is an office on campus that works with international students to help equip them for traveling to the U.S. and how to be successful while they are here.
ISSO employees assist students with their immigration status, U.S. employment regulations and provide support for them socially, financially and personally.
This program is meant to be a group where U.S. students and International students can share about the differences in their cultures.
“Each month, ISSO hosts 2 hour CAP sessions with activities, games, reflections and more,” Jenna Haffner, head of the program, stated in an email to the Daily. “Groups are formed at the start of the program, and participants work in those groups to understand each other’s cultures and backgrounds.”
Applications for next year’s Cultural Ambassador Program will be sent out through a mass email with the application information.
For any questions about the program, email [email protected].
The ISSO also has many other groups to help contribute to the success of international students in the U.S.
English Together is a program that helps international students learn English through games, conversations and topics of interest. I-LEAD is a program that helps international students with skills that will increase their chances of getting jobs and U ST 1100 is a first year seminar to help international students with the transition into college and into a new country.
To learn more about CAP and ISSO and how to get involved with them, visit their page on the Iowa State website.
