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By Joy Vann

�������� restructured its international initiatives programs last summer to enhance and broaden student participation in global experiences. Dr. Pati Schiaffini-Vedani, director of the Office of International Collaborations (OIC) in the Graduate School, said many international opportunities are available to students, faculty and staff, ranging from Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programs and partnerships with international institutions to short-term teaching engagements and traditional study abroad programs.

In her primary role as a specialist in international studies, Schiaffini-Vedani fosters the internationalization of the campus through academic collaborations with global institutions and universities. She is working to expand ��������’s international partnerships through the renewal and creation of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with universities worldwide.  

“We are reevaluating existing MOUs with international universities to ensure they remain relevant and are signing new MOUs to better serve the �������� community,” she said. “The OIC has signed six new MOUs with universities in Colombia, South Africa, Mexico, Romania, Ecuador and India.”

Her office also supports the English Language Center in developing specialized programs tailored to the needs of its international partners. These programs range from training international hospital staff in medical English to hosting university students for English language immersion.

“For example, this summer the ELC will welcome a group of Colombian engineering students to study academic English and to participate in engineering-focused experiential learning activities. ELC is now planning a similar program for French fashion students.” 

One of Schiaffini-Vedani’s goals is to increase short-term international teaching opportunities for faculty members.

“For 2025, we have restarted the University of Kitakyushu program for �������� social science and humanities faculty, which was discontinued due to the pandemic. For 2026 we expect to offer five programs where our faculty can teach abroad intensively for a week or two and return reenergized with new international contacts and ideas for further collaboration,” she said.

COIL

Scott Berlin is the coordinator of ��������’s COIL programs which involve two or more classes that study together virtually. The projects foster cross-cultural communication, allowing students to interact with peers from other countries. COIL projects are an adaption to curriculum. The professors decide the length of the program and what reading and work will join the two classes.

“After completing a COIL project, students are often more motivated to explore international opportunities. For instance, Kazakhstan becomes more than just a name on a map—it becomes a real place with real people, and students who have connected with their peers there might become interested in studying abroad to meet their new friends in person,” he said. “Faculty also benefit, as they expand their professional networks through collaboration with international colleagues.” 

Study Abroad

Michael W. Dean, executive director of Old Dominion’s Office of Study Abroad, which operates within Academic Success Initiatives, emphasized the personal, professional and academic growth students experience through study abroad programs. He also noted that those experiences often provide a competitive advantage in the job market.

The office offers a variety of program types including semester or year abroad programs, faculty-led programs, often taken during spring break, and Study Away programs that take place in the United States. For instance, there’s an English program in and a biology program in .

“All of these programs can be life-changing experiences where students learn all kinds of things they can't learn in a classroom. They offer a chance for students to grow personally, professionally and academically,” he said. “We live in a global world, and we're all interconnected. It’s important for our students to gain true intercultural competence to be successful in the 21st century.”

�������� has more than 800 affiliated programs in 70 countries that offer programs in a wide variety of disciplines and locations. Most affiliated summer programs are between four and six weeks in length. There are also virtual programs where students can do a remote global internship with a company in London or Spain, and those can be completed from the comfort of their own home.

Dean said ��������’s , in which students go for a whole semester and attend at an exchange partner university, are one of the best values for students. They are available in countries including Australia, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. He said the exchanges are an excellent value because students pay their tuition and fees to �������� and any financial aid they receive from �������� (with the exception of work study funds) can be used towards the cost of the exchange program.

“It’s wonderful to be integrated in a different culture, language and university system. It helps students to be more competitive when they go to get a job. Studies also reveal that students have higher earnings over their lifetime if they've studied abroad,” he said.

Office of Intercultural Relations

Sofia Calicchio, assistant director of International Initiatives in the Office of Intercultural Relations (OIR) in the division of Student Enrollment, Engagement & Services, supports the roughly 800 international students who attend �������� each semester, from nearly 90 countries, as they transition to life in the United States.

The OIR leads efforts related to campus internationalization and inter-culturalization, connecting the international student community with domestic students and the broader �������� community. OIR also oversees programs related to Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Latine, Native American and Indigenous, Spiritual Life, and Intercultural Initiatives.

OIR manages other international initiatives like the Monarch International Newcomer Transition (MINT) program, the onboarding process for international students. Held at the beginning of each semester, the program helps international students during their  transition to �������� and to find their ground socially, academically and culturally. MINT features a campus tour, information on visas and regulations, an overview of campus resources, social activities and campus connection.

“We provide essential resources and advice on succeeding academically, adjusting socially, and understanding cultural norms in the U.S. We also bring in campus partners, such as the �������� Student Recreation and Well-Being Center, the Center for Career and Leadership Development and the Office of Student Accountability & Academic Integrity, among others, to provide a face-to-face introduction to resources that can support their success,” Calicchio said.

The office supports the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), a program that allows international students who have been at �������� for at least one semester to advocate for the needs of the international community. The board works with departments across campus to suggest improvements and assess the international student experience at ��������.

The Global Monarch Club (GMC), a mentorship program that pairs international students with domestic students, also falls under OIR. Its aim is also to help international students transition to life at �������� and includes events like the Discover America series, which helps students learn about U.S. culture and fosters intercultural conversations between international and domestic students. For instance, in the fall, the group hosted a presentation on the U.S. election process.

Cheikh Faye, a graduate assistant for International Initiatives in the OIR, is from Senegal. He is pursuing a Master of Science degree in computer science at ��������. He assists Calicchio with programming and with the GBC and ISAB.

“In the GMC, we help students navigate and learn more about the �������� campus and the events that we have going on. The ISAB is like an advocacy board where the international student community leaders advocate for the needs of international students and visit offices that can help assist and provide a better support for the students,” he said.

While academics and work keep Faye busy, he’s grateful for the sociability he’s found at ��������.

“At my other schools, there weren’t as many activities for international students so you didn’t feel integrated into the group,” he said. “Whereas �������� has a lot of programs that offer these diverse groups to come together and get to know each other much better.”

Mujibat Akordede is a graduate student from Nigeria who is pursuing a doctoral degree in education, curriculum and instruction, also appreciates ��������’s international initiatives. She is a member of GMC and the Academic Experience and Success Committee on the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB). She found �������� when searching for programs that would be challenging for her.

“The moment I started the application for ��������, there was a connection. I loved the school so that I was scared of other schools accepting me because I already a Monarch,” she said, adding that during the process she was contacted by an advisor who asked her to interview. “The feedback that was fast and helpful. It was amazing.”

Through her work with the GMC and ISAB, she hopes to help other students in a similar way.

“Through these groups we explore opportunities that �������� has provided for the international students so that we can get the message out there for them,” she said. “I’m also a mentor to a new student. I discuss academics with them and how they are  navigating between academics and their personal lives. We discuss how to get the resources they need for whatever they are facing—academic, emotional or health-related. Sometimes we’ll just have coffee or tea together. We become like a family.”