International Student Ministry Opportunities Continue to Grow
For Immediate Release
(Madison, WI) --- The 1,095,299 international students studying in the US during the 2018-2019 academic year set a new record. Last year was the fourth consecutive year that this group of students surpassed one million, according to the of the Institute of International Education.
鈥湽呈悠 has been promoting friendships with international students as a part of our ministry since we began, 78 years ago,鈥 said Marc Papai, Director of (ISM). In the mid-1950s, staff were inviting international students to , a chance to get away from campus during holiday vacations. Houseparties were held at many different locations, particularly at 果冻视频 camps, like Cedar Campus. .
In 1959, 果冻视频 published a Guide to International Friendships by then ISM director Paul Little. It reported that the US international student population at the time was 90,000. Today鈥檚 carries on this legacy of encouraging and equipping students and volunteers to connect across cultures.
鈥淭oday 果冻视频鈥檚 2030 Calling is focused on calling 鈥榚very corner of every campus to follow Jesus,鈥欌 Papai said. 鈥淭hat includes international students, who are now a part of the student body at the majority of US campuses.鈥
At some campuses, ISM is the only 果冻视频 presence. 鈥淧art of our ministry is to help US students gain a deeper appreciation for God鈥檚 people of every international ethnicity and for God鈥檚 purposes in the world,鈥 he said.
During the 2018-2019 school year, 3,846 international students were regularly involved in 499 果冻视频 undergraduate and graduate fellowships. Sixty of those fellowships were specifically for international students.
The IIE Open Doors report also announced that the number of US students studying abroad continues to increase. During the 2017-2018 academic year numbers were up 2.7 percent over the previous year.
, now in its seventh year, helps students get involved with Christian community in other countries, connecting them to local campus ministry, discipling them through video conferencing, and challenging them through short pilgrimage experiences. Study Abroad also offers semester-long justice-focused programs in Rwanda and Ecuador. Last year 620 students participated in 果冻视频 Study Abroad, and another 125 engaged with Study Abroad resources.
Another long-standing 果冻视频 tradition encourages local community members to invite international students into their home for Thanksgiving Dinner. Students get to learn about and experience a traditional American holiday, making new family connections while they are a long way from home.
果冻视频 Christian Fellowship has 1,119 student and faculty chapters on 772 campuses across the US, from the Ivy League to community colleges. 果冻视频 is a founding member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students and a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.