International Student Pre-Orientation (ISP)

August 22–27, 2024

ISP is a required program this year for any incoming international students utilizing a college-sponsored visa. We also welcome students who have U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency who have grown up abroad and feel it would be a beneficial program to attend.

We will focus on getting to know the international community at Smith, learning about your Smith resources as an international student, introducing U.S. social concepts/constructs, and supporting cultural transitions. In addition, students will have ample opportunity to meet with officials from Financial Aid, Health Services and other offices.

Register

To register for ISP, please fill out our online form. Please use your Smith email when registering. If you encounter issues with this, please let us know.

2024 ISP Schedule

We're excited to share this year's 2024 Schedule with you! This document will give you an idea of the program we have in store for new students, though some details may be subject to change. We will do our best to update this as soon as possible if changes are needed, and each participant will receive a print copy of the full ISP schedule upon arrival to campus.

2024–25 ISP Leaders

Theo Xavier Bruscato ’25 | they/them

Brazil

Quantitative Economics major

Hey everyone, I'm Theo. I'm originally from Porto Alegre, Brazil and moved to the U.S. at 16. I'm a rising senior majoring in quantitative economics. At Smith, I work in the Neilson library and serve as co-president for the Consulting Club. In my free time, I love to bike around campus and practice Thai boxing. I'm a returning leader and can't wait to welcome you all for ISP!

tbruscato@smith.edu

Kyara Soto Villarreal ’26 | they/she

Mexico

Astronomy major; Translation concentrator

Hi! :) My name is Kyara and I am from Mexico City. I am an astronomy major and intend to do a physics major as well. I am also a translator concentrator! I love art and literature, especially El Boom Latino Americano. I was a competitive archer for a long time and I am the co-president of the archery club here. ISP made me feel welcomed, got to meet interesting people from all over the world and make meaningful connections. I am excited to meet you all!

ksotovillarreal@smith.edu

Arisha Faiyas ’26 | she/her/hers

Bangladesh

Engineering major and Landscape Studies minor

Welcome to Smith! Having lived in Bangladesh all my life, I could not imagine studying on the other side of the planet, but here we are. When I am not doing my homework in Ford (till some atrocious hour) you might come to see me as your math tutor! I started rock climbing and running at Smith which really help me stay sane. There has never been a week when I was bored. There is always a beautiful place, a cute restaurant, or a life-changing event to explore in and around Northampton. Please ask me about the places I have discovered so far! I hope you feel as enriched as I do here <3

afaiyas@smith.edu

Michelle Xu ’27 | she/her

China/Hong Kong

Chemistry major

Hello everyone! I am Michelle Xu from Shanghai, China. I am a sophomore intending to major in chemistry. My biggest hobby is dancing, and I am member of the eboard of Smith Kpop dance crew. I am big fan Kpop groups like Seventeen. Hope to meet you all on campus!

mxu32@smith.edu

Hodan Ahmed Ali ’27 | she/her

Somaliland

Statistical & Data Sciences major

Hi! I'm Hodan, from Somaliland. I am a rising sophomore majoring in statistical and data science and pursuing a pre-med track. I'm thrilled to be an ISP leader and help new Smithies feel at home. Being an international student myself, I understand the challenges of adjusting to a new environment, and I'm here to support you on this exciting journey. I look forward to learning and growing together with each of you on this new adventure!

hali21@smith.edu

Nadya-Catherine Ismail ’26 | Any pronouns

Japan

Mathematical Sciences and Music double major

Hi everyone! I'm Nadya, a rising junior double majoring in maths and music. I'm from Tokyo, Japan and I'm half Japanese, half Pakistani. I do a lot of singing on campus with the Glee Club and Chamber singers, the two Smith choirs, and I hope to join POCapella this year! I'm also involved in Duct Tape Productions, the student musical theatre org. The international community here at Smith is so vibrant and supportive and I can't wait for you all to be welcomed into it!

nismail65@smith.edu

Chioma Opara ’27 | she/her

Nigeria

Computer Science and Quantitative Economics double major

Hello! I'm originally from Eastern Nigeria, but I have lived in different cities over the years. At Smith, I'm part of the Pan African Students Association (PASA) and the Smith College Investment Club. Although I enjoy fun conversations and taking spontaneous walks downtown, nothing can beat a lazy Saturday afternoon spent reading a novel in bed. I'm super excited to meet all the incoming international Smithies!

copara@smith.edu

Defne Tekin ’25 | she/her

Turkey

World Literatures major; Art minor

Hi! I am a rising senior originally from Istanbul, Turkey, but I have also lived in a few other countries growing up. I attended UWC Maastricht in the Netherlands before coming to Smith (hello to all my fellow UWCers!) I am a comparative world literatures major and an art minor. Outside of classes, I am involved in the theatre scene on campus and I write for The Sophian, Smith's independent, student-run newspaper. I look forward to getting to know you all during ISP!

dtekin@smith.edu

Catherine Guo ’26 | she/her

China

Education & Child Study major

Hi everyone, I'm Cat and I’m a rising junior. I’m majoring in education and child study and considering a minor in psychology. This summer, I’m enjoying working as a teaching intern at a school, learning how to cook from my grandma, and biking in the 胡同 (hútòng)—traditional neighborhoods of Beijing—with my sister. In the fall, I look forward to moving to the quad, teaching in the Smith K-pop Dance Club and Chinese Classical Dance Club, and organizing cultural celebrations as the co-president of the Chinese Students Association. Additionally, I’m excited to serve as this year’s ISP leader, where I hope to help you feel welcomed and supported. I want to help ease your transition to Smith! Please come talk to me about anything!

cguo@smith.edu

Muneera Alshagawi ’25 | she/her

Saudi Arabia

Engineering major; Architecture minor

Hey everyone, welcome to Smith! I'm a rising senior from Saudi Arabia, originally from the Eastern Province but now calling Riyadh home for the past 6 years. On campus, you'll find me active in Al-Iman (Smith’s MSA) and helping out as a library assistant at Hillyer Art Library. I'm a coffee enthusiast who loves hiking (Mt. Sugarloaf) and biking around the area. When I need a breather from campus life, you'll often find me at Woodstar, one of my go-to cafes downtown. If you need any café recommendations, hit me up! Thinking back to the international student pre-orientation in 2021, it was so reassuring to connect with people who shared similar experiences. That's why I decided to step up as an ISP leader. Look forward to meeting you all!

mmalshagawi@smith.edu

Melissa Wang ’27 | she/her

China

Government major

Hi everyone, welcome to Smith! I am Melissa, an international student from Nanjing, China. I’m a rising sophomore at Smith and am planning to major in government and possibly psychology or education. Being an international first-year can seem very overwhelming and I‘ve gone through some ups and downs the past year at Smith but personally, being involved in clubs and organizations such as the Smith College Running Club, Smith K-pop Dance Crew, and of course, the International Students Organization has been my support system through the hardships. I met the most amazing individuals through ISP and these clubs and as an ISP leader this year, I want to help create a meaningful experience for you as they did for me so feel free to ask me anything!

mwang78@smith.edu

Joanne Lee ’27 | she/her

Indonesia/Mongolia

Government and Economics double major

Hello incoming international Smithies! I wholeheartedly welcome you into this warm, vibrant, and supportive community! My name is Joanne, and I am a South Korean student who calls Indonesia my home. During my childhood, I lived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as well. I am interested in studying economic policy in developing countries, and thus chose gov and econ as my majors. Outside of class, I serve as the secretary of International Students Organization (ISO) and Smith College Pre-Law Club. My time here at Smith would not have been nearly the same without ISP and the international community! I want to give back the warmth and support I have received in my first year and contribute to making you feel comfortable and at home during and beyond the pre-orientation period. I can’t wait to meet you guys soon! Feel free to reach out! I’d love to hear your stories and get to know you :)

jlee506@smith.edu

Alice Bowen Tan ’25 | she/her

China/USA

Classical Languages and English Literature double major

Hello! Salvēte! Χαίρετε! 你好! Welcome to Smith! My name is Alice, a rising senior double-majoring in classics/English literature (yes, I spend most of my time reading—or trying to read—Latin, Ancient Greek, and then some novels). Born and raised in Shenzhen, China, I first crossed the ocean to attend high school in the U.S., eventually leading me to Northampton. I have embarked on various adventures on campus, writing for The Sophian, helping to catalog the Van Buren Antiquities Collection, tutoring Latin, and working as a Quigley Fellow for the college’s intersectional feminist journal Meridians. Outside of academics, my great passions include eating afternoon cake at Neilson Library, quoting 30 Rock, and badly interpreting augury. I have endless opinions about the best humanities classes to take. Feel free to ask me about anything, including (but not limited to) how I accidentally threw a two-thousand-year-old Hellenistic coin down the Dewey stairs.

atan08@smith.edu

Nermine Mokdad ’25 | she/her

Tunisia/Canada

Architecture & Urbanism major; Landscape Studies minor; Collaborative Innovation concentrator

Hey everyone, welcome to Smith! I’m Nermine from Tunisia, and I’m a senior majoring in architecture and urbanism with a minor in landscape studies. I also have a concentration in collaborative innovation, which I’m really passionate about. During my time at Smith, I’ve been deeply involved in various activities that enrich our vibrant community. This year, I’m thrilled to serve as an ISP leader, helping you kickstart your Smith journey as the class of 2028. Beyond academics, I love diving into creative projects like DIY, crocheting, painting, and drawing. I also like running, content creation, and developing my financial literacy in my free time. A fun fact about me: I’ve lived in 5 different countries and speak 3 languages. These experiences have given me a unique perspective on life and a deep appreciation for diverse cultures. I can’t wait to help you navigate your start at Smith and make ISP 2024 an amazing experience for everyone. Feel free to reach out with any questions or just to say hi. Looking forward to an incredible year together!

nmokdad@smith.edu